Gemp-LotR Leagues - schedule, ideas, results, etc

[Nitsuj]

Also, I think each series should be 1 week long, not 9 days.

I really like the extra 2 days to get your 10 games in.

[Gartax]

So do I!

[Nitsuj]

I'm not sure why this collector's league is so unpopular, other than people just may not feel confident in their collections to pay the $50 to sign up.  Maybe entry fees could somehow be based on number of registrants?  I don't know, its a difficult problem to solve.

I don't think the problem is the currency. If someone does not participate in Collector's leagues, then the only expenses they have are other leagues - roughly 2/month (100G/month) and they are given 50G/week.

I think the problem is that people don't really want to play in an "uneven" - as they perceive the environment. They either want to have full access to all cards (non-collector's leagues), or equal access (sealed leagues). Thing is, this is exactly the opposite of what CCGs are.

I know this is anecdotal, but I'm not joing the WoTR standard league because:

1)  Low enrollment
2)  Even if I do well, I'm not going to get much in prize support with the .35 factor for booster prizes

If it was a 20G entry fee though, I'd probably sign up since I might get that back in prizes for winning matches.  But maybe not.

I'll never sign up for an all cards league again, unless we have like 90+ signing up - because then I'll be sure to get my 10 games in, and will get decent prize support even with the .35 factor.

[tanzhamster]

"I think the problem is that people don't really want to play in an "uneven" - as they perceive the environment. They either want to have full access to all cards (non-collector's leagues), or equal access (sealed leagues). Thing is, this is exactly the opposite of what CCGs are."

I think the problem with collector's leagues is that there were all cards available from the start. The most interesting point about CCGs is the fact that you have to deal with the cards you get through boosters/starters and trading and improve your deck/s that way. When you can use all cards the chances of winning are way more ballanced in most of the games and most players want to win their games and that seems to be the reason why 90% of all players play the game even if it means, that there is less fun because everyone is playing the same deck. They will never join a league where they have to own the cards, because their chances to win are less, when they didn't focus on buying cards of a specific block.

[Arcanite]

In the WOTR Sealed that is coming up, what decklists are going to be used for bloodlines starters, as as far as i can see, there are no Bloodlines online decks.

[hsiale]

They will be offline starters to which I added a few cards to make them 30/30. I will find the lists and post them here later today.

[hsiale]

Bloodlines starter decks that will be used during WotR Sealed League

Bloodlines Boromir Starter Deck

Ring-bearer and Ring
(1) The One Ring, The Ruling Ring
(1) Frodo, Protected by Many

Free Peoples
(2) Boromir, Doomed Heir
(3) Rally the Company
(4) Tradesman From Lebennin
(3) Heirs of Gondor
(1) Merry, Loyal Companion
(3) Hobbit Sword
(2) Tolman Cotton, Farmer of Bywater
(2) Armor of the Citadel
(4) Gondorian Blade
(2) Measure of Comfort
(2) Dagger Strike
(2) Faith in Friendship

Shadow
(3) Vicious Dunlending
(3) Cruel Dunlending
(2) Worn Battleaxe
(4) Stragglers
(3) Column of Easterlings
(3) Easterling Shield Wall
(4) Rampaging Easterling
(3) Crooked Townsman
(2) Bring Down the Wall
(3) Wrathful Hillman

Sites
(1) Fords of Isen
(1) The Great Gates
(1) Anduin Banks
(1) Valley of the Silverlode
(1) Trollshaw Forest
(1) Window on the West
(1) Helm's Gate
(1) North Undeep
(1) Northern Pelennor

---------------------------------------

Bloodlines Arwen Starter Deck

(1) The One Ring, The Ruling Ring
(1) Frodo, Protected by Many

Free Peoples
(2) Arwen, Reflection of Luthien
(3) Lorien Protector
(2) Shrouded Elf
(3) Final Shot
(1) Rumil, Brother of Haldir
(1) Orophin, Brother of Haldir
(4) Blade of Lindon
(2) Hobbit Sword
(2) Measure of Comfort
(2) Farewell to Lorien
(3) Attunement
(2) Crashing Cavalry
(1) Kindreds Estranged
(2) Elven Bow

Shadow
(4) Orc Plains Runner
(2) Howling Orc
(2) Picket Denizen
(3) Prowling Orc
(3) Orc Strategist
(3) Orc Spear
(3) Scavenging Goblins
(4) Orc Skulker
(2) Strength in Shadows
(2) Underdeeps Denizen
(2) Always Threatening

Sites
(1) Caves of Aglarond
(1) Crossroads of the Fallen Kings
(1) Shores of Nen hithoel
(1) Caras Galadhon
(1) Old Forest Road
(1) West Gate of Moria
(1) Moria Stairway
(1) East Road
(1) Fangorn Glade

Other starters can be found here: http://www.supercheats.com/pc/walkthroughs/thelordoftheringsonlinetradingcardgame-walkthrough01.txt

[Arcanite]

Thanks Hsiale!

Just a quick point, elven bow and dagger strike are not in WOTR block, is this intended?

[Gartax]

Is that possible to lower the game count per series? it is quite hard if you have familly life and all that to get more than 1 game per day... is that possible to lower it to 8? I would put it at 5 but for 7 days only.

anyway just my 2 cents

[CoS]

Any news at all on when "on demand" or set up Saturday Tournaments will be possible? I would like to play in on demand FotR or TS tournaments with "my cards" as soon as practical

[Cw0rk]

Is it possible to turn GEMP into a APP for Smartphones?

Edit: i just played a game from my iphone. It worked okay. Perhaps a mobile website would be better

[MarcinS]

I've added test tournament queue. If it's empty, it's not showing up, until you check the "Show all queues" checkbox. Once 4 people (the test queue size) join the queue, a tournament will be created with those 4 players, which is a single-elimination tournament. At that time the tournament queue should clear the players and be able to accept next 4 players.

The "Tournaments" tab shows a list of currently running tournaments and their current results. Once the tournament finishes, the results can be viewed by clicking on the "Load finished tournaments" button in the same tab. At this point, each name in the standings will be a link to that player deck, that was used in the tournament.

[Rhyme]

any idea on the upcoming league?

[hsiale]

Definitely we will go down to 2 leagues running simultenously - one sealed (which is most popular) and one constructed - probably alternating collector's and non-collector's. As two most popular formats at Gemp are FotR and Movie, they will be used for next two leagues.

I'm also thinking of some general changes of the system, now that I've seen it running for some time. But I need also players' opinion. I'm currently preparing a poll I will release on the weekend and ask you to answer, when I have results, I will be able to design a better system.

[Nitsuj]

hsiale - will there be anything done to counter Snows in the upcoming FoTR sealed?