I had this idea for a contest that I wanted to share. This isn't a sign up list, but I am interested in knowing who would play. I guess if people want to sign up I'll put them on the real list.
Here's the basic idea. Combine the Single Elimination Contest series with the Request game. Each round, each player makes a challenge to his or her opponent and both players make a card. I judge, the winner advances, and the final winner hosts the next one.
When players sign up they post their challenge. I like the FCC grading scale, so you also give two bonus point conditions. You can be as general or specific as you want. For example:
Player one: Count me in. I challenge my opponent to make a Vampire creature or tribal card. I award one bonus point if it's not mono black and one bonus point if it's converted mana cost is four or less.
In this case, player one's opponent could make Moroii (if it weren't already a real card) and that would satisfy the condition and the bonus points.
Nitty Gritty: There is one obvious flaw with this game, and I have a solution prepared for it. What if a player intentionally gives a nearly impossible challenge? Your opponent can force you to take your own challenge. Suppose Player one goes up against player two.
Player two: I challenge my opponent to make a two cost goblin that's at least 5/5 and has no disadvantage text. You get one bonus point if it's converted mana cost is at least 16 and another if it's not a goblin.
It is impossible to make a nonbroken 5/5 two drop goblin without some kind of disadvantage, and the bonus points contradict the challenge. Actually in this case I would probably just DQ player two for being a total jackass, but having to deal with that challenge is punishment enough.
The ideal challenge is something that looks hard but you think you can do yourself. Suppose it's 1995 and Mirage weren't out yet. Suppose a player would give this challenge:
Player 3: Make a one cost creature that's bigger than Polar Kraken. I give one bonus point bonus point if it's an artifact and another if it has trample.
Player 4: It can't be done! I Dare you to do that!
Me: Player 3, a dare has been issued and I have ruled your challenge to be too hard. You have to answer your own challenge while player 4 answers his.
And that's the danger in sending a challenge back.
Grading: As the FCC. 2 bonus points, 10 points for balance, 5 for flavor, 4 for creativity, 4 for quality. They total 25 points. I take into account how hard your challenge is in each category. For example, player three's challenge was ridiculously hard, so he would get a 9 or 10 for pulling it off. It was a very creative way of dealing with the challenge, so he would probably get 4 points there. Due to the difficulty of his challenge, player three would likely beat player four.
If the challenge was something that the rules don't allow (See December FCC: Round Two for a good example, flip cards that you can play both sides) that won't be taken into account for quality, though other errors will be. Basically, every challenge has the potential to get 25 points.
So who would be interested in doing this? If so, can you think of any areas where this contest could be improved? If not, what kind of changes would make your be interested?
I would definitely be interested in this. I think it's important to make sure that people are giving equal numbers of stipulations. It sucks if one person gets "make a goat" and the other gets "make a turtle that's not monoblue with an untapping ability." If you could keep the dares of equal specificity somehow, that would help.
If there is a big difference in the difficult of the challenge I'll have to intervene. If the challenge is too long I'll remove stipulations or move them to bonus points.
I'm interested if we can make this work with the challenges being roughly equitable.
I'm going to define the challenge difficulty as being within the limits the FCC does. I think that'll work out, and if not I'll just add or remove limitations from what the player suggests. I think I should do this before pairings are determined, just to be fair, though if I were going to cheat for a player I don't think that would stop me.
Since this won't be a fast moving contest I'll start the sign up list soon. Why not now even? It'll get it's own thread, so you don't need to indicate anything here.
Edit - Here it is: Single Elimination Challenge, Double Dare! I was going to put seratonin in at plase #1, but he would still have to give his challenge so instead I have his place reserved. I'll also hold a place for anyone who posted here already.
Here's the basic idea. Combine the Single Elimination Contest series with the Request game. Each round, each player makes a challenge to his or her opponent and both players make a card. I judge, the winner advances, and the final winner hosts the next one.
When players sign up they post their challenge. I like the FCC grading scale, so you also give two bonus point conditions. You can be as general or specific as you want. For example:
Player one: Count me in. I challenge my opponent to make a Vampire creature or tribal card. I award one bonus point if it's not mono black and one bonus point if it's converted mana cost is four or less.
In this case, player one's opponent could make Moroii (if it weren't already a real card) and that would satisfy the condition and the bonus points.
Nitty Gritty: There is one obvious flaw with this game, and I have a solution prepared for it. What if a player intentionally gives a nearly impossible challenge? Your opponent can force you to take your own challenge. Suppose Player one goes up against player two.
Player two: I challenge my opponent to make a two cost goblin that's at least 5/5 and has no disadvantage text. You get one bonus point if it's converted mana cost is at least 16 and another if it's not a goblin.
It is impossible to make a nonbroken 5/5 two drop goblin without some kind of disadvantage, and the bonus points contradict the challenge. Actually in this case I would probably just DQ player two for being a total jackass, but having to deal with that challenge is punishment enough.
The ideal challenge is something that looks hard but you think you can do yourself. Suppose it's 1995 and Mirage weren't out yet. Suppose a player would give this challenge:
Player 3: Make a one cost creature that's bigger than Polar Kraken. I give one bonus point bonus point if it's an artifact and another if it has trample.
Player 4: It can't be done! I Dare you to do that!
Me: Player 3, a dare has been issued and I have ruled your challenge to be too hard. You have to answer your own challenge while player 4 answers his.
Player 3: Phyrexian Dreadnought.
And that's the danger in sending a challenge back.
Grading: As the FCC. 2 bonus points, 10 points for balance, 5 for flavor, 4 for creativity, 4 for quality. They total 25 points. I take into account how hard your challenge is in each category. For example, player three's challenge was ridiculously hard, so he would get a 9 or 10 for pulling it off. It was a very creative way of dealing with the challenge, so he would probably get 4 points there. Due to the difficulty of his challenge, player three would likely beat player four.
If the challenge was something that the rules don't allow (See December FCC: Round Two for a good example, flip cards that you can play both sides) that won't be taken into account for quality, though other errors will be. Basically, every challenge has the potential to get 25 points.
So who would be interested in doing this? If so, can you think of any areas where this contest could be improved? If not, what kind of changes would make your be interested?
Winner of the First and Fourth Double Dare Single Elimination Contests
2009 July CCL: COMING THIS JULY
2008 December CCL: The Mechinations of Fate
Double Dare to Design: The 5th Single Elimination Contest
Double Dare That Designer: The 2nd Single Elimination Contest
I'm going to define the challenge difficulty as being within the limits the FCC does. I think that'll work out, and if not I'll just add or remove limitations from what the player suggests. I think I should do this before pairings are determined, just to be fair, though if I were going to cheat for a player I don't think that would stop me.
Since this won't be a fast moving contest I'll start the sign up list soon. Why not now even? It'll get it's own thread, so you don't need to indicate anything here.
Edit - Here it is: Single Elimination Challenge, Double Dare! I was going to put seratonin in at plase #1, but he would still have to give his challenge so instead I have his place reserved. I'll also hold a place for anyone who posted here already.