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Can you play 4-5 games during the tournament? With reports, saves, and everything else? If so, then this is all one could dream of. A cult game, the best players, each one a legend...

In the 2nd game, matches are usually shorter than in the 3rd, mostly because the maps are simpler and require less running around. Although, you can still manage to make it take a while :)
And there is no time limit for a player's turn, as in the 3rd game.
Therefore, my suggestion to the judges is to consider which maps would be best:
- to avoid the possibility of "running in circles" - there are a couple of such maps in the list, they are interesting, but... like 7 Lakes, for example.
- to somehow encourage players to think for less than 20-30 minutes per turn... Gunnar, I remember, was particularly famous for this skill :)
- the Slugfest map should definitely be removed - there is a lot of randomness, or the player who has played it many times will win, and a newcomer (like Horn, the main character) will have no chance.

Well, on average, if a player plays one turn in the 3rd game per day, then in the 2nd game, you can expect to play 1 turn in half a day.

Regarding playing simultaneously on the 2nd and 3rd games... based on my experience, I would not recommend it. It is much more difficult to switch from the 2nd to the 3rd. It is much easier to play two games in parallel in the 3rd than in two different versions.

Regarding playing simultaneously on 2 and 3 screens... based on my experience, I wouldn't recommend it. It's much harder to switch from 2 to 3 screens. It's much easier to play two games in parallel on 3 screens than in two different versions.

Most likely, there will be two such players - Horn and Dust. Both were planning to choose the dual setup... there are people who can replace them, we've already talked about it.

I could come from Kyiv for the dual setup. The most elite team is being assembled... but we'll have to make saves and provide detailed reports after the games.

Therefore, my suggestion to the judges is to consider which maps are better to use:
- to avoid the possibility of "running in circles" - there are a couple of such maps in the list, they are interesting, but... like 7 Lakes, for example.
- to somehow encourage players to think for less than 20-30 minutes per turn... Gunnar was particularly known for this skill :)
- Slugfest should definitely be removed - there is a lot of randomness, or the player who has played it many times will win, and a newcomer (like Horn, GG) will have no chance.

The suggestion regarding the Seven Lakes is clear. I still have serious doubts about Good vs Evil: although it is one of my favorite maps, you can play it for two days if you want... And which of the unnamed maps would you recommend?

We recently played Heroes of Might and Magic II with Dust and Lebron in hot-seat mode. It was my first time playing it. We played on the Slugfest map, with 200% settings. I have to say, I didn't enjoy it very much. It felt like if you fought someone early on, you were already doomed, or if the AI ran somewhere it shouldn't, that was it too.

I could have come from Kyiv for the second game. The most elite team is gathering... but I'll have to make saves and detailed reports after the games.

I've said it a hundred times - my family comes first. We always spend May in Crimea.

Regarding saves, I think I taught Qwerty how to use the autosave feature for Hmm2 ;)

Added 11 minutes later

The suggestion regarding the Seven Lakes is clear. I still have serious doubts about Good vs Evil: although it's one of my favorite maps, you can play it for two days if you want... And which of the unnamed maps would you recommend?

Yes, Good vs Evil is a long one.

I could also recommend:
Mineral Wars
Forsaken Lands
But they are more of an option; your maps from the first list are more interesting, even though they are well-known and described in detail.

I consulted with Deep Mike (he is one of the strongest players in the world, both in online and offline games).
We should remove the 7 Lakes and Good vs. Evil maps, as they can take too long.
A suggestion was made to add a North vs. South map, with some minor adjustments (removing the rift in the upper left corner of the map).
There was also an opinion that the 3-way map is somewhat unbalanced (Warlock is stronger than Wizard, and Wizard is stronger than Barbarian). So, we probably need to choose factions...
Also, a suggestion was made to consider a map called "Arena".

Fest's map is definitely not our style; it's too generic, and it requires minimal skill.

North versus South – I'm all for it! It's a shame to remove 7 Lakes; it's a fantastic map, but you can play it for a long time, and skill plays a significant role! It's perfect for the finals!
We need to edit the 3 Roads map, randomize the factions, and slightly balance the resource spawns (we'll do this on-site in Michurinsk). Otherwise, it's a simple but quite enjoyable map!!!

If there aren't many players, a round-robin tournament is a good idea!

I don't know how I'll manage to play in both the Heroes 2 and Heroes 3 tournaments simultaneously... Heroes 2 is much more enjoyable for me than the random Heroes 3; I don't really like it, to be honest. :-)
Yesterday, I was teaching some kids how to play Heroes 2, and wow, there's only one music track in the game, and the music in the castles is simply amazing! And the game itself feels more alive; you can easily play two games a day!

It's a shame to remove 7 Lakes, the map is excellent, but of course, you can play it for a long time, but skill really matters! It's perfect for the final!

Yesterday, I was teaching kids how to play Heroes 2, and, wow, there's only one music track in the game, but the music in the castles is just amazing! And the game itself feels more alive; you can easily play 2 games a day!

Even a long map can be played in a day, in my opinion, even 7 Lakes. Maybe we shouldn't give up on it yet? If a game in Heroes 3 lasts 12 hours with all the breaks, etc., then starting a game in Heroes 2 is much easier. Battles with neutrals are much shorter. It should be possible to finish it in a day. :rolleyes: And I'm not even talking about teleports and Winterland.

And then think about where to put everything. I still haven't ruled out the magazine option... if it doesn't work out, then I'll somehow nicely post the exclusive on the forum. Those who need it will read it. It doesn't matter that the game is old; it has everything you need.

Possible scheme: 2 groups of 4 players (3 rounds, must be played within the first 2 days), then 1(1)-2(2), 1(2)-2(1) – the winners play for 1st place, the losers for 3rd; 3(1)-4(2), 4(1)-3(2) – the winners play for 5th place, the losers for 7th. Cons: a strict schedule of rounds: if a game in one group takes too long, the remaining two will skip, and it's unclear for how long.
If there are 10 people, a Swiss system is definitely the way to go, with 4 or 5 rounds. The advantages of the Swiss system, especially in the 2nd round, are obvious: more opportunities to form pairs from available players. And if there are 12 people, it's even better – if there are no draws, the first round will be played, and in the second, there will be 3 pairs playing in each point group – there's plenty of room for drawing lots.

I understand that the maps will be chosen? That is, Slugfest can always be excluded...

We'll add North-South, and other suggestions are very welcome.
We also need to decide on a judge. If Dust isn't playing in Heroes 3, then he's the ideal candidate. If he is, we'll have to find someone else to be the judge. Options (considering that PReDS will be playing in two tournaments at once): GreatGenius (hasn't confirmed participation yet), Horn. If no one else agrees, I'll be the judge. I have experience with drawing lots for the Swiss system.
Next.
We will finalize the list of maps and post it no later than 2 weeks before the start of the tournament. During the game, you can look at (but only look at!!) the editor. The game version is Russian, but there will be a sheet in the club indicating the number of troops (a group of 10-19, many 20-49, etc.) – this is for those who are used to other versions. Expanded maps (expansion maps, new ones, etc.) will be used in the competition.
Next, a very difficult question, please treat it with understanding.
Maps not on the list can only be played on the last day of the competition. I'll explain why I'm writing these unpleasant words. Because if in the first round two experts say: "we'll quickly play Dominion, and we'll be the first to finish," and then they have only 1 game played while the other 3 have played – that's not good. However, for the last round, when players will only be delaying THEMSELVES, and OTHERS will not skip BECAUSE OF THIS – please, by mutual agreement, play any map.
Next. Questions like "what is this artifact," "what is the speed of upgraded trolls," "how many hellhounds do unupgraded vampires have," etc. These questions may arise from people who haven't played in a long time. We can address this issue in the following ways:
1. Questions are allowed. No one is responsible for the accuracy of the answers.
2. Questions are prohibited; we play as in a serious chess tournament: in silence.
3. The game information is displayed on computers (this option is not entirely correct in my opinion: 3 windows will be open at the same time: Heroes, the editor, and an office application. There may be unpleasant consequences).
4. Players can only ask questions to the judge. The judge answers questions related to the game information (if he remembers the answers). The judge does not answer questions that follow, such as "do you think I can defeat this guard."

These are my thoughts, write your opinions!

If there are 10 people, a Swiss-system tournament is definitely the way to go, with 4 or 5 rounds.

Just my opinion.
Doubtful. It's better to aim for 6-8 reliable players. It's hard to find people to fill out a team of two.

GreatGenius (hasn't confirmed participation yet)

It would be good to clarify this. I know him from the forums; he's a strong and respected player. If we're gathering the best, his participation would be desirable.

considering that PREDS will be playing in two tournaments at once

I'd be grateful if he could play one tournament well. IMO, playing two tournaments simultaneously, in different games, against pros, is practically impossible.

Regarding the open editor during gameplay – Nagan, please check this technically at the club. Personally, the game doesn't launch at my home if the editor is open. Make sure this doesn't happen during the tournament – people are told they can use the editor, but it doesn't work. I couldn't figure out the reason for this. Although, I don't need to – I used to remember the map layouts by heart.

Regarding the open editor during gameplay – Nagan, please check this technically within the club.
Personally, the game doesn't launch at my place if the editor is open.
Make sure this doesn't happen during the tournament – people are told they can use the editor, but it doesn't work.

Yes, in the past, we always played with the editor in both the second and third games. We need to launch it and see.

Yesterday evening, Tolik, a former player from Michurinsk and a former player of the second game, came over. He refused to play in the tournament, but we played 7 Lakes with him.
The map is long; in principle, even the weakest hero can run away from the final battle for quite a while.

2 Querti, 2 Dust.

Guys, can we upload the tournament maps into one folder here on the forum? Because some maps are not in the standard set, plus there are edited ones, like the Teleports.

2 Querty, 2 Dust.

Guys, is it possible to upload tournament maps into one folder here on the forum? Because some maps are not in the standard set, plus there are edited ones, like the Teleports.

Of course, I plan to upload all tournament maps here no later than 2 weeks before the start of the tournament.
Here's another question: are there any announcements on the League and Portal? Maybe there are still people who don't know about the tournament yet?

Here's another question: are there any announcements on the League and Portal? Maybe there are still people who just don't know about the tournament yet?

2 Querty.
That would be good. But I can't remember anyone who plays 2v2 and is willing to come and play at the club. But if it's not too much trouble, write some invitations.

I know there are 3 strong G2 players in Dzerzhinsk: nprf, Pred, and Natasha – I’ll write to them; it’s not that far for them to travel. Regarding the maps, I ask Qwerty to show them to me before publishing. I’ve edited them several times for different online and offline tournaments.