Topics

16

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 5 - Preview

« on: April 13, 2013, 05:39:43 pm »

Here are the standings after week 4, as well as the next matchups. Turns out it's a LOT easier to set up the preview now that the Upcomer's Cog is full. Thank christ! (Click to enlarge)



I even managed to get the preview done quickly this time. Goodie!

17

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 4 - Brackets

« on: April 10, 2013, 02:53:35 pm »

Sorry this is going up so late, I'm sort of occupied.

Sorry, no in-depth writeup this week. Sometimes life just gets in the way, y'know? Things'll be back to normal next week.



Match 1: The Raft vs The Brood on Battle on the Dunes

Match 2: The Pastafarians vs Polaris Company on Northern Fjords

Match 3: The Paddling vs Merry Northern Storm on Duel at Dawn

The Matches look pretty good this week. As always, you can follow the action on the Occasionally Effective twitch at http://www.twitch.tv/qwerty2jam

That's all for now. See you on saturday, and stay safe.

18

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 4 - Preview

« on: April 07, 2013, 12:18:39 pm »

This week's preview... There's not much so say, so here it is!



*Yes, Sunderland. I know. It's intentional.

19

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 3 - Brackets

« on: April 03, 2013, 12:12:45 pm »

Bugger me, it's Week 3 already? Well crap.

First up, we've shaken up the format again. From this week the match order will be reversed. This means that the newcomers will get their chance to shine first while the main event'll be last on the list. Why are we doing this? Well... Let's just say that in addition to the requests on the forums for the switch, there's a plan in the works that requires the order to shift.

I'd also like to thank those of you that recently signed up to participate in The Cogs. With such a large response we may have to shake up the schedules pretty soon to allow all the new teams to have a shot at breaking into the rotation.

That, however, is a topic for later. Let's get into the brackets for Week 3. (Click to enlarge)



Match 1 features old favourites Museosaurs attempting to regain their standing and finally achieve their first true victory within The Cogs. With a reformed roster and a renewed emphasis on personal and team tactics from their bitter defeat during PAX, they're not gonna be easy to take down... But if any of the newcomer teams have a shot, their opponents certainly do. Formed from the Russian heart of GoIO, the newcomer Polaris Company are certainly a favourite for this match in our eyes. With a powerhouse roster and a promising level of organisation, will the Russians manage to pull together the sheer brute force needed to swat the burgeoning hope of the Muse team. Or will the Muse team finally utilise their vast wealth of experience and game-knowledge to prove themselves worthy of their own creation? We'll be heading down to Battle on the Dunes to watch all of the action from the safety of the spectator cam. One way or another, it's gonna be brutal!

Match 2 sees the recently dropped Merry Northern Storm rotating through the Challenger's Cog to face the ordeal that is the Upcomer's Advancement match. With the loss on the Dunes still staining their good name, the Storm aren't going to be willing to drop another match without a serious fight... And if anyone can give it to them, Corvus Marauders certainly can. Left stranded at the alter last week by their ex-sister team during a Newcomer match that everyone was looking forward to, Corvus are not likely to be willing to play around this week. Itching for a fight and more than capable of putting one up, they'll be looking to reclaim their position within the Challenger's Cog. With both teams set for an intense match, where else could we possibly host such a bloodbath but the magnificent Canyon Ambush. With rocks already bleached blood red by the unforgiving sun, it is a desolate battlefield... And one that both teams will be looking forward to fighting within.

Match 3 promises to be a true masterclass in sniping as we see the battle of battles. Sitting proud as the first Cogs team to successfully defend their position at the very top, The Paddling are clearly the current top dogs... But will they be able to hold out? Will they be able to maintain their cool as the battle once again turns frigid? That's right, we're going all the way back to the Northern Fjords, where the icy rocks await the splintered hulls of those brave, stupid captains that dare to tease the desolate landscape by flying there. This land has been claimed, and claimed well... For the true kings of the Fjords are none other than The Gentlemen, esteemed men of class and character. Masters of the flak and bearers of some of the most illustrious gunners in the community! This is a match that has been played out so many times before. The Gents managed to take down the Ducks not once but twice on their path to claiming the Fjords, and now they meet for a third time. The Gents, Masters of the Fjords; The Ducks, Champions of The Cogs. Only one team can win and to the winner go the ultimate spoils! After this match, only one team will be able to claim true dominance. Only one team will rule the Fjords as the Champion of the Cogs!*


Don't forget: Tune into all of the Week 3 action broadcast live on the Occasionally Effective twitch.tv livestream commentated and captured for all the world to see, followed up by our live community chat involving all of your favourite players and maybe even a few devs, if they're not too busy. It's not that bad. Honest.

Until Saturday, that is all. Good luck and stay safe.

-Swallow





*At least until next week.

20

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 3 - Preview

« on: March 30, 2013, 06:21:40 pm »

Well, Week 2 is over and while only two games were played, at least both of them were excellent.

So, without any introduction, here is the preview for Week 3. (click to enlarge)



I usually don't comment on these, but Polaris vs Muse is going to be fun... Muse are trying to pull out out of their tailspin, but they've gotta take on the Russian powerhouse, fresh from the gate. It'll be fun!

21

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 2 - Brackets

« on: March 27, 2013, 03:21:02 pm »

It's that time again! Actually, it's several hours past that time again, but hey. I overslept. I really should prepare these in advance... But alas, I am very, very bad at this.

Anyway, let's get straight into things. Here are the matchups for Week 2. (Click to enlarge)



Match 1 sees two community favorites duking it out for the right to rule. On one side stand The Paddling, who have valiantly fought against the best and brightest competitive teams since the Fjords tournament to prove their dominance. They recently overcame the overwhelming aggression of Merry Northern Storm to emerge victorious and now they're sitting the pretty in the Champion Cog. On the other are the upstarts, The Pastafarians. The versatile upcomers who have ascended through The Cogs rapidly, defeating two veteran teams in as many weeks. With two victories and zero losses on either side, two legendary teams cross paths this week, and only one will emerge undefeated. As the teams journey to the bitter wastes of the Northern Fjords for this showdown of showdowns, one thing is clear: Anything could happen here.

Match 2 sees the return of those paragons of class, The Gentlemen! Sent to the drop spot after their defeat in Week 0, it's clear that the most dapper of crews isn't about to throw in the towel and concede their change to get back into the Champion Cog... But what's this? The sound of vague quacking? Oh no. No, the Ducks are back, and this time they've brought a whole new roster to play. The Raft are the latest collection of aquatic squawkers to set their avian aeronautics on the top spot. From what we've seen so far, they could well do it too. And so it continues: That most epic of encounters between the Ducks and the Gentlemen. Where else but Battle on the Dunes would be worthy of such a conflict I ask you? Where the dust devils rise high and scatter airships and crew to the arid winds, these two natural enemies shall meet once more to determine which of them most deserves the title of "Challenger".

In Match 3 we'll see the newly reaffiliated Corvus Marauders providing sport for ex-sister team Murder of Crows. With the might of Corvus sorely tested by the strong competition of the newer teams set stern against the untested and unconventional style of the Crows, both teams have a lot to prove... And proving they will do as they descend into the sun-splattered rock outcroppings of Canyon Ambush. With nothing to lose, we can expect some crazy stuff to be thrown out from both teams... I'm looking forward to it.


And that's Week 2. All of the action will be streamed live on Twitch alongside the usual commentary, mockery and post-Cogs community chat.

Goodbye and good luck. Stay safe out there.

-Swallow

22

Community Events / "The Cogs" Ruleset

« on: March 26, 2013, 12:09:49 pm »

This topic contains the official rules of The Cogs as of the 26th of March 2013. There's been a bit of confusion so let's get this all cleared up.

The Cogs Standings
Currently split into three distinct 'tiers', plus two newcomer spots that aren't officially part of The Cogs, the Standings look a little confusing on first glance... But let's break them down.

Tier One is the simplest. The Champion's Cog; This is spot #1. This tier does not rotate and the Champion team play every week to maintain their position.

Tier Two contains the Challenger teams. These are the top tier teams that are contenders for the Champion's Cog. Positions #2, #3 and #4 are present in this Cog and rotate on a weekly basis to determine which of the Challenger teams play to advance or defend their spot on a given week.

At the end of the week a team's Spot is rotated and reduced by 1. (#2 -> #3, #3 -> #4)
The team currently at #4 will be moved to #2


Tier Three is the Upcomer's cog, and features five slots ranging from #5-#9. This is the lowest official spot in The Cogs, but is certainly not to be sniffed at. Once again, this Cog rotates weekly to determine which two teams play that week.

At the end of the week a team's Spot is rotated and reduced by 1. (#5 -> #6, #6 -> #7, #7 -> #8, #8 -> #9)
The team currently at #9 will be moved to #5


The Newcomer's slot is split into two positions. #10a and #10b. Both of these teams should be capable of playing on the week, and the position is granted based on a first-come, first-serve signup list in The Cogs forum.


Advancement and Dropping
Each week, three matches are played. They are as follows.

Champion vs Challenger: Spot #1 vs Spot #2. Winner advances.
In the event that #1 can't play, #2 and #3 will play for spot #1 instead. In this instance, #1 will be moved to spot #3.
In the event that #2 can't play, #1 and #3 will play for spot #1 instead. In this instance, #2 will be moved to spot #3

Upcomer's Advancement: Spot #4 vs Spot #5. Winner advances.
In the event that #4 can't play, #5 and #6 will play for spot #4 instead. In this instance, #4 will be moved to spot #5
In the event that #5 can't play, #4 and #6 will play for spot #4 instead. In this instance, the loser will be placed in spot #6

Newcomer's Proving Ground: Spot #9 vs Spot #10a. Winner advances. Loser is removed from The Cogs
In the event that #9 can't play, #10a and #10b will play for spot #9 instead. In this instance, #9 is removed from The Cogs
In the event that #10a can't play, #9 and #10b will play for spot #9 instead. In this instance, #10a is removed from The Cogs

In the event that multiple matches are dropped or there are deemed to be too many fractured and impotent teams within The Cogs, a grand tournament in the style of Fjords will be held. Teams will be seeded with the positions gained within The Cogs. The tournament results will determine the Cog positions of each team.


Maps
Maps are randomly selected from the current pool of 2v2 deathmatch maps in the game. In the event of more 2v2 deathmatch maps being added, they will immediately be added to the map pool.

A map may not be randomly selected more than once per week. This means that Match 1 could be on any of the four current maps. Match 2 could be on the remaining three maps and Match 3 could be either of the two remaining maps. The maps are selected using a RNG and revealed three days before they are due to be played.


Match Specifics
Currently we are unable to enforce any ship or weapon-related mandates... And so a team is permitted to switch their builds and roles right up until the last second of the lobby's countdown timer. DO THIS AT YOUR OWN PERIL. If a ship is incorrectly fitted due to last second switching, the match WILL NOT be restarted. You have been warned.

There are currently no plans to include a time limit, despite some of them lasting for longer than your average cricket match. (I'm looking at you, Paddling). This relies on the players and teams not exploiting this to ridiculous proportions. If it is deemed appropriate at a later stage, reasonable countermeasures to team-dickery will be put into place. Likewise, repeated use of areas, tricks or glitches deemed unfair by Muse consensus will have consequences. Play it straight.

Each match is played to Five kills, standard deathmatch rules, on an American server. To prevent ghosting, the spectator slots are limited to unaffiliated Cogs staff only. That means no crew CAs too. Really.


Crew and Substitutes
Each team has to have a complete roster of eight members. Two captains and six crew, spread across two ships. Failure to provide a full crew roster on the day of an event is ground for an automatic loss and a compromise match. (Sidenote: Museosaurs are special case. I've mulled it over and there's no way that we can boot Bubbles and the devs out of The Cogs without serious hammer related repercussions. Also: We like the Muse guys.)

Substitutes and Backups are permitted, but they are not permitted to play for more than one team a week. This is to prevent floating players that switch teams and play every week, although it's not perfect. Players caught skirting this and playing for multiple other teams during their team's off-weeks to boost their positions will be dealt with. Let teams rise and fall on their own merits, not on the merits of their substitutes.



It was about time I got around to writing the official rules... Though I've probably forgotten quite a few things. Still, this is why we're a community. If you have any questions or feel that it's missing a section, post below or find me in-game, on Steam or on Skype. Just don't expect much from me... I'm still sick.

Stay safe.

23

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 2 - Preview

« on: March 25, 2013, 02:35:25 pm »

Welcome back. Let's take a quick look at the updated Cogs board as well as who'll be playing in Week 2.



Should be interesting. Once again, the maps are going to be randomly selected three days before the event.

That's all for the preview. Stay safe!

24

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 1 - Team Cards

« on: March 23, 2013, 10:33:17 am »

Afternoon, friends. Just a quick request. Can all relevant team reps get a full list of their rosters for the matches today to me via Skype or Steam? My name on both is "D_K_Head"

Cheers for the help. I don't want to make the same mistakes as last week with the team cards this time around.

25

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 1 - Brackets

« on: March 20, 2013, 12:34:20 pm »

Well, this is what you've been waiting for. The Week 1 matchups.

First up, I'd like to apologise to Team Merry and the Gents for failing to stream their match... A lot of us were disappointed last week when we were unable to capture it due to the technical difficulties... However, now that the Cogs are officially underway, we're confident we can avoid making the same mistakes.

We'll just make entirely new mistakes. It's our 'thing'.

Now, enough of that. Let's get to the brackets! (Click to enlarge)



Match 1 sees our current Champion team Merry Northern Storm face off against community favorites The Paddling. With a champion spot on the line and their crew rosters locked and at their peak, both teams are going throw everything they've got at one another in the open air of Battle on the Dunes. With the current champions having knocked down The Gentlemen during the chaos of Week 0 in a surprise victory, the ducks have got their work cut out for them!

Match 2 features upcomer team The Pastafarians proving themselves against the established juggeraut that is the Corvus Marauders. Last week, Pasta proved themselves in an explosive first match against the Muse devs themselves, and no doubt they're eager to continue their hot streak all the way into the upper echelon of The Cogs. But the crows aren't gonna make it easy for them, since they certainly don't wanna be knocked down to the Upcomer's cog. With so much on the line for both teams as the scramble for that spot in the Challenger's cog, who will take the match as both teams descend into the murky mists of Duel At Dawn? Pirate vs Crow, that most eternal of struggles. Should be fun!

Match 3 will be our final match, seeing the battered and bruised Museosaurs once again thrown into an ordeal that may very well prove too much for them to handle... But with Bubbles out of town for PAX, maybe they might have a chance after all? Facing down our corageous devs are the fresh batch of Ducks, brewed up only a day ago, The Raft. Featuring established captains and crew foraged from all corners of the community, from teams past and present to the Burning Skies Roleplay, they're certainly a formidable challange on paper... But will their inexperience be to Muse's advantage? That inexperience could very well be Raft's downfall as the teams head towards Canyon Ambush. In those tight confines, amidst the red rocks and the thick clouds that swirl between them, communication will be key... And miscommunication will be fatal.


Well, that's Week 1. Once again, watch all the action alongside Qwerty2Jam on Twitch where we'll be commentating on all the action as well as dragging a few of the players onto the stream to poke them with sticks until they say things... Or if you're lucky enough to be at PAX, drop by the Muse booth and watch us on the big screen alongside Bubbles and the others!

Goodbye and good luck. Stay safe out there.

-Swallow

26

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 1 - Preview

« on: March 19, 2013, 08:35:14 am »

Alright, just a quick one this time. Here are the updated standings alongside the Week 1 matches. (Click to enlarge)



Since the map vote hasn't gotten many team votes, we're going to leave it up for a little longer. If you haven't voted and you're interested, let us know what you think the format should be. Remember: You don't have to be on one of the Cogs teams to have your say.

Sorry for the rather poor image quality. Constant resizing takes it's toll on the pixels, I fear. I'll see if I can improve it for next time.

Stay safe!

27

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 1 - Signups

« on: March 18, 2013, 07:57:05 pm »

This is what I've got so far: "Ah, well we're underway. Despite some technical difficulties involving several international timezones and an Australian's pillow, Week 0 was quite the spectacle. But alas, the past is the past and it's time to move on.

Now that The Cogs have started to turn, the format has officially started and the next lot of matchups are freely Want to get involved? You still can! Signups are now open for newcomer teams willing to force their way through the ranks, all the way up to Champions. Think your guys can handle it? We'll see. Here's what we need.

Team Name:
Team Icon:
Primary Colour:
Secondary Colour:
Ship 1 Captain:
Ship 1 Crew:
Ship 2 Captain:
Ship 2 Crew:

Simple, eh? Now go forth, young captains. Go forth and slay Zill!

28

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 0 - Team Cards

« on: March 18, 2013, 07:42:30 pm »

As you may or may not have noticed on the stream, I took the liberty of rushing to create a set of team cards a day prior to the Cogs week 0... But due to the technical issues we faced, there wasn't much chance to actually set up and display them, let alone confirm a lot of the details... As such, almost all of them are riddled with mistakes.

Rather than hang my head in shame and continue to pester the team reps via Skype, I've decided that the best thing to do is open 'em up to community editing. Spot a mistake? Does a player have the wrong title, or a mis-spelled name? (Sorry Skrim!) Let me know below. Bonus SkyWhale points* to whoever finds the most mistakes.

Problems spotted so far:

• Skrim's name is spelt wrong.
• Clarkeh prefers the Welsh flag to the UK flag.
• VvV pulled a Spaceman and didn't turn up.
• Even with three weeks of prep time: Neither Corvus nor Merry managed to create an icon.
• [Sunderland] Mawdjulus probably isn't Russian.
• [Sunderland] It's Fluitaire, not Fluraire.
• [Sunderland] There's no underscore for Natar.
• [Sunderland] Captl is spelt with an A.
• [Sunderland] Gatling has one T.
• [Sunderland] Bubbles gave me some dodgy Muse names. Shame on him!
• [Sunderland] Crows official name is "Corvus Marauders"
• [Morbie] Gents have some roster changes for Week 1

*SkyWhale points are worthless. They don't mean anything. Stop it.

29

Community Events / "The Cogs" Week 0 - Brackets

« on: March 12, 2013, 07:03:41 pm »

Forgive the brief post, but I'm sick and suffering right now. Quite a lot. Kill me.

Here we are: The first week of The Cogs... Sort of. Due to some balancing issues (and quite a few complaints, as we've all seen), we'll be having a little shuffle before we get The Cogs underway... Which I'm sure will please some of you and offend others. Sorry about that.

Anyway, some of you may have noticed the "Current Seed" column on the teams document and been wondering what it's for. Well, it's quite simple. It's a team's comparative statistical standing with the other teams. It's what Week 0 is based on, in a nutshell.

Before we get into The Cogs proper, we first have to populate them... And so we'll be playing a series of placement matches to determine the starting position for each team... Excited yet? I am.

As standard Cogs pairings, each match will be a best of 1 on a predetermined deathmatch map. Teams will have to throw everything they've got into these matches to prove themselves worthy of their spot on The Cogs

So, without further bluster, let's see the brackets!



Match 1 will see Fjords champions The Gentlemen facing off against Merry Northern Storm, a reformation of Zill's Merry Men. Both of these teams proved themselves during the last tournament, but now they'll find themselves torn from the frigid northern wastelands and thrust out into the early morning fog in the daunting Duel At Dawn. I'm not sure about you, but I can't wait to watch this match.

To the victor go the spoils: The coveted top spot on the Cogs for Week 1 while the vanquished will be relegated to the Challenger's Cog. It's all to play for.


Match 2 features community favorites The Paddling take on CROW Corvus, the reformed competitive edge of the Kings Gambit team in the treacherous Canyon Ambush. Within the confines of the rocky bluffs, will the Ducks be able to escape the deadly aggression of the Crows? We'll see.

The victor of this matchup will take the third spot on the challenger's cog to face off against the Champion on Week 1 for their chance to rise to the top, while the defeated will be forced to defend themselves during Week 1 from the hungry upcomers... Neither teams wants to be put on the defensive so early on, so you can expect a fierce match from both the quackers and the squawkers.


Match 3 will see the two newcomers face off on the arid dustscape of Battle on the Dunes. VvV Comunidade will face down The Pastafarians to establish their early dominance. With both teams running as relative unknowns, almost anything could happen. Who knows what the newcomers might decide to pull out for their first match? All we can know for sure is that neither will back down easily. They're prepped for a fight and neither team wants to lose their first competitive Icarus match.


Match 4 will be the true test of the newcomers, however. To whomever proves triumphant on the Dunes, that frozen wasteland awaits. The proving ground that is the Northern Fjords await their next victims... And who better to stand as a guardian of The Cogs and beyond than the esteemed Museosaurs. The Muse team themselves. Cursed with possibly the worst luck of any team so far, the Muse team were knocked out in what was almost certainly the most difficult group stage within the Fjords tournament. Returning to the scene of their failure with the burden of not having won a single match against a Cogs team (Officially), we can be certain that the devs have more than a few tricks up their sleeves to give the newcomers a run for their money.

The victor of Match 4 will get their shot at the Challenger's Cog on Week 1, to gun for glory against the established teams and and prove themselves a force to be reckoned with, while the vanquished will slink away into The Cogs, to rotate in shame.


That's Week 0 in a nutshell. Here's hoping I recover enough by the 16th to get a chance to watch these matches... Of course, I could also be dead by then. It certainly feels that way.

Either way, we're set for some interesting matches...

-Swallow

30

Community Events / "The Cogs" Update

« on: February 27, 2013, 11:08:18 am »

Alright, I'll keep this one short. We've all got rather a lot to do, after all.

In the wake of several of the Fjords teams experiencing crew problems and a couple of others expressing issues over the times, things have gotten quite muddled. It doesn't really help matters much that the Steam sale's influx of players seems to have broken the game either. At the moment, we're simply not ready as a community for another event on the scale of the Fjords.

With that in mind, we're going to delay the start of The Cogs until the 16th of March.

During this time, we're going to be looking into how to improve and optimise the format, as well as consider a few changes. In particular, it seems like a lot of players are having trouble clearing their Saturdays for The Cogs, particularly the European and Australian players... And truth be told, I can't blame them. It's a Saturday. I'd rather have a lie in and a night out too.

As before, if you have any suggestions or feedback, the forums are here to receive. Failing that, you can always track down one of us on Skype or in-game to talk. I can't speak for the others on this one, but I personally enjoy hearing about the different perspectives of what we're trying to do.

So in a nutshell, delays and changes. We'll keep you posted.