TWD 2.0 begins Sun, March 18th

[qan]

Regular season opener: Sunday, March 18th, 2018
Regular season close: Sunday, April 29th, 2018

TWD has been revamped in very significant ways for the upcoming season.This will run as a Regular season, with a playoff-format TWD Cup between the highest ranked squads in each division. Meanwhile, staff will help coordinate matchmaking, borrowing, recruitment, tryouts and new squad creation for interested squads.

Playoffs: A playoff format (TWD Cup) will begin immediately after the season scheduled on Sundays between 1pm to 6pm EST. Every attempt will be made to ensure playoff squads can play, including special scheduling arranged between squads if needed. Details TBA.
Schedule: As always, play whenever you want! However, this season, staff will be ready to help you schedule matches, borrow players, and recruit new members.

This can be done at any time, but in particular, this will happen during TWD Happy Hour:

Sunday, Tuesday, Wednesday, & Thursday (click to show time in your local time zone)
5:00pm - 8:00pm ... TWD Happy Hour

What's new

New ladder points system

Positive points only! Every match you play will earn your squad points.*

• Losses are worth a flat 5 points.
• Wins are worth 10 points + a variable amount based on the difference in ratings between the two squads, similar to the old system.

*Forfeiting a game will still result in a point loss.


TWD roster management in-game

Now players can apply to and be accepted to a squad via TWDBot, without anyone having to login to the TWD site. Assistants can now also accept applicants.

!applytomysquad - Applies to your current ?squad. Assistant+ must then !accept
!accept <name>  - Accepts <name> to your squad after they have applied.

Streamlined recruiting

Players are looking for a squad or want to change squads can add themselves to the Looking For Squad list on TWDBot, and have squads contact them. Squads looking to recruit new players should check this list often!

!lfs            - Adds you to the Free Agents/Looking For Squad list.
!showlfs        - Shows players looking for squads + TSL ratings if available.

Organised borrowing

While not a new feature, these TWDBot commands will be used during the season to encourage squadless players to join TWD matches through zone-wide messages and other efforts.

!borrowme <dd/jd/bd>         - Will list you in !borrowlist to be !borrowed in a dd/jd/bd.
!borrowlist <dd/jd/bd>       - Lists all players available for borrowing in a certain league.

?chat=twd

At any time, and especially during TWD Happy Hours, squads looking for a game, a player to borrow, or new members to recruit should use this chat. A host will be available to help.


TWD Happy Hour

During this time, the focus is on TWD. Staff will help organize TWD matches, borrows, recruitment and squad tryouts. Any squad is welcome to take advantage of these opportunities.

• Help finding borrows throughout the zone with advertisement of !borrowme and !borrowlist
• Direct zone-wide squad recruitment advertisements. (Either via !lfs or having them join an arena of your choice.) New players can simply ?squadjoin, reconnect, then !applytomysquad. Any assistant can then !accept. Build a large roster and take advantage of the positive-only points system.
• Squad vs world challenges in TSL. Match your squad vs others using TSL matchmaking for an even balance.
• Organizing squad tryouts. How you wish to do this is up to you, but staff will be happy to help you make it happen. If you want to create tryouts and are interested in getting a squad map to do it in, ?message qan in-game for details.
• Squad match scheduling via a method coming soon.

TWD Cup
TWD Cup playoffs are held in divisions that have had sufficient activity during Regular Season, as deemed by TWD operators. Expect an official announcement on Cup divisions, slots and schedule by midseason. Qualification to TWD Cup will depend on squad placement in the Regular Season ladders. Top seed plays bottom seed. Best of 3 elimination.

Awards

• Players on squads winning each division will be awarded medals to their TWD Player Profile. Their names will be added to a Hall of Fame in the respective TWD(X) arenas. Rule 9.7. applies to eligibility.
• Players on squads winning the TWD Cup are awarded respective medals to their TWD Player Profile. Their names are added to a Hall of Fame in the respective TWD Cup arenas.
• Captains of all active squads (as deemed by TWD operators) playing in TWD 2018 Spring Season will be awarded a captainship medal to their TWD Player Profile. Players must be captains at least 10 full days before Regular Season close to be eligible.

Rules

• In broad terms, rules are very similar to before.
• 3v3 is allowed in dueling divisions.
• Borrowing players is allowed if both squads agree and counts for 66% rating of a regular match.
• No cooldown period for switching squads. Abuse of this freedom will be dealt with harshly.
• No roster limits, but in the name of interesting competition, try to keep it reasonable.
• Assistants can now accept squad applicants.
• To be eligible for TWD Cup participation and medals, a player has to be rostered on the squad at least 10 full days before Regular Season close. Though players may join after this softlock and still play regular TWD games with the squad.
• Full rules text at: http://twd.trenchwars.org/documents/rules

[Ricko]

not sure about squads receiving 5 points when they lose, how about just a flat 0 points for a loss? Otherwise you'll end up with a super active squad (Paladen) hitting top of the table based purely on the fact they played 400 dds, lost 300 of those but gained so many points due to playing 5x more than anyone else.

I know the end game is greater activity, but actually giving points away reduces the value of actually winning big games.

[qan]

not sure about squads receiving 5 points when they lose, how about just a flat 0 points for a loss? Otherwise you'll end up with a super active squad (Paladen) hitting top of the table based purely on the fact they played 400 dds, lost 300 of those but gained so many points due to playing 5x more than anyone else. I know the end game is greater activity, but actually giving points away reduces the value of actually winning big games.

We'd weighed this one quite a bit, whether it should be 0, or some small amount for having put in the effort of playing. In the end, we opted for 5, because even a very active squad losing 75% of their matches would still be giving up significant amounts of points to the other teams for those games: at the bare minimum 10 each, but usually around 20-30. So the math works out that unless they have a very large amount of squads to lose to, and lose to them roughly evenly (so that the win points given out are essentially meaningless), that squad will never be able to come close to triumphing just on activity alone. Especially because squads with much higher ratings give up far more points to the winning team when they lose.

tl;dr: Activity will certainly help, but gaining points for every game played will not seal their victory, because the number of squads they'd be giving winning points to is too few.

Meanwhile it's a motivation for elite squads to open up their ranks a bit and play more games, even if they don't have their best players on. To give weaker players a shot when they can't make numbers, if they want a chance at competing. And even newbie squads can feel a sense of progress with each match, rather than getting stuck in ELO hell.

It may need tweaking for the next season, but my guess is that it won't be a real issue. Let's see how it goes and rework from there.

[Dreamwin]

Meanwhile it's a motivation for elite squads to open up their ranks a bit and play more games, even if they don't have their best players on.

Only problem is that there are no elite squads left due to inactivity in competetive gameplay aka leagues. I sincerely hope that you will achieve good results with this new player focus but I am still very sceptical. Thank you for your hard work and willingness to commit time anyway.

PS. It would be vital to announce the schedule for playoffs or whatever you call it ASAP. The TSL finals that were never played last season does not create much trust towards the "TWDCup playoff schedule TBA/announced mid-season".

[skyforger]

PS. It would be vital to announce the schedule for playoffs or whatever you call it ASAP. The TSL finals that were never played last season does not create much trust towards the "TWDCup playoff schedule TBA/announced mid-season".

It will be announced when it's clear how many squads are competing in each division. If it was to be announced now based on limbo period activity, a basing cup wouldn't be a thing. However if during the regular season squads like LEGO and Dudgeon make a return and maybe some new squads get into it, it will happen.

[Rab]

Great stuff, especially the looking-for-squad feature. It might be hard to make the late games as a euro but I'm going to try.

[Dreamwin]

It will be announced when it's clear how many squads are competing in each division. If it was to be announced now based on limbo period activity, a basing cup wouldn't be a thing. However if during the regular season squads like LEGO and Dudgeon make a return and maybe some new squads get into it, it will happen.

Yes, I understand that. Sorry for not being detailed enough but I mainly meant that the playoffs timeslots should be set in stone so that the euros dont have to play half season only to realize that the playoff games are held 7PM EST on wednesdays.

[skyforger]

Good point. The schedule section is updated.

Playoffs: A playoff format (TWD Cup) will begin immediately after the season scheduled on Sundays between 1pm to 6pm EST. Every attempt will be made to ensure playoff squads can play, including special scheduling arranged between squads if needed.

[qan]

Totally understood. Updated with info. Playoffs and finals will be hosted on Sundays between 1-6pm EST. Can adjust between individual squads as needed/if both agree.

It's not ideal for spectators, but worst case/as an emergency backup, due to the automated nature of TWD, aside from having an Op on to verify the game's legitimacy, playoffs could theoretically be played whenever both squads are available that week.

[qan]

The penalty to ratings gains imposed by borrowing has been removed by popular demand.

[qan]

TWBD borrow max increased to 4.

You can now extend your lineup time in TWBD, to account for the difficulty in getting borrows. The extension time is 3 minutes.

(Both were community suggestions. If you see anything that needs tweaking, please suggest it.)

[Ardour]

Positive points only! Every match you play will earn your squad points.*

Losses are worth a flat 5 points.

This is league destroying. The fundamental reward for winning in TWD is points. To reward points at all for losing negates the whole reason the league exists. This also ruins any history the league had.

If this has been decided because there are a lot of people that play TWD that now want to be high up on the ladder because they have the ability to lose and not dissolve but are really active and feel they warrant some reward, it is still no excuse at all. Public rewards you for being active, go play that.

A squad of vets that want to play the minimum number of games in TWD to qualify, and then turn up every weekend for TWL at the weekend, should be allowed to do that. Because those players used to play because they liked the competitive aspect... but they just didn't want to play 24/7. Now you alienate those players and are probably thinking, that will teach them! But wrong! It is just stupid. I would rather have that squad high up on the ladder and see them go through to TWL than an active squad thats just high because it plays loads of games. Thats an extreme situation but those squads did care about taking part and they would still turn up.

Losing should be 0 points.

Maybe change the point system to be like TWEL. If you have to change it do that, that isn't offensive.

[Rab]

Losing should be 0 points.

Agree. It's one thing to remove negative scores, but a totally different thing to reward losses.

[Tiny]

This is a problem with kids today! You have to have losers! There can only be 1 winner! #bringbackbullies

[Geio]

This is league destroying. The fundamental reward for winning in TWD is points. To reward points at all for losing negates the whole reason the league exists. This also ruins any history the league had.

If this has been decided because there are a lot of people that play TWD that now want to be high up on the ladder because they have the ability to lose and not dissolve but are really active and feel they warrant some reward, it is still no excuse at all. Public rewards you for being active, go play that.

A squad of vets that want to play the minimum number of games in TWD to qualify, and then turn up every weekend for TWL at the weekend, should be allowed to do that. Because those players used to play because they liked the competitive aspect... but they just didn't want to play 24/7. Now you alienate those players and are probably thinking, that will teach them! But wrong! It is just stupid. I would rather have that squad high up on the ladder and see them go through to TWL than an active squad thats just high because it plays loads of games. Thats an extreme situation but those squads did care about taking part and they would still turn up.

Losing should be 0 points.

Maybe change the point system to be like TWEL. If you have to change it do that, that isn't offensive.

Thank you Ardy I've said this to people on staff and they dont get it I know why but I'll keep that to myself