This year's game formats

[Mike]

The tournament formats are not picked by their easy of picking up - or we wouldn't be playing SM5 on LaserForce!

It'd be great to see a Zone tournament scene in the UK again, be it Base Flags or any other format. We'll happily follow the active tournament scene.

[Mad Gazet]

The tournament formats are not picked by their easy of picking up - or we wouldn't be playing SM5 on LaserForce!

SM5 is simple! honest

Well, it's simpler then explaining how the spellbook works in LOR!

[Entity]

I still think that bearing in mind we're playing a force specific game with SM5 we should be playing a zone specific game with baseflags.

Bearing in mind there isn't a tournament scene for zone in the UK it shouldn't really matter as to what format we play, does it?

[Mike]

I still think that bearing in mind we're playing a force specific game with SM5 we should be playing a zone specific game with baseflags.

Bearing in mind there isn't a tournament scene for zone in the UK it shouldn't really matter as to what format we play, does it?

The UK for LaserForce has no real tournament scene, other than the single centre tournaments that are run with are different formats every time. However SM5 is an established tournament format world wide. For this reason we use SM5 in preference to other formats. Had the format been a standard game used by public, then that would be the format we use.

We use the Zone format we do because it has actually been used in tournaments in the UK, all be it now 3 years since the last event. When Armageddon started in the UK it was the year the Zone tournaments were last run, and so we used that game format. This is nothing to do with complexity, games specific to a system (although I personally prefer using formats that show something unique to a system where possible), or any preference to the format that I may have.

I have nothing against baseflags being used once there is some form of inter centre competition, as running the event at multiple centres shows that the format can work in more than just one venue. Base flags does also create an issue with arena layout, mainly because Zone arenas tend to have a bias towards one base or another. In a normal game it can swing a close game, in base flags it is the game! This does restrict the arenas we can play at as once you go to 5 teams you cannot play a colour swap due to time constraints, which could mean teams winning just down to the colour they get - it just means something else to consider when scheduling the route, and not a reason to not use the format, just trying to show the issues it could create.

Right now it is way too late to consider changing the format we use for Zone, its less than a week before the event.

Mike

[Photon]

I still think that bearing in mind we're playing a force specific game with SM5 we should be playing a zone specific game with baseflags.

Bearing in mind there isn't a tournament scene for zone in the UK it shouldn't really matter as to what format we play, does it?

I would have to agree with Entity there, how can you miss out baseflags? I understand about the arena/base issue, but most arena's I have been to can play baseflags with a slight modification, or by removing the easier base from play. In any event, I agree too late now, I just wanted to add my 2P to how well this game can go down, its a Zone specific game as you have said, and it would be good to raise awareness of such a game.

Photon.

[Mike]

I still think that bearing in mind we're playing a force specific game with SM5 we should be playing a zone specific game with baseflags.

Bearing in mind there isn't a tournament scene for zone in the UK it shouldn't really matter as to what format we play, does it?

I would have to agree with Entity there, how can you miss out baseflags? I understand about the arena/base issue, but most arena's I have been to can play baseflags with a slight modification, or by removing the easier base from play. In any event, I agree too late now, I just wanted to add my 2P to how well this game can go down, its a Zone specific game as you have said, and it would be good to raise awareness of such a game.

Photon.

Armageddon is not to promote individual systems or their formats. It is up to the system players to run tournaments. Armageddon will always use the current active game format from tournaments, provided it is possible based on available centres.

If we randomly pick up formats because they appear to be a good idea we run the risk of constantly debating formats. You just need to look at Darklight to see a system very few can agree on a format for! I have to define thngs this way because not everyone will agree on a format, so there has to be a way it is selected.

Base flags is a great game. Get some tournaments running with it and then it makes it the current format used in tournaments and we'll have to switch armageddon to use it.