Splinterlands Draft Tournaments
For months I had been working on fleshing out a detailed Splinterlands Draft Format proposal. The idea had been entertained on a couple AMA Town Hall's but as with many good ideas it was not climbing high enough in the Feedback Proposal systems, especially because it would be a moderately big undertaking. Feel free to vote for the Draft Format Proposal. The majority of players and Splinterlands staff liked the idea, but it was not going to be a proirity for the foreseeable future.
Weird Beard Esports Tournament Manager
In the last few weeks I have regained hope in the Draft format idea. Splinterlands hired a Esports and Tournament Manager named Weird Beard. I asked him on discord if that was the correct title and he corrected me: "Official Title: Esports and Tournament Marketing Dude." Since his hire, the tournaments have gotten a lot more attention both on the website and on discord, and perhaps most importantly on the town halls. Weird Beard can be a polarizing figure, as he speaks his mind and speaks boldly. However, Weird Beard is effectively laying his claim and making some good strides in bringing a serious attention to the competitive aspect of Splinterlands, and his ideas and hardwork seems to speak for itself.
Draft Format or Even Playing Field Mode
Splinterlands, like all TCG or CCG card games that have come before it, has always worn this concerning label of being Pay to Win. The most expensive deck usually wins. Collection determines winners more often than skill. I do think it is a constant struggle for any collectible card game because you want incentive to collect, but you also want it to be a game that is fair. So while I think Splinterlands is Pay to Win, I think it is not much different to Magic, YuGiOh, Hearthstone or Pokemon etc. But myself and many other players think Splinterlands is ripe for an even playing field format, where skill rules all.... and apparently the new Tournament Manager Weird Beard agrees as well. In fact, he has gone out of his way to mention these formats and his desire to roll them out in the near future. Hearing Weird Beard's passionately speak about the importance of these formats was exciting and made me want to revisit my Splinterlands Draft Format proposal and it made me think...
What does the best 'Even Playing Field' format look like?
My draft proposal is basically overlaying the Magic the Gathering draft format onto the Splinterlands game, and I think it would be a really easy, skillful and effective way to play an Even Playing Field type of game within the current structure of Splinterlands: but is that the best way?
I have been grinding Splinterlands for months since I originally proposed that concept, and revisiting the idea I think there is an even better version of an 'Even Playing Field' format that could more fully take advantage of all of the aspects of the Splinterlands game.
For me a perfect 'Even Playing Field' format in Splinterlands would include:
-All players access to the same pool of cards (with an option for a randomized pool)
-an ability to selectively level up cards with a limited pool of resources
-Multiple rounds of battles with varying rulesets (perhaps round robin, random or bracket style matchmaking)
-Multiple rounds of time to upgrade and combine cards to perpare for the next round
-Option to set lineups anytime within the battle stage (like brawls)
A format like this would to advantage of the skills combining cards with limited to resources to craft competitive line ups in specific Splinters. In essence, this format would replicate what a month of Splinterlands grinding feels like. New players would get a crash course in combining cards and using resources to best position your team and setting strong and powerful line ups in a competitive environments. Experienced players would be able to relive and rewind their experience and use learned skills to compete in a specified way.
I think this format would be fascinating to watch, fascination to play and showcase all the ways the game is fun.
What would your ideal 'Even Playing Field' format look like?
When will we get it?
Weird Beard has been extremely transparent on discord. In fact, he has been doing interviews with dozens of players, and seems to have a really good feel for what players want. Therefore, if this format is what we want, we need to let him know and start asking him, "When will we get the Even Playing field format get here?"