Posts from [HMM III OFF TOURNAMENT] "Race for the Leader"

Reflections on the "Race..."
I'll start with a question for the organizer. It seems this tournament is designed for beginners, but why make the maps so complicated?
1. Unrealistic packs of monsters that are difficult to defeat (150 Spectral Dragons, 110 Trolls, for example, 60 Black Knights...). A beginner opens the map for the next stage and sees this. They see hordes of monsters and wonder how to defeat them... After much deliberation, they close the map and give up on the tournament!
2. The legions of zombies have already been criticized, so a new gimmick has been introduced: external taverns!!! This is terrible! When you reach a tavern, you spend an hour (at best) searching for the right heroes, and then you realize that you could have played better before that... and you have to start all over again... it's not the most enjoyable experience.
3. There are no breaks between stages. Playing such complex maps without a break is not the most fun.
4. There are no prizes or incentives.

In light of this, I suggest the following:
1. Maps can be made more challenging not only by increasing the number of monsters, but also in other ways. For example, focus on logistics! This will allow strong players to complete the map in an evening, while weaker players will have a chance to compete with stronger players! I consider stages 1-1 and 1-3 to be exemplary.
2. Pause the tournament during the summer due to a decline in activity. Perhaps the introduction of grails will change the situation...
3. The organizer should try playing at least one stage over the summer (for example, stage 1-2 or 2-1) to understand the players and test all subsequent stages before releasing them!
4. Continue, or rather, finish the second stage in September, play the third stage as Jela, and by the new year, reward the winners and... THAT'S IT! Enough with the "Dom-2" (a reality TV show)!!!!! :D

Thank you for your attention! Sincerely, Galina Sergeevna! :D

I warned about potential problems with the "Race for the Leader" even before the first stage, but unfortunately, these problems could not be avoided.

The first and most important problem with the "Race for the Leader," as well as with all other Tournaments, is the oversaturation of Tournaments. The Tournaments overlap not only within the 3rd part but also intersect with other Tournaments in other parts.

I only play the third part, and even for me, it's difficult to participate in all the Tournaments. I can imagine how incredibly difficult it is for "polyglots" to participate in the 4th part as well, plus post on the forum, describe their Walkthroughs, create maps, and so on...

To solve the first problem, I suggest that Kyle and his assistants create a clear Tournament schedule, at least for this year. I don't know how many Tournaments there will be for each part of the game. In my opinion, let there be fewer, but they should be well-prepared and not overlap.

The fewer Tournaments, the more prestigious it is to win them, and the more people will want to participate in a given Tournament. For example, the Olympic Games are held once every 4 years, and every self-respecting athlete tries to qualify for them and win a medal.

I propose the following schedule:

There are 6 Tournaments in a year.
4 seasonal ones (spring, summer, autumn, and winter). The tasks for the Tournaments should be different.
1 Race for the Leader and 1 Best.
I would also like to play with other resources and organize something like an Olympiad. Hold a joint Tournament once every 2 years.

The second problem. The Race consists of 7 scenarios. To win a scenario, you need to play well in all the mini-Tournaments that make it up.
This task is quite difficult. The difficulty is doubled when you miss a stage (for one reason or another) or play poorly in several stages. Because of these problems, people stop playing. After all, everyone wants to be at the top of the leaderboard, but when you know that you are doomed, the desire to play disappears.

I have suggested before to play the scenario as a whole. But someone said that it is impossible to play that way.
Imagine this: K0Lb@zzeR immediately posts all 4 starting saves for the first scenario. After four months, players send in 4 final saves. K0Lb@zzeR creates 4 leaderboards and determines the leader based on the total points scored. We seem to have learned how to count.
And the fact that the starting save is based on the previous winner's save is not such a big problem. In my opinion, if someone else had won stages 1-2, the 1-3 save would not have changed much.

It would be good to introduce this "package saves" system starting with the 3rd scenario.
Although it can be done with the 2nd scenario as well. Post 2 more starting saves (2-3 and 2-4).
And in about 3-4 months, players should send in 3 final saves (2-2, 2-3, 2-4). After that, the leader of the 2nd scenario will be determined.

The package saves system will keep the intrigue until the end of the scenario.
Those who sent in the 2-2 finals should have the right to a rematch.
Sincerely, Perpolken.

Sanya, as always, you have a great idea! Moreover, every year, such a tournament is held on the Heroes Portal, and it's called the Royal Games. There are no pre-made save files there. Participants generate their own starting save. In 200?, the Royal Games were held specifically for the Ruby and Kramsai campaign. That's one.
The option with save files is also not bad, by the way, but I don't think many people will want to play a well-worn campaign for 4 months, overloaded with hordes of monsters. That's two.
And if you hold a tournament for the entire campaign, it will require very careful preparation and lengthy testing from the organizer. That's three.
The idea is good, of course, but we clearly didn't start with the right thing. I suggest finishing Stage 2 as it is, since we've already started, and the organizer will think about Stage 3, he has the whole summer for that! And if we are going to create an analogue of the Royal Games, then let's not do it based on the overused SoD campaign, but on some new and interesting one. That's four.
And finally, I'll add that it would be great to hold some kind of joint tournament between the portals, like an Olympics, like Witch Hunt for Heroes 2. That's five.

I've written a lot, it's time to finish... I still need to write a walkthrough for Devil's Gambit :D

Please let me know who will participate, and I will send out the save files, 2 vs. 2. If needed, I can extend the deadline by a week, or even two weeks if that's not enough time for anyone.

Dear K0Lb@zzeR, would it be possible to extend the tournament by 2 days, or even just one day? I'm very busy, but I'd still like to participate.

Dear tournament participants,

Given the current situation, I have decided on the following: to suspend the tournament for the summer and resume it in the fall with 2-3!!! And for those who still want to play in 2-2, I will extend the deadline until May 30th. I simply understand that summer is summer, and everyone wants to relax.

Sincerely, K0Lb@zzeR.

You can download the map and save file here.
I am waiting for your saves – from you, the tournament participants.

And would it make sense to extend the 2-2 playthrough until the end of summer???

Good afternoon! I'll probably say a few words too. I agree that we should finish 2-2, and then, after our respected organizer's vacation, implement a well-thought-out tournament..., but there's one BUT. Who will finish stage 2-2, knowing that there's simply no motivation or incentive? I suggest gathering the largest possible quorum (as much as possible) and calmly finishing the spring season and "heading south." Vbn, kamikaze, romanuel, dert, vanya, perpolken, ketch, dima a.s., and many others, and all the newcomers too, what do you say? But for this, we probably need a little more time than until the end of May, for example, mid-June. 2 perpolken: regarding the clear scheduling - it's a good idea that should have been implemented a long time ago. We'll think about it ;-), especially since there's time for it... 2 dima a.s.: and you have a flaw ;-)

Sign me up, please!!!!

Sign me up, please!

And where should I send the Sevik? Or do I need to register first?

And where should the save file be sent? Or do I need to sign up first?

In general, it was supposed to be sent here k0lbazzer@bk.ru well, those who played, let them send it; I think the organizer will turn a blind eye to the fact that they were late...

Sent the save.........

Thanks, kj1313. It should probably be pinned in the first post. Otherwise, it's just really interesting to watch how others play. I've sent the save file...

Does anyone know what the status of the tournament is? Can we start discussing it already (it seems like May 30th has passed)? Or is it still too early, or is it possible, but there's no one to discuss it with? :confused:

Why is there no one to talk to? And what is there to discuss when there are no results yet?

Kolbazer is busy; he doesn't even respond in the chat. I hinted that people are getting restless...

But I think we can still discuss things; who should we talk to? You can talk to me...

I'm just wondering if the tournament will be extended again.
Because starting the discussion now would essentially deprive people of that opportunity.