How would you change the Kong Off ?

[Milehighdt]

If you were in charge of making the Kong Off better, what would you change? What things need fixing and what doesn't ?

My list

1) Would like most of the top players attending
2) Top level strats used (not running boards)
3) hate the grind
4) love the head to head play
5) love the commentary
6) love last Quarter drop
7) love seeing everyone

My Change

1) Make the killscreen 10-1 for the Kong off
2) Change tournament to double elimination

Result (maybe)

Would help 1(maybe), 2, 3, 4(more games), 5(more games),6 (same), 7(maybe, more time less grind)

[Barra]

Maybe introduce an element of speedrunning somewhere? Exciting to watch/play, doesn't take anywhere near as long. We could all meet WFLI

[VON]

I think the high score portion of the competition is important because it's necessary to seed the bracket and because it offers overall different gameplay style than what we see in the bracket portion.

However I love the idea of a double-elimination bracket, we'd just have to work out the timing and logistics. And when I say double-elimination, I do not mean the playing of best 2/3 between two players (that would be grueling), I mean something like this:

A double-elimination bracket of the above style would require a minimum of 14 matches for a Top 8 but of course most of those matches could be played simultaneously -- I think only 6 heats would be required. The players who advanced to the winners final would still be rewarded by playing fewer games, and the winners side player who made the grand final would essentially be up a game in a best 2/3.

[danman123456]

1. Double Elimination would be the way to go.
2. Some type of handicapping in the qualifying round (Based on high score to date?)
3. Set times that people MUST play at so we can advertise the streams as well as put on the schedule for the event as well. Basically everyone is required to play from 4pm - 8pm Fri-/Sat vs this "play when i feel like it". IF you dont show up you forfeit half of any prize money you would be offered.
4. Have a dedicated meet/greet space along with times to get autographs and talk to players. Attendance is mandatory. Best to do when they open on Saturday - Say Saturday 11am - 12:30pm. This way its not just "random" for people to talk to anyone they wish to talk too.
5. Have mini head-to-head contests and winner of those gets a small prize money. Could also advertise them at a specific time say "6pm Friday - Mini rounds."  Everyone kills off there lives and gets to the last man after they get an extra man. Person who makes it the furthest wins. I.E. I get to lvl 13-6 everyone else must get there.
6. ADVERTISE - Get it online and at AE4.0 - A complete list of players and what there accomplishments are/etc.
7. Help streaming and dedicating people who will assist commentating. This can even be done within Discord/etc for online commentators. 

This is just a small sampling of ideas I have.

[dnickolas]

1. Separate categories for Starts and Rest of Game.
2. Rest of Game rounds start on level 5 with a 100k start.
3. Starts are through Level 5, not 4, so you're really looking for 240k+ since your game ends after 5-6. That way every unique level is played once.
4. Start elimination rounds are "your best effort in 3 attempts" since RNJESUS is evil.

[BillyGaines]

Sponsorship. I'd like to see  get his day in the sun. 

[homerwannabee]

If you are going to do double elimination, then it follows that the games need to be half as long.  So the shortening the game idea might be a good idea.  I say end it at 12-1 though because that's closer to the halfway mark than 10-1 is.

[aarontruitt]

As someone who has never attended a Kong Off, I rely on the stream to view. The Classic Tetris World Championship has an incredible stream, but this is an entirely head-to-head competition with quick action-packed games and exciting commentary. DK just isn't a game that has this. I don't know what would make the Kong Off more attractive for viewers as it is such a slow game at the level that these guys play.

For me, I think that the online tournaments were the best part of DK. Having something everyone could play in was amazing. Maybe if we had different 'leagues' or levels based on your PB, we could make it fun for everyone, too. It wasn't about prizes or cash for me, it was about setting aside a week of the year to grind some DK and watch everyone else do the same. Really good for new players to get involved as well with so many people streaming.

For anyone who hasn't seen CTWC, check out this replay from the 2017 finals (gameplay starts around 7:40). I wish we could do a Kong Off stream like this:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6rNgSitjDjk

[dnickolas]

For all it's faults, caravan mode on the switch is fast paced enough to make it entertaining. 5 minutes. Get points.

Or a Start speedrun.

Boom, extra man for Jeff!

[homerwannabee]

Ironically of all the Donkey Kong series games, the best tournament game by far is Donkey Kong 3.  Put that sucker on 5 man Hard Dipswitch (3) Hard settings, and it would be a far more riveting contest than either Donkey Kong, or Donkey Kong Junior on on some sort of dipswitch setting.  Most of the matches would last less than 30 minutes, and it would be just one game, (winner take all).

Edit: One of these days when life stops getting in the way I'll host a Donkey Kong 3 online tournament with cash prizes, and people will realize that's I was right, this game is a much funner game with 5 man Dip switch 3 settings(though I might leave it at 5 man easy dip switch 1 settings because it's harder to cheat that way).

[jwade614]

I would do the playoff match ups differently. In the first round, the number 1 seed chooses among seeds 5-8 who he wants to play. Then 2 chooses, then 3. Second round, highest remaining seed chooses among the two lowest remaining seeds.

[aarontruitt]

Ironically of all the Donkey Kong series games, the best tournament game by far is Donkey Kong 3.  Put that sucker on 5 man Hard Dipswitch (3) Hard settings, and it would be a far more riveting contest than either Donkey Kong, or Donkey Kong Junior on on some sort of dipswitch setting.  Most of the matches would last less than 30 minutes, and it would be just one game, (winner take all).

Edit: One of these days when life stops getting in the way I'll host a Donkey Kong 3 online tournament with cash prizes, and people will realize that's I was right, this game is a much funner game with 5 man Dip switch 3 settings(though I might leave it at 5 man easy dip switch 1 settings because it's harder to cheat that way).

I would play in this tournament.

[Sock Master]

Just to put it out there, I think I know a guy who could create custom versions of DK for competition if there was an interest.

Shorter games, competition specific rules, specific challenges.. hell, even wacky stuff like in-game pace for the spectators or something even crazier - every competitor experiencing the exact same game and same RNG sequence..

Might be interesting for the spectators, and more interesting still to see how every player deals with the exact same events/randomness.  No unfairness about bad-RNG or good-RNG.

[Milehighdt]

I think the high score portion of the competition is important

Was keeping the high score portion for seeding in finals (love that last quarter drop)

Shorter games, competition specific rules, specific challenges.. hell, even wacky stuff like in-game pace for the spectators

Maybe in setup you could chose when to end the game. The in game pace would be great along with men left and board on. Watching live or online it was hard to see these, but I think it should be displayed between boards in a large font.

every competitor experiencing the exact same game and same RNG sequence

I don't think this would work out well. A player could just stall to to watch what his opponent experienced and adjust his play. You could pause the game and make the competitors enter each board at the same time but that would create more problems. Your Remix is great in how it doesn't touch how DK runs and I think any Tournament DK mode would have to stay true to that.

Like Dan's ideas of making the whole thing a better product.

[lakeman421]

I would start with making changes to the stream, and the marketing first.  The Galaga competition had the same tournament format, and it was a success.