[Kreamy]

Good luck to whoever replaces me

Quick Comments

ThatGuyDoMo:

eeek T_T didn't think you were serious

[Seffy]

If I may.

I don't believe this is a good idea to do this sort of experiment in a tournament with a decent amount of money on the line. IMHO everyone deserves a fair and equal start here. Someone getting a massive head start to a potential 120 dollar first prize is just bullshit.

Quick Comments

	Chiddiru:	+1
	syfChadMann:	Not really, if they can't make it through the rounds anyway, they aren't going to win.

[ToRChoboSniper]

Eddie, you're not explaining at all, in concrete terms, why you think this ridiculous format is even in place. I see exactly zero advantages for this and have a tonne of reasons why its terrible.

Quick Comments

	Seffy:	+1
	SLCN.Wally:	+2
	syfPhoenix:	+3
	x5_Namakaye:	+4
	ToRsupapower:	+8
	syfRize:	-18
	syfChadMann:	-2.7546
	eCKoa`ProzeR:	+-1?

[ToRSpartaz]

I don't know whether or not any of this has been said, but this post is a reflection of both myself and Schnitzel in regards to the format of the tournament.

Advantages: (As we see them)
- Gives newer/less well known players the opportunity to get streamed exposure
- Gives players who would typically be knocked out in the earlier phase of the tournament a chance of playing against opponents of equal skill.
- Community development, players have the capacity to actually get their name out there.
- Potential for more exciting viewership, players who make it through the earlier rounds could cause upsets against the "seeded" players. Making for better StarCraft (perhaps this is just a reflection of series that I have watched over the years, but I know that I found watching ACL in 2012 waaaaay more exciting when a lesser known name made his way into the group stage)

Disadvantages:
- Potentially a value decision in choosing who would make interesting match ups, potential for a biased view. (Personally, I do not think that this point would stand very well - from knowing Eddie over the last few years, he's made good decisions up til now, again that is a value judgement by me )
- Higher seeded players have too unfair an advantage in terms of winning money. e.g. 1 series to win $10 vs 4 for lower seeded players
- The trial is risky, considering the prize money. Perhaps it would have been better to try this format in say a weekly? Then adapted the model to a larger scale tournament.

Personally, I haven't decided whether or not I like this format. Elements of the format I can respect the thinking behind it, but then again as a result it comes with obvious consequences. I think it will be matter of seeing how this tournament will fair, hopefully there won't be any more pull outs TT

Best of luck to all of you guys playing in this it should be a fun event for those of us who enjoy the stream

[SLCN.Petrify]

Hmmm, the more I think about the bracket format the less I like it. The OCS system has made me used to being seeded poorly, as I spend my time more often than not studying at uni than playing in small weekly tournaments, however I think being seeded 2 whole rounds lower than people I beat regularly in the tournaments I do attend is pretty brutal.

I can understand kreamy's decision to pull out, if I was playing for the money rather than just to show my talent and for fun, I probably would have been really mad also.

[xpaperclip]

While I have no insight into how or why the bracket was designed the way it is, I don't think it's nearly as arbitrary as people are making it out to be. These are the OSC points the players in each round have.

Seeded into WR3
Blysk	315
Fenner	297.5
MightyKiwi	295
Crimson	257.5
Seeded into WR2
DemiLove	197.5
Schnitzel	140
Revenant	132.5
Pezz	112.5
Seeded into WR1
Wally	97.5
Petrify	57.5
ProzeR	50
Dane	47.5
Heartz	37.5
Kreamy	17.5
Pokemon	15
raZiel	15

It's an invitational with qualification from- and wishing to reward- performance in regular tournaments. It's 16-person so (at least to me) there's no other obvious bracket structure which can give some players an advantage (unless some start in the loser's bracket which is far worse).

While there are certainly merits to a more standard format, given the constraints and goals I don't think this is particularly unfair and having some variety is nice. A lot of tournaments have employed a KoTH-like bracket or give advantageous seeding to some participants (Proleague, MLG, Dox Cup 1!) so I don't think it should just be dismissed.

Quick Comments

	ToRSpartaz:	+1
	syfChadMann:	this is such a good post.

[ToRSpookToR]

I like it the way eddie has done it, people get more exposure and people that don't have as many OCS points have a chance to make it further before reaching MK and fenner level opponents.

[SLCN.Wally]

But isn't a normal seeded DE16 enough of an advantage for those players then to give them. You're basically giving the bottom 8 an anti-walkover, why? what's the point of that, literally none. I'm not in a tournament to play and get exposure I'm in a tournament to try and win. The change is just completely unnecessary.

Quick Comments

syfPhoenix:

+10

[Eddie]

This format is not entirely new, like paperclip says, i've seen it used (or close enough to) elsewhere, like MLG in the past i think. It doesn't look as good on challonge.com where i have to include walkovers, compared to liquipedia

It's a trial and will only be used for this Invitational format. We have long running traditional formats for Masters Cups, Weeklies, Group Stages, Season finals. This is something different for our region. If it doesn't work, don't worry i'm not going anywhere, these players will get more opportunities, and of course there are other tournaments running.

I've still seeded by stages the top players by OSC rankings. They do admittedly have somewhat of an advantage of less rounds to win. However using Kreamy as an example, he would be matched up straight away against a top 3 player, would have a hard (not unachievable) task first up. Potential straight sets elimination. I'd like to see some close series throughout, while still slightly rewarding/seeding players. An increase in difficulty at each stage.

It's what i want to try. I knew it might ruffle a few feathers, but trying something new isn't a bad thing. Have to take risks, be prepared to change things up to get better. Seems to have got people talking, and curious to how it turns out, so we'll all see come Saturday i guess!

If anyone wishes to decline an invite, that's their call. 1/3 of people will get money from this, there'll be good games, and you'll be streamed to an international audience. Your call.

Quick Comments

	syfRize:	Honestly though everyone. Tournament > No Tournament. If you don't want to play in it, then don't.
	mGGSouth:	+1

[Eddie]

Unfortunately, Kreamy has withdrawn, so re-Introducing our final invite:

---

IXL.RunaMok

Melbourne Terran. 10th in #Dedication for season 1 2014, with 876 games played. A regular streamer on sc2sea, Manager + Captain of Ninth Legion Gaming [IXL], and very active in growing esports!

Current OSC Ranking: 48th
Season 2 Tournament Championships: -

[HuT]

Stop being sad pricks, get better at SC2 and win regardless.

Quick Comments

	syfRize:	+1
	TtSYF.tRoy:	Now this is a good ******* post
	x5_dot:	+1
	syfChase:	+1

[SLCN.Petrify]

I've still seeded by stages the top players by OSC rankings. They do admittedly have somewhat of an advantage of less rounds to win. However using Kreamy as an example, he would be matched up straight away against a top 3 player, would have a hard (not unachievable) task first up. Potential straight sets elimination. I'd like to see some close series throughout, while still slightly rewarding/seeding players. An increase in difficulty at each stage.

I feel that it's just too narrow of a view to look at the players overall skill based off of points that are mostly earned by participation, and determine they deserve to be put 2 rounds ahead. For example, I would objectively back Kreamy to have the ability beat any of the top 3 if he plays his best, but according to OSC points he is ranked lower than someone who I could not see taking one game in a best of 3 off any of them.

The 'rising star' tournament should give players the ability to upset those who are ranked much higher than them. Giving Kreamy a chance to play say Blysk, allows the opportunity for upsets in the eyes of OSC, which most of the lesser known players in the tournament would prefer to have, than immediately giving the better ranked player 2 free rounds.

Quick Comments

	syfChadMann:	The whole idea is to reward participation tho... o_O
	ThatGuyDoMo:	yea, and you are rewarded by being invited, it shouldnt be free wins
	x5_Namakaye:	^this, if you were rewarded for participation someone like prozer who plays in EVERYTHING should be in round 3
	eCKoa`ProzeR:	hehe thanks nama <3

[Fenner]

I like it Eddie. People whine about seeding every tournament. Looking forwar to playing!

[Philosopher]

Looking forward to watching this tournament! Good luck to everyone involved.

[eCKoa`ProzeR]

Hype for Rising Star? Yes? ._.

I don't really feel like complaining that much about the brackets..? Just feel like playing and see how well I do vs these Masters / GM players :P hehe

[ToRSpookToR]

seed spook into the finals. #featurespook

Quick Comments

	eCKoa`ProzeR:	spook fiwghting
	syfChase:	we want spook

[zenabi]

The bracket looks similar to the end of year finals last year for OSC (can't remember ATM what it was called last year) just with 4 people getting walkovers instead of opponents. Though some points of seeding an invite-only tournament are valid, I like that Eddie is spicing it up a bit and who cares really, you got invited to play for money, just go out there and win it!

[syfChase]

I know a lot of people are critisizing the bracket and the way it's set out and it's not my expertise to comment about it (since I don't really play tourneys at all) but I really appreciate that Eddie's putting this tournament on. Bringing exposure to SEA talent who have it difficult already getting their name out is always a fantastic thing for the community, especially one where it's hard to get known and capitalize on opportunities such as large tournaments where the top 3 placings are always consistent with the best in the region (such as PiG, KingKong etc). I think the invitational idea is great.

The distributed prizepool also gives incentive to players to achieve as well as they can, bringing the best out of them which I'm sure will lead to some great and exciting games.
So mad props to Eddie for hosting the thing and again I don't really have an opinion on brackets because whenever I actually do play I get knocked out in the first 2 rounds and don't enter another tournament for a year thinking I'm bad.

[ThatGuyDoMo]

15 minutes guys GET HYPED

[Fenner]

Bonus: Predict the top 4 and we'll see who's the best at picking SEA's next up and comers!
1- MightyKiwi
2- Blysk
3- Pezz
4- Fenner

Quick Comments

SLCN.Wally:

FENNER PUTS HIMSELF TOP 4 SO PRETENDTIOUS DAE HATE FENNER NOW