FAFLive ShowMatches

FtXCommando

So casters on FAFLive have expressed interest in utilizing the FAFLive funds in order to give prizes for showmatches between top players. As the account is beginning to accrue a decent pool of funds, it's time to start using it to feed back into tournaments.

The tournaments should have a total prize of about $100 for a show match and likely be a BO7 or a BO9 format. There are no real "rules" on how the series should go. I don't mind people playing map gen maps, playing a ladder pool with vetos, playing a small pool, whatever. The only thing I require is that these games be taken seriously both from a player and a viewer perspective. I'm not interested in funding dudes playing hardffa BlackOps ACU Unleashed nor am I interested in funding people playing a single map 30 times in a row.

So to get into the actual requirements.

Requirements:

Player must be 2k+ to be considered, yes, in ladder.
If they have games that they are specifically interested in, they should list them in their post. For example, only want to play map gen or only want to play 20x20s or anything else.
Games must be relatively balanced. This will ultimately come down to my discretion but a general rule would be that players should be within 150 shown rating of one another.
Games must take place at a time organized with an approved caster on the FAFLive channel. They must all be covered live. Click here for a list of approved casters.

I will keep the list of players interested in playing a series here alongside the game format they prefer.

Depending on the interest in doing series I may go ahead and hold polls on which matchups interest people the most.

Series Requests:

Tagada - standard 1v1, map gen, themed series
Tex - prefer classic ladder maps, ladder pools, faction vetoes

Past Series:

Series 1:

Players: Raider vs Bullydozer
1v1 7 Game ShowMatch, SC:TA Game Mod, April 17th 2021

Game 1: https://replay.faforever.com/14323129 on Gods of War
Game 2: https://replay.faforever.com/14323255 on Acid Lakes
Game 3: https://replay.faforever.com/14323498 on Comet Catcher
Game 4: https://replay.faforever.com/14323703 on RMG
Game 5: https://replay.faforever.com/14323927 on Ditch
Game 6: https://replay.faforever.com/14324078 on HardFFA
Game 7: https://replay.faforever.com/14324221 on RMG

Series 2:

Players: archsimkat and harzer99 vs Autopsy and WoundedElk
2v2 7 Game ShowMatch, April 24th 2021

Game 1: https://replay.faforever.com/14369345 on Canis 4v4
Game 2: https://replay.faforever.com/14369863 on crazyrush
Game 3: https://replay.faforever.com/14370007 on HardFFA
Game 4: https://replay.faforever.com/14370129 on RMG
Game 5: https://replay.faforever.com/14370374 on Phenom Spartiate
Game 6: https://replay.faforever.com/14370544 on RMG
Game 7: https://replay.faforever.com/14370683 on Stella Maris

Series 3:

Players: Blackheart vs Petricpwnz
1v1 7 Game ShowMatch, Unexplored RMG, May 1st 2021

Game 1: https://replay.faforever.com/14419982 on RMG 5x5 (draw)
Game 1: https://replay.faforever.com/14420143 on RMG 5x5
Game 2: https://replay.faforever.com/14420313 on RMG 10x10
Game 3: https://replay.faforever.com/14420511 on RMG 20x20
Game 4: https://replay.faforever.com/14420699 on RMG 5x5
Game 5: https://replay.faforever.com/14420810 on RMG 10x10
Game 6: https://replay.faforever.com/14420910 on RMG 20x20
Game 7: https://replay.faforever.com/14421109 on RMG 10x10

Series 4:

Players: Tagada vs Nexus
1v1 7 Game ShowMatch, Preselected Map Pool from Jip, May 21st 2021

Game 1: https://replay.faforever.com/14555738 on Autumn
Game 2: https://replay.faforever.com/14555968 on Mauve
Game 3: https://replay.faforever.com/14556201 on Gateway and Rose
Game 4: https://replay.faforever.com/14556504 on Kaali
Game 4: https://replay.faforever.com/14556715 on Kaali
Game 5: https://replay.faforever.com/14556919 on Adaptive Moon
Game 6: https://replay.faforever.com/14557211 on Aalhaven
Game 7: https://replay.faforever.com/14557440 on Archsimkats Valley

Tagada

I am up for the challenge. Can do both some normal 1vs1 series or something themed eg. mapgen, mapgen unexplored, heavy eco & macro maps like Seton, Pizza, Ditch, Painted Desert, Crazy Rush etc.

Blackheart

Id be up for a series under the following conditions:

7 games, all games played
Prize split around 60/40 winner/loser
All games map gen, varying map gen settings/sizes/unexplored mode preferred
Random civ

Id be willing to stream my POV if wanted.

Fremy_Speeddraw

In, would also prefer mapgen. The format should by default be X games instead of BOx for consistent outcome and more games on average. Money should be x for each game and y for each game won or just a light split like bh suggested.

Tagada

Yeah, agree with points made by Petric and BH. I was also thinking about both players streaming their POV and the Main stream switching between Observers and POV (from actual player's streams) of players. If done well that would lead to some very fun and also educational streams.

Dragun101

Could future SCTA Showmatches be part of this Ftx?

Rowey

Show Match Could Use MapBan as a way or more Audiance Interaction from what the players are Deciding

Swkoll

Personally, I would like to see money going to showmatches being used to match wagers by the players participating (ie $50 from each player and $100 from FAF) with winner takes all. This would encourage more serious play from players as well as make it more exciting for viewers rather than watching BH and petric play a BO7 over $20.

FtXCommando

There is no market for player buy-ins. That saw zero success last year and I don’t really see why it would change now.

Swkoll

@FtXCommando Fair, but I still think a 60/40 spilt for a showmatch does not encourage players to try their hardest which should be the point of a showmatch.

FtXCommando

@Dragun101 said in FAFLive ShowMatches:

Could future SCTA Showmatches be part of this Ftx?

If they fit the requirements yes, otherwise no they fall under a different purpose.

FtXCommando

@Rowey said in FAFLive ShowMatches:

Show Match Could Use MapBan as a way or more Audiance Interaction from what the players are Deciding

Also yeah I’ll try to include this more for authored map tournaments.

Tex

I'll play vs anyone, rating/schedule depending.
I would also be down to play a series on 'old classic' maps, such as Theta, Palms, VYA, Darozas, Emerald, Roanoke, EOTS, Syrtis. Open to suggestions for these maps.
Also down to play current/last months ladder pool, vetoed down to a BO7.
Faction veto for both series would be nice.

I like winner take all. Giving people money just to play before they even start the series sounds a little strange to me, but If that helps encourage showmatches/viewership, fine by me.

I also like the idea that you play 7 games total, and win ~14$ per victory.

Also, do you know why we stopped doing WWPC? That might be a good series to re-implement.

FtXCommando

I’m not going to maintain WWPC but anyone that wants to maintain it is free to restart it.

Tagada

I think that a compromise between winner takes all and splitting the money initially would be best. System where you divide the prize pool by number of games and securing each map win grants you a part of the prize. This combined with a system where you play a fixed amount of games instead of Best Of Series results in lengthy series where both players try their best but there isn't a complete disappointment if you loose the series over all. Eg. you have a 9 game series where each map win grants the player 1/9 of the 100$ prize pool which would be ~10.1$.

Blackheart

I disagree with @Swkoll here: The point of a showmatch is to be entertaining. Thats why its called "showmatch" and not "Championship" or "Epic duel to death over 999 games". Its a nice way to test out more unconventional settings (like mapgen unexplored or whatever ideas) and to have something a bit more serious/organized than just random ladder games. Why would you not try your hardest when playing, if its a "soft" split? Everyone likes to win more than lose, I dont think thats an issue whatsoever. The soft split is there to keep it friendly and to compensate the potential non-perfect competitive setting a showmatch can have.

nine2

Where do the faflive funds come from?

nine2

Is it ad revenue or something?

Tagada

It's coming from Subs probably

Swkoll

@nine2

For the last month:
$39.36 Subs
$4.47 Cheering
$3.51 Ads

A small amount of this is reoccurring, but we saw big spikes during the days the Spring Invitational was streamed, especially during the playoffs.