Season 8

[Nate]

Season 8 is almost upon us. This means everyone involved needs to start thinking about their teams. Talk amongst yourselves and do trades, request transfers, etc. and then let me know by the 30th of April. Assume teams will remain the same if there is no activity on this front.

Good luck in the Pit!

-Nate-

[Adoede]

I was hoping next season would be back to the every glad for themselves format with everybody having equal fight queues...

Overall, the team idea worked alright, but there are still some areas that seem a bit unbalanced:

1) The fight queues. Having them be different for different teams just doesn't seem fair. Yes, as a team "favor" will help mitigate this...but for individual glads trying to gear up having tougher fight queues makes it that much harder to get the ratings points needed to get better gear - which means another wasted season spent not being able to improve your gear. (I have 4 glads in mostly legendary gear who will not hit 1000 ratings points this season...I also have 2 glads who finished last season with 2200 and 2100 rating points who will finish this season with 1500 and 1300 - thus no improvements to their gear).

2) Even though favor helps the team imbalance issue, the team game is still advantaged to the best team and the worst team. The middle teams have a disadvantage. The reason for this is that teams with more "dominant" glads on them get the benefit that after around 2000 rating, your fights win you significantly more ratings points per win. Teams with more "sub-1000 ratings points" glads on them will get less ratings points per win. So even if your records remain the same from one week to the next, the team with the higher ranked glads will get more ratings points because of the parabolic ratings points distribution system. As for the worst team - favor keeps them near the top. It's the middle teams that will have a hard time beating the other two...which is how this last season seemed to play out.

Suggestions to fix:
1) Make everybody's fight queue the same.
2) Make every win equal the same number of ratings points regardless of the glad's ranking.

As I mentioned in a previous post, I noticed that many of the new managers in blood gods who had been stuck on Xaal-zul ended up leaving blood gods during the season. I assume the unfair fight queues had something to do with it. As for point #2 - look how many times Drajaka-zul was in the top 3 compared to every other team.

[Nate]

Thanks for the suggestion Adoede. We will try new formats in the future and this could be one of them. For Season 8 though we'll keep the same format as it is one that had been requested for some time and I'd like to give those that have been patient time to enjoy it.

You are welcome to request a transfer to Xaal-Zul or Drajaka-Zul if you like though. Talk to those teams' captains. Dainoji and Apoc I believe.

Good luck in the Pit!

-Nate-

[Adoede]

Thanks Nate. I'm all for letting Apoc have his moment in the sun :cool:

My dilemma with teams is that I feel sorry for whichever team my glads end up on because they're just not very competitive yet and for the last season (and likely this next one too) most of them haven't improved because they can't access better gear with their low ratings. I'd want to transfer out of Kagon-zul just to spare those friends my current mediocrity. And I wouldn't want to be on any other team for the same reason.

[Dainoji]

Apoc isn't the only one asking for this format, many of us have been asking for this, myself included. I think Oedi has been silently waiting the longest! I've been watching the team rankings this season and they are always very close come reset time. Numerous occasions only a few points made the difference. I think this is a good format and like it.

[oedi]

I think Oedi has been silently waiting the longest!
Not sure if ive waited the longest, but quit right this is the format Ive been waiting for :)

[Narol]

Best team format so far, I hope it's here to stay, and something I too wanted to see for long. I would just suggest a few improvments :

1) No "leftover" team like Xaal-Zul anymore. I didn't noticed the mini-exodus that Cynaidh mentionned but it's logical and not good for the game.

I see 2 possible solutions :

a) Only 4 patron teams, the leftover teams being spilled amongst them in the most possibly balanced way...

b) One of the "big boys" leaves one of the existing 4 main teams to take the lead of the 5th team. Seeing the results of the current season, it would made sense that Sotc and Apoc each have their team for balance reasons (they cumulate 7 of the Top 10 glads at today's date, that says all).

2) Some In-game messages informing everyone having a glad in Blood Gods about the Patron teams and their need to choose one before the next seasons start, as not everyone reads the forum everyday...

[Sotc]

I will be on Dain's team this season per our in-game messages.

[Cynaidh]

I'll stick with Crow unless he doesn't want me. :)

If he doesn't put me down as a "Fill" team.

[Adoede]

I figure either Cyn or I should move out of Kagon-zul since the team is so crowded. And since Cyn has seniority, I guess it should be me.

You can put me down as a "fill" team instead and stick me wherever.

[Nate]

If he doesn't put me down as a "Fill" team.


You can put me down as a "fill" team instead and stick me wherever.

If I don't hear anything regarding a transfer, gladiators will remain on the team they are currently on. So if you want to be on a different team I suggest you start contacting team captains and negotiate a transfer. Remember all the gladiators under your management will move together, you may not split them up.

Here are the team captains for reference:

Apoc - Drajaka-Zul
Prinny - Tagro-Zul
Crow - Kagon-Zul
Oedi - Rylok-Zul
Dainoji - Xaal-Zul

As of now Sotc is a confirmed transfer from Drajaka-Zul to Xaal-Zul.

Good luck in the Pit!

-Nate-

[Narol]

Congrats for your fair-play, Sotc, that should make the incoming season even more balanced and enjoyable for all !

Adoebe, if you want to change team I would suggest to go with Drajaka-Zul if Apoc is ok, as with Sotc leaving it seems to be the less crowded team for next Season (I didn't made the calculations, so I may be wrong)

[Apoca1ypse]

Just got back from a week at the coast :D Sweet, Nourishing internet is mine once more!


Apoc isn't the only one asking for this format, many of us have been asking for this, myself included. I think Oedi has been silently waiting the longest! I've been watching the team rankings this season and they are always very close come reset time. Numerous occasions only a few points made the difference. I think this is a good format and like it.

I'm loving this format, and its awesome to see other vets getting more active :) Team ratings have felt super close at the end of each week too. Nice job on that Nate :)


2) Some In-game messages informing everyone having a glad in Blood Gods about the Patron teams and their need to choose one before the next seasons start, as not everyone reads the forum everyday...

This! ^^^^ (edit: saw you did that. YAY!)


I will be on Dain's team this season per our in-game messages.

I was expecting this. I'm looking forward to see the shake up :) (though not you as my opponent :P )


I figure either Cyn or I should move out of Kagon-zul since the team is so crowded. And since Cyn has seniority, I guess it should be me.

You can put me down as a "fill" team instead and stick me wherever.

We'll take ya. Welcome to the glorious halls of Drajaka-Zul

[Adoede]

Thanks Apoc. I just PM'd Nate.

And thanks to Crow, Narol and Cynaidh for welcoming me to your team last season. Good luck in the next one!

[Nate]

Thus far we have Sotc moving over to Xaal-Zul from Drajaka-Zul and Tevrosin & Adoede moving to Drajaka-Zul from Kagon-Zul. If you have any plans to transfer please do so now. Contact a captain and send me a PM.

Good luck in the Pit!

-Nate-

[Adoede]

Promises to be a nice competitively balanced season. Looking forward to it!

[Apoca1ypse]

I predict Tagro-Zul to be the team to beat this season. Bring it.