Implemented Removing the <4.5K Tier Lock

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z0mOG

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DPL Champion
This SCL implemented what was meant to be a temporary rule regarding tier lock dependent on auction price -- settling for a rule in which players that cost 4.5k or more were to be locked to the tiers signed up for, and players costing 4k or less had freedom to play any tier regardless of signup.
Ultimately this rule was a worst of both worlds situation, with certain players (Leo) signing up for nonsense tiers and holding managers hostage for risking upbidding them to a deserving price, and also for allowing top players in specific formats (dcae) to be allowed to slot into their home tier despite not adding it to signups all for an unreasonable price. I understand this was done in good faith to allow 3k subs to fill in tiers they do not play in emergencies, but this policy has gotta go before SPL. I have 2 alternative proposals:

1) Allow no exemptions from having your tiers locked regardless of price. (Put simply, tiers played=final ruling)
If you as a manager draft subs without a wide variety of tiers in their signups, that should not be rewarded with a safety net. If you as a player want to risk throwing away a tournament to cost next to nothing, that also should not be rewarded.

2) https://www.smogon.com/forums/threads/tiers-not-played.3658018/ 3 years later and it still fixes every issue with little to no effort in implementation.
 
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Nails

Double Threat
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Big agree w adding an optional "tiers not played:" section to the signup post, and having that be the binding portion of tier lock. Assuming that players should be locked out of anything that they don't sign up for feels exceptionally punitive and results in people who list the tiers that they're best at to let managers know what they play being punished. The default option should be to have any player eligible to play any tier, but with the current system it's optimal to sign up for every tier, making the tiers played section of the signup a useless waste of space on a majority of signups. Z0m's proposal results in a way more intuitive user experience and fewer people getting owned by red tape, as well as increased clarity about what players actually want to do if they're signing up and don't want to play a certain tier. The current 4k rule is a meme and this simple change makes for a way better system on every level.
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Star

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The 4k thing was obviously abused and needs to be replaced before SPL. I think either proposal is functionally the same tbh but I suppose "tiers not played" is friendlier to newer users so that may be better. For either proposal though, the tier lock shouldn't apply for tiebreakers/playoffs (I know it doesn't now) since those scenarios aren't really open for abuse given you have to get through 9 weeks first.
 
the tier lock system is complete and total nonsense to begin with. it was introduced to stop potential pricefixing during spl 11 because anti signed up for gsc and... actually ended up playing gsc.

the tier locks system doesn't even do a good job at solving the "pricefixing" concern given its implementation has resulted in...... actual pricefixing. despite attempts to make it stricter, people still find ways to abuse it (see: spl 13 and scl 2).

i appreciate the noble sentiment behind the tier lock idea - we want to make tournaments as fair as possible, and preventing forms of egregious pricefixing theoretically helps with that. however, regardless of whether there is an insanely strict tier lock or no tier lock at all, players are still more than capable of finding ways to pricefix. whether it's talking about how unmotivated they are, pulling some kind of hilarious antics in public, or just giving off that Vibe that they Just Want To Team With Their Friends Bruh, players are more than capable of manipulating their prices in totally LEGAL ways.

tier lock rules give managers far less flexibility, putting too much importance on an auction that lasts a few hours and limiting options during a NINE WEEK season. i firmly believe managers should have multiple tools at their disposal to course correct post auction, and juggling slots is one of these. the auction should be important, sure, but the way the rules are heading makes it so a team's season can be so strongly decided by an event that lasts a few hours. players who sign up to invest 9 weeks in these tournaments shouldn't feel shit out of luck because their manager had 1 failed upbid or 1 bad pickup in a short, stressful auction.

again i really appreciate the motive here, but the old rules worked, and the new rules just cause too many wacky technicalities like this godawful sharks/raiders retain situation in spl 14. let's just get rid of the tier lock and call it a day please.
 

shiloh

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yeah i think tier lock was a great idea but does need some tweaks. z0ms proposal of tiers not played makes a lot of sense to me, is friendly to new players, and covers players who want to emphasize a certain tier in signups, but dont mind playing others.

a quick example would be like Lunar. this scl, who i would have loved to get a game in this week, but since he was 7k and only put doubles in his signup (bc thats all he supports / plays), i cant sub him in even though most people would agree it would be totally fine.

agree with star, def make it so tiers not played wont count for playoffs / tiebreak since they are so late in the season. and i also want to add the proposal of making it so "tiers not played" would carry on year to year for retains as well, since the addition of it might make it so players try to game the system for future cheap retains. not sure if it would actually become a problem or not though, since planning a year out for the future usually isnt recommended while drafting, but probably better to be safe.
 

Amaranth

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Thank you everyone for the suggestions. The new rule will be as follows:



If you wish to sign up, please use the following format:

Player Name: Amaranth
Tiers Played: RBY OU
Tiers NOT Played: ORAS OU
Timezone: GMT+1
PS! Username: Amaranth
---

(NEW) For the duration of SPL's regular season, players are not allowed to play in the tiers listed as "NOT played" in their signups post. They will only be allowed to play those tiers starting in playoffs. We will be enforcing this rule for ALL players, regardless of price tag. This is intended to address price fixing and encourage players to sign up for tiers they are most skilled in, rather than attempt to reduce their auction price.

To be crystal clear: "Tiers NOT Played" will bind you from playing in those tiers, and you should use it only if you do not intend to play that tier under any circumstance for the entire regular season. "Tiers Played" is a non-binding field that you can use to communicate your preferences to all managers.

If you wish to sign up, please use the following format:

Player Name: Boat
Tiers Played: SS OU
Timezone: GMT-3
PS! Username: Boat
---

For the duration of SCL's regular season, players are only allowed to play in the tiers listed in their signups post. Players will only be allowed to play a tier they did not sign up for starting in playoffs. We will not be enforcing this rule for anyone with a price tag of 4k or lower. This is intended to address price fixing and encourage players to sign up for tiers they are most skilled in, rather than attempt to reduce their auction price.


Furthermore:

Players will not be able to change their 'Tiers NOT Played' in midseason. Whatever was on the original signup remains in effect.

Players that are retained will be locked into the same tiers that they were locked in the year prior. Players can only be retained to play SV OU in SPL XIV if they signed up to play SS OU in SPL XIII. (They will naturally also be able to play SS OU again.)
 
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