26 coaches online • Server time: 03:18
* * * Did you know? 263 games were played yesterday.
Recent Forum Topics  Jump up on a tree? | Gnome Roster - how a... | NBFL Season 32: The ... |
2013-11-29 14:27:07
26 votes, rating 3.3
26 votes, rating 3.3
random musings
I have been a big supporter of the Blackbox since its creation. I played in the blackbox throughout it's run with LRB4, and I watched it die on it's arse largely (IMO) to excessive DP laden teams (Khemri were fingered, but DP laden high TV Orcs/Dorfs were running roughshot over the box at the time....remember the DMU? Damn I miss that metagroup!).
During this time I certainly ran with Khemri, but I also ran with humans and along with Neo and Iena had the oldest human team in the box at the time of the LRB4/5/CRaP switchover. Running with humans wasn't easy, but at least DP was available to all (which Qaz rightly pointed out in his good forum post) which gave me a shot at doing what I enjoy most in BB, killing & winning.
With the advent of LRB5/CRaP and the new client (of which I was an early vocal opponent of but learned to love) a lot of things changed. The blackbox evolved and got a life saving injection which transformed it from a barely played non-entity into a division that (can't be arsed to check stats etc.) stands toe to toe with [R] to this day. This in itself I find incredible, the sheer fact that the box has thrived besides the negative attitudes towards ClawPOMB - My opinion is that ClawPOMB is far more devastating than DP ever was, yet the box hasn't died as it did in it's LRB4 incarnation. I don't understand why it continues to be supported as it is when every other forum post devolves into a ClawPOMB bashfest. None the less, I am glad it is, it remains my favourite way to play BB.
I also enjoy playing [R], mainly with my long standing team Booty Pirate. I look up to teams like Hellbound Charioteers Blood Sea Buccaneers and Boys In The Hoods and I enjoy having a recognizable team in [R]. I will never win a major, but I run with humans in [R] because of the legacy I can create with them.
I don't play humans anymore in the box because of the mass ClawPOMB teams there. YES.....I am aware of the hypocrisy of my last statement, but before in LRB4 my humans had a fair shot with DP, I now consider them to have little chance and I do like to go into any game with at least a small chance of victory. Early on into my FUMBBL tenure, I realised that I enjoy the blood far more than the bowl, and sorta mouled myself as a Paulhicks (still a legend here) style player. To this day I play in that way, and ClawPOMB allows me to sate my Bloodlust in the same way as DP did in LRB4. Needless to say the rules will change in the future and I will continue to kill kill kill :)
In closing, I think ClawPOMB is overpowered, DP should be unnerfed and IGMEOY and niggles should be returned to LRB4 status. While we are at it I would love to see a perpetual division where SE's are dropped, I always did enjoy monster teams beating each other to death :)
During this time I certainly ran with Khemri, but I also ran with humans and along with Neo and Iena had the oldest human team in the box at the time of the LRB4/5/CRaP switchover. Running with humans wasn't easy, but at least DP was available to all (which Qaz rightly pointed out in his good forum post) which gave me a shot at doing what I enjoy most in BB, killing & winning.
With the advent of LRB5/CRaP and the new client (of which I was an early vocal opponent of but learned to love) a lot of things changed. The blackbox evolved and got a life saving injection which transformed it from a barely played non-entity into a division that (can't be arsed to check stats etc.) stands toe to toe with [R] to this day. This in itself I find incredible, the sheer fact that the box has thrived besides the negative attitudes towards ClawPOMB - My opinion is that ClawPOMB is far more devastating than DP ever was, yet the box hasn't died as it did in it's LRB4 incarnation. I don't understand why it continues to be supported as it is when every other forum post devolves into a ClawPOMB bashfest. None the less, I am glad it is, it remains my favourite way to play BB.
I also enjoy playing [R], mainly with my long standing team Booty Pirate. I look up to teams like Hellbound Charioteers Blood Sea Buccaneers and Boys In The Hoods and I enjoy having a recognizable team in [R]. I will never win a major, but I run with humans in [R] because of the legacy I can create with them.
I don't play humans anymore in the box because of the mass ClawPOMB teams there. YES.....I am aware of the hypocrisy of my last statement, but before in LRB4 my humans had a fair shot with DP, I now consider them to have little chance and I do like to go into any game with at least a small chance of victory. Early on into my FUMBBL tenure, I realised that I enjoy the blood far more than the bowl, and sorta mouled myself as a Paulhicks (still a legend here) style player. To this day I play in that way, and ClawPOMB allows me to sate my Bloodlust in the same way as DP did in LRB4. Needless to say the rules will change in the future and I will continue to kill kill kill :)
In closing, I think ClawPOMB is overpowered, DP should be unnerfed and IGMEOY and niggles should be returned to LRB4 status. While we are at it I would love to see a perpetual division where SE's are dropped, I always did enjoy monster teams beating each other to death :)
Comments
Posted by OenarLod on 2013-11-29 14:40:35
Sad to see a former human coach lost since long to the dark side in the Box. It would have been nice to still have you in the HLP.
Anyway, CRP Box will not die, because [url=https://fumbbl.com/p/group?op=view&group=7383&p=members&order=1]true human coaches[/url] will never leave the Box to the ClawPOMB spam.
Anyway, CRP Box will not die, because [url=https://fumbbl.com/p/group?op=view&group=7383&p=members&order=1]true human coaches[/url] will never leave the Box to the ClawPOMB spam.
Posted by Calcium on 2013-11-29 15:13:58
besides your BBcode skills being a total fail, 'true' human coaches? lol. I was running humans upto 200 games before you even began here :)
Posted by OenarLod on 2013-11-29 15:25:04
Come on mate, you know I'm joking. Despite some recent rudeness in our last match, I enjoy you as a coach and opponent, and I hope it's both way.
But it would be so fun to have you in the HLP ranks to fight against ClawPOMB. ;)
At least for a season...
And re BBcode skills, it's just that BBcode doesn't work in comments.
But it would be so fun to have you in the HLP ranks to fight against ClawPOMB. ;)
At least for a season...
And re BBcode skills, it's just that BBcode doesn't work in comments.
Posted by albinv on 2013-11-29 18:03:12
Im far from the BB expertise that you or coaches like paulhicks can offer.
But i have to cheer if a bashing player clearly says some of the skills he has to use for his gamestyle are unbalanced. +6!
Im not sure about unnerfing DP though. I have played under that ruleset and it was pretty unbalanced in my book. I was a heavy DP player myself and even i could win most of my games - and that says a lot.
Looking back those were the most boring, stupid and one-dimensional games i have ever experienced.
I have only experienced ClawPOMP as a spectator so far though.
I think as long people enjoy killing pixels excessively, no matter which skill is used for that, there will be an unbalanced game-mechanic that will be exploited.
Obviously Killing isnt a balanced thing per definition, it isnt needed at all to win a game - what do people expect then? ;) So as long as there are skills to do it excessively the game will be unbalanced on a larger scale (fend, and wrestle were a good idea to do something about the underlying problem).
I like to have both options on my team (bashing and ballplaying) so im really rather neutral on this!
But i have to cheer if a bashing player clearly says some of the skills he has to use for his gamestyle are unbalanced. +6!
Im not sure about unnerfing DP though. I have played under that ruleset and it was pretty unbalanced in my book. I was a heavy DP player myself and even i could win most of my games - and that says a lot.
Looking back those were the most boring, stupid and one-dimensional games i have ever experienced.
I have only experienced ClawPOMP as a spectator so far though.
I think as long people enjoy killing pixels excessively, no matter which skill is used for that, there will be an unbalanced game-mechanic that will be exploited.
Obviously Killing isnt a balanced thing per definition, it isnt needed at all to win a game - what do people expect then? ;) So as long as there are skills to do it excessively the game will be unbalanced on a larger scale (fend, and wrestle were a good idea to do something about the underlying problem).
I like to have both options on my team (bashing and ballplaying) so im really rather neutral on this!
Posted by JimmyFantastic on 2013-11-29 19:37:58
Unnerf DP 2013!
Posted by paradocks on 2013-11-29 20:51:31
why people care so much about winning or losing in a game that has no bearing on reality is truly beyond me
Posted by Dunenzed on 2013-11-29 21:02:08
Calcium, I'm a bit disappointed. I always thought you didn't care that Cpomb was broken, you just enjoyed killing, and if the other guy got angry/sad/bored while sitting through 60 minutes of his team getting destroyed then that was even more fun for you.
Now I learn that you have other values, like the idea of creating a bit of a legacy with a team, and that you once enjoyed the challenge of playing humans in the box. But now you'd rather play in the box with something you know is broken?
Well, you should dust of your humans and play them some. You know you are 82 games from: http://fumbbl.com/p/group&group=8619&op=view. That's legacy building.
What's that? You like to at least have a chance of winning every game you go into so you can't play humans in the box? Bollocks.
In my HLP sprint I met Kenthis' Murder by Numbers twice (his team that put in a perfect 16 game sprint in the Blackbox Premiership this season).
http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=match&id=3502779
http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=match&id=3502926
Sure dice were great in both games, but I laughed and laughed at his turn 16 foul at the end of the second game. I assure you it's better than squishing some 0SPP lineman off the LOS.
Killing and maiming is still celebrated in the HLP, you'll surely remember Terminator awards for killing cpombers, but there's also an All Clear award now. Your passion for the blood will be celebrated by your peers, just instead of hunting bunnies, you'll be shooting for the big game predators.
Maverick wouldn't choose the easy mode of box play. He'd be a man and choose the hard mode, claiming his spot amongst the 300 and build a legacy to be proud of.
Do it for Goose. You know you want to.
Now I learn that you have other values, like the idea of creating a bit of a legacy with a team, and that you once enjoyed the challenge of playing humans in the box. But now you'd rather play in the box with something you know is broken?
Well, you should dust of your humans and play them some. You know you are 82 games from: http://fumbbl.com/p/group&group=8619&op=view. That's legacy building.
What's that? You like to at least have a chance of winning every game you go into so you can't play humans in the box? Bollocks.
In my HLP sprint I met Kenthis' Murder by Numbers twice (his team that put in a perfect 16 game sprint in the Blackbox Premiership this season).
http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=match&id=3502779
http://fumbbl.com/FUMBBL.php?page=match&id=3502926
Sure dice were great in both games, but I laughed and laughed at his turn 16 foul at the end of the second game. I assure you it's better than squishing some 0SPP lineman off the LOS.
Killing and maiming is still celebrated in the HLP, you'll surely remember Terminator awards for killing cpombers, but there's also an All Clear award now. Your passion for the blood will be celebrated by your peers, just instead of hunting bunnies, you'll be shooting for the big game predators.
Maverick wouldn't choose the easy mode of box play. He'd be a man and choose the hard mode, claiming his spot amongst the 300 and build a legacy to be proud of.
Do it for Goose. You know you want to.
Posted by Qaz on 2013-11-29 22:50:44
I think you should come human again. I have since gone to play almost exclusively humans in the box and try and take them high to win the HLP.
But I liked this blog it was honest. And how can I not agree with a lot of your views on the differences between CRaP and lrb4 ;)
I never seen you as a PaulHicks guy thou. for that you care too much about winning even thou you care about blood too.
But I liked this blog it was honest. And how can I not agree with a lot of your views on the differences between CRaP and lrb4 ;)
I never seen you as a PaulHicks guy thou. for that you care too much about winning even thou you care about blood too.
Posted by mridcully on 2013-11-30 01:08:20
@albinv: In many matchups "killing" (as in "removing opponents from the match") is needed to have even a chance at winning. No bashing team can stand 11 elfs 16 turns long and win. Some might even need to bring it down to 2 elfs fast, since we all ow that 3 elfs is enough to score :).
Posted by albinv on 2013-11-30 01:27:56
@mridcully
Of course but LRB4 and ClawPOMB will kill players and teams, not only removing them.
And as long as people do enjoy that killing part,not removing, (which provides nothing to the match result) and the game provides the skills to do so (if via ClawPOMB or LRB4 DP) there will be an exploit of the game-mechanics and they game unbalanced on a larger scale.
Why not limiting ClawPOMB to flings only and letting them start out with even?!
...well, its late and im going to bed and this off-topic. ;)
Of course but LRB4 and ClawPOMB will kill players and teams, not only removing them.
And as long as people do enjoy that killing part,not removing, (which provides nothing to the match result) and the game provides the skills to do so (if via ClawPOMB or LRB4 DP) there will be an exploit of the game-mechanics and they game unbalanced on a larger scale.
Why not limiting ClawPOMB to flings only and letting them start out with even?!
...well, its late and im going to bed and this off-topic. ;)
Posted by keggiemckill on 2013-11-30 06:20:17
I do like the moral behind your blog Calcium. The thing I dislike the most of what you said is the Niggles being put back to LRB 4 status. I hated the Niggle then, as I do now, but I don't want it changed, Can you explain why you would like to see it returned? In more detail please. :)
Posted by Arktoris on 2013-11-30 06:55:13
DeMaio "we're available most nights for a Booty call."
Posted by blocknroll on 2013-11-30 08:25:48
Some of the opinions of BB here still stem from people not knowing their LRB history imo. Box games seem to have fallen to a level around that of September 2011 and are on a 12 month decline, ranked (in a 30 month view) had the 3rd highest number of games played in the most recent month shown.
Tabletop leagues and tournaments well thats another kettle of fish.
Anyway, find a team and a place that you like playing and play more. thats the best advice :)
Tabletop leagues and tournaments well thats another kettle of fish.
Anyway, find a team and a place that you like playing and play more. thats the best advice :)
Posted by Calcium on 2013-11-30 10:54:03
@ Keggie - Niggles now (again IMO) are unplayable as when stacked with MB alone, let alone clawPOMB they are taking a 1 way trip to the hospital. When I play a team carrying 1 or more nigglers they are auto targeted. I used to play nigglers in LRB4, I quite liked the fluff behind their niggles playing up before the game :)
Everyone else, I often get really tempted to run humans in the box again, who knows.....I might have a change of heart. One thing I wont do tho, is make empty promises or worse still make empty promises based on other members of the site making charitable donations.....thats just pathetic :)
Everyone else, I often get really tempted to run humans in the box again, who knows.....I might have a change of heart. One thing I wont do tho, is make empty promises or worse still make empty promises based on other members of the site making charitable donations.....thats just pathetic :)
Posted by pythrr on 2013-11-30 18:11:43
you are correct about SE
stupid rule
stupid rule
Posted by keggiemckill on 2013-12-01 18:09:33
Niggles in the old rules set were more of a problem than what we currently have now. Yes a Niggle plus MB equals an injury on an 8. Stunty is gone on a 7. It's just as fluffy to me when a player has a niggle, because he is more susceptible to another injury. No longer in game shape.
Now, not having a player show up to a game because of a niggle it more brutal in my opinion. I hated getting a game organized and your star player doesn't show up to the game. Fluff wise a player would tell you prior to game day whether he is capable of playing. There by effecting any kind of inducements.
Calcium we can agree to disagree on this point. I was more likely I drop a player because a niggle in LRB4 than now.
Now, not having a player show up to a game because of a niggle it more brutal in my opinion. I hated getting a game organized and your star player doesn't show up to the game. Fluff wise a player would tell you prior to game day whether he is capable of playing. There by effecting any kind of inducements.
Calcium we can agree to disagree on this point. I was more likely I drop a player because a niggle in LRB4 than now.
Posted by pythrr on 2013-12-02 00:35:41
agree... the new niggle is better.
Posted by Uedder on 2013-12-02 00:56:05
Ideas on why Box is more played now than on RLB4:
1) Journeyman, you can afford to get your team crippled and yet be competitive as long as your positionals are safe.
2)Clawpomb is deadly, maybe more than LRB4 fouls, but it's 3 skills vs 1. It's 110k on the cheapest lino (marauder), not even block, not to talk about tackle.
as an elf it's easier to escape 1 clawpomb guy at low level, while if the oppo has more, you'll have a fair amount of blodgers facing very low numbers of tackle (1 or 2 at high tv). As a bashy team you have guard/fend to deal with it.
Dealing with LRB4 team with 5-6 60k DP, should've been way harder (xpecially if already low on numbers due to no JM).
1) Journeyman, you can afford to get your team crippled and yet be competitive as long as your positionals are safe.
2)Clawpomb is deadly, maybe more than LRB4 fouls, but it's 3 skills vs 1. It's 110k on the cheapest lino (marauder), not even block, not to talk about tackle.
as an elf it's easier to escape 1 clawpomb guy at low level, while if the oppo has more, you'll have a fair amount of blodgers facing very low numbers of tackle (1 or 2 at high tv). As a bashy team you have guard/fend to deal with it.
Dealing with LRB4 team with 5-6 60k DP, should've been way harder (xpecially if already low on numbers due to no JM).