TL-Arena VI

March 10th, 2010 21:32 | Event

Text by Pholon

With TSL over and the Starleagues still in their preliminaries TeamLiquid will still make sure your weekend is filled with StarCraft awesomeness. On the sunday, the TL Arena team will pry your eyes away from the SC2 streams. That's right, another awesome Arena is coming up ~ keep reading for details.

TL-Arena VI - Sunday 14 of March 2010 - 22:00 CET // 17:00 EST // 14:00 PST

Hero of the evening is Oystein. We all know him from the immense hours of streaming he's done for us - most notable his dual-streamed matched vs Infernal - and consequently we know that he's a racepicker. This will add an extra dimension as he can base his choice for what race to play on the handicaps he gets. Another tactical dimension that will be discussed below.

Participation and Maps
Again, the TL public will be given a chance to play our Hero. If you're up for it and ranked between D and C+ sign up. Do NOT do so by posting in this topic, but instead click this link and fill out your details.
Maps will be picked by the Hero from the iCCup mappack, but he will be required to play on one TL-submitted map. So, got a home-made map you want to see in action, wanna dig up a map you haven't seen in ages? Post in this topic to let us know and a poll will decide which map will be used.

Handicaps
Oystein will be playing PvZ, PvT and ZvP. For the handicaps we therefore have 2 sets: One for Protoss, one for Zerg. The individual handicaps from one group will individually be linked up to one from the other group so that, f.e. when he gets handicap #3, it could mean No Forge Ups for Protoss and No Scourge for Zerg.
As for TL participation, feel free to suggest both Protoss and Zerg handicaps. After they have been polled, TLP#1 will be linked to TLZ#3, TLP#2 to TLZ#2 and TLP#3 to TLZ#1. The full list of handicaps will be made public soon.

Handicap selection - Poll
Our trusted viewers will have noticed that Arena V as organized by deL had a different way of selecting handicaps. We used to have a map that picked a random unit, representing a handicap, but he opted to have an image on-stream (unseen by the Hero), on which the handicaps we randomly numbered. The Hero then picked a number and consequently. Both methods have up and downsides, therefore I'll let you, TeamLiquid, decide which method to use. In the spoiler below I listed some pros and cons of both methods.

+ Show Spoiler +

Poll: Method of selecting handicaps?
(Vote): Map
(Vote): Image

That's it for now - cya on Sunday!

TL Arena FAQ
+ Show Spoiler +

Why wasn't I picked to play? D:<

I make a numbered list of people as they come in. When it's complete I have my TI-83 pick 8 random numbers and those players get in. It's fair this way.

I played last time, can I play again?

We like giving more people a chance to play so you'll have to sit one out. You can always join the reserves though!

Why wasn't my handicap picked?

It probably won't work as well as you thought, cannot be monitored by the refs, has no show element or is just plain retarded.

Okay then, what makes a good handicap?

There are a couple of things that make a bad handicap.

The offline handicap - "Has to play with ovenmittenslol

There's no way of us to check this (other than trust the Hero) and it either won't show in the games or be so detrimental that he'll just roll over and die right off the bat.

The area-bound handicap - "No maybard/scouting"

Although "base" and "expansion" seem pretty straightforward they really aren't. Also "yeah I was gonna build a building there but I changed my mind" is a pretty good excuse for the examples.

The do handicap - "Yeah he's gotta plague his army lol"

Handcaps are mostly about what he can't do. If you tell he has to do something it raises when?/how?/where? questions - which makes the whole thing rather complicated - and if his opponent ggs before he can do whatever it is he has to do does he lose?

The undoable handicap - "Can only morph from the left-most larvae"

The sole concept of playing with handicaps is hard. You have to remember what they are and drop some thing you are really really used to. Some things are therefore pretty undoable for a player. On top of that we don't want to go kESPA on his ass when he forgets, but just give him a reminder nudge. Therefore handicaps need to be checkable (i.e. nothing involving supply numbers).

Furthermore keep in mind that we try to go for non match-up specific handicaps.

You say it's on Sunday but the calender says Monday - I'm so confused!

TeamLiquid runs on KST (Korean time). Because of the timezone difference they arrive at their Monday before Europeans or Americans do.

Hey at what time do I get to play? Can I play first?

There is no set time for when you get to play. Adapting to Handicaps is in and of itself a tactical consideration and we leave the Hero the freedom to choose the order in which he plays people. Some Handicaps may prompt him to play vs a certain race first, or he might choose to save his best MU for last.

I didn't get to play, can I default to next time?

The show is about the Hero, not about the fodder. Being selected does not guarantee you a game. The Hero is just required to play you if he wants a full win. If, however, he loses the event is officially over. Of course we ask our Heroes to play some more games (who wants a 30 minute show?) but if we don't get to your it's just tough luck. You're free to enter future Arenas and if you showed up we'll pick you over people who didn't.

X handicap is way too strong!

No it's not.

Last edit: 2010-03-13 02:20:18

@TLPholon

Aesop Hungary. March 10 2010 21:28. Posts 10375

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Viking fighting (and pillaging and plundering)!

I hope I may now Pholon?

Non veritas sed auctoritas facit legem. | Liquipedia: Questions? Suggestions? Woes? Drop me a PM and I'll try to assist.

mOnion United States. March 10 2010 21:29. Posts 4831