TONe Mario Kart 8 League

[Kong Wen]

You guys ready to go?

I know Devil just got off work 15 minutes ago, so maybe he'll show up a couple races in?

Shoe, Merlin, are you around?

[Trapster]

RetroFanatic is my NNID and GMT+1 is my timezone.

[Kreegs]

RetroFanatic is my NNID and GMT+1 is my timezone.

Great racing with you today!

[evildevil97]

I got too busy yesterday, sorry.

[MerlinDrazziw]

For the 2015 point registering by Kong Wen, there's an issue to be addressed about the presence of participants each week. If all are in the same 12 races, only 1 person can get the 15 points for finishing 1st. But when some have completed their 12 races and participate or not participate in getting others 12 races done, those others stand a better chance of getting more points than those who raced their 12 with the majority. How are we going to deal with this?

Just as an example, if Trapster and I were to race the 12 at a convenient EU time without Kreegs (still the best racer of the league), we both stand a better chance at winning more races than if 1 or more NA racers join. And yesterday, I had a 15 point head start on Kreegs and Kong when Shoe and I started Mute City without them. I'm sure I would've gotten 12 or less if they had joined.

It's unavoidable that not all participants can make it on a set time. The timezone difference alone is hard enough to plan each week. We've kind of settled for around sunday 3pm central, but that's already on the late side for me and maybe too early for some NA folks. Split races will happen if we want more participants on a regular base...

[Kong Wen]

Ultimately we have to realize that the league is just for fun, and that the points are meaningless. Still, we could try to find a way to balance out the points gained by the number of people racing, perhaps a multiplier of some kind.

We look at the number of people racing in each race, and whichever race had the most people determines the x1.0 multiplier. Then the other race scales down from that.

So let's pretend we had one race with:

15 - Clay
12 - Devil
10 - Forks
9 - Kit
8 - Kong
7 - Kreegs
6 - Shoe

And another race with:

15 - Merlin
12 - slangman
10 - Trapster

There were 7 people in the NA race (the most), so their points are worth 7/7 (x1.0). There were 3 people in the EU race, so their points are worth 3/7 (x0.43).

The final tally for the whole group would be:

15 - Clay
12 - Devil
10 - Forks
9 - Kit
8 - Kong
7 - Kreegs
15*0.43= 6.45 - Merlin
6 - Shoe
12*0.43= 5.16 - slangman
10*0.43 = 4.3 - Trapster

So, that's just for the sake of example. The example is a particularly punishing multiplier (someone who finished in 6th with 7 people shouldn't necessarily be ahead of someone who finished 1st among 3 people), but it's just one way of showing how we can make sure people don't try to inflate their scores by racing with fewer people.

[MerlinDrazziw]

Don't know if that example will work well enough. It's just that the tracks raced on and the opponents (even cpu) make all the difference in the final score. Comparing times on same tracks is impossible, so it's just the points you get in the league. The fun factor is most important, having all participants in the same races would be utlimate fun, but it's still a competition.

Don't mean to make this a big issue, just thought to bring it to attention so others can give their opinion. For me it's fun first, fair competition second.

As for fun factor, is it an option to pre choose a combination of character, vehicle, tires and glider with which we all race each week? Would be confusing telling each other apart, but we would race with equal stats.

[Kreegs]

Don't know if that example will work well enough. It's just that the tracks raced on and the opponents (even cpu) make all the difference in the final score. Comparing times on same tracks is impossible, so it's just the points you get in the league. The fun factor is most important, having all participants in the same races would be utlimate fun, but it's still a competition.

Don't mean to make this a big issue, just thought to bring it to attention so others can give their opinion. For me it's fun first, fair competition second.

As for fun factor, is it an option to pre choose a combination of character, vehicle, tires and glider with which we all race each week? Would be confusing telling each other apart, but we would race with equal stats.

I would rather we each can race with the kart options we want. If we are getting that detailed, then we would have to all race on the same tracks in the same order... Again like you said, its more about the fun than the points.

That being said, ideally, it would be best if we established 2 or 3 different "groups" of racers based on times they are available. People would have to sign up for a time slot on the forum and stick to it. (This would work better once we have more racers). This way, people don't have to worry about strange formulas and what not. In the end though, it doesnt really matter to me if someone sweeps the 15's in a small group. It is a lot like the game of Mario Kart in general: It is not always the best racer that wins every time.

Example

Group 1 agrees on 5pm central time on Friday
Kong
Kreegs
Shoe
Merlin

Group 2 agrees on 10am Central time Saturday
Slurm
EvilDevil
Trapster
Clay

Group 3 agrees on 2pm Central time on Sunday
Random person 1
Random person 2
Random Person 3
Random Person 4


All it takes is 1 or 2 people who have more flexible times to fill up the group that needs more people. We could maybe make this a Google Doc or something so people could see when their time is. This way we can avoid the crazy point conversion formula.

Will people freak out if 1 extra person shows up in their group? - I sure hope not!

Thoughts?

[Kong Wen]

In the end though, it doesnt really matter to me if someone sweeps the 15's in a small group. It is a lot like the game of Mario Kart in general: It is not always the best racer that wins every time.

I agree with you on this point Kreegs. The only reason this discussion even really came up is because we're keeping track of league standings, and the only reason I created that doc is because I think it's fun. It doesn't really have any meaning beyond that. Let's keep it simple and just continue not worrying about it for now. Maybe when enough people join up and we can't fit everyone into a 12-person race, we can reevaluate. But even then I'll still be happy to let people find the times that work for them, find their opponents, and then race away!

[Kreegs]

Race on and keep that smile on your face! (Just like Baby Peach!)

Frankly, I would like for someone else to win one!!!! I am not going to take a dive, but Merlin was super close!!! Make items more intense perhaps??