TWL Finals Preview

[Tiny]

I'll join your squad next season Rule.

[Jones]

rule
No disrespect meant to the percentage of players I respect on each squad here but read a few lines here then got very bored. After all it’s about the same 3 squads

This has been the trend in pretty much the entire TWL History.

I don't even pretend I know what happened before season 6 because I clearly don't. However, looking at the history at A1 it is pretty much the same squads with same cores over different "generations". This post will focus solely on warbirds.

We have TW Elites at season 1 and 2, FieryFire and Lews Therin being on Siege season 3, they proceeded to win 3 seasons in a row. In one season, Epi mentioned in his history that most people from Elusive went to -F- only to lose because of "pyramid" structure. Then season 6 came along and Elusive was reformed with almost a whole new roster compared to their season 5 TWLJ win. Season 7 Syndicate, mostly same core, season 8 -F- won.. Disq, Sika, Raspi (who won with Siege) Season 10 Syndicate won again.

Really the only odd squads here (I mean with fresh new people) winning are Sk8 season 9, Stray season 11, Sweet season 15 and I'll mention Fierce season 14 too.

I don't pretend my own squad Sweet did not stack. We used Raspi one season, we had blood, foreign, Rage etc. joining us. But yeah my point is that there's a surprisingly small percentage of squad/cores that have won since season 1. With more good people quitting, core of Syndicate for example, there was an empty spot at the top another top tier squad took it and well, history kind of started to repeat itself.

[Turban]

I will have to agree with Jones for most of the part.

The history has repeated itself since the introduction of the two additional leagues, TWLB and TWLJ, with some small variations to the lineups due to players quitting the game and someone else taking their starting position, or then they get replaced by an up-and-coming player.

However, the main thing that is different now is the lack of so-called challenger squads, who are not really the favorites to win, but on a good day they have the potential to mix things up and possibly win a title or two. It doesn't happen often, but the examples provided by Jones, and some additional squads that beat the odds by making it to the last round prove that upsets are still a real possibility. Anyhow, I would have to say that the amount of challenger teams is far lower nowadays due to the lack of quality teams participating in the leagues, and that is for a number of reasons such as the player pool diminishing over time, and the lack of quality captains commanding their teams with great leadership.

[Turban]

.. and while I'm still in this thread, I will try to muster the energy to write about the TWLB match sometime today. It will hopefully be in a couple of hours, and perhaps I will try to give my two cents on the TWLD match as well.

[Efhat]

Again, great read. Thanks for the time and effort you guys put into making this season even more interesting. Hope I can participate next year a little more than I did this season.
The game isn't dead yet. Just needs tweaks and the cooperation of everyone.
It is upsetting that it's usually around the same people participating every season but theres really nothing we can do about that if the league doesn't make drastic changes.
I like the idea of change, but everyone has to do it.
Myself, Everett, Panama, Oder, Downfall separated ourselves from the usual Dice core to create some competition in the basing for Fierce (in which whom are a great bunch of players) department but unfortunately inactivity, and lack of practice failed.
I hope next season people on Burn, Dudgeon, take the same approach and try something different.

I have played with Fierce on and off for basing. I have also sold them out for two seasons when it came to playing a basing league with them because I was so use to playing with Stayon, mega, kess, and Jamal that all I wanted to do was win, and also the chemistry we developed was unstoppable.
But playing with Fierce, it's amazing how much potential duelers have when it comes to basing. Let me tell you:
24 and Geio are amazing sharks for not being basers. Geio can be an amazing shark and so can 24 if they based just a bit more.
Last Standing, Deez Nuts, Apok are INCREDIBLE spiders. It's AMAZING how fast they learn. They can start on any squad as a spider.
We experimented this league by adding kado( someone who has never based or leagued before) and he has so much potential.
People need to realize this game is dying and need to take the step to de tach themselves from what they are used to. And put their egos aside. Players like KADO have to be exposed to leagues so they can stay interested. I bet you next season KADO will be an all star calibre spider if he keeps basing. Have my word.
Downfall, among other players on fierce took time out of their personal schedule to teach kado on positions to under and how to line up and conserve energy and to under. Downfall also took time out of his personal life to help Everett catch up to par with the new basing style and teach him all the shrap angles that are used now. Downfall is a true asset to this game and we need more people like him. Not many people take time of their personal schedules to teach people how to play. Also this game needs more captains like Everett and Skepsis. Skepsis took a risk making Ev a cap. I didn't take the captain position because of my inactivity. And you know what, not many captains would start a guy that has never played TWL or have any basing experience in MULTIPLE league basing games to gain experience. Not caring about whether they win or not. A few years ago I would've cared about playing some random guy. But now that I realize it, for the good of the game, we did it. I hope more captains are unselfish moving forward.
I can honestly say I have had a great experience with Fierce and I don't regret one bit playing TWL with them just to spread the competition a little more.
Everett, panama, downfall, and Oder also took the step of detaching themselves from the regular dice core to help.
Man look at Cobra, a squad that was never known for their basing and Trasher stepped up and detached himself from his core to add some competition. Spezza, same thing. Cobra has a bunch of duelers and javvers that have become amazing at basing.
Like I said before, people need to start detaching themselves from their core and create some competition. Or unfortunately, this game will just keep dying. Hope to see you guys next season.

[Turban]

Not many people understand how enjoyable it is to play with new players and squads, although I suppose it kind of requires some firsthand experience before one realizes that the game feels more fresh and fun when you have a new group of people to play with.

I have played for ten different squad cores in TWL and have no regrets after all these years. I have met amazing personalities and players, seen people grow and become formidable players in their favorite leagues .. and you can still see that growth happening in our zone even though it is not as apparent as it used to be in the past. We still have a large amount of players willing to improve and challenge themselves, and that is especially true with players playing in other leagues that they are not as comfortable playing in.

[Rule]

lol. Potenza never had a shot of winning TWL this season in any league. Good players, good effort, not strong enough. Not stacked.

Commodo aka Mhz said this prior to playing a TWD match against Burn: We might as well just call this the all-star game right guys?

Keep holding on to the notion that the league is in anyway competitive and watch it deteriorate further next year. That premise serves ass kissers like Tiny and yourself well.

Post-sunday TWL ends and nothing is in place to help re-establish stronger leagues in the future. Most squads will go inactive, a few fledgling squads will be built, then fold prior to TWL, and no one will be competing for anything as TWD has no incentives, no goals and no focus to improve as a league. The solution is not making renamed squads and stacking the same 20-30 people on them lol.... as that just strengthens the belief some have that the leagues are done and nothing can be done about it.

For the people who want change and want to see a stronger more competitive league system good on you, consider doing something legitimate about it in the off season. Consider rebuilding a better league. Squad with people you have never played with before. Challenge staff and league ops (do we have anyone actively working on leagues in offseason now that Turban is leaving?) to create tournaments, or mini-cups and get involved with league development. Work on ways to improve TWD activity and make the game more interesting for the majority.

[Crescent Seal]

Cres, Potenza had a great shot at a title if your players had bothered to turn up.

Not sure about a "great" shot but yes we definitely had a chance to cause upsets if out top 5 line showed. But the difference here is that we had no alpha players. We reached this far on team chemistry and practice alone. We had no depth either as was apparent while the other squads could afford to miss players and still win. That is the issue.

[Tiny]

Just small word of advice rule.. you can take it or leave it. You may have a decent beginning of an idea, but for this idea to work, you need cooperation and respect of the people you are trying to appeal to. Instead of antagonizing the people you need to create the league you want, which would include the active skilled players mostly involved in these forums that you keep pissing off, you might want to change the way you handle yourself and the way you approach people. Ive deleted probably 3 or 4 posts I was typing recently to just tear into you, but I decided not to as I can tell you want to help but cant form the right words to get the support you want or need. Also, coming from someone who could have helped other squads out in twl, but decided to leave them because you didn't like certain people seems a bit ironic while you try to encourage people to try something new.

[ogron]

We (Turban and I) came very close to reforming TWL at the beginning of the year, but Turban felt there wasn't enough support, and pulled the plug.

One of the issues was that the majority of the changes were aimed at TWLB since it was in the worst state, and Dudgeon was the only squad that would have been affected at the time (Burn only stacked after the changes fell through.)

Last I spoke to Turban on the issue, the idea in its current form would be to separate all three leagues, so TWLD, TWLJ, and TWLB rosters are separate. 8 teams per league, 5 of them competitive teams, 3 of them newbie squads like Vikings or Paladen.

The 5 competitive squads would have 3 veteran captains and form a core that would draft the rest of the league.

The two issues are 1) there is a group of players like Megaman89 who have philosophical differences, and believe the Finals should be nothing but the best players, more like Champions League soccer, rather than a greater number of competitive teams like the NBA, NFL, or NHL. 2) Depth. People derail stacking, and it is a very valid argument, but it can often save your season. Stacking saved Burn's season in TWLB and TWLD when multiple top-tier starters disappeared/didn't show. Conversely, being thin at the position killed Fierce's season when the same thing happened to them.

There is no solution to having a philosophical difference of opinion, and the only possible answer I can think of for depth is that 4 squads make the playoffs, and the fifth eliminated squad is cut-up for parts, and you use it to shore up the other 4 teams for their two weeks of playoff runs (for example, if you draft Davy as a 9, and he stops showing, you replace him with a 9 from the eliminated squad. If Davy shows, you can't play the acquired player, he's simply a depth-replacement.)

The trade-off of having 5 competitive squads is going to be depth and no-shows.

That said, this is a TWL Finals Preview, having Rule derail the thread arriving 3 months late to the "change TWL" debate (which I spearheaded, and earned a seething cauldron of hate for), seems shitty. All these teams/players have worked hard for months to reach the Finals, and they will be a lot of fun to watch.

I think the TWLD Final in particular is going to be bonkers, with Fierce going for the first threepeat in 14 seasons and having (maybe) the stiffest competition its faced in yet. I'm really looking forward to seeing it.

[Rule]

Lol Tiny. While I may suggest an idea, and would be willing to help develop it, in no way am I interested in doing so for self-serving losers like yourself. I have no interest in your "respect" or saying words nicely to make you feel better. I am pointing out a problem, and if you don't like to hear it I don’t care.

The leagues are at a critical stage now. People can either work hard, create and make something better or keep getting in the same 2-3 boats (the status quo) and pretending that this shadow of a league is worth participating in. As I have mentioned in past javduel to me is now more worthwhile then squadding. My bet is on nothing changing.

[Tiny]

That's the spirit. Please keep lashing out like my 7 year old. I feel you may have just recruited some more people for you idea with you great attitude alone. Please rule, lead us to a new beginning.

[Rule]

Lol. Let's make this thread about tiny, clausehouse and commodo's "feelings". None can stand a different point of view.

Hot or Not
Honoring the fallen: TWL Season 20: The League.

[Tiny]

Its not that we don't like your point of view, but no one likes you or what you have to say. I guarantee if someone else said your idea, people might like it, but because all you do is spew garbage and shit talk everyone, they want to ignore you and your idea. You're basically shitting on the idea that might be a good idea just because its coming from you. calm you fucking old man tits and emotions and pull out that tampon up your ass and start acting more civil.

[Rule]

Its not that we don't like your point of view, but no one likes you or what you have to say. I guarantee if someone else said your idea, people might like it, but because all you do is spew garbage and shit talk everyone, they want to ignore you and your idea. You're basically shitting on the idea that might be a good idea just because its coming from you. calm you fucking old man tits and emotions and pull out that tampon up your ass and start acting more civil.

This post summarizes who you are Tiny. A troll in game and on the boards. Useless squad hopper, and a genuine all round loser.

Enough said.

- Rule