Curse

hidden_agenda · Apr 17, 2006, 07:05 AM // 07:05

Hi all:

I just saw that the GW Championship Finale was between Evil and WM again. And Evil won (again). Oh, I am all for that the best guild should win and all that. What I am a little concerned about is the "levelness" of the playing field.

Now, this may be pure hearsay, but I thought someone mentioned on one of the boards that the Korean guilds actually have sponsors. They are actually paid to practice 13 hours a day for 7 days a week.

Now, is it just me or does this seem imbalanced?

No offense to any of the guilds, but it's not even the case that we have some other region being #2. But we now have two championships where one might have predicted the results going in.

I mean, would it not be the equivalent or having a professional baseball team going up against a minor league that only plays on weekends?

I would actually argue that GW Champion needs to have 2 new rules:
1) no sponsorship allowed for guild teams
2) that a "retirement" system be implemented. if a guild won world champion three-times in a row, they should be en-shrined (i don't know, maybe their statues will be up somewhere) but the same team should be barred from future competition (sort of a "giving everyone else a shot" kinda of thing).

What do you think?

JiggyFly · Apr 17, 2006, 07:11 AM // 07:11

Well, I would agree with you...except there's no law saying that an American or European team can't play 13 hours a day 7 days a week. If they want to devote that much time and effort into they can. (Although I don't think 13 hours is quite right, it's probably more like 2-3 teams practicing over the course of the day)

The whole reason for the sponsorship thing, is simply because the whole MMORPG following in Korea/Japan is alot bigger than here in the U.S. and in Europe. If I'm not mistaken I think some GvG matches are even aired on television there.

Plus, Anet isn't going to impose any resitrctions on their Korean players or guilds, because as of right now Guild Wars ain't doing so hot over there right now.

SAQ · Apr 17, 2006, 07:22 AM // 07:22

Well I think Evil got lucky this time, if Paladin of Te didn't error out on the 3rd match against Evil, I think Te would have beaten Evil and then it won't be Evil winning the championship, it'll be between WM and Te.

I think sponsorship is good, it's an award of some sort and for a tournament as grand as the one held, I think the winners derserves it.

Thom · Apr 17, 2006, 07:39 AM // 07:39

Professional gaming is accepted in Magic and poker for that matter. Guild Wars was designed to support professional play, so if some wants to pay me to name my character "Thom's Viagra" I'm up for that.

myword · Apr 17, 2006, 07:39 AM // 07:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by hidden_agenda

I would actually argue that GW Champion needs to have 2 new rules:
1) no sponsorship allowed for guild teams
2) that a "retirement" system be implemented. if a guild won world champion three-times in a row, they should be en-shrined (i don't know, maybe their statues will be up somewhere) but the same team should be barred from future competition (sort of a "giving everyone else a shot" kinda of thing).

What do you think?

terrible ideas.

TheMosesPHD · Apr 17, 2006, 08:04 AM // 08:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thom

Professional gaming is accepted in Magic and poker for that matter. Guild Wars was designed to support professional play, so if some wants to pay me to name my character "Thom's Viagra" I'm up for that.

Ya I thought about that during the last competition. Making your character name an advertisement or something. I didn't follow the tourney too closely this time, did someone do that in this tourney?

Phaern Majes · Apr 17, 2006, 12:51 PM // 12:51

Professional gaming doesn't just happen in Korea.... I'd be willing to bet my life that there are at least a few American and Euro guilds that are sponsered, or at least were at one point.

Sekkira · Apr 17, 2006, 12:58 PM // 12:58

Just because companies in Korea will sponser good players and American companies wont doesn't mean that Korean guilds should not allowed to be.

On top of that, barring a team from winning too much? Were you brought up in an environment where there were no losers and everyone wins? Because that is an entirely wrong attitude to have when it comes to competition. Were any Olympians banned from the games for winning too many gold medals?

Kakumei · Apr 17, 2006, 01:09 PM // 13:09

EviL's going to keep winning until a better guild beats them. Why stop them from being able to reap the rewards of their skill until then?

LifeInfusion · Apr 17, 2006, 01:19 PM // 13:19

I sort of agree that the playing field must be leveled.

At the same time the competition is raised when Korean players have so much practice.

In the end, it would be best if we allow sponsorship for GUILD WARS itself, instead of individual teams.

Cymboric Treewalker · Apr 17, 2006, 03:40 PM // 15:40

The only change I would want is to see a division system implemented...

Div III -- T-Shirt type prizes, Everyone starts there and after two wins total (in a given period of time) the team gets moved up to Div II

Div II -- Medium size prizes. Teams that win two times total (in a period of time) get moved to Div I

Div I -- Biggest prizes, etc. Professionals should end up here.

Phoenix Avenger · Apr 17, 2006, 09:30 PM // 21:30

I like the idea of the different divisions, although maybe guilds should be required to tell ANet which division they want to be in before the ladder season starts.

saneo · Apr 17, 2006, 09:36 PM // 21:36

i don't think sponsorship is a bad thing, but i do think some kind of limit should be imposed on guilds that win multiple times, maybe have a 2 win in a row limit or something, no permanent retirement, but a type of "term limit."

Gun Pierson · Apr 17, 2006, 11:53 PM // 23:53

I think the best team should be number one, why else have a competition or ladder. The best shoudn't be punished because they're the best, but rewarded and sponsorship is a way of rewarding. It is called E-sports.

Legacy Virus · Apr 18, 2006, 01:03 AM // 01:03

no problem with being sponsored at all, there is nothing say americans and europeans cant be and cant play as much as they do we just happen to find other things more important, koreans take great pride in there gaming and its like a sport would be for the U.S. we could do what they do easily we just dont want to put the time, money, or effort forward so let them.

Kool Pajamas · Apr 18, 2006, 01:38 AM // 01:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cymboric Treewalker

The only change I would want is to see a division system implemented...

Div III -- T-Shirt type prizes, Everyone starts there and after two wins total (in a given period of time) the team gets moved up to Div II

Div II -- Medium size prizes. Teams that win two times total (in a period of time) get moved to Div I

Div I -- Biggest prizes, etc. Professionals should end up here.

I really like that idea. I dont know about just 2 wins moving you up though. Maybe something like if you finish in the top 50 in a given season you are moved to the next highest division. If you finish really low you are moved down.

xBakox · Apr 18, 2006, 02:12 AM // 02:12

I really like the divisions idea, sorta like the NCAA. Divsion 1 is the top 100 guilds put in a league. They play for cash and such. Then Division 2 could be the next 300 or so guilds (so the guilds that were originaly rated 101-400). Divsion 3 would be the next 600 guilds (401-999). Division 4 would be the uncompetitive division. Every season the last 10 (just a random number) to finish in Div. 1 would move down to Div 2, while the top 10 in Div 2 would move up to Div 1. For Div 2, it could be a bigger number, like 20-50 that would move down, while top 20-50 guilds from Div 3 would move up. This would continue on.

Perhaps you could even have Div 3 have no limits, that way everyone would have a fair chance. Maybe the only qualificatin for Div 3 would be to register your guild.

Just some thoughts.

And I dont agree that sponsorship should not be allowed. Its how some people make their only money.

Kurow · Apr 18, 2006, 02:26 AM // 02:26

Quote:

Originally Posted by myword

terrible ideas.

I second that.

Shen Xi · Apr 18, 2006, 02:50 AM // 02:50

It's a competition, deal with it. Can you think of any other sport in the world where people are told, sorry you're not allowed to compete anymore, you're too good?

It's the same with any competiton/sport, those with more time/money ahve an advantage but ti doesn't mean they cannot win, skill has to be there. E.g. Te almost had evil there in the third game and might likely have won if Paladin hadn't disconnected.

hidden_agenda · Apr 18, 2006, 07:53 AM // 07:53

First of all, thanks for all the replies.

Sekkira - I was actually brought up in an extremely competitive environment where even elementary students are ranked #1 to last every semester. I've also won quite a few contests and will probably be considered somewhat of an over-achiever / yuppie in real life. In any case, I hardly see how my actual upbringing has anything to do with this issue.

It seems that most people's objection is with the "forceful retirement." I do understand that the best players shouldn't be punished. However, neither do I feel that people who get paid to play for a living in the first place is on level ground when playing against those who doesn't do this for a living.

In actual sports, there are amateur leagues and professional leagues. How would you feel if an NBA basketball team goes to your college and beat the crap out of your college team? You probably would say that it's unfair. Why? 'cause the NBA guys do this for a living -- they are "pros".

Well, this is the same. The sponsored teams (whether they're Korean or not) has an unfair advantage.

My objection has less to do with punishing the winning team then attempting to level the playing field. I do think that the best team should be awarded. But not when "best" derives from things outside the game.

On a less serious note: I wouldn't mind a sponsored league competition. I like the idea. It might create a different sort of competition. Maybe the tomb competition could be interrupted with commercials of Dwayna selling Pepsi Cola. Certainly, if I were Anet, I could seriously consider product placement and alternative ways to enhance their revenue stream...