> Ideally, though, the tiebreaking routine doesn't have to work this hard. Maybe it's time to change up the gameplay mechanics and make everybody explore again. :-)


I think they should be changed (add additional options to the game which would effect the play in some way and add more strategy avenues), based on the following things:

1) Currently, the optimal setup or something close enough to it to make virtually no difference, is known to a number of the players in the game.

I'm pretty darn sure that the optimal setup is very close to 5/5/4, 3/3/3, with +3/+2/+2 on each item, and that a couple differences to that doesnt make a significant difference. There arent really very many other variables you can effect, just HP, and how much +elemental stuff you add. Cybernetics dont really have any effect, especially with this low of a number of players in the game.

I had thought that the optimal stat setup was 18/20/20 (to achieve 24 agility so no one can beat you on speed without spending significant extra money through an agi chant or cybernetics). And to balance out str/con as much as possible (given that you get more str from items). But now with understanding the tiebreak mechanics, it might be 19/19/20 or 20/18/20 to give you more strength so you get the first hit. But the difference is very minor.

So basically, optimal arrangements are pretty much figured out, and all the top people are doing something close enough to them that there isnt really any difference, any small gain one might have by having the optimal setup isnt as large as the gain from a superior seed, or getting lucky with opponents or something.


2) The attendance in the game is falling. We're just under the 64 person cutoff this month. New stuff could shake it up and make it more interesting again. Personally, I became uninterested for a while after winning 6 games and then losing once I tried deviating from the strategy path that I had found, trying to experiment with something else. Which basically told me that what I had was fairly optimal.

3) The game at this point, because many of us know it really well, is all about avoiding the mistakes or damaging opponents that will hurt your chances. Avoiding the opponents isnt totally in your control. You can improve your seed, but you still might run into someone who goes all out enchants on the qualifier or Elim#1, while someone else doesnt.


I'll make a post with thoughts of possible changes that could spice it up.