Get Your Tournament - News And Info
Amazingly, the Smash community, be it Brawl or Melee, had never had a universal ruleset. Things were tweaked from here and there depending on whomever was running the tournament. There was a skeleton understanding of what should and should not be in the rules (no items, some stages, etc.).
On Wednesday, a committee of tournament organizers as well as dignitaries at Smashboards will unveil the universal set of rules called the Unity Ruleset; tournaments that want to get the national recognition will be asked to use this format. The group has been putting together the ruleset for more than a couple months, seeking out information from other active tournament organizers that have run national events (Full disclosure: I will be running a tournament in May and will be using this).
Chris "Alpha Zealot" Brown, one of the veterans in the Smash community and a member of the committee, broke it down:
He wouldn't give me any specifics but let me know that public splitting of prize money will no longer be allowed, and that a ban from future national tournaments is possible.
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On Wednesday, a committee of tournament organizers as well as dignitaries at Smashboards will unveil the universal set of rules called the Unity Ruleset; tournaments that want to get the national recognition will be asked to use this format. The group has been putting together the ruleset for more than a couple months, seeking out information from other active tournament organizers that have run national events (Full disclosure: I will be running a tournament in May and will be using this).
Chris "Alpha Zealot" Brown, one of the veterans in the Smash community and a member of the committee, broke it down:
The reason for the ruleset is basically to make the community more unified and to have a more stable competitive environment. This is important because it can be hard at current to compare the skill of players at different tournaments, when the rules can vary pretty significantly. This is especially true since everyone wants stat-tracking of some sort, and they want it to be accurate. Also we look incredibly unprofessional to potential outside tournaments or sponsors when they know if they pick the game up there will be a several month long debate over rules - since before this there was no real standard, and that debate usually shows the worst of the community ("Me" mentalities).
The Unity Ruleset is only for the US at current. It would be to hard to coordinate and negotiate with other countries as the positions between rules are simply to far apart. Which brings me to my last point: this ruleset is less about "what is competitively right!" since everyone disagrees about what is or is not right in the Smash community, and instead it is about compromise. If one TO, for example, would favor 16 stages, and another would favor 12, then the medium there is 14. That is an example of the type of compromises that get made.
He wouldn't give me any specifics but let me know that public splitting of prize money will no longer be allowed, and that a ban from future national tournaments is possible.
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It looks like Michael Vick is well on his way to the third round of the Madden 12 cover tournament. According to ESPN, Vick is comfortably leading in his second round match against Andre Johnson, grabbing 61 percent of the vote.
Here's more from ESPN's Jon Robinson:
Here's more from ESPN's Jon Robinson:
no commentsOne of the more intriguing names in the tournament is Danny Woodhead. Here we have a guy who gets cut by the Jets on "Hard Knocks" and turns out to be one of the most popular players in the league upon joining the Patriots. And if the fans keep turning out to vote for him like they have the first two rounds of the "Madden" vote, his new nickname might just be "The People's Champ." Woodhead is beating Hakeem Nicks, 58% to 42 % and shows no signs of slowing down. Could he be the sleeper pick to win it all?
There were only a couple of "upsets" in the tournament to decide the Madden 12 cover athlete.
After a week of voting, 16 players remain, with only two being of a "lower seed" - Adrian Peterson and Peyton Hillis. The two biggest winners were Matt Ryan (89 percent over Jordan Gross) and former cover athlete Michael Vick (76 percent over DeMarcus Ware).
Vick could be the first ever two-time cover athlete. The other player that could reach that milestone, Drew Brees, is also still in the running.
Good to know that Aaron Rodgers, the most deserving player, is still in the running.
Here's the next round matchups, voting ends April 3. You can vote on ESPN.
Aaron Rodgers vs. Sam Bradford
Danny Woodhead vs. Hakeem Nicks
Maurice Jones Drew vs Jamaal Charles
Matt Ryan vs Peyton Hillis
Philip Rivers vs. Adrian Peterson
Drew Brees vs. Mark Sanchez
Michael Vick vs. Andre Johnson
Hines Ward vs. Patrick Willis no comments
After a week of voting, 16 players remain, with only two being of a "lower seed" - Adrian Peterson and Peyton Hillis. The two biggest winners were Matt Ryan (89 percent over Jordan Gross) and former cover athlete Michael Vick (76 percent over DeMarcus Ware).
Vick could be the first ever two-time cover athlete. The other player that could reach that milestone, Drew Brees, is also still in the running.
Good to know that Aaron Rodgers, the most deserving player, is still in the running.
Here's the next round matchups, voting ends April 3. You can vote on ESPN.
Aaron Rodgers vs. Sam Bradford
Danny Woodhead vs. Hakeem Nicks
Maurice Jones Drew vs Jamaal Charles
Matt Ryan vs Peyton Hillis
Philip Rivers vs. Adrian Peterson
Drew Brees vs. Mark Sanchez
Michael Vick vs. Andre Johnson
Hines Ward vs. Patrick Willis no comments
EA Sports posted a picture of one of 25 new plays it says will be in Madden 12. It was a play used by the Dallas Cowboys in Week 7 of the 2010-11 season.
Here's more from EA Sports on Facebook:
Cowboys- Gun Y-Trips Cowboy- Cowboy Slot Slant- This is a new formation for Madden NFL 12 where Miles Austin will line up in the slot. The Cowboys like to use this play to create one-on-one matchups in the middle of the field with TE Jason Witten and WR Miles Austin. Witten will run a quick drag clearing out the middle while Austin will run a slant in behind him. This play was used in a week 7 game versus the Giants.no comments
For a second consecutive year, EA Sports is putting the cover athlete decision on the fans. A player from each team has been selected as part of the bracketed competition, and fans can vote on ESPN. Each round of voting is one week, with the finals being April 18-26.
Does this system work? Last year it worked. Among a vote of three players, Drew Brees was awarded the cover; this came two months after winning Super Bowl XLIV. I'm not sure it will once again. This bracketed vote puts the most deserving player, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, in a tough spot. He should be the cover athlete without any vote; the guy led the Packers to a win in Super Bowl XLV (it is funny how on the EA Sports blog, there's a game shot of Rodgers as they urge you to vote).
It shouldn't be tough for Rodgers to get past the first few rounds. The bracket is soft enough to where his only competition early on might be Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald.
If Rodgers gets to the final four, then it's where things might not be so concrete. He could face off against Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan or Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew.
And if Rodgers gets to the finals, there's one guy he could face that might dethrone him without a challenge: Michael Vick.
Yes, Michael Vick is one of the 32 players on the bracket, meaning he could be the first ever repeat cover athlete in Madden; he was in Madden 2004. Whether people will vote against him because of his past remains to be seen. However, Vick has a very soft side of the bracket, with his only real competitor being Brees should they both make the final four.
But it should be Rodgers. This is too early for Vick to get an honor like this. If Vick has one more season of success (whenever the next season takes place) then we can talk about him being on the cover. This is Rodgers' time. He's the champion and the franchise quarterback for one of the most storied teams in the NFL.
I think the fans will rise up and get Rodgers what he deserves. There is no other player that deserves it.
Prediction of the bracket follows the jump ...
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Does this system work? Last year it worked. Among a vote of three players, Drew Brees was awarded the cover; this came two months after winning Super Bowl XLIV. I'm not sure it will once again. This bracketed vote puts the most deserving player, Green Bay's Aaron Rodgers, in a tough spot. He should be the cover athlete without any vote; the guy led the Packers to a win in Super Bowl XLV (it is funny how on the EA Sports blog, there's a game shot of Rodgers as they urge you to vote).
It shouldn't be tough for Rodgers to get past the first few rounds. The bracket is soft enough to where his only competition early on might be Arizona's Larry Fitzgerald.
If Rodgers gets to the final four, then it's where things might not be so concrete. He could face off against Atlanta quarterback Matt Ryan or Jacksonville's Maurice Jones-Drew.
And if Rodgers gets to the finals, there's one guy he could face that might dethrone him without a challenge: Michael Vick.
Yes, Michael Vick is one of the 32 players on the bracket, meaning he could be the first ever repeat cover athlete in Madden; he was in Madden 2004. Whether people will vote against him because of his past remains to be seen. However, Vick has a very soft side of the bracket, with his only real competitor being Brees should they both make the final four.
But it should be Rodgers. This is too early for Vick to get an honor like this. If Vick has one more season of success (whenever the next season takes place) then we can talk about him being on the cover. This is Rodgers' time. He's the champion and the franchise quarterback for one of the most storied teams in the NFL.
I think the fans will rise up and get Rodgers what he deserves. There is no other player that deserves it.
Prediction of the bracket follows the jump ...
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An EA Sports representative sent out a message on Twitter earlier today saying that details of Madden 12 will be made public next week.
Daily Madden Update... The teaser video should be released early next week. Several new features shown.We already know that surprise onside kicks will be in the game, and that free agents won't be in limbo should the lockout continue through the summer and possibly autumn. Hopefully we get some details on look, feel and whether the "simpler, quicker, deeper" gameplay will be improved on. no comments
Everything in life is a work in progress. The biggest example for me, personally, when it comes to competitive gaming, is the Fighting Game Stats database, which I'm trying to build up as tournaments continue on. More specifally, my focus is on the Evolution 2011 Tournament Season, which is going to have a collection of major events that take place throughout the world.
Now, on the Fighting Game Stats database, there is a page dedicated toward the Evolution 2011 tournament season. As competitions happen in the series, I'll be updating this page with various stats.
I'll also be providing some additional stats exclusive to the tournament series. For example, in the top four matches combined in the three live events, first-hit win percentage is barely at .504; players are 60 for 119 when getting the first hit. That is nearly 75 points below what is considered the tournament average (.580).
Usually, when a tournament has a low first-hit win percentage, it means the comeback percentage is very high. That is not the case in this example. The comeback percentage in the same realm is .204, which is only 14 points higher than the tournament average (.190). Obviously, when it comes down to crunch time, players tend to play less aggressive as they would if it was earlier in the event.
There are plenty more stats to check out specific to the Evolution 2011 Tournament Season, so head to the Fighting Game Stats database and check them out. Finally, you get to see the snazzy cool layout that I'll be applying to the rest of the site. no comments
Now, on the Fighting Game Stats database, there is a page dedicated toward the Evolution 2011 tournament season. As competitions happen in the series, I'll be updating this page with various stats.
I'll also be providing some additional stats exclusive to the tournament series. For example, in the top four matches combined in the three live events, first-hit win percentage is barely at .504; players are 60 for 119 when getting the first hit. That is nearly 75 points below what is considered the tournament average (.580).
Usually, when a tournament has a low first-hit win percentage, it means the comeback percentage is very high. That is not the case in this example. The comeback percentage in the same realm is .204, which is only 14 points higher than the tournament average (.190). Obviously, when it comes down to crunch time, players tend to play less aggressive as they would if it was earlier in the event.
There are plenty more stats to check out specific to the Evolution 2011 Tournament Season, so head to the Fighting Game Stats database and check them out. Finally, you get to see the snazzy cool layout that I'll be applying to the rest of the site. no comments
This is perhaps one of the more amazing stats I've seen in the Evolution 2011 tournament series. In the top four at Final Round XIV's Super Street Fighter IV tournament, eventual champion Eduardo "Puerto Rico Balrog" Perez had an EX connection percentage of .842.
PR Balrog was 48 for 57 whenever he used an EX meter. That is batshit crazy, especially since two of the three guys he faced have very good EX defense. If there is a "another side of the spectrum" debate, PR Balrog only used 57 of 123 possible EX meters available, a paltry .463 percentage.
There is always a reason why someone wins a tournament. That EX connection percentage is sticking out like eyeballs.
He also had six comebacks in matches played in the top four. The other three players had a combined three total.
Stats of the top four at Final Round XIV will be available later tonight on the Fighting Game Stats database. no comments
PR Balrog was 48 for 57 whenever he used an EX meter. That is batshit crazy, especially since two of the three guys he faced have very good EX defense. If there is a "another side of the spectrum" debate, PR Balrog only used 57 of 123 possible EX meters available, a paltry .463 percentage.
There is always a reason why someone wins a tournament. That EX connection percentage is sticking out like eyeballs.
He also had six comebacks in matches played in the top four. The other three players had a combined three total.
Stats of the top four at Final Round XIV will be available later tonight on the Fighting Game Stats database. no comments
The Madden Challenge could be coming back as soon as this year, according to one EA Sports representative. Chris Erb, vice president of marketing, said on Twitter the company is working on restoring the famed tournament series, which had been around for nearly a decade.
He posted these two notes on Twitter:
For most of its time, the Madden Challenge was a series of at least 15 single-elimination tournaments that took place throughout the nation, almost on a weekly basis. In its early day, the amount of tournaments for a year was 32. It soon dwindled down to about 15 in the late 2000s.
In 2009, Major League Gaming reached a deal with EA Sports to run the 2009 tournament series, running only three preliminaries plus the finals. However, those three preliminaries were all double elimination tournaments. There were plans for a 2010 season, but about a month before it was to take place the league said it wouldn't be running it, and no explanation was given.
Eric "Problem" Wright is the last Madden Challenge finals champion; he's the only two-time winner and the only person to win a combined six tournaments in the series.
This would clearly be a welcome word to the community. Hopefully it becomes a reality. no comments
He posted these two notes on Twitter:
We are bringing Madden Challenge back in a big way. Can't talk about it yet though...In the middle of answering questions about a possible Madden Challenge, he reassured Madden players there will be a Madden 12 even if there is no NFL season; the players are currently under a lockout and it's unknown when the players and owners will come to a deal on a new collective barganing agreement, which would allow for a new season to start.
Can't say a word...in the middle of doing deals. But you guys will be happy!
For most of its time, the Madden Challenge was a series of at least 15 single-elimination tournaments that took place throughout the nation, almost on a weekly basis. In its early day, the amount of tournaments for a year was 32. It soon dwindled down to about 15 in the late 2000s.
In 2009, Major League Gaming reached a deal with EA Sports to run the 2009 tournament series, running only three preliminaries plus the finals. However, those three preliminaries were all double elimination tournaments. There were plans for a 2010 season, but about a month before it was to take place the league said it wouldn't be running it, and no explanation was given.
Eric "Problem" Wright is the last Madden Challenge finals champion; he's the only two-time winner and the only person to win a combined six tournaments in the series.
This would clearly be a welcome word to the community. Hopefully it becomes a reality. no comments
For the second consecutive year, Tekken 6 will be in the lineup for the World Cyber Games tournament series. The organization made the announcement early Monday.
Tekken 6 is once again the only fighting game on the lineup. It was one of nine titles announced as part of the main lineup. The World Finals will be held in South Korea, home to some of the game's best players. Knee won the 2010 world title, beating Japan's AO in the gold medal game.
Ariel "FightingGM" Capellan is the defending U.S. champion.
Here's more from the WCG:
Tekken 6 is once again the only fighting game on the lineup. It was one of nine titles announced as part of the main lineup. The World Finals will be held in South Korea, home to some of the game's best players. Knee won the 2010 world title, beating Japan's AO in the gold medal game.
Ariel "FightingGM" Capellan is the defending U.S. champion.
Here's more from the WCG:
''This year WCG selected world's most popular titles across every genre in competitive gaming today. WCG values gamer feedback and we have determined that the announced titles are among the most popular and challenging titles available today,'' said Sean Lee, Senior Manager of Publisher Relations, World Cyber Games, Inc. ''We are excited to unveil the official game titles for the 2011 Grand Final and we look forward to another exciting year of competition to crown the best players in the world in Korea.''no comments
World Cyber Games will soon be announcing additional official, mobile and promotional titles for the WCG2011 Grand Final. The titles announced today will be available for online and regional qualification tournaments in countries around the world.
