SlartyBartFast
02-01-2005, 05:23 PM
Tired of the paint fling-fest and boring elimination games? Here’s an idea:
How difficult would it be to rig up a timing and detection system so that the exact time a flag is pulled and then hung is known?
Then, instead of giving points simply based on pulling and hanging the flag points could be calculated based on a decreasing scale.
According to the NPPL, the value of a flag pull is currently 32 points and a hang is worth 40 points.
Currently you can max a game by sitting around firing, eliminating the other team, leisurely pulling the flag, sauntering to the flag station, lounging about checking the carrier(**), then finally hanging the flag just before the game time running out. (Alright it’s an exaggerated description :p)
How about instead using the following scales (I increased game length to 8 minutes because the timing is less messy/annoying):
Flag Pull:
Segment [time elapsed] points
0 [0.000-4.000] 32
1/2 [4.001-6.000] 16
3/4 [6.001-7.000] 8
7/8 [7.001-7.500] 4
15/16 [7.501-8.000] 2
Then base flag hangs on time elapsed since the pull. Say give them half a game to complete a hang.
Flag Hang:
[time elapsed] points
[0.000-2.000] 40
[2.001-3.000] 20
[3.001-3.500] 10
[3.501-3.750] 5
[3.751-4.000] 2.5
The problem with this is that maximum flag hang points can be obtained even if the flag is pulled at the last minute in a game. Perhaps the maximum flag hang should also be a factor of when the pull was made.
If a timing system was used, the calculation can be as complex as you want and the ‘half-life’ of the flag hang could be calculated based on remaining game time. The points for the hang would be start at full value when the flag is pulled (40 points) and be reduced by half at the 1/2 (20 points), 3/4 (10 points), 7/8 (5 points), and 15/16 (2.5 points) of time remaining.
Now THAT would make you hustle if you pull the flag in the last minute. You’d have 30 seconds to hang the flag or lose half the value. :D Any remaining opposing players could have a dramatic effect on the outcome if they can even just delay the flag carrier.
Maximum points for a match would become rarer and more difficult to achieve. Ties much more unlikely. Teams would be forced to hustle. More of a risk of a tagged player hanging the flag ** (little time to check).
Of course another alternative would be a more evenly spaced ‘half-life’ using each fifth of the game instead of the exponential model I’ve outlined. But I like the fact that the rapidly decreasing model does allow some space/slack for when there are likely more players on the field and then hurries the end-game.
Another twist I’d like to see played out. Change the end of game rules to read:
18.02 A game will end by (i) a successful flag hang, (ii) the elimination of all opposing players on the game field, or (iii) 7 minutes after the start of the game.
That would add the option of a final remaining player on one side to “suicide” and finish the game before the hang occurs. Or sheer panic and confusion on the flag carriers team not knowing whether to shoot the last remaining opponent who is now running around after the flag carrier. Can’t say that would be easy to ref... :rofl:
** This is something I didn’t understand when watching local tournaments. What’s the penalty for hanging the flag if the carrier was infact marked? If the team making the hang did find a mark on the carrier what can they legally do about it? Surely changing carriers because of a hit would be an admission of playing on of the flag carier and result in a two for one. The game would be impossible to replay from the point the hit occured and the hang SHOULD be impossible to attain at that point.
My guess is it’s one of those nasty situations that is ignored by all refs...
How difficult would it be to rig up a timing and detection system so that the exact time a flag is pulled and then hung is known?
Then, instead of giving points simply based on pulling and hanging the flag points could be calculated based on a decreasing scale.
According to the NPPL, the value of a flag pull is currently 32 points and a hang is worth 40 points.
Currently you can max a game by sitting around firing, eliminating the other team, leisurely pulling the flag, sauntering to the flag station, lounging about checking the carrier(**), then finally hanging the flag just before the game time running out. (Alright it’s an exaggerated description :p)
How about instead using the following scales (I increased game length to 8 minutes because the timing is less messy/annoying):
Flag Pull:
Segment [time elapsed] points
0 [0.000-4.000] 32
1/2 [4.001-6.000] 16
3/4 [6.001-7.000] 8
7/8 [7.001-7.500] 4
15/16 [7.501-8.000] 2
Then base flag hangs on time elapsed since the pull. Say give them half a game to complete a hang.
Flag Hang:
[time elapsed] points
[0.000-2.000] 40
[2.001-3.000] 20
[3.001-3.500] 10
[3.501-3.750] 5
[3.751-4.000] 2.5
The problem with this is that maximum flag hang points can be obtained even if the flag is pulled at the last minute in a game. Perhaps the maximum flag hang should also be a factor of when the pull was made.
If a timing system was used, the calculation can be as complex as you want and the ‘half-life’ of the flag hang could be calculated based on remaining game time. The points for the hang would be start at full value when the flag is pulled (40 points) and be reduced by half at the 1/2 (20 points), 3/4 (10 points), 7/8 (5 points), and 15/16 (2.5 points) of time remaining.
Now THAT would make you hustle if you pull the flag in the last minute. You’d have 30 seconds to hang the flag or lose half the value. :D Any remaining opposing players could have a dramatic effect on the outcome if they can even just delay the flag carrier.
Maximum points for a match would become rarer and more difficult to achieve. Ties much more unlikely. Teams would be forced to hustle. More of a risk of a tagged player hanging the flag ** (little time to check).
Of course another alternative would be a more evenly spaced ‘half-life’ using each fifth of the game instead of the exponential model I’ve outlined. But I like the fact that the rapidly decreasing model does allow some space/slack for when there are likely more players on the field and then hurries the end-game.
Another twist I’d like to see played out. Change the end of game rules to read:
18.02 A game will end by (i) a successful flag hang, (ii) the elimination of all opposing players on the game field, or (iii) 7 minutes after the start of the game.
That would add the option of a final remaining player on one side to “suicide” and finish the game before the hang occurs. Or sheer panic and confusion on the flag carriers team not knowing whether to shoot the last remaining opponent who is now running around after the flag carrier. Can’t say that would be easy to ref... :rofl:
** This is something I didn’t understand when watching local tournaments. What’s the penalty for hanging the flag if the carrier was infact marked? If the team making the hang did find a mark on the carrier what can they legally do about it? Surely changing carriers because of a hit would be an admission of playing on of the flag carier and result in a two for one. The game would be impossible to replay from the point the hit occured and the hang SHOULD be impossible to attain at that point.
My guess is it’s one of those nasty situations that is ignored by all refs...