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Hello everyone,
I don't know what your opinions regarding what I am about to talk about are (and I am curious to find out, so feel free to post it), but - considering GSL being the premier league of starcraft 2 - I am very unhappy with how the code S seeds are being handled by the GSL.
Let me give you a quick tour though my view towards code S seeds in general, what I find unsatisfactory about how they are currently handled, and an humble suggestion on how they could be handled. Some polls will be added in the end.
1. my stance towards code S seeds
Up front, seeds favoring a group of players (at the moment it is players of wealthy teams who can afford to attend every major tournament) tarnish the pure competitive spirit of a tournament. However since GSL is supposed to be the league where the best players of the world come together to show us the highest level of games, there need to be some kind of seeding system for players living outside of Korea. Attending the GSL is a huge financial commitment for a player not in Korea and only the fewest can commit to that on their own, which naturally leads to the "foreign skill" being underrepresented in the league. Because of that, I am not aversed to dedicated seeds to the foreign community, as long as they don't go overboard and drown the competitive spirit of the tournament and as long as they are handed out in a reasonable system.
2. what I don't like about the current seeding system
This is very easy to explain in one single point: no rules, decision making intransparant.
Heck, first of all, we don't even know who decides the seeds! We don't know who are the hot contenders for the seeds and even if we guess, we never know whether we were right or not! We don't even know when the official seeds will be announced! And when they are announced, we never know on which basis have the seeds been given out, no expenation have been given after they were announced, at least none which made sense! Too many "don't know"s and this is quite a delicate subject, we are talking about a direct seed into the most prestigious starcraft 2 tournament. Moreover, they are asking players for seeds, who might not even want to participate in the GSL, leading to quite a number of seeds being turned down, which isn't really beneficial for the reputation of the GSL.
3. how it could be done
An open qualifier tournament amongst all players living outside of Korea (that or some other who want a code S or Up/Down seed and who will go to Korea should they receive one. Housing will be provided by GOM:
1st stage: single elimination (best of 3) till only 8 players are left
2nd stage: round robin format to make sure that only the very best do get the seed.
- All this should happen in the early, so that the seeds next season are determined one or two months before it starts.
- Allow qualified players to come one or two months prior to the start of the next GSL season, so that they have enough time to acclimate to their new surroundings and so that they get enough practise in their new enviroment.
- Introduce them to the teams to help them find good practice partners (though responsibility for that should ultimately lie with the team of the seeded player, not gom)
4. polls
Poll: Are you content with how the gsl seeds were handed out till now?no (7) 70% yes (3) 30% 10 total votes Your vote: Are you content with how the gsl seeds were handed out till now? (Vote): yes
(Vote): no
Poll: are you for seeds into code s and the up and downs?yes (6) 67% no (3) 33% 9 total votes Your vote: are you for seeds into code s and the up and downs? (Vote): yes
(Vote): no
Poll: assuming fair and square qualifier system, what about foreign seedsno, if there are seeds, then they should be for everyone (7) 78% yes, nothing against seeds for "foreigners" only in that case (whatever "foreigners" mean) (2) 22% 9 total votes Your vote: assuming fair and square qualifier system, what about foreign seeds (Vote): yes, nothing against seeds for "foreigners" only in that case (whatever "foreigners" mean)
(Vote): no, if there are seeds, then they should be for everyone
 
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On May 31 2012 05:10 JustPassingBy wrote:
However since GSL is supposed to be the league where the best players of the world come together to show us the highest level of games, there need to be some kind of seeding system for players living outside of Korea. Attending the GSL is a huge financial commitment for a player not in Korea and only the fewest can commit to that on their own, which naturally leads to the "foreign skill" being underrepresented in the league.
i would argue that 99% of the best players in the world come from Korea. those that are on level with the Koreans are people like Naniwa and Stephano, one of whom was offered a seed into Code S (and did very well with it) and the other who has a seed whenever he wants it.
foreign skill is underrepresented precisely because the GSL is a brutal shark-pit of a league, where even the best can be taken out early and have to fight their way back up into Code S. i don't think people not being able to afford attending can make an argument that that destroys the competitive nature of the league or the tournament when all the best players can usually afford it.
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On May 31 2012 07:00 sc2superfan101 wrote:Show nested quote +On May 31 2012 05:10 JustPassingBy wrote:
However since GSL is supposed to be the league where the best players of the world come together to show us the highest level of games, there need to be some kind of seeding system for players living outside of Korea. Attending the GSL is a huge financial commitment for a player not in Korea and only the fewest can commit to that on their own, which naturally leads to the "foreign skill" being underrepresented in the league.
i would argue that 99% of the best players in the world come from Korea. those that are on level with the Koreans are people like Naniwa and Stephano, one of whom was offered a seed into Code S (and did very well with it) and the other who has a seed whenever he wants it. foreign skill is underrepresented precisely because the GSL is a brutal shark-pit of a league, where even the best can be taken out early and have to fight their way back up into Code S. i don't think people not being able to afford attending can make an argument that that destroys the competitive nature of the league or the tournament when all the best players can usually afford it.
Well, the main issue I have is that gom clearly has a desire to bring more foreign players into the tournament.
However up till now, I somehow got the impression that they are mainly running after popular players and don't even care if their seeds are being turned down en masse (ok, the code S seeds aren't, but pretty much everything else is).
Besides, as I said, I am totally uncontent with how the seeds are being handed out. No explanation, no person responsible,
nothing at all.
I'd just like to see them setting up nice and clean rules, which hands the seeds to the best players.
No "seeds will be handed to the player with the best international tournament results" and then totally ignoring Puma with his back to back nasl championship, picking the 7th place of an mlg arena over the 3rd place, and taking sen who basically has no tournament results at all recently.
Okay, I do agree that the nasl might not be the best tournament with their player field back then, I agree that Naniwa was the better choice than Huk up front, but they just have no rules at all for granting the seeds. Even worse, they set themselves a rule at the beginning and already at the next moment, they are ignoring it!
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well i can see how it would be good to have a set system of how they hand out seeds, but i can see their problems with using a system like that. for one, based purely on results, we may not know who the best player is. for another, i think a big part of the reason people are turning down their seeds is because those players know that they cannot really compete in the GSL. i know the popular explanation is that they want to "do it the legitimate way" but i don't buy that. i'm sure it might come into it a little bit, but i'm pretty sure that anyone who thought they could win the GSL would take whatever seed they could get.
i don't see why people care so much what seeds get handed out. 90% of the seeded players don't go on to do anything, they usually just drop right out, partly because the tournament already has the majority of the best players in it, so any outsiders will usually just not be as good. i would argue that seeds shouldn't exist at all, except Naniwa clearly used his seed to great affect, and effectively makes an excellent argument in favor of seeds. but even his wonderful performance doesn't necessarily mean that seeds are suddenly going to miraculously make the seeded players deserve a GSL spot more. maybe Puma would have done super well with a seed, but then again, Puma couldn't even make it through the Prelims to get a Code A spot.
i know that GSL wants foreigners in the tournament, i don't necessarily approve, but i can understand it. unfortunately, a lot of people think a tournament with foreigners is better than a tournament with the absolute best level of play. but what can the GSL really do? it's good that have foreigners in the tourny, but not good to have foreigner favorites just get roflstomped out in like 4 matches. basically, i think the way they do seeds is fine: pick the popular player who has a chance at doing well and hope for the best.
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As much as i hate the code S seeds, they make sense(Popular players->more tickets sold). So doubt thoes are going away any time soon and will favor popular foreigners/koreans who are not in code S. Generally the popular players are good players who place well in international tournements as well(With the exception of a few ones)
However when we get to the up and downs seeds, i would like to see a qualifier where non koreans(Whole point of these seeds is just to get foreigners into GSL) can sign up and compete for up and downs seed, it ensures GOM gets the foreigners into GSL which they want, but at the same time they will get good players who might actully be able to get into code S
This will make it posible for the less known players who are really good but will might not fall into the code S consideration to have a shot at competing at the big stages. Some of them might also be able to get a chance to get more reconition in the international scene if they do win their up and downs group(If they lose, people who did not care before tend to not care after a few days)
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I'm happy with Code S seeds because it allows GOM to give popular players with good results in foreign tournaments (e.g. Stephano) a chance to play in the GSL who wouldn't otherwise come because of the gruelling nature of the Code A qualifers and Code A itself.
That being said, I think 2 is borderline too much and definitely don't want more than that.
If Nightend gets the Code S seed, I think his spot is totally unjustified, but Stephano's invite is a very good thing.
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EPT
