What would YOU like to see in the Cell?

[Silence Sei]

Simply put, I've heard varying opinions on how to handle the next round of The Cell. Some people want 2 more rounds, some want a 12 man free for all, some don't even care. As such, I've listed the options. Please note, the vote won't be considered unless there is a post to accompany it. Also, one vote per person please. Here's the options:

Round 2: Simply put, we have a Round 2 with 2 seperate Cells, 6 men each cell, and the top 3 of each cell go to the finals.

FFA: Free for all. 12 characters enter, 1 character leaves. All in ONE THREAD!

Don't Care: You don't care either way.

Hypothetical Scenario: Someone proposed at one point that we do two seperate chambers, and half way through the round, actually merge them into one. If this gets the most votes, I'll figure out how to do it/score it before it's time to judge.

Anyways, those are your options. Voting will be open until Wednesday.

[Abomination]

I personally prefer the original plan of top 3 from the 3 chambers for a 9-man final chamber. It's hard to build up suspense for the final chamber if they have to spend another round doing it all over again. It's also a huge time investment, and this may be an event that actually ends on time with relatively little attrition. A 12 person chamber is a bit too much, and I would prefer that over the 2 chamber solution, but I think 1 round with 9 people is ideal.

[Luned]

I also prefer the original plan. Burnout risk is pretty high with how intense that got. I'd rather have an equally awesome final round than risk interest/availability petering out into a lackluster conclusion.

* Adding elaboration: by "original plan" I mean no extra round and no split chambers, just the typical clusterfuck of a finale. With the stories at least a couple of us have planned, the middle bit could end up pretty awkward, especially if we face the same people multiple times and spend all of our plotting power before the end. Rejoining two chambers could hamper stories pretty hard with all the variables. I don't expect to win, but I do hope to get some actual IC development out of it.

[Silence Sei]

We're not doing 9. The Chambers all met the deadline I provided. If anything, it will be 12.

[Chelley]

As an onlooker, I agree with Luned and Abomination. The original plan (top 3 to equal 9) is many times better. Also, if you hadn't arbitrarily added in/changed things after The Cell had already started, you wouldn't have this issue now.

[Solar Haven]

I do like the 12 man free for all, as it got my vote. However it would be way to chaotic, Anita's chamber was 6 men (kinda 5) battling it out, and that was kinda chaotic.

the two chambers 6 people each sounds like a better idea, HOWEVER we do run into the risk of people not being able to post, or people just loosing interest.

for the plot point fiasco... i have no idea what is so bad about that... just add a new dynamic to it... keep it going, you can still get the IC Development you so want, just think outside the box (or ask the higher ups to rig the random placement so you arent with your plot buddy)

And the merging of the cells.... could work... if we wait till each cell drops to 2 or 3 people... and then collapse the wall in between or teleport them into the next chamber.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Why can't we do 9 way final round? Curiosity is all. .///.

[Breaker]

I know I said on AIM I wanted to go 3 rounds, but I'm realizing the points others have made here from my own perspective. I would prefer to just take the top three from each bracket, 12 people posting every day is so messy (and much less competitive). I also feel like everyone got their licks in - the only person I was concerned would get an unfair advantage with this going one week was Warpath (due to attrition), but he stepped it up the last few days and his posts have been outstanding, so considering the other chambers concluded way early, I'd say it's fair cop all around.

Sorry for changing my mind, but I really hadn't thought it through. If going straight to 9 seems like cutting it short, what about 9 winners plus a high score wildcard, and/or make this round go two weeks?

[Dr. Why]

I think 2 chambers will be best, as Anita, with only 5 people and a guy on a rock was chaotic. The 12 FFA would just be a massacre by the two powerfuls.

[Witchblade]

I like the idea of just doing the final round now, instead of doing a second round. The Cell is really hard in terms of time limits, and frankly, I work full time AND go to school, I don't have the ability to put that much of my life on hold just to keep up with a posting time limit.

[Aurelianus Drak'shal]

I've been mulling it over, and I honestly think the best way to handle this is to just stick with the original plan; three highest from each, 9 man free-for-all.

Seeing how much interest and activity we've managed with this tournament, I don't want to see interest in it wain because people can't keep up the pace they have been for the past week. The idea of having to try and go through all of that, *two* more times to try for the win fills me with a quiet despair that I doubt I am alone in experiencing.

[Warpath]

I understand where everybody is coming from here. In my brain I'm all "wow, potentially two more rounds, that's going to be crazy." But I also see how much activity this event has shaken up for Althanas, so I can see how more of a good thing could be beneficial. But also everybody's so focused on the tournament that there's not much writing going on otherwise. Also, sort of building off what Numbers and Luned and Witchblade said, among others, not everybody's able to continue committing to a rigid posting schedule like this. I mean, I pretty much just posted once per day because that's all I had time to do, and one day was REALLY close because of Life Things. My goal is to write a little every day anyway though, rain or shine, so I was cool with it. I can totally see other folks burning themselves out on this, and maybe on Althanas by extension.

I'm just spitballing here, but maybe there's a compromise to be found. For example, maybe we do one more true round composed of two separate cells. This time, Chamber Sei is made up of the top three scores from each original chamber like normal, while Chamber Dirks is made up of the next highest three from each original chamber. The top scorers from Chamber Sei will be competing for the original rewards, while the top scorers from Chamber Dirks will be competing for lesser rewards. At the end of THAT round, however, the top scorers from each chamber are pitted against one another in a one-on-one with the same posting rules, vying for glory and additional rewards.

I dunno, like I said, just spitballing to make everybody happy.

[Witchblade]

If we do a second round, I would really like to push for a 30 hour posting rule instead of 24. The problem with the 24 hour one is it's a vicious cycle. You have to post before the last post you made every day. So, if I post at 8pm one day, I have to post before that the next and before that the next and eventually I'm stuck posting at work to try and not get myself DQ'd, which is not a good situation for me. If it comes down to it, I'll happily get DQ's so I don't get written up at my job. I'd rather not, which is why the 30 hour thing would be really helpful. Just gives you those couple extra hours.

[Breaker]

+1 Aure... and I'd be fine with Warpath's idea as well.

[Mordelain]

I think the original plan would be best, as well.

That said, I'd push for a second cell, with everyone who didn't make it through fighting for a single, one shot attempt at getting a wildcard. The second cell would last a week, joining the main cell as a CHALLENGER APPROACHERS halfway through the main arena.

[Breaker]

I think the original plan would be best, as well.

That said, I'd push for a second cell, with everyone who didn't make it through fighting for a single, one shot attempt at getting a wildcard. The second cell would last a week, joining the main cell as a CHALLENGER APPROACHERS halfway through the main arena.

So the top 3 from each Cell get a "by" to the finals, and the next top three compete in the interim round for the wildcard spot? I love it. Not only does it give the winners some extra rest and create extra interest in the Cell, whoever wins the wildcard spot would have a HELLUVA storyline.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

I could go for that honestly.

[Reine]

That sounds like a fantastic idea! I'm for it!

[Hysteria]

So the top 3 from each Cell get a "by" to the finals, and the next top three compete in the interim round for the wildcard spot? I love it. Not only does it give the winners some extra rest and create extra interest in the Cell, whoever wins the wildcard spot would have a HELLUVA storyline.

Sounds like a good idea to me.

Also extend posting time to 30 hours.

[black shadow]

I like that idea aswell!

[Rayse Valentino]

I agree with extending the time to 30 hours, the 9-man 1 chamber solution, and the wildcard chamber interim round to add a 10th person to the final chamber.

[Silence Sei]

Posting time will not be extended. It never has nor will it ever. This is one rule I'm sticking by, even if I cave on others.

And yes, we'll do Warpaths idea for a wildcard chamber.

Edit: I may have to go back on that statement, depending on how the judgements turn out.

[Dissinger]

When will we know?

[Silence Sei]

Now. Scores are up, and due to the ridiculous amounts of ties, I had decided that Warpaths way really wouldn't work anymore. As such, I'm sticking to my guns and going with the 3 rounds total. I.....didn't predict this, and do apologize. o.o;

[Rayse Valentino]

You could throw all the people below the top 3 (and ties for 3rd) into the wildcard round, that adds up to a 7-man chamber.

edit: Just realized I'm suggesting everyone below top 2 that advanced get put in there. Well, it may still be a better solution than multiple rounds, but I don't mind what happens.

[Breaker]

Are the matchups random again, or do we get slated by round 1 scores?

[Dissinger]

The latter means all of emma is back together mind you!

[Silence Sei]

Are the matchups random again, or do we get slated by round 1 scores?

Which would you guys rather do? I'll go ahead and randomize you guys, and if you just wanna do it like that, I'll have it ready.

[Luned]

Don't do it by overall scores if you do it that way, scale by placings within the threads (that would account for the staggering difference in judging styles).

[Breaker]

Don't do it by overall scores if you do it that way, scale by placings within the threads (that would account for the staggering difference in judging styles).

I think that's what I meant. All I'm thinking is, it'd really be a shame if the 6 top scorers ended up in the same second round, because then the finals would lack some luster.

[Mordelain]

All I know is I want it to start now​.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

Also, in this tourney are we allowing mid round updates?

[Silence Sei]

Updates, no. Bazaar purchases will be.

Also, because I was a big dumb and didn't specify in the rules that they are not, players will be healed between these rounds, magical prowess restored, yadda yadda, like standard tournament fare.

[Witchblade]

I think that's what I meant. All I'm thinking is, it'd really be a shame if the 6 top scorers ended up in the same second round, because then the finals would lack some luster.


Ouch, that kind of hurts.

[Dissinger]

All I'm going to say, is if there are no updates, none of the lower level characters stand a chance sei. As it stands you have three of the most powerful characters ALL IN ONE CELL with some of our lower and less powerful ones.

[Roht Mirage]

I just did a quick glance at the exp bars. Funnily enough, of the two chambers with exp calculated, it looks like Abom and EI will get a level up while all of the others fall short. Probably no level ups in Ella either. I'm sure some characters could break through after this round, but if you're worried about the balance of this next round specifically (yeah, that chamber... yikes) then updates would do more harm than good.

And I'm saying that as someone who had their heart set on an update, had it already written, and is the closest of Ella's continuing fighters to a level up. I'd personally love to be able to squeak that through, but I'd be the only weak character to benefit from it at the moment.

[Enigmatic Immortal]

In the interest of sportsmanship, I actually don't mind allowing anyone less than level 6 to make a quick update. So long as they make the requirements.

[Amber Eyes]

Mage hunter is the only other one I believe, he hit level 4 (well, 5 now I suppose--I'm not used to the new levels yet)

[Dissinger]

Part of it was also the belief we would be using seis level for the battle equation.

[Witchblade]

Even if I could, I wouldn't bother with a level-up anyway. The difference between level 2 and 3 (err... 3 and 4, stupid new system) would be miniscule at best when you're up against two level 12 characters, one of whom is a freaking tank that even another level 12 character would have a hard time going toe to toe with.

[Breaker]

Can we get EXP awarded in the Ella chamber? Looks like we got overlooked somehow

[Silence Sei]

No, you didn't. I just got super busy with life. Same reason why the settings for Round 2 have not been given yet. Will try to do it tonight.

[Max Dirks]

That's what having Seibies will do to you. Not babies, Seibies...

[Witchblade]

lol, setting and experience would be very much appreciated. Hard to work on an opening post when you have no idea where your character is standing. XD