Monthly Tour Update - 03/2019
The tables below are based on the status of the 1st of April 2019.

• The TOP10 on the Tour after March:
  
  
  
  Congratulations to kicorse for his 7th consecutive month in the first position!
  He broken rakleader's point record in this month, very impressive!
  He holds now 3 records of 8 (highest point, Tourney wins by category, win%), so almost all records beyond the quantitative records (which are strictly guarded by rakleader :))
  
  You can find the full list here:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQs9vsW3joGHBnYsrsZ4DgxuvoFHi0FVtgFKSdWbhiD5EqLBrbqOlgzeBy2wwDbejzamFmP4YC0c_iv/pubhtml
  
  
  
• The Tour Records:
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  You can find the Tour records of every players here:
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQs9vsW3joGHBnYsrsZ4DgxuvoFHi0FVtgFKSdWbhiD5EqLBrbqOlgzeBy2wwDbejzamFmP4YC0c_iv/pub?gid=470794679

Hello there, I've changed my name, used to be Has quit playing ;).

Hi, I changed your name, and happy that you don't want to leave the game anymore ;)

Monthly Tour Race Update - 02-03/2019
The table below is based on the status of the 1th of April 2019.

The TOP20 on the 2018 Tour Race after 2019 March:



You can find the full list here (with all 2018 results and records sheets):
https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vQ_PNFrGGPsehIbhOSRdGkbxYH6fluHQPPwMwpF-yizGwxnLZ3SBVf8V7TCVLPQYTbHJMmpl5hKMyve/pubhtml

I didn't write Tour Race post in the last month, but I made the race google docs, so I now copy here it too (just for the records):

• 02/2019
  https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/e/2PACX-1vScUEonjAU_Wm_Eb7dkr5XbPku__6_07CAX7fDNvBl0tEz19WHFmLN_ny5PG3PmG3NJKuKvsd9-v6nD/pubhtml

Ok, let's see the analyzing of the Race for the 2018 TOP8 Tour Finals!

There is only one ongoing event from the Tour Race 2018!

• 127. AWP World Tour - Masters 1000 - EA&O
  https://www.warzone.com/MultiPlayer/Tournament?ID=27203

So only two open questions left:

• Will the magic 8000 points limit be broken by kicorse?
  He needs a Finals at least for this, so if he will beat Suschel, he will break the 8k limit!
  
• Who will be the 8th?
  kicorse, Rento, MoD, Styxie, FSG, malakkan, Timi are already qualified, so only one space left!
  Present, JV owned this slot, but two other players still have a small chance to take this position from him.
  Reza only has chance if he would win the event (so would 30 points ahead on JV)
  alexclusive has chance with a Finals too (not necessary win the event for him).
  But that means 4 and 3 more wins for them, so won't be so simple, I'm putting my money on JV ;)

I didn't say well, there's a big third open question, about the details of this 2018 TOP8 Tour Finals event :|
My earlier thoughts:

• It will be a 8 players event, for the TOP8 players of the finished yearly Tour Race (based on the 50 events of the given year).
  In case if somebody won't join to the event, then the next player on the Race Ranking will be invited.
  
• It will be a single elimination tournament with best of X format and seeding.
  Since these features are currently not exists (neither officially nor CLOT), I will create the games manually.
  The seeding will be 1. vs. 8., 2. vs 7., 3. vs 6., 4. vs 5.
  I am still thinking about the X, maybe the the quarterfinals will be best of 5, the semifinals best of 7 and the Finals best of 9, but not sure yet.
  
• The templates will be choosen by the two players of the given fight
  There will be a template election process before the fights, so won't be general templates (except the one deciding template), they always will be choosen by the two players who play in the given pairing as a first step. The template election process is not fixed yet, but something like this: the players choose (X+1)/2 templates (where X is come from best of X), and then they can veto one template of the opponent's choices, so we have X-1 templates and only need one common templates if will be a tie to decide. Maybe the common deciding template will be choosed by the two players too, or the winner of the Race before the event, I don't know yet. Oh, and perhaps will be mandatory choose from the different surfaces (Hard, Clay, Grass). So there still are many question mark regarding this topic.
  
• After we have the X-1 plus the deciding templates, I will create two games (on first template of player A and first template of player B), then if they finished I open the next two games, etc., and if will be a tie in the end, last step I open the deciding game. So there will be maximum two games at a time for the players from this event.
  
• I am not sure about it will be a scoring event or not (likely will be a scoring event).

I am still thinking about the details, still welcomed if you write your opinions, ideas, proposals (especially regarding the template election process!), every help is really really appreciated!

Maybe restrict the finals template pool to Grand Slams and Masters only then add one template from the rest of the events to make 13?

In a best of 5 that's:

Player A bans 1
Player B bans 2
Player A bans 2
Player B bans 1
Player A picks 1 (1)
Player B picks 1 (2)
Player B bans 1
Player A bans 1
Player A picks 1 (3)
Player B picks 1 (4)
1 template is left over (5)

In a best of 7 that's:

Player A bans 1
Player B bans 2
Player A bans 1
Player A picks 1 (1)
Player B picks 1 (2)
Player B bans 1
Player A bans 1
Player A picks 1 (3)
Player B picks 2 (4&5)
Player A picks 1 (6)
1 template is left over (7)

In a best of 9 that's:

Player A bans 1
Player B bans 1
Player B picks 1 (1)
Player A picks 2 (2&3)
Player B picks 1 (4)
Player B bans 1
Player A bans 1
Player A picks 1 (5)
Player B picks 2 (6&7)
Player A picks 1 (8)
1 template is left over (9)

A little complicated but it ensures both players are on even footing.

Thank you very much s1gmoyd for your proposal!

After my previous post I started to browse the net, looking for useable existing solutions, and find the CS:GO (originally was for Overwatch) map ban/pick system which is similar you posted.

And I loved it!
I love very much that how flexible this is, you can endless vary the order of vetos and picks!

You wrote a (good) version of these variations.
But I don’t like to restrict the template pool to the 12 present major (+1) Tour templates. So I have an idea about a simple template pool building phase before this template vetos/picks phase.
I don’t have enough time to write my detailed idea here now, but I hope I will have tomorrow.

Thank you again for your proposal s1gmoyd!

Ok, so I found a solution (which proposed by s1gmoyd too) for our template selection process, it would be an upgraded CS:GO map ban/pick/random system.

Upgraded, because we would have an additional template pool building phase before that template ban/pick system which was already shown by s1gmoyd above.

We have more options for this template pool building phase:

• Version 1: I, as the organizer, choose the templates for the template pool.
  As s1gmoyd proposed, in this case I would rely on the decision of the template panel, and simple use the fresh elected 12 major Tour template (Old 1v1 Ladder, New 1v1 Ladder, Biomes, Blitzkrieg and Greece, French Brawl, Guiroma 16%SR, BIV, Volcano Island, British Raj, Phobia SR, Macedonia NoSplit) plus one (It can be the 13th template in the election, which is Elitist Africa, but we have already an INSS template and EA is horror for colourblind players, so I skip it and choose the 14th which is China).
  
  • PRO
    
    • Very quick version (already done :))
      
    • Very simple
  • CONTRA
    
    • Not flexible enough
      
    • Only 13 choosable templates
      
    • Participants are not involved (although they all eight were members of the template panel ;))
• Version 2: Before the event, the participants build the template pool for the event.
  It would be a similar voting than the Phase 3 in the Seasonal template selection.
  All the 8 players would choose 13 templates in a specific order from the updated Tour template pool (so finishing the Tour template pool update is a prereq for this). Then those 8 votes will be resolved by an electoral system (choosing one system is a prereq too).
  For the sake of diversity, maybe the numbers of different template types would be determined. For example 2 very weird, 3 soft weird, 2 WR, 4 not vanilla SR, 2 vanilla SR (the Tour templates will be categorized based on these categories)). So the players would choose their 13 templates based on these proportions, or would be 5 voting rounds (one for each category).
  
  • PRO
    
    • Relatively quick (it is a one-time voting, before the event)
      
    • Participants are involved
  • CONTRA
    
    • Not flexible enough
      
    • Only 13 choosable templates in the fights
      
    • Not so simple
• Version 3: Before every fights would be a "simple" two-step template election process:
  
  • Template pool building phase by the two fighting players
    
  • Choosing the templates from that pool using a version of CS:GO ban/pick/random system.
  These individual template pool buildings would consist of the following steps:
  
  • Step 0: Organizer or the participants choose one template before the event.
    We will use this template only when even number of templates will be chosen by the two players (you will understand this later in the ban/pick/random phase ;))
    I, as organizer, would choose 1vs1 new ladder template, but it can be chosen by the participants (by a voting) too, before the event.
    
  • Step 1: Both players choose X templates from the updated Tour template pool (so finishing the Tour template pool update is a prereq for this), where X is the number from best of X (boX) format of the given rounds (for example bo1, bo3, bo5, bo7, bo9, etc.)
    Still a question that the players can choose those X templates completely free from the big Tour template pool or will be restrictions for the template category proportions.
    For example if it will be completely free then a player can choose only very weird templates, so half of the games will be played on her/his very extreme templates. I don't know yet, that it is a good or a bad thing :) If need, we can avoid this using mandatory template category proportions for choosing. Or another way, if we choose not only one template in step 0, but more (and always adding them to the templates choosed by the two players) so there will be more space for the other player to ban a few more very weird templates and play templates from step 0 rather than very weird.
    
  • Step 2: We check the templates choosed by the two players, and if there are common choices (both player choose the same templates), we check if the summarized template number is odd or even. If even, we add the template from step 0, because we need an odd number for the next ban/pick/random template choosing system
    • PRO
      
      • Very flexible (depends on the chosen restrictions)
        
      • Very much choosable templates
        
      • Additional strategic level (clever template choosing and banning) before the fights
        
      • Participants are involved
    • CONTRA
      
      • It seems very difficult (but not so difficult if you understand well and will use the system ;))
        
      • Need additional time for the invidual template pool building and template choosing steps (but it can be the part of the shows ;))

Ok, so I found these 3 possibilities (but I am open for yours too ;))
My personal favourite is version 3, but the very simple version 1 can be a good alternative.

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

And finally a few words about the ban/pick/random template choosing system too.
S1gmoyd already wrote a good description about the system, but missed the random step for example (if we need some randomness at all)

So given a best of X format, a decided template pool (with odd number of templates) and two players.
The two players can choose the X templates from the pool using a given variations of ban/pick/random steps.
The steps mean:

• ban - a player ban a (not already banned or picked earlier) template from the template pool (so that template won't be played)
  
• pick - a player pick a (not already banned or picked earlier) template from the template pool (so that template will be played)
  
• random - the system (a validated random algorithm in our case) will randomly pick a (not already banned or picked earlier) template from the template pool (so that template will be played)

And we can mix these steps as we want!

The player who can make her/his step first can be randomly choosed or can be the higher seeded player too.

So these are the (endless) possibilities.

My proposals:
The first step would be belong to the higher seeded player.
We don't need randomness here, so wouldn't be random steps.
The steps would be simple: 2ban, 2pick, 2ban, 2pick, 2ban until the necessary template number for boX remained (after that only pick steps for determine the play order).
If we will have big gap between the template pool and the template number to select, we can use more optimized versions too which was proposed by s1gmoyd above.

I am wonder your opinions and proposals.
Talk time! ;)

Edited 4/13/2019 05:30:57

Pick/Ban looks the most fun.

I am not sure I understand :|
Do you mean, you would better support a 2pick 2ban 2pick, etc. step order? (so 1-1 template pick before any ban? :O)
Or you just like this CS:GO style template choosing system?

And what about the template pool building versions?

Hello there! I was wondering if you could invite me to AWP?

I think P/B would be cool too. Maybe the initial template pool could be collectively voted on?

Hey, sorry for interrupting; but I want to draw attention to this post (an earlier post on this forum):

AWP World Tour Magazine: 5/30/2017 06:24:11

This requires update.

Personally I'd be happy to have the updated list of templates, and an updated list of the upcoming events (the google sheet is not up-tp-date).

I know you've got many things to do, but to me this looks like "the way" to let us -the players- have a better picture of the Tour.

Thanks.

Ahh, I found it (wasn't simple because I have -1 hour time zone from you :)), I updated it, but only with "under construction" text.

Well, I am (parallel) working on it, I am already in the last phase.

Until then here are some info we have already:

Grand Slam templates:

• Old 1v1 Ladder (Strat ME 0% WR)
  
• New 1v1 Ladder (Strat MME 0% SR)
  
• Biomes of America
  
• Blitzkrieg Borg

Masters templates:

• Strategic Greece
  
• French Brawl
  
• Guiroma 16% SR
  
• Battle Island V
  
• Volcano Island
  
• British Raj MDL version
  
• Phobia SR
  
• Macedonia No Split

500 Series templates:

• China
  
• EA&O
  
• Strategic Commanders
  
• Fast Earth
  
• Pangea Ultima
  
• Elitist Africa
  
• Hannibal at the Gates
  
• GME III
  
• Poland
  
• Cat Fight
  
• Succession Wars LD
  
• Malvia

Fixed 250 Series templates:

• Gelvien Islands
  
• Belarus
  
• Georgia Army Cap
  
• Turkey LD
  
• MA Battle Island V
  
• Sumo
  
• Treasure Map
  
• Numenor
  
• EarthSea
  
• Concordia (the changed version by Alex)
  
• MDL Australia

So these are the updated 35 of 50 templates for fixed events. I mean:

• every first Mondays of the Months will start a major event (Grand Slam or Masters),
  
• every second Mondays of the Months (except December where will be only two events and after a Tour Holiday) will start a fixed 250 Series event and
  
• every third Mondays of the Months (except December, then will be second Monday) will start a 500 Series event.

And for the rest 15 Mondays (fourth and fift Mondays of the Months) we won't use fixed templates, instead will be template pools (by categories), and after the Monthly update posts I will create a forum topic where the community can choose one (or two if will be 5 Mondays in the next Month) 250 Series template for the next Month from a given pool(s), or even the community can propose brand new templates too which aren't included in the template pools yet (in this case the template panel will validate first that new template, and then will become part of the template pool and maybe will be choosed for next month too).

This won't be a voting (it would be too long and difficult to organize that), I will choose the template(s) but very based on your posts. This is because I would like that the templates on the Tour won't be a static things but dynamic. I hope that these monthly topics (which will be an interface for the community regarding Tour templates) and the not fixed 15 events and template pools will guarantee this.

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

The other big changes will be (but only from 2020) that the present Seasons will be ceased, at least in their present form.
Won't be time segregated but distributed seasons.
I mean, now we have seasons segregated by time. We have 29 continuous weeks when opened SR events only, then 13 weeks when weird settings events only, then 8 week with WR events only. This is not very optimal, because for example:

• if you hate the WR settings you will have 8 weeks pause on the Tour.
  
• or if you adore the weird settings, you will must join too much tournaments in that 13 weeks period (and you will have uncomfortable many ongoing games)
  
• or if you get bored of SR settings, well then you have damned long boring period on the Tour now :|

So instead of time segregation we will distribute the different type of templates evenly over the months.

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

So this is the present status and plans.
Now, I am collecting the templates for the template pools, then template panel will validate them.
But I understand you, so I give priority to this, and I will create a fixed schedule for 2019 Clay (weird) season asap.
And thank you for your patience.

I like your proposal for the Finals Ekstone.

Only difference is that Version 3 may lead to too many misunderstandings. Version 1 would be my choice.

Sorry but I don't understand version 3 at all :P It's too complicated.
The template pool in version 1 is diverse enough, I'd go with that one.
Btw I'm pretty sure that in pick/ban systems it's advantageous to go last, not first.

Hello there! I was wondering if you could invite me to AWP?

Hi, I added you to my invitation list, GL&HF!

----------------------------
About the template pool building phase:

Maybe the initial template pool could be collectively voted on?

What does "collectively" mean? Version 2, where the 8 participants voted on? Or do you mean the whole Tour community? :O

Sorry but I don't understand version 3 at all :P It's too complicated.

Or my English is not enough good to describe it well :(

Version 3 may lead to too many misunderstandings

I am sure, if you would see it in practice you would understand and like it ;)

Version 1 would be my choice.

The template pool in version 1 is diverse enough, I'd go with that one.

Ok, I see.
Although, I am thinking about a mixed version. I mean, that the two semifinals and the Finals would be version 3 (that means only 3 fights, and I really would like to show you how the version 3 runs in practice) the rest would be version 1 (so we will be able to see both versions in practice)

----------------------------
About the ban/pick/random template choosing phase:

Pick/Ban looks the most fun.

I think P/B would be cool too

Btw I'm pretty sure that in pick/ban systems it's advantageous to go last, not first.

Guys, help me that when you wrote "Pick/Ban" (or "P/B") you only refer to template choosing system generally or you want to say that picking steps before any bans would be better?

@Rento: why do you think that it's advantageous to go last?

I meant the 8 players involved when I said collectively. Meant the Picks/Bans choosing system in general would be interesting to try.

By pick/ban I mean when there's already an initial pool of templates and players take turns picking/banning them.

It's advantageous to go last because it lets you react to opponent moves and you have less chance of wasting your own moves.
Example: both players love MME. Player A picks MME. Player B can now pick his 2nd favourite template. It's a clear advantage if you know what I mean.

The advantage gets bigger as template pool is smaller. In extreme scenario, when 2 players pick 1 template each from a pool of 3, the first player to make a choice has (statistically) a 1-in-3 chance to waste his move by picking the same template his opponent would pick. The second player who makes the final pick out of 2 templates remaining has no chance to waste his move anymore.

All I said applies to map/template picking, where you FORCE opponent to play the settings you like. It doesn't apply to something like LoL character picking, where you pretty much STEAL the character from your opponent. Just to be clear.

THANKS

Can you keep inviting me to these?