The Kong Off 4

[D.B. Cooper]

I think what needs to be decided first is if this is a tournament for the players or for the viewers.  This is just my opinion, the current format may be the most enjoyable for the players, but it sucks to watch.  You have no clue when to tune in to see the best action and have no idea when you might actually see the championship performance.

As a viewer, this is what I'd like to see.  Top 16 (or 32) DK players by high score go head to head in a single elimination tournament.  No seedings.  Matchups to be decided by draw.  Single death ends your game.  With this format, you should be able to whip this out in a single day.  The champs would only play four times.  Have advertised starting times for all matches, especially the championship match.  And I'd be willing to bet that this championship match would have more viewers than any other in CAG history.  But only if we play a single man.  If viewers have to watch over an hour of people jumping the same fireballs over and over for an entire game, people aren't going to watch.  But if it's single death and the game could end at any time, there's high drama that will be played out over a reasonable period of time and I think people would tune in to watch this drama unfold.  I understand the cost to the players just to get to this tournament and maybe most wouldn't want to risk making the trip to have a wild barrel end their day early.  But it sure would be a lot of fun to watch.

[danman123456]

D.B. Cooper - Well why can't this for both?

Asking people to spend thousands of dollars for a chance to play only ONE game with the "suck it up if you lose" attitude seems a little harsh to me when there are plenty of options here. Double Elim, Point System, High Score/Bracket, etc, etc.

Heck why can't this be both ways? Have an overall score competition AND a bracket competition that is based on say "First to LVL 10 wins" - This keeps the skill level involved to get past a board faster and prevents the "jump the same fireball over and over" as you mentioned.  Plus this also keeps games to an hour or so tops. The minute someone "wins" you stop playing and move on to the next set of matches. You could do this in just a few hours possibly if you leave it to Top xxx (Even 40 would go fast)

Heck you can even have cutoff times for scores which is almost the same thing. cut the field in half every x hours until your down to say the final 4 or 2 fighting it out for high scores.  Once a cutoff is done scores are wiped out and you start over in the next "Round". Have a pot for highest overall score, etc, etc.. Soooooooo many options here that should make it exciting for both the observer and the participants. I'm really looking forward to KO4 (gotta get my marquee signed again just like the others oh ya!).

[lakeman421]

So I've been putting a little more thought into this new format.  Richie's goal for the event is to have at least 23 machines or 24 maybe to make it an even number.  So the logistics of running a huge bracket tournament may be way too long and people may not get to play as long as they wanted.  There is also a little hesitation about even having a new format for the best interest of future Kong Offs.  So this is what I came up with.

The tradition of having the top 12 would remain the same.  This would keep interest for all players to play year round with a goal in mind.  Selection could be based on the online events or top 12 on TGI or even the DKF scoreboard (This option would give MAME players a shot).  The special introductions of each top 12 player is a cool part of the event and I'd like to see it continue.  Now here is when they idea of a hybrid event comes into play with the old and new format.

The top 12 would duke it out in a single elimination bracket type format on the first day.  You could get 4 matches in the first day comfortably giving the players enough time for breaks and meals.  Then hype up The Final Four for Sunday where a champion will be declared.

The second 12 would be selected the same way more likely through the online opens.  Maybe even another 12 and they share the machines like last year and top 12 wild cards make it to sunday.  They will be in their own competition for the start of the tournament playing the old format of highest score for the weekend.  So for the Kong Off 4 there will be two separate competitions one being the bracket champion and the other for highest score.

Now here's the twist.  On the first day for the bracket format if a player is eliminated they get entered into the high score competition.  I think this will make it interesting because the second 12 or "Wild cards" will have a head start on the highest score competition and leaving some top 12 players with less time to go for the highest score.  I think this really levels out the playing field for the highest score competition giving the wild cards the advantage.  This way if someone like Jeff or Dean goes deep and gets knocked out in the semi-finals they can still play on Sunday for highest score, but won't have as many chances to get the highest score(they are both good enough to still even put up over a million on short notice).

This is the best thing I came up with and wanted to throw an idea into the mix.  This way we can try a new format and still give the top 12 a machine for the weekend like in the past.  Also have a Wild Card thing going which is always nice.  People really want to see players like Hank, Jeff, Dean, and Steve play for the weekend and this would be a great way to do it.

[hchien]

I like your idea of players getting eliminated entering the wildcard tournament.  This makes the most use of the machines and player's time (surely there will be many players who are traveling long distances to be there).  The only potential problems I could see is:

1- bracket tournament players intentionally losing in the first round so they could be entered into the wildcard tournament earlier.  (I'll call this the "Dave McCrary effect" since I'm pretty sure he was upset getting knocked out of the top 12 for KO3, but I'm also pretty sure he was glad after it was all said and done-- winning the WC division.)

2- top 12 players who make it deep into the bracket tournament but lose late are left "empty handed"-- not winning the bracket tournament and at the same time not enough time to win the wildcard tournament. 

Even with those problems, I still like it.

[lakeman421]

1- bracket tournament players intentionally losing in the first round so they could be entered into the wildcard tournament earlier.  (I'll call this the "Dave McCrary effect" since I'm pretty sure he was upset getting knocked out of the top 12 for KO3, but I'm also pretty sure he was glad after it was all said and done-- winning the WC division.)

The thing about this is that the bracket tourney will be smaller so it will be easier to pay attention for this possibility.  I think it would be hard to throw the match and not make it obvious.  Maybe have the prize for the bracket tourney higher than the high score tourney to keep the motivation to play well in the brackets.

2- top 12 players who make it deep into the bracket tournament but lose late are left "empty handed"-- not winning the bracket tournament and at the same time not enough time to win the wildcard tournament.

That's kind of the beauty of it.  It adds a little bit to the pressure to do well.  Say you left the semi finals for Sunday and a player got eliminated that round, they would still have some time to play for highest score.  If we started at 11 like we did this past year and the games were kill screens or close to it they would still have at least four hours to get a game going which is still plenty of time in my opinion.  Even if it wasn't enough time for them it would be a little harsh, but not as harsh getting knocked out and not playing the rest of the weekend.  Probably pay out the two finalists so they won't have to worry about being left with nothing.  This would avoid the possibility of double dipping the prize pool.

[konghusker]

That sounds exactly like what I had for ideas Robbie.  I like the idea of the bracket, but with a "second chance" to win in another high score tournament.  Take the top 12 in the bracket with the final four on Sunday, and at the same time, let the eliminated players join the wild card tournament for the overall high score.  My only difference was to have one final match pitting the tournament winner Vs. the high score winner Sunday night.  Both could win a prize for their respected tournament victories, but only one true champion is crowned over the weekend.  I think the high score is important, so people don't spend a ton of money, time, and vacation with the chance of only playing one match and being done for the weekend.