Question of Curiosity

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Max Blue
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Question of Curiosity

Post by Max Blue »

Why doesn't anyone challenge anymore?

I have my own theories, but I was curious about individual reasons. The number of challenges appear to be dwindling and aside from a tournament prize, there hasn't been one since December.
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Post by Capistrano »

I can't speak for anyone else, but for me personally, I generally haven't challenged because of the Show of Activity requirements. Last cycle, I think I hit the 10, but it was my first time back and I was trying to make sure I was going to be comfy in my Warlord status/had my ring rust shaken off before I challenged. It also overlapped with the beginning of the Madness. This cycle, I just haven't had the time to fit in 10 duels. But going back even farther, before I took a break and when SoA was first introduced, I don't think I got anywhere near the 10 required duels.

Make of that what you will - does that mean I've not been around enough to deserve to challenge, or is the SoA too onerous to meet? Though I guess it'd be easy to see how many people hit the requirements in the cycles.
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Post by A. Dagger Sasc »

I'm waiting on Harris to take back Pathfinder.
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Post by Kalamere »

Lack of new blood probably doesn't help.

2010 was a banner year, seeing 10 new warlords hit the rank. New warlords are important to the process. They're still hungry for the next challenge and have something to prove. That year saw almost as many new warlords as the previous 3 years combined. The highest total since 2002. It was a good year for the sports.

2011 saw 1 new warlord. A massive drop off. Mur was the only fresh face to make the rank.

2012 so far is a little bit better with 2 new Warlords, though one has dropped back to GM and the other is right on the border, so maybe thinking it wise to get a bit of a cushion before risking the challenge.


regarding the SoA.. 1 duel every 2 weeks across a period of 6 months doesn't seem onerous. The rule came about, of course, during that 2010 year of high attendance and advancement and I could understand requests to tweak it, but it doesn't seem overly burdensome especially as compared to other options suggested at the time.

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Last edited by Kalamere on Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:48 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Post by PrlUnicorn »

I'm with Jay on this, there were plenty of challenges before the SoA went into effect. Some of us do not duel enough with one character in a cycle to get those duels or get their rank up.

Since so few challenges have been made, maybe it's time to rethink the SoA, that seems to have been initiated in part because one person abused the right to challenge, and let the rest of us get back to enjoying the game at our leisure instead of having to forgo what should be a fun part of it because we have lives to live outside of dueling.
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Post by Max Blue »

Personally I would have taken a look at the rule barring people from challenging the Overlord because of 7 loyal Barons.

What if people don't bother meeting the SOA because it simply isn't worth it?

Is it worth it?
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Post by Seirichi »

From my POV. I wouldn't have challenged on Nayun if it wasn't for the Trick or Treat challenge. The SOA seemed a bit of a burden and the risk wasn't worth the chance of being downranked from Warlord. My thought was to just wait for a warlord tournament and hope to win.

I've always liked fists because it seemed rather easy going when it came to challenges. The same with Magic.

*Edit: and when I did try I did get downranked, lol.

It's just really iffy. I haven't been around for long but that rule stuck out and was a bit of a turn off when I first saw it.
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Post by PrlUnicorn »

Max Blue wrote:Personally I would have taken a look at the rule barring people from challenging the Overlord because of 7 loyal Barons.

What if people don't bother meeting the SOA because it simply isn't worth it?

Is it worth it?
I was editing my previous post when RoH had a server burp and ate what I said about the rule regarding the full house of Loyal Barons being the primary reason for no challenges.

My only objection with the ToT challenges that Seirichi mentioned is that, perhaps, Warlord characters should have been afforded that opportunity as well. New ones that hadn't hit the SoA could have benefited.
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Post by Sungkut Lanka »

Kalamere wrote:2012 so far is a little bit better with 2 new Warlords, though one has dropped back to GM and the other is right on the border, so maybe thinking it wise to get a bit of a cushion before risking the challenge.
I fall into this category since I am the latter, as stated by Kalamere. I would like to build a small cushion of wins. My main purpose to challenge any given Baron(ess) would be story involved.

Some of you may know most of you do not but I had to withdraw from the Madness Tournament because I lost my job a week before it all began. I did not know how long it would take to get a new job and did not want to risk the no contact forfeit (because of loss of connection). Thanks to Goldglo for your concern on my personal matters, but I am not ashamed. It happens with the given economy.

<Congrats to Tass!>

I would much rather build a reputation with those that play on a nightly basis than swarm in and challenge simply because I can. Then fade away into the abyss because work calls me away six days a week for month.

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Post by Britania Grey »

Max Blue wrote:Personally I would have taken a look at the rule barring people from challenging the Overlord because of 7 loyal Barons.

What if people don't bother meeting the SOA because it simply isn't worth it?

Is it worth it?
This would explain why people haven't challenged the OL, but not the Barons. Why mess with a rule that so rarely comes into play? As far as I could find Ellisa is the first to have all Loyal Barons (went through the old standings so I could be wrong!).

That can be remedied by challenging one of the Barons and going Renegade.
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Post by Rand alTan »

Not in any particular order:

1) Can't challenge OL directly
2) SOA is overwhelmingly painful (specifically this clause: "Show of Activity is reset from moment of challenge. This means that the Warlord must have the required number of active duels in order to issue another challenge.")
3) All loyal Barons means likelihood of having to fight 2 opponents instead of 1
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Post by MurOllavan »

Me personally its not having enough time to come get the 10 fights. I don't think the requirement is that high, I just haven't had time.
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((or Sean, as the thread may be))
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Post by G »

ToT challenges: Warlords already had a way to issue challenges. If they didn't, that's on them. 10 Duels is NOT hard to get over a 6 month period. Especially when you figure that 3 of those months carry over to the next. If you need me to clarify, I will.

Nayun challenged as a lower rank. Don't see what the commotion about that character is.
1) Can't challenge OL directly
This can be changed.
2) SOA is overwhelmingly painful (specifically this clause: "Show of Activity is reset from moment of challenge. This means that the Warlord must have the required number of active duels in order to issue another challenge.")
Using Rand's here cause it seems to be the common complaint, not directed just at him.

Seriously? A player can't get 10 duels in a six month period? six months at 4 weekends a month avg. That's 28 weekends, 4 dueling nights, that's 112 dueling nights. People can't get 10 duels in that time? I understand there not being time for everyone, but come on, seriously? How hard is it to get ten 10 duels? I'm not asking for peer wins. I'm not asking for ten wins. I'm asking for ten DUELS. Win or loss.

So you challenge. Your SOA is reset. You lose, you duel ten times in the next six months, or sooner, and challenge again. How is this so difficult? If you don't have the time to put in, what makes you think you're owed the right to just up and challenge anytime? I am VERY disappointed that people think this is such a difficult thing.
3) All loyal Barons means likelihood of having to fight 2 opponents instead of 1
So, this has been like, different how? What's the benefit of being a Loyal Baron if the OL Can't step in? Why bother having alignments then? Or are you saying that you'd only challenge a renegade? I don't get this question/complaint too much.
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Post by Corlanthis »

My thoughts on Show of Activity:

Ten duels over six months.

I do not think it's unreasonable to expect people dueling for Titled Rank to show that they are a presence in the Arena. And I certainly do not feel that ten duels over twenty-four weeks is too much to ask.
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Post by Amaltea »

Now I can see how having the Overlord being challenged only if there's a loyal minority be a problem. This can be changed back to the show of activity.

But Ten duels over six moths, win or lose, is not that much of a burden. If anything it is a lot easier than 10 peer wins. I don't think 10 duels is too much to ask. The average player duels twice a night, at least, and sometimes twice a weekend. If you can't even accomplish this small goal in half a year I don't think the problem is with the rules.
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