why should the faster picker be rewarded?

Edited 3/11/2017 23:24:25

+1 to ps (and MoD) for the idea of considering popular, proven MDL templates for future seasons. MotD: can you provide a list of the current MDL templates by least number of active vetos?

Choosing the least-vetoed MDL template (assuming it's new) for next season may increase participation and reduce complaints.

Edited 3/12/2017 00:05:50

Or, maybe this season is introduction to Commander ladder?

i agree with rak and gamerchanel !
-i think its more fair that the picking speed decides your firstpick. Like this the humans
influence it and not the game designs it for them.
- so many nice maps and again me/mme template...that is not nice

But it will make it opportune only picking after one cycle.If the 1st pick(cykel) is stronger picking fast, or even worse second when the 2-3(cykel) is stronger making it a waiting game determined by who press the button first so that they can wait the longest(which is completely random). In any case it does reduce the complexity of the picking stage considerable and to do that for the sake of not feeling unlucky for some players i think is silly

Edited 3/12/2017 09:52:43

I feel it depends on the template. With commanders it arguably is a big advantage to get first pick most of the times.

Same was the case on the last season. First pick was usually better, but it left the player that just rushed picks to get first with the worse picks over all.

I feel, since the first pick automatically places your commander, it can really hurt you to get 2nd by bad luck.

@Njord i agree 100% that an advantageous 2nd cycle order really sucks on NLC. But i argue that it's not advantageous to pick only one cycle, cause if your opponent is faster, you will simply lose most likely.

Edited 3/12/2017 10:21:55

yeah if your slowest, but people know if they are fast, so i think that for a small part of players it can be advantageous(which i do find silly). but compared to last season the overall pick quality is not as big a problem as last season given the smaller amount of picks.

But ignoring all this(as it is irrelevant as you say), i still dont understand why the fastest picker having and adv is more fair?

Edited 3/12/2017 10:23:08

With commanders it arguably is a big advantage to get first pick most of the times.

It's fair to dislike commanders, but there may not be an advantage to getting first commander pick.

Let's look at season 25, which had an infamous commander template. timon92 took first and had a perfect season, so if there is a commander disadvantage he overcame it every time.

Krzysztof (aka Krzychu, another former seasonal champ) took #2 in season 25. He only had 2 losses, and one was to timon92. The other loss was to a noob. So maybe Krzy lost the commander pick? Nope, he got his first commander pick but lost anyways. That's kray kray.

Edited 3/14/2017 18:28:39

Why is the West African bonus reduced from 4 to 3?

I couldn't be sure but It might be to reduce the amount of people that triple pick africa or double pick it. That is just a guess though although seems to be most reasonable explanation.

Beren explained that in his thread: https://www.warlight.net/Forum/223845-commander-template-challenge

All he says is that it was too dominant. I fail to see how it was dominant.

All he says is that it was too dominant.

He said it became too dominant after he nerfed West China. Here's the quotation.

Finally, for map balance I decrease the value of West China to +5/7 and West Africa to +3/4. With West China higher Asia became too rich, and with West Africa higher it became too dominant a pick in Africa.

This seems reasonable.

Edited 3/14/2017 23:56:11

I'm dumb, obviously, since I need it spelled out for me. I don't understand how it became more dominant after China was nerfed.

Were people really completing China enough for its nerfing to have that large an affect on the rest of the map?

What makes Africa different from similarly efficient bonus combinations (SA with AA and CA, AUS with Indo and AA, or WR with Scan and CR)?

I think because it is the connecting part between efficient bonuses in SA and EA and controls also the kinda big landmass of africa. It's a good starting pick cause the commander can eat a lot of neutrals there and us not even in danger.

@DB: it's not a dumb question at all. You've highlighted what seems to be one of the most important aspects of this template (2 overridden bonuses on Medium Earth).

Edited 3/15/2017 00:13:05

So Volcano Island - http://md-ladder.cloudapp.net/template?templateId=980617 ended up being the least vetoed MD ladder template.

Would this be a good template for a seasonal?

Personally I find it a fun template and will be playing this season, and I know others who do too.

finally i can beat fizzer on ladders?

So Volcano Island - http://md-ladder.cloudapp.net/template?templateId=980617 ended up being the least vetoed MD ladder template.

Would this be a good template for a seasonal?

I really wouldn't decide seasonal templates based on that criteria.

The most vetoed templates are always going to be the most "unfamiliar" templates: MA, LD, brawls, WR...
And the least vetoed, well, they'll always be the same too. Standard SR templates with roughly 1v1 ladder settings. (Though not on the MME map because some people are bored by it.)

If you pick the least vetoed template, you're going to end with a vanilla template, that no one bothered to veto, because everyone felt it was a safe and familiar template. Which is the opposite of what the seasonal ladder should be about in my opinion.

If you pick the least vetoed template, you're going to end with a vanilla template

Maybe so.

I haven't played Volcano Island: can any MD-ladder veterans comment on it?