RFL When? And Proposed Format Adjustment

PhineasB

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Mar 14, 2020
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Hi SPF!
It's that time of year! As shown here (scroll down a bit), for the last six years we've had RFL in the spring. So I wanted to gauge interest and availability for RFL, if it starts in late March and into April. For quick reference of what's involved, last year's opening post is here.

But over the last couple years, we've had feedback about how challenging three rounds of three weeks (or 17 days more recently) is to sustain. Even with the 17-day, 4-day format for each round, it's still 59 days, or nearly two months, and the three rounds on compressed 17-day window is a lot. Participation across all three rounds has also been limited. And with the advent of D2R, including the recent activation of Terror Zones, I think a refresh of format is warranted. My plan is to modify to only two rounds: (1) Any area except LK and Trav and (2) Trav.

For the first round, this will encompass the traditional A85 round (historically round 3) and the Cows round (historically round 1), plus Terror Zones. That lets people who love Cows run that, while allowing those who don't to run A85, and those in D2R who like Terror Zones to mix those in. I compared top scores for Cows vs. A85, and they are comparable across the six years, and I haven't seen much in the IFT suggesting TZs will tilt the balance. If anything, that may be less efficient due to low odds of finding great maps for all zones, but the search for runes means the random mobs offer as much as boss packs, so I'm guessing it's likely on par. Load times in D2R may be an issue though giving D2L runners a leg up, but I'm hoping it's roughly even enough to give everyone an incentive to participate for the 20-hour set.

For the second round, I don't know if there will be enough interest for Trav, especially with D2R load times, so I'm putting it second. We can reassess next year, and if Trav isn't of broad enough interest, potentially convert back to a RFO format of single 20-hour set in the future.

As to timing, I was thinking of the following:
Round 1: March 24 - April 9
Round 2: April 14 - April 30

But we can push up by one week or back by a week or two, depending on availability across the SPF members interested in participating. I also hope that the shorter timeframe will leave time for 1 or 2 MF/RF tourneys before MFO in the late Summer/early Fall, and maybe another D2L MP group before then. I'm not in D2R really yet, but a Terror Zone tourney sounds interesting.

Hoping to get critical mass, so please share availability and if earlier or later timeframe would allow you to join. (y)
 
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I don’t have a Trav runner in D2R, and I don’t think I would do it again in Legacy.

I’m working on a Martial Artist in D2R now, she should be ready enough for round 1 then.
 
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Those dates work for me and I'd participate in both rounds. I'd play my Javazon in Cows and Whirlwind Barb in Trav. Fine with merging Cows/Areas because I prefer Cows anyway.
 
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Count me in too. I'm flexible on dates. and whatever everyone decided.

So, far I'd say that Terror Zones have not exactly been rune rich areas. Now I have a Cham, a Gul and an Ist, but that has been a lot of running. So, it will be interesting to see how those do that chose to run TZs.
 
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Yeah Trav in D2R is rather frustrating with loading times. If it is a category I would run in 1.14. Still would be up for that.

Another option is to go for cows (seems popular among active members anyway) and then have the 2nd round be a choice between eg Trav and other areas?

Whatever the decision is, I’ll participate one way or the other.
 
I’m down. LK has been dry AF so here’s to more complaining in hopes I’ll pull/amass a Ber from chests/poppables before then so I can at least run with Infinity (extremely unlikely I’ll have time to produce Enigma before then) on HC zon.

If Trav is compromised for D2R due to loading times why not consider cows + anything but cows as the two options?
 
Count me in !
I would participate in round 1 for sure to try how well a MA sin works with cows,
and in round 2 with a usual WW barb
 
I brought my sc chars forward from 1.14d into D2R so I should be good for both rounds. For round 1 I will likely split my time between Arcane Sanctuary and Cows. Round 2... I think spending as much time in the loading screen then killing in Trav is going to be annoying though.

Any of the dates look fine for me.
 
Thanks for the feedback, all!

I think I will go with the suggestion by @ffs to have the rounds be: cows and other areas. But I'm going to flip the order so areas are first, and cows are the second round. I am not a huge fan of cows, and I likely won't be able to get a full set for the second round due to being out of town one weekend and then hosting family visiting a second weekend. Host's prerogative :)

A limitation for the first round will be no LK, but Trav can be run for those interested, along with terrorized zones. I'll try to post a sign-up thread this weekend!
 
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