Minimum Level 13

[Jrathje]

I'm writing today concerning the rule that all ladder players be a minimum of level 13 to play.

The reason given for this rule, as I understand it, is because 13 is the level at which one unlocks heavy armor. Below 13, one has no other green perk beside Rubber Hull.

There have been pages and pages of discussion concerning whether individual perks should be outright banned from all ladder play, including Rubber Hull and Reverse. The official position from the administration, as I understand it, is that no perks are banned, as long as one makes a legitimate competitive effort while using them.

So, hypothetically, a player is level 13, ace 8. He chooses to use Tracker, Rubber, Turbo. This is acceptable. He plays his ladder games. He plays to the best of his ability and trys to win. Everyone's happy(Except for his team of course. Who the **** plays rubber, honestly?!).

Contrarily, a different player is level 12.5, Ace 8. He join ladder and trys to play using Tracker, Rubber, Turbo. He uses Rubber because he has no alternative perk. If allowed to play, he would play to the best of his ability and try to win. This however, is not acceptable.

Why is this? Rule #7 is in complete contradiction of the precedent set that players may use any perk which they desire, as long as they use those perks to the best of their ability.

I am of the opinion that this rule be removed completely.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Jeremy Rathje (Jrath)

[Mt.Vesuvius]

Good point

[nobodyhome]

Being level 13 gives the player the OPTION to use heavy armor. Many a pro player would, if given the option, opt to use heavy armor 100% of the time over rubber hull. Those very same pro players, however, if recently aced and between level 7 and 13, would simply choose to play on ladder with rubber hull (if we were to remove this rule). They do this not because they believe playing with rubber hull would be advantageous to winning, but because they are too lazy to level up 6 more levels in order to reach heavy armor.

Those that are above level 13 and opt to use rubber hull anyways, however, are allowed to do so because they should be free to choose whatever they wish, given that they do have the choice. The choice is not present below level 13.

And before you say that we should make the minimum post-ace level requirement 60 in order to force everyone to gain all the choices before playing, there has to be a line drawn somewhere, and level 13 was it.

[Jrathje]

Originally Posted by nobodyhome

They do this not because they believe playing with rubber hull would be advantageous to winning, but because they are too lazy to level up 6 more levels in order to reach heavy armor.

Those that are above level 13 and opt to use rubber hull anyways, however, are allowed to do so because they should be free to choose whatever they wish, given that they do have the choice. The choice is not present below level 13.

There IS a choice present below level 13. Were there no rule 7, they have two choices. Choice 1: Play ladder with Rubber Hull. Choice 2: Don't play ladder. You say that a player should be free to choose to play whatever they wish. When a player chooses to play below 13 with rubber hull (if it were allowed) they're making that choice to play rubber hull versus not playing at all.


Regarding your first point, "they do this not because rubber would be advantageous to winning". So what? A player can use Rev Rubber Tracker if they wish, not because they believe it advantageous to winning, but simply because they want to. If it were allowed, people many players would choose to use rubber before LvL 13, not because it's advantageous, but because they wish to play with only players of their own caliber.



To conclude, Rubber below 13 is still a choice. Yes, the only other choice is not playing. Still, it IS a choice.

Although it's not in the rules, I believe a green and blue perk must be used in ladder? If you've got to draw a line, change rule 7 to "All players must use a green AND blue perk at all times during ranked ladder play. (That means you must be at least level 8)". That's what I think.

Edit: You seem to have your mind pretty well made up. It is your house. You can set any arbitrary rules you like. I'll abide by them regardless.

[nobodyhome]

That's the problem though--it is not true that everybody can use whatever perks as long it is what they want to do. You are allowed to use whatever perk it is you want--as long as it is the perk that you personally believe gives you the best competitive advantage.

The problem arises when people use rev and other people assume that they are trolling, when in fact they firmly believe rev is giving them the best chance of winning.

We have in very rare occasions asked people to stop using certain perks because we believe that they are not using it because they think it would help them win, but because they just want to troll. But because this is so very hard to ascertain, the number of times we have done this is very, very rare.

We are aware that we are treading a fine line in here that oftentimes requires heavy subjectivity. But it is what must be done.

[Pieface]

It wouldn't make too much of a difference, but for consistency's sake I'd support changing the rule to Jrath's proposal that you have to use both a green and blue perk.

[nobodyhome]

Furthermore, if a player chooses to play below level 13, it is often the case that they don't believe rubber hull is the perk that gives them the best competitive advantage. They are not choosing to play with rubber hull--they are simply choosing to play below level 13, and are forced to play with rubber hull because that's all they have.

[Fartface]

Is random technically allowed

[sunshineduck]

10) Playing random, full or custom.

[shrode]

The rule is how it is, because some people (ssd), think that rubber hull is the best perk in certain situations (whale on funnelpark). Thus, the perk is ALLOWED. However, beings that it is a situational perk, it doesn't make sense to allow players to use it as their only option, so players less than 13 can't play.

[acegunner]

Yeahh jrath u got this dude

[Eto'o]

We should put max weight on ladder, ok ace? ;P

[leggomyeggo]

Max Weight set to 999

KLF.Acegunner has left the game (weight kick).

[Smushface]

ace, are you still boosting bomb runners man?