2008 College Basketball Season [Winner: lardass76]

[Lincecum]

So... this scoring system is rather silly when it comes to big maps and players not finishing off their opponents.

ie: I just lost on NYC in 10 rounds, and I feel that the game yesterday I won "better" than he won today.

However, since the bonuses at the end of the game were ridiculous (27 vs 3, 30 vs 3, etc etc) he blows me out by 32 points if I add it up correctly? In the game yesterday I was "destroying" him at the end, but the bonuses were 6v3 or 7v3.

So even if I win tomorrow, on a small map, there's a good chance I won't win the match even taking 2 of 3.

I agree, the scoring system makes for some strange incentives here. Seems to me it just favors someone running up the score intentionally. And the stated goal of offsetting a bad drop seems to actually work against itself - getting a bad drop just further enables your opponent to run up the score.

I'll play by the same rules as everyone else, I just agree it doesn't seem right.

[Bones2484]

I agree, the scoring system makes for some strange incentives here. Seems to me it just favors someone running up the score intentionally. And the stated goal of offsetting a bad drop seems to actually work against itself - getting a bad drop just further enables your opponent to run up the score.

I'll play by the same rules as everyone else, I just agree it doesn't seem right.

Well, I think the problem is the variance in maps. If we played the same map for all 3 games then the scoring system would work great as everything is even. But when you have 2 small maps sandwiched around 1 huge map, it really throws the entire thing off balance. The huge map outweighs the small ones by such a ridiculously huge amount that it isn't even funny.

[plash.ricrem]

I agree, the scoring system makes for some strange incentives here. Seems to me it just favors someone running up the score intentionally. And the stated goal of offsetting a bad drop seems to actually work against itself - getting a bad drop just further enables your opponent to run up the score.

I'll play by the same rules as everyone else, I just agree it doesn't seem right.

Well, I think the problem is the variance in maps. If we played the same map for all 3 games then the scoring system would work great as everything is even. But when you have 2 small maps sandwiched around 1 huge map, it really throws the entire thing off balance. The huge map outweighs the small ones by such a ridiculously huge amount that it isn't even funny.

Truth, I think I'm about to encounter a similar problem in my game. For example, we played on Canada in round 1, and I won in 7 rounds, but the bonuses never got too out of hand (for example in round 7 I think I would have been better off giving him a turn when I deployed 10 to his 3, instead of losing whatever points I would have gained seeing as he didn't take a turn). And now I'm getting run off the map on Fedual (even not counting the castle bonuses, it's going to be quite ugly). I just hope the large size and bonuses of this map doesn't put me out of contention is all.

[plash.ricrem]

Coach Ricrem's worst nightmare has came true as the zone press of Houston and some unforced aggressive turnovers has allowed Houston to make a substantial run and get back into the game (4382199). In the midst of a media timeout Ricrem was heard berating his players for trying to be overly aggressive in transition, which ultimately lead to several questionable charging calls (territory losses including a castle that essentially ended any slim hope of victory). He was heard yelling to the team that, "They need to snap out of this fog!" and mumbled under his breath that, "If I ever have to come back to Feudal arena, I'm going to burn this place to the ground." He then called a 30 second timeout in an attempt to steady the team and implore then to man up and dig out of the hole they are most likely in. Taking out his trademark flask he then took a swig, and then offered it to the players around him, telling them they "needed all the help they could get to regain that fighting spirit that they've embodied all season long, and that there is still hope until the final buzzer sounds." Unfortunately, a scoreboard malfunction has limited the ability of Ricrem's squad to figure out exactly how deep of a hole they are in as they enter what could be the final minutes of their season....

[flexmaster33]

The issue of the bigger maps will be addressed...I've made allowances for each big map, but there are so many different variances, I didn't list them all. Hopefully, your concerns will be answered once I get the new scores up in the morning.

[cazmart]

Texas extending their lead in the 2nd half.

http://www.conquerclub.com/game.php?game=4382250

Used pressured d from the start to take advantage of usc's home court.

[flexmaster33]

I'm out everyone...went down to the defending champs Auburn (Rumondo)

For this tourney if both of the first maps are won (by the same player) before the 3rd map goes out...I'll just forgoe the final map since it's unnecessary.

That's what happened in Rumondo's match with me...he mopped the floor with my pathetic game plan so quickly out matchup was over in a flash....watch out for those Tigers.

[cazmart]

I'm out everyone...went down to the defending champs Auburn (Rumondo)

For this tourney if both of the first maps are won (by the same player) before the 3rd map goes out...I'll just forgoe the final map since it's unnecessary.

That's what happened in Rumondo's match with me...he mopped the floor with my pathetic game plan so quickly out matchup was over in a flash....watch out for those Tigers.

So are you saying Texas has pulled off another upset...........

[geigerm]

Hate to clutter up the thread with NIT updates , but UConn beat Georgia at home in their 1st round game: Game 4377328. We're doing our darnedest to win this tourney so we can proudly claim to be the nation's 66th best team.

[Keellan]

Hmph I should be a higher seed, I mean honestly Nebraska is a 11 seed. Honestly I demolished Nebraska both times they should be #13 seed but w.e. works. I'm pwning #3 seed Florida in our 1st game.

Colorado showed it actually got a much higher seed than what it deserved...

Florida gets pwned...oh wait

[flexmaster33]

Brackets are updated through Tuesday night...
Two games are final (first two maps swept by the same player before a 3rd went out)
#15 Texas beats #2 USC 84-19
#5 Auburn beats #12 Portland State (ughh) 54-27


I'll work on newsletters the rest of the first round...now that I don't have to worry about creating games for awhile.

[Bones2484]

The issue of the bigger maps will be addressed...I've made allowances for each big map, but there are so many different variances, I didn't list them all. Hopefully, your concerns will be answered once I get the new scores up in the morning.

I should have known you'd have thought this through already, but I guess I'm one of those anal people that you mention in the original post that like to know how all the scoring will work out

[dustin800]

The ACC Champion (and 2nd place regular season team) UNC that somehow was given a 9 seed (obviously some people understand the selection process poorly when the champion form the 4thbest league gets a 9 seed) sweeps all 3 games. Good thing that winning 80% of games in the second half of the season means nothing and we will never get to play on our home map!

[flexmaster33]

Yes...the Tar Heels are seeking vengeance.
That sets up our first showdown of the second round, which should be a heated battle between #9 North Carolina and #1 Villanova.

Seven teams have advanced to the second round as of this morning.

I'll give it another day or two for some more first-round matches to finish, then I'll start in on making second-round matchups...probably by Friday or Saturday.

[Bones2484]

The ACC Champion (and 2nd place regular season team) UNC that somehow was given a 9 seed (obviously some people understand the selection process poorly when the champion form the 4thbest league gets a 9 seed) sweeps all 3 games. Good thing that winning 80% of games in the second half of the season means nothing and we will never get to play on our home map!

Well. UNC did have less overall wins than 6 other teams in the ACC and won a 3-way tiebreaker for 2nd place while barely having a winning percentage above .500. So it's not like you blitzed past the competition. An 8/9 seed seems reasonable to me.

[Easy n Dirty]

Pittsburgh, after a late season mini-slide, has gotten its mojo back and advances past Texas Tech into the second round, where we eagerly await the winner of Air Force/Miami (OH).

[laci_mae]

Just wondering--are NIT games out? Is my future opponent still tied up in conference tourney litigation? The Hogs are disappointed in their immature play during the SEC conference. We're looking for a Cinderella-type comeback in the NIT.

Thanks,
L

[plash.ricrem]

In a stunning upset, the 2nd 15 seed of the tournament advances as Vermont knocks off Houston (4389297)! When we last checked in on this back and forth struggle, Houston had just finished making a run with support from its home crowd (Fedual war map of doom) to make it anyone's game as they came down the stretch. Ricrem's team was able to weather the storm however, returning to the transition style game that has brought them success all season. "The key moment was the time out I called with < 5 minutes left." Ricrem noted after the game. "Things weren't looking too good (red set after 4 rounds) and I was unsure if we had it in us to take it to them down the stretch. Luckily our guards played aggressively going to the hoop (subseqent mixed set in round 7) and we were able to play some solid zone defense from there on out."
When asked who he would prefer playing in the next round, Ricrem replied he didn't care, "As long as we can avoid that hellhole which is Fedual War Arena." He then excitedly downed the rest of his flask and told reporters to meet him at the hotel bar after the game, as drinks were on him. After being told by his assistant coach that the university wasn't going to cover such extravagance, Ricrem told his assistant that that was nonsense, that the university was only 30 million in the hole for next year, and what could a couple thousand more really matter anyway. After a moment of reflection he added, "Plus with price increase in maple syrup prices, can't they just recoup their losses by tapping a couple more trees?"

[yammers1]

Mich St. Spartans advance...they are intent on showing the committee that a #9 seed for the Big Ten champs was a snub! Next up...Bowling Green (probably)

[flexmaster33]

Hi everyone...I've had some complaints about choices for neutral maps and looked into it more closely and thought it was something that should be changed starting with round 2 of the tourney.

When I first selected the maps, I was focusing on mostly geographic maps without a lot of tricks to them or special rules. Since then it has been brought to my attention than some maps are better for 1 vs. 1 based on the territory giveout at the start of a game. Some maps make it much easier for the player going first to get a slight advantage from the drop, and of course, this slight advantage can easily snowball for no other reason that the player was given the first turn.

I've seen the light...maps that start with each player getting 14, 17 or 20 territories give the best chance for both players to have equal armies on their opening turn.

As a result, I've re-evaluated some of the neutral maps in play and replaced them with others that meet the above description.

Here are the changes (they will go into effect for Round 2)
In the South...
The Sweet 16/Elite 8 maps are now Asia and BeNeLux
For the second round...Cairn's Coast replaces Iberia

In the West...
The Sweet 16/Elite 8 maps are now San Francisco and Carribean
In the second round...Hong Kong replaces Africa

In the Midwest...
In the second round...Malta replaces Montreal

In the Northeast...
In the second round...British Isles replaces Tamriel

For the Final Four
the neutral map has changed from San Francisco to North America.

All of these changes are reflected on the newly updated brackets.
I feel like this 2008-09 format is making the championship tournament more of a fair test to decide out 1 vs. 1 champion, and improving this map selection is just another step to making the March Madness bracket that much more fair.

thanks, flex

PS - I'm now keeping a log of maps and starting territories for each one, so that I can refer to it in other tourneys I may organize...since most of mine are 1 vs. 1 events.

[flexmaster33]

Brackets are now updated....including the final results in each of the conference tournaments. The fields are now completely set, although the play-in game is still ongoing.

Second round matchups for the NCAA will go out Friday or Saturday....10 teams have advanced to this point.

[agonzos]

How is the 3rd map in the best of 3 decided? Can we at least have it no spoils? That would eliminate as much luck as possible.

[flexmaster33]

The first and third maps are neutral courts with the settings flat spoils, chained, and no fog...the middle map is on the higher seed's settings.

In the Final Four...maps 1 and 2 will be each team's settings, while a third map will be neutral court (North America) with the same settings as above.

[MuEagles79]

Purdue took down Xavier in basically a rout in the first round of the NIT.....the Boilermakers are out to show what they think of their snub in the Big Dance!

[MostMackinest]

In what has been a most disappointing season for Georgetown(both seasons!), they have once again let down their faithful in a 1st round exit of the Dance.

I would like to give thanks to Flexmaster for another great tourney, and the Hoyas will now turn their attention to recruiting for next year.

GO BIG EAST!