Stories from RhyDin & The Rings

This was a playtest duel that occurred tonight involving proposal #1 (the one I posted) between two players whom we shall call B'Andre the Giant and Bulk Bogan (don't ask). I'm going to try to post playtest duels here as I call them so that everyone can get some idea how they might work in a duel.

The only thing really to note in this duel is in Round 3, the advantage goes to the fancy duck and not the feint dodge. No feints were successful in scoring.

B'Andre the Giant vs. Bulk Bogan
1. Fancy dodge/Jab 1-0
2. Feint Jumpkick/Legsweep 1-0
3. Fancy Duck/Feint Dodge 1+-0
4. Jab/Feint Jab 2-0 (conversion by B'Andre)
5. Fancy Leap/Fancy Legblock 2+-0+
6. Snapkick/Legsweep 3-0
7. Jab/Fancy Duck 3-1
8. Flip/Sweep 3-2
9. Hook/Hook 4-3
10. Fancy Leap/Spinkick 4-4
11. Snapkick/Feint Legsweep 4+-4
12. Fancy Dodge/Fancy Duck 5-4+ (conversion B'Andre)

A couple tips when using proposal #1: When you use a feint you're betting all your money on your opponent using a defensive move that beats the move you feint. So when you a feint a jab, you're counting only on a dodge, armblock or duck from your opponent. And feinting a defense will never score you anything.

Hopefully I'll have more duels to share next week. Feel free to post any comments here.

Two playtest duels occurred last night, one involving proposal #1, the other involving proposal #2b.

First duel (proposal #1):
holo-Gloopaglub vs. holo-Cory Havoick

1. Feint Jab/Fancy Armblock, 1-0
2. Feint Snapkick/Legsweep, 1-0
3. Fancy Duck/Feint Jab, 1-1
4. Legsweep/Legsweep, 2-2
5. Chop/Jumpkick, 2-3
6. Feint Jab/Jab, 2-3+
7. Jumpkick/Jumpkick, 2-3
8. Spinkick/Fancy Duck, 2-4
9. Jumpkick/Feint snapkick, 2+-4
10. Feint Jab/Jumpkick, 2-4
11. Legsweep/Jab, 2-5

Note rounds 1 and 3 in which feints were used successfully. Something interesting this duel brought to light for me regarding this proposal is that you get a cyclic progression in strategies: A defensive minded player provokes an opponent to use feints more regularly; a feint-using player provokes an opponent to use more offense to avoid being vulnerable; and offensive minded player provokes an opponent to be more defensive; and so on.

Second duel (proposal #2b):
Fire-armed Golem vs. holo-Ticallion Carter

1. Feint Snapkick/Fancy Armblock, 0-0+
2. Jab/Flip, 0-1
3. Feint Jumpkick/Legsweep, 0-1
4. Chop/Feint Snapkick, 0+-1
5. Feint Dodge/Snapkick, 0-1
6. Jab/Legsweep, 1-1
7. Feint Duck/Feint Jab, 1-1
8. Chop/Legsweep, 1-2
9. Jab/Feint Jumpkick, 1+-2
10. Legsweep/Legsweep, 2-3
11. Jab/Feint Armblock, 2-3
12. Feint Snapkick/Fancy Armblock, 2-3+
13. Flip/Dodge, 2-4
14. Jab/Jab, 3-5

Note rounds 11 and 12 in which the Armblock was first used as a feint and then used as a fancy in consecutive rounds. No feint was successful in scoring; no differences in scoring compared to the current system.

I will be conducting two more playtest shifts, one this Tuesday and one next Tuesday, November 9 and 16 (still 8-10pm). Results of all playtest duels as well as comments and/or suggestions from those partaking in said duels will be considered in determining which proposal may soon be implemented.

No playtest duels occured this past Tuesday.

This Sunday, December 12, at around 3pm Eastern Time I'm going to be dragging a few of the DoF big boys out to the Outback to do some playtesting. Everyone's free to show up and observe, and we may even fit a few bystanders into the testing. I know we could use at least one more person early on so that no one's sitting on the sideline during rounds of dueling.

The session should go on for a couple hours or more. If you'd like to help out or participate somehow, drop me an email, or just show up.

There will be another session in the Outback this Sunday, January 9th, at 3 ET, in which we will be playtesting the following system:

1. Determine initial score.
2. Apply feint(s):
a. If feinter scores an ADV or POINT, it becomes a MISS.
b. If nonfeinter scores an ADV, it becomes a POINT for feinter.
3. If feint has no effect on score, apply fancy(ies):
a. If fancy user scores an ADV, it becomes a POINT.
b. If both players score a MISS, fancy user earns an ADV.

Anyone interested in watching or taking part are free to stop in.