Millennium Changes

[NIALL]

At Toulouse the Millennium Board met and decided to elect someone as President, to act as a spokeman for the series and to be the initial point of contact for any one wanting help or information. That person is me!!

Hopefully now those wanting information will not have to wait too long to get it.

One of the first changes to be made will be to the schedule, which will be tried out at The Joy Masters. The change will mean that of their 10 games a Pro team will play mainly pros, a few Ams and one or two Novices.
An Am team will play mainly Ams A couple of Pros and Novices and Novices will play mainly Novices, a couple of Ams and maybe one Pro. Their will not be a re-seed half way through the prelims.

Although I am yet to see the format I think that it will remove the lottery of qualification. As and when I get it I will let you know.

Toulouse was the best Tournament I have ever seen. Magued and I will do all we can to beat it.. Laurent has made it hard but we'll try!!

If you need to contact me at any time My email is niall.squire@virgin.net, and My office number is +44 (0) 1932 865 999.

Niall

 

[LATHAM]

Nice to know they got the main dude on the case Niall.

I like the sound of the new seeding system. We didn't want to play just other Ams. When else do you get to play possibly one of the worlds best Pro teams. Nice

Just a quick question though. I heard that the teams now have to sit behind a sheet or something when they're eliminated. Is this right? I always like watching the rest of the game if I get taken but if it stops cheating/coaching from the sidelines then I'm all for it.


See you at Campaign Niall (Pies, Pies, Pies. Just a quick reminder).

Later dudes

 

[NIALL]

Dead Zones

The idea of dead zones came after Ledz and I discussed what we could do to improve the marshalling after Mayhem.

Remembering back to the first Hyperball event, and with fresh thoughts of dead players running on to the field interupting play at recent events, we thought bring back the dead zone boards.

Yes, dead players can no longer see whats happening, but the arrival of their team mates in quick succession or cheers from the crowd will give them a good Idea whats happening. As a team, Campaign Power only got behind the dead zone 3 times in 16 games at Toulouse, but when you are there you kick yourself and the adrenalin is amazing.

Simply it allows marshals to control the game in progress.

 

[manike]

I thought it was one of the best rule implementations for years.

The dead players have plenty of time to think about how they messed up... and the rest of the team and marshalls can get on the with the game without added distractions.

It also meant that teams had to communicate better rather than just count the dead box as they went down field. I'm all for making teams play more as a team

manike

 

[Buddha 3]

thinking about things I've seen happen, and things I've been told happened (on this board for instance), I must say that the 'blind' dead box is a smart move. I do however feel that it's a shame it's necessary.
How come that in this game a lot of players think they can get away with a lot of the sh*t that they pull? I've played other team sports as well, and only in paintball do I see this much prima donna behaviour. Is it perhaps because there are no
'proper' marshalls, just players who marshall certain events? Personally I would never interfere with the marshall's job during a game. I might talk to hime afterwards though, and as a teamcaptain I will rip the legs off any of my players who try to talk trash to a marshall. As I've said a number of times in the old forum, marshalls have my full respect. These people get insulted, harassed, and shot at, just to ensure that we get to have some fun! So any rule that makes the job for the marshalls easier, I welcome it.
Niall, congrats mr. president! (cue 'all hail the chief')

 

[manike]

Actually I believe it is 'El Presidente' not that there was a military coup or anything...

manike

 

[wee mouse]

Whilst I fully understand some of the reasons for introducing the new dead zone, I must say I'm extremely disappointed about it.

For 2 reasons:-

(1) That there appears to be a need for it at all is, frankly, disgraceful.
My own view is that if the organisers were seen to punish more firmly those who abuse marshals and cheat once they've been eliminated, the need for this action woud not arise.

(2) From a personal perspective, I have always enjoyed watching my team (Escarmouche) when I've been eliminated, as it provides me with a rare opportunity to see how they play. (I find it difficult to see my team mates while I'm playing because I'm focussed on my own job.)
This new rule, therefore, deprives teams from a good opportunity to identify specific areas that could be improved.

Is this new rule FINAL, or is it being tested over a couple of events?

John

 

[ascutt]

Millenium Changes.....and then some.



The blind dead zones were a great idea and still are - I can't think of a single reason strong enough to counter the chaotic scenes at Mayhem with dead players running onto the feilds and harassing judges. At Toulouse there was none of this - the proof was there to see - I overheard Bob Long himself comment on how few arguements/fighting there was at Toulouse compared to NPPL/US events; mainly due to the blind dead zones.

However, I still think there is room for improvement in other areas of the Millenium events. I would like to see none of the prelim/semi results posted until the end of each section - this gives an unfar advantage to teams playing in the later session and opens up the chances for scoreboard maniplulation. Just leave it blank and post them all together at the end of each day, this way there is virtually no reason for game throwing/point giving (ie shooting yourself in the foot to give those crutial extra point to your mates team - if you think that doesn't happen you are niave).
The system used for chronographing/armbanding prior to the game was superb but was left open for abuse. The guns, once chrono'd, should be kept seperate from the palyers until they are let onto the field, also the onfield chrono must be used for chronographing before the game, not a seperate chronograph wich can read very differnetly. I do support the idea of on field chronographing and maybe this will remove some peoples objections to it.
I wait to hear how the new schedule will run in Sweeden and look forward to seeing it. Toulouse showed clearly how luck on the draw can really help to distort the qulification scores. This is not sour grapes on my behalf - we missed qualification because we didn't play well enough in 1 game and that was enough to put us out (a tough call for an Am team but there were Novice teams with the same number of Maxs as us and we came 10th in the Am section). Lets hope this change will make the required difference.
A final couple of small points - we enjoyed watching the finals in the stadium but it would have been nice if the announcer had let everyone know the final scores on the fields. Also please do something about the tannoy music!! We set up right by one of the speakers and had the same 3 songs repeated over and over all day long for 3 days - it must have sent the stall holders mad by the end, the music in the stadium was much better.

On a brighter note, I thought Toulouse was the best tournament I have been to in 10 years of tournament play and full congratulations to Laurent and his staff. :

Scutty - Rushers

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The opinions expressed here are my personal views and I speak only for myself not for my team mates or the Rushers paintball team.
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[NIALL]

Hi Nick,

The reasons the dead boxes work is because dead players are "blind" to whats going on.

I think we need to evolve, simply changing a system that works because dead players want to watch their team mates play is not reason enough at present.

Longterm, I look more towards the possibilitys of using the zones as advertising media to pull in outside sponsors and reduce the cost of play.


Niall

 

[manike]

Deadbox

Hey Nick,

The trouble is I don't think these two things can currently happen...

Originally posted by Nick Iuel-Brockdorff
First, - Players should not be able to interfere with play from the deadbox.

Secondly, - Players should be able to watch their team play the game.

I don't think most teams are mature enough for this yet. I watched a huge number of games at Mayhem and at Toulouse to be able to say that.

Even if players couldn't interfere during the game, there are still too many views and opinions and 'I saw this I saw that' getting thrown into any discussion.

This way is so much cleaner and easier it's amazing. It kept argueing down, it kept tantrums down and in all it made paintball much easier and nicer to watch (it also kept games running nicely to time as there were few huge debates after game over involving the whole team...) Good things if we are to bring outside sponsors in.

Under the influence of adrenalin many people get overwrought and definitely see things in a different manner. This keeps any issues down to just those invloved.

I agree it is a major shame that players can not see the end of their own game as their team play (maybe that is an added incentive for them to play a better game and stay in...) but I do think it is for the best. Once all players are respectable and will not abuse marshalls then this rule will not be needed, but as I think we all know paintballers under pressure and with adrenalin flowing are not at that point yet.

manike