Hi folks, how’s it going?
This is a follow up post to the initial one publicising the Online Dice Masters event taking place at the Virtual UK Games Expo on 22nd August, with some additional details as it approaches.
There are a few key bits n’ bobs at this “1 month away” mark we wanted to call out and keep you guys updated on. Before you continue on please note that this post includes some expansion on the original event listing on the UKGE site here: MoDPDM @ UKGE, mostly in response to queries we have received.
Here we go then…
Where Best to See Updates?
Over the coming weeks leading up to the event all communication & updates will be cross posted over the following areas:
Make sure you subscribe or “follow” one of the above to stay in the loop – the Discord channel is important as that will be used on the day to communicate in realtime with event participants.
What Does it Cost?
This event is free to enter.
We are asking entrants to help us to cover prizing costs & subsequent postage costs, but this is simply a contribution/donation to help and not necessary to enter.
Prizing? There’s Prizes?
This event has a number of prizes up for grabs.
We are currently relying on international postal services so will be outlining the full prize breakdown in a later post as we don’t want to make promises we can’t deliver.
Keep your eyes out for that further update, but we can promise you, if all arrives in time, there will be some pretty exciting things up for grabs. There’s going to be some classic MoD Raffle action on the day too so there’s opportunity to win even if you’re not smashing your way to the top spots. (I do love to get my Tombola app on the go)
To give you a sense of what is planned as prizes so far – an exclusive, UKGE themed Champion mat, hard to find promos, and custom MoD game play bling. Specific details soon, including piccies.
Oh – and if that wasn’t enough to keep your appetite whet for the event – last place gets a limited edition, coveted, Ministry of Dice wooden spoon. Almost worth throwing your matches for – possibly the highest value item on offer ;P
Rounds, Timings, and Reporting – a Reminder
The event will start at 7pm BST on 22nd August. Here’s a breakdown for International players:
- Pacific US = 11am
- Mountain US = 12pm
- Central US = 12pm
- Central US = 1pm
- Eatern US = 2pm
- Central Europe = 8pm
The number of rounds will be determined by the number of participants, but we suspect it most likely we’ll be looking at 4 or 5 rounds based on current interest levels.
Rounds are “best of 3” and to be played over 45 minutes.
We’ve been asked to clarify a few things about the rounds & timings – so here are some answers to the questions we’ve received…
There will be NO ROUNDS AT TIME. The event will be running well into the evening for participants on this side of the planet so we are adhering to a strict time limit, and having 5 rounds at time in effect has a habit of running things waaaaaaay over.
In the event of one, incomplete game in the round the win will be awarded to the player with the highest life total when the timer ends. Please team build accordingly with this in mind.
If you are at one game each it will be recorded as a Tie. There is one exception to this: a completed win will trump a “win on life” – so if the second player wins the second game based on the life total at time then the overall round will be a Win for the first player. (Does that make sense? I’m not sure I’ve laid that out well…)
We will not be running any cuts – the leader-board will be based on Swiss Round performance. Matching performance will be decided by “Strength of Schedule” as determined by the exciting algorithmic machinations of Challonge.
We are asking participants to “check in” on Challonge and hang out on the Discord channel 30 minutes before start time, to ensure a prompt kick off at 7pm BST.
Card Legality & The Infinity Gauntlet Problem
This will be a Modern Constructed event using the current Dice Masters rotation list.
There is still some question over the timely arrival of the Infinity Gauntlet for areas outside of North America, and this is possibly the question we’ve had most inquiries about. The Ministry of Dice sources tell us that “it will be with you in time” but retail evidence over here isn’t filling us with great confidence at present and we have been given a loose “sometime in August” estimate from the UK distributor Asmodee.
We will know more soon, but wanted to give a heads up on this – if Infinity Gauntlet does not arrive on this side of the World in time then we intend to permit Proxies for players outside of North America (for Infinity Gauntlet cards only). If this does happen we will update accordingly, but note that this introduces the possibility of a “Typhoid Mary” ban as there is no suitable dice to proxy with. Consider the likelihood of this when team building, as we may be going right up to the line on firming this possibility up.
Getting Set Up Online
If you’re considering the event, but are a first-timer when it comes to playing Dice Masters online, then there are a number of resources that could help you get started:
Dice Coalition Site Info loads of tips on how to get started with online play
MoDCRibZ Videos of example Online play set ups packed with hints from the active online community. The first vid in particular shows the step-by-step process.
Encouraging Words An article we posted with a few encouraging words about Dice Masters online and a few additional tips
Here are the initial instructions regarding online play from the event advertisement on the UKGE site:
Info about playing Online
We will be using three key services to play the event online. These are:
- Web-based Video Calling
- Discord Chat Server
- Challonge Bracket Generator
You are required to have an account with Challonge and Discord, and to be a member of the “Dice Masters Online” Discord chat server to participate.
To play rounds pairs will be expected to use a web-based video calling service like Google Hangouts, Jitsi, Skype etc with the web camera focused on their play areas.
We will provide suggestions & guidance on the day regarding video chat services you can go to for your games: several Dice Masters community websites have embedded “rooms” that can be accessed with the click of a single link.
The Discord Chat Server will serve as the central point of contact for all players and the tournament organisers. Within the server is a channel called “modpdm-online-ukge” and this is where we will all digitally congregate throughout the event, report round results to the TO, and provide updates (such as round pairings). You can join the server by creating a Discord account and going to this link here: https://discord.gg/bheaGyh
Finally; Challonge bracket generator will be used to manage the pairings & results. This will be the go-to location to see your pairings each round. It is also on Challonge where you would register for the event.
Team Submissions & Registration
Head on over to the Challonge page below to get registered for the event:
Please submit team lists by 7pm on Friday 21st August. Team lists can be submitted by e-mail to Chris@BritRollerSix.com as a Dice Coalition Team Builder link or through the submission process on Discord with a Team Builder link. You can find the Team Builder here:
To submit through Discord please head to the Modpdm-online-ukge channel and enter the team link preceded by the following code:
.submit
Team submissions aren’t expected until much closer to the day – the Discord isn’t even ready to receive them presently – we’re just getting our ducks in a row. 😉
Teams will be published on BritRollerSix.com before the event start time.
Rulings
We’ve been asked about the process if you’ve got a rules question you want to check before the event. Send it over to us and we’ll get it sussed out for you. E-mail us, IM us over Facebook or ping us a note at Discord and we’ll gather our Rules Lawyers to get an answer for you.
Our Rules Lawyers are some of the most experienced & respected in the Dice Masters Organised Play biz – a prestigious group of game-text aficionado’s who (to quote) love dealing with “imprecise game-texts on cardboard”. We will communicate any ruling decisions as & when they occur as the event approaches.
Anything Else
That’s all for now, I think we’ve covered most inquiries received so far, don’t hesitate to get in touch if there’s anything more we can answer for you. AND don’t forget to keep your eye out for the prizing announcement coming soon.
All that’s left to say is that we’re so excited to be partnered with the UKGE and have another event for Dice Masters on it’s schedule. We sincerely hope to see you at the event – any questions then give us a shout.
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