[TheGentleman]

Season 8 lock and big changes for next season.

Season naming convention changed:

Naming system of seasons now changed. They will now be referred to by year and season number. E.g. 2012 Season 3 rather than Season 8.

Season numbers are starting to climb, so we will be changing the way seasons are named. Starting now, each season will get a year tag as well as a season number. For example, last season would have been 2012 Season 3, while the upcoming season will be 2012 Season 4.

Season 8 lock and next seasons start date:

Season 8 (2012 Season 3): is locked and will end September 11th. [link]
2012 Season 4: will begin on September 12th.

We are aware that this date is different from the one previously projected and displayed in the StarCraft II client and for that we apologize. The original expectation was for the season lock to occur on August 25, however the new tools implemented in patch 1.5.0 for handling upcoming season rolls did not function as we had anticipated. That being said, this season will now officially lock on September 4 and come to a conclusion on September 11 with the start of Season 4.

Ladder Map Changes:

1v1:

• Tal'darim Altar LE: Rocks from third bases removed from all starting locations. (Blizzard Image | wiki link)

3v3:

• Arakan Citadel Removed. (wiki link)
• Frontier Removed. (wiki link)
• Silent Dunes Added (New map!) (Blizzard Image)
• Monsoon Added. (wiki link)

4v4:

• Extinction Removed. (wiki link)
• Toxic Slums Removed. (wiki link)
• High Ground Added (wiki link)
• Megaton Added. (wiki link)

+ [Tal'darim Altar LE (without rocks on third)] +

+ [New Map: Silent Dunes Map.] +

Ladder Tier Removal:

All StarCraft 2 divisions will no longer be in tiers (so that one division may have more skilled players than others). Instead as of 2012 Season 4 division tiers will be removed and your rank in the division will represent where you are compared to all divisions. So if you are Rank 2 Diamond you're in the top 2% of all Diamonds, similarly Rank 50 Platinum is the top 50% of the Platinum league, etcetera, etcetera...

Currently not all divisions within a League are created equal. Individual divisions are actually assigned to different “tiers”, and players are assigned to tiers based on skill. This system hasn't been very transparent, making it difficult to determine your next promotion. For example, if you’re in a lower tiered Diamond division, just getting to Rank 1 doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll see a promotion soon.

With the goal of increasing transparency for ladder players, we’re removing tiers from the ladder with the commencement of 2012 Season 4. The removal of tiers from all leagues will allow players to better gauge exactly where they’re at on the ladder and how far away they are from the next league.

After this change, climbing to (for example) Rank 2 Diamond will mean that you are in the top 2% of all Diamond players, and you are very close to moving into the Master League. Similarly, Rank 50 Platinum is in the top 50% in the Platinum league, and so forth.

Source: http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/715...eason-9_6_2012

[Dingobloo]

The league and ladder changes are huge and seem obvious in hindsight, I like that they tried something unusual with it initially, but it's taken so long for them to zero in on something better it's really unfortunate.
I said in the writer chat that it reminded me of this quote @ 16 minutes:

You Tube

You Tube

Originally Posted by Dustin Browder

I'm not clear yet on what the most awful way to play starcraft is, but we're going to find them all apparently!

Actually being able to see where you are within your league even if it's only a 1-100 percentile rank will be so good.
Can't wait for season 4.

[inFeZa]

Oh wow ! Nice change to the division tier. Because being rank 1 in your division isn't really a clear indicator of where you're at. That being said i find it much more effective to practice to look to improve yourself and not worry about your ladder rank, i've been doing this on NA not worrying about being Rank 1 Masters or anything, im only playing so i can do well in the next upcoming tournament.

Also they should have just removed Taldarim altar, but hopefully with the rocks gone it will be a somewhat better map to play on.

[syfSoundwave]

Getting rid of the rocks on TDA IMPROVES IT but doesn't fix it. It's still ******* terrible for PvP and ZvZ.

Anyway, if I'm reading this correctly, getting Top 8 will be MUCH harder now. I like it.

Quick Comments

mGGAequitas:

tda best map for pvp iTroll

[eCKo`Switch]

Well, removing the rocks on TDA makes me a happy man, even though they could have just replaced it :P

Also, new maps for dicking around, I like.

[AxSGRiM]

EDIT:

Still happy with the changes

Quick Comments

mGGDrGooSe:

But, there has always been only one tier in GM?

[TASlowHands]

Im glad they are changing how divisions work. NA master divisions are retarded, you play someone in top 8 masters but you have like 2-300 more points than they do, it makes no sense.

Also I can stop cheesing protoss players on TDA, woop!

Quick Comments

zenabi:

agreed on the cheese part :D

[Snx.Mufasa]

Originally Posted by ETL.Soundwave

Getting rid of the rocks on TDA IMPROVES IT but doesn't fix it. It's still ******* terrible for PvP and ZvZ.

Anyway, if I'm reading this correctly, getting Top 8 will be MUCH harder now. I like it.

can't comment on pvp... but i enjoy playing/watching zvz on that map... ling bling is fun ^__^

[FsDronesInJail]

Tal'darim isn't a complete shit storm map anymore??? But I would have preferred to see the map scrapped off completely. That map is WAY TOO OLD!

[x5_Bard]

Great my vetoes don't change and I still have to put up with shakuras.

zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

[fray`Alpha]

I assume the Grandmaster Ladder will stay the same?

Quick Comments

	TADivinity:	.....yes
	Heady:	Divide by two and round up, now you have your new system rank

[FSDarkNemesis]

Can we have a Paper / Wood / Copper League now LoL?

[Zanderax]

I would have prefer for them to just give us our MMRs.

Hey Blizzard. You know those big people over there? They are called adults and they can handle a number.

Quick Comments

FsDronesInJail:

yes!!! lol

[NOM]

yay for the removal of tiers

[asdfSchnitzel]

So they remove the rock at the third...and don't add a ramp at the natural...

I is sad

Quick Comments

	Dingobloo:	They should have just moved the rocks to the main choke point ;)
	Heady:	You can warp past rocks without needing vision if it is same elevation, same crappy 4 gate map

[InteGrand]

For fucks sake zergs dont have to take 20 minute third on TDA now.

Quick Comments

	syfSoundwave:	So true. Makes me laugh when Protoss say TDA good map for Zerg.
	ROCCAT_Savior:	still, terran tank pushes will be a pain, and zvz. staying vetoed

[Theend]

They actually added back old map for team ladder-_-''

[Easy]

Atleast its more motivating, knowing that if you get to the top of your division your actually on the top of that league and almost promoting.

[TABjornbrandr]

It's about time that there's some more transparency when it comes to the ladder system. Although it isn't quite the same as knowing the number value of your mmr, it's certainly an easy way to get a read on whether or not you should be promoted soon.
I'd love to see my win/loss, though. Always forget to run sc2gears while laddering and importing is a pain to do with multiple servers+accounts.

[mGGLearning]

Originally Posted by TheGentleman

Season 8 (2012 Season 3): will be locked on September 11th.

This is a typo'. The season locked on the 4'th and will "end" on the 11'th. miright?

Quick Comments

TheGentleman:

fixd