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A bit out of this world, but the idea is:
1-on-1 Combat sports like Boxing and MMA classify athletes in weight classes to keep the competition skill-based. It somewhat balances finesse and mastery vs brute force and pure speed.
Weight classes limit the ceilings of speed and power at a given weight range, but there is no limit to finesse and mastery. No one can steamroll all other people in the same class unless they have mastered a sweet spot of physical prowess and technique mastery.
I believe, SC2 as an e-sport has a lot in common with combat sports. But since power is not an issue, speed is dominating the sport. Those with speed steamrolls every other type of player.
What if it didn't?
Imagine tournaments were held with APM caps. Lets say there was a referee or a software limit imposed.
1. a division at 40 APM max
2. a division at 80 APM max
3. a division at 120 APM max
4. a division at 200 APM max
5. a division at 300 APM max
6. a division at 400 APM max
7. a no limit division
We would have stars and champions at different APMs. Amateur leagues and kid leagues. Different styles dominating different divisions.
We would have more variety and, I think it would be good for the game as far as international exposure is concerned. Koreans can dominate the high and no-limit divisions because their culture allows the volume of practice needed, and other countries can try and catch up because they can setup small-time scenes with low APM tournaments.
I mean, we can be sure at the time of this posting, the #1 no-APM-limit pro is Korean. But, once you put a limit, everything changes. A guy anywhere in the world can be 40 APM champion by strategy and efficiency --without the volume of practice/traning a no-limit guy needs.
So, is this a good idea?
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APM has nothing to do with skill.
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On March 12 2013 03:41 USvBleakill wrote:
APM has nothing to do with skill.
Nor do weight classes. I don't think he argued anything remotely close to that in his post.
I can see low APM limits being interesting for some sort of single novelty match, but I can't imagine a tournament utilizing it. It'd be too awkward and would require too much practice for something non-standard.
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Goody would be world champion in the division up to 80 APM no problem. 
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@USV
Yes, just like weight has nothing to with skill. But, a decent Flyweight Boxer wont stand a chance against a decent Heavyweight (they have the same "skill"), that's why they are separated by weight classes.
In the same way, a decent guy playing at 40APM wont stand a chance against a decent guy playing at 300 APM.
@Befree
Imagine a kiddie tournament with a savant kid dominating at 300+ APM. That wont be fun to watch for their parents, but imagine one where a limit is imposed. That savant kid would be at a pro or semi-pro league, and we can have some little-league competition where the kids would be happy.
I imagine, there would be a standard, coming out for the 40APM crowd in a few months.
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On March 12 2013 03:45 Befree wrote:Nor do weight classes. I don't think he argued anything remotely close to that in his post. I can see low APM limits being interesting for some sort of single novelty match, but I can't imagine a tournament utilizing it. It'd be too awkward and would require too much practice for something non-standard.
There's a difference between APM and weight classes in fighting though. You can do just as well with 50 apm as 200. A 150 lb guy has 0 chance against a 300 lb one if they are both fully trained fighters.
On March 12 2013 03:46 Don.681 wrote:
@USV
Yes, just like weight has nothing to with skill. But, a decent Flyweight Boxer wont stand a chance against a decent Heavyweight (they have the same "skill"), that's why they are separated by weight classes.
In the same way, a decent guy playing at 40APM wont stand a chance against a decent guy playing at 300 APM.
But the 40apm guy can stand a chance. Well maybe not 40, but 60'ish or so.
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I don't like this idea, I want to see the best pro's with the best multitasking play.
And I think Koreans will still own every division...
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Because there is absolutely no reasonable comparison between APM in SC2 and weight classes in fighting.
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On March 12 2013 03:46 Don.681 wrote:
@USV
Yes, just like weight has nothing to with skill. But, a decent Flyweight Boxer wont stand a chance against a decent Heavyweight (they have the same "skill"), that's why they are separated by weight classes.
In the same way, a decent guy playing at 40APM wont stand a chance against a decent guy playing at 300 APM.
I dont thinnk you can be decent with 40apm though...
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doesnt make any sense, a 200 apm person can beat a 300 apm one fine. apm doesnt make or break skill level
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United States7481 Posts
This could be fun, but I do see a potential problem:
In boxing, MMA, and the like, fighters are weighed once shortly before the event occurs, and there's no risk of them going way over during the fight (maybe a little over just from eating/drinking after the weighin). In StarCraft a player might normally play at like 35 APM, but have a spike in a game where they go up to, say, 43. Would it have to be average APM over the whole game? Would it be up to the player to try to ride the APM line, or should they have to go a class up if they aren't sure whether or not they'll go over the limit with normal play.
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The scene is not big enough for these lower divisions. No one gives a shit who is the 40apm champ when you can watch koreans/top foreigners show how the game is played.
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Actually, it would be cool to have weight classes in SC2 also  Can you imagine if you saw progamer tweets of them wrapped up in plastic in a sauna on an exercise bike being like "BRO I HAVE TO CUT WEIGHT, GSL FINALS TMRW"
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United Kingdom14103 Posts
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Training to be able to execute @ 200 apm is possible while incereasing your skill, going up to 200 lbs. and improving your performance isn't for a lot of people. That's why weight divisions make a lot of sense and apm division really don't imo.
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On March 12 2013 03:50 TylerThaCreator wrote:
doesnt make any sense, a 200 apm person can beat a 300 apm one fine. apm doesnt make or break skill level
Yeah, but if you put a limit, the best @200APM would be fighting the best @200APM and that 300APM guy would just plain suck at the 300APM league.
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weight is an actual problem in boxing and MMA, but APM is not in SC. Polt has around 150 APM and he can beat any foreigner with over 400 APMs any day any time. This is a stupid discussion.
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I think this won't work because of protoss 
I played at mid to high masters with maybe 240 APM, most Z and T opponents I played were at similar APM levels but the majority of P players had way lower APM, below 200 for sure.
So suddenly the P players would get bored from getting way easier opponents and T and Z would face P players that are a lot better I think :D
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On March 12 2013 03:51 Targe wrote:
Because APM != skill?
Actually your execution speed is a big part of skill in sc2 and being able to make good desicions while playing that speed is antoerh big one. So actually, yes.
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EPT
