Hi Y'All,
With ITT08 still going, I took a bit of time to think about how things went, not only this year but previous editions as well. The number of players was low, the number of players that made it to the end of their Rounds even lower.
Possible reasons for that, ones that I could think of were:
1. Thudguild membership requirement
2. Strict Rules, especially the 24-hour Rule, because of
3. Strict time management, only six weeks to which players need to adjust their schedules.
So I came up with a new and very different idea:
1. No Thudguild membership required until start of Round Two
2. Less strict Rules, only One-Week Rule (and leniency for holidays if given notice beforehand), because of
3. Almost no time management, apart from change of Rounds: ITT2009 will last for the entire year.
Things have been "discussed" with a couple of people, and I decided that after making some suggested adjustments I should propose a pilot project for these new and improved ITT2009 Rules.
If you would care to go to my site, and check the news section on front page (or the menu on the left, under Tourneys), you can read the entire set of New Rules online. Please have a look, and let me know what you think. This is still open for suggestions (so do not care about Rule #16 until further notice, until the words "proposal for" have been deleted from top of page). I can and will make minor adjustments, but the one-year idea stands, as a pilot project!.
The Pilot starts in january, so deadline for adjustments is december 24.
Oh, and yes: you will be Thudmeister 2009 if all goes according to my hopes, plus you need to get to the end of the year and Tournament. There's just a slight catch: you might need to share the title -or have two!- when we decide to have a classic ITT as well. But still, two out of a possible six billion... not bad 
Happy Thudding!
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
Interesting idea, definitely. I don't suppose we can really guess how well it'll work til we try it, but I can't see anything wrong with the plan.
MS
"LOOKS PERFECTLY LOGICAL TO ME"
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
Wow, thanks OB. That looks promising
I wondered if it was possible at all to try to play full games instead of the alleged "deadline"-games. There are tournaments in other games, where you have to have played a game until a certain time. During ITT08 I realised I made moves I never even have considered in a real game, because it gave me points, but let the adversary build up blocks. If we had played on, I would have lost badly, but because of the early stop, I won (and vice-versa).
"The problem with Italian food is that five or six days later you're hungry again." - George Miller
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
Please let this idea go through!
I'm really quite miffed about having to drop out, but with the new rule ideas, I should manage to keep up with my games. But we need to advertise to the people. Do we mention thud on other forums? That would help substantially with numbers and getting a good tournament going on!
+++MelonMelonMelon+++
+++Ah, the nostalgia of using the +++'s+++
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
buuut.. one year is a long time. so much might happen in that year. people have been known to drop in and out every some months. games are forgotten. computers and servers crash. daleks invade earth.
ok, so i'm exaggerating a bit. but i do think one year is too long. personally, i wouldn't want to make that kind of commitment. why not relax things a bit, give people not a whole year, but maybe 2 or 3 months?
When we remember we are all mad, the mysteries disappear and life stands explained. – Mark Twain
Save the rats, eat a dwarf!
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
I liek your idea's OB but i am still not sure...because..
buuut.. one year is a long time. so much might happen in that year. people have been known to drop in and out every some months. games are forgotten. computers and servers crash. daleks invade earth.
ok, so i'm exaggerating a bit. but i do think one year is too long. personally, i wouldn't want to make that kind of commitment. why not relax things a bit, give people not a whole year, but maybe 2 or 3 months?
indeed. maybe having it for a year is a bit long, as ratty said. I dont think i would be able to commit for a full year on something. If it was a couple of months it might be possible. Thats also long enough to attract other people to play for a longer period of time.
I think a lot more tweaking needs to be done....good start though*
---
Ye gods i sound like my tutor
+++divide by cucumber error+++please reinstall universe and reboot+++
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
why not relax things a bit, give people not a whole year, but maybe 2 or 3 months?
...one of which just happens to coincide with your three weeks holiday abroad. Yes, surprise! you didn't know that didn't you
. No, just for the sake of argument suppose it does. Two or three months would still require strict time management, not a 24-hour rule, maybe, but definitely a 48-hour one.
My concept allows for you to be away and abroad for three weeks. No, go away, leave me alone, it's just an assumption for the sake of argument!
I dont think i would be able to commit for a full year on something. If it was a couple of months it might be possible.
...and yet here you are, for the third year running without ever leaving thudgame for a couple of weeks. Not necessarily playing games, I admit, but you do not need to in ITT09 pilot either. Depending on your own schedule you pick a month to sign up (long before or immediately after your holiday, exams etc), get assigned a pool and play at leisure. Games, I suppose, are concluded within a month or two, and then you wait.
.
Should you get to Round Two, that's the only time you need to put in a bit of time to play three games, and still you get the chance to pause for a few weeks.
A year seems a lot, but the time you need to put into it is just a couple of months, at most. There you go, glad to have been of service
Happy Thudding!
"What a mess the world is in... The meek shall inherit the world it is said. What have those poor people done to deserve that?"
- Captain Vimes, Feet of Clay
Visit OB's Thud pages
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
clever idea, it would definitely get more players involved, i might even join in...but there are always 2 sides to a coin...all it needs is some time management as things get closer to the end. who knows, it might be done by september, july, if anything, a contingency plan should be made if the round stages go on too long, just needs light watching, more like gazing.
_O_
ll( )ll
_] [_
Re: Thoughts on ITT2009
Hi Y'all,
Well, I've had a couple of comments, some of them in here, some of them by email, and they all seem to be about:
I don't have time to play a Tournament that's going to last a year!!!
My answer is as short as the objection: you don't need a year!
You sign up at a time that suits you best, get assigned to a pool, play three simultaneous games for a couple of weeks.
And then you wait.
Once second Round starts, this will repeat.
And then you wait.
And maybe, just maybe, you make it to (semi-)Finals.
So for anyone to make it to Round Two, it will probably be about two times three weeks. Out of fifty-two.
Seriously, I do not see any problem. Please try?
Meanwhile, as a kind of Hogswatch Present, you are invited to start signing up as of now. By email, and keep it a secret, see the Rules. Good luck!
Happy Thudding!
"What a mess the world is in... The meek shall inherit the world it is said. What have those poor people done to deserve that?"
- Captain Vimes, Feet of Clay
Visit OB's Thud pages