X-ball field design

[Red_Merkin]

this is frustrating.
I know how much organisation goes into the rest of the x-ball event, this one area seems to be letting the whole show down.

 

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by Steve Morris
I personally think the field-design-in-advance is not such a good thing because it creates robotic games, and I'm not the only person in the EXL organization that thinks that way. Some have suggested that system might end for both NXL and EXL; we'll see.

That would be a mistake. Some of the NXL teams are more flamboyant than others in how they attack a design but the matches are better for the preparation than they would be without it. Any perceived weaknesses to match play--and LA was the best I've seen to date--are due to field design, not team prep.
Part of the problem is old thinking about how fields should be designed and part of the problem is a desire to control the flow of the action to make it more "understandable" to watch. Both of those limit the potential of any field layout to provide diverse and constantly exciting action.

 

[Steve Morris]

Originally posted by Baca Loco
That would be a mistake. Some of the NXL teams are more flamboyant than others in how they attack a design but the matches are better for the preparation than they would be without it. Any perceived weaknesses to match play--and LA was the best I've seen to date--are due to field design, not team prep.
Part of the problem is old thinking about how fields should be designed and part of the problem is a desire to control the flow of the action to make it more "understandable" to watch. Both of those limit the potential of any field layout to provide diverse and constantly exciting action.

There are definitely different "expert" opinions about this and I'm not saying my opinion is in any way expert.

I do honestly believe, however, that you're right about field design and I wish we had a chance to use your ideas. Maybe that opportunity will present itself some day.

Steve

 

[Red_Merkin]

lots of bunkers, and lots of ways for teams to attack.
that's what people want to see!

 

[Baca Loco]

Col's got the right idea

IMNCHO (In My Never to be Confused with Humble Opinion ) To date, there are no experts, cus the format hasn't been around long enough. In the absence of a history though there ought to be some efforts made to explore the format's potential. Instead the only innovations so far are the wrong "answers" to so-called "problems."
For example--How do we keep players from being routinely shot running wide on the break?
Add a forest of tiny props into the middle of the field. On the plus side it will make it virtually impossible to run through a good chunk of the field as well.

 

[Red_Merkin]

check out the x-ball fields from Campaign Cup.
if you stood up the x, it would satisfy all those requirements

[EDIT: I did say you had the right idea, didn't I? ]

 

[noop]

Col's got the right idea

Originally posted by Baca Loco
For example--How do we keep players from being routinely shot running wide on the break?
Add a forest of tiny props into the middle of the field. On the plus side it will make it virtually impossible to run through a good chunk of the field as well.

Well we certainly don't want people running on the field now do we!

 

[noop]

btw Baca what's your take on the bumper bowling?

 

[Baca Loco]

Originally posted by noop
btw Baca what's your take on the bumper bowling?

Obviously bumper bowling is gonna have to do some work in order to attract a decent audience. The move to mixed color bumpers is a good start. Pink in the left gutter and orange in the right gutter. This will help those unfamiliar with bumper bowling to focus on the ball. Maybe some goofy nicknames for the bowlers and some contrived conflict, too. Of course pink and orange will be outlawed as ball or bowling shirt colors.

Perhaps the NXL can take a page from the bumper bowling crew and put guys along the side of the field with large padded shields. If a player is getting bonus balled or looks like he might step out of bounds the "bumpers" can slam them back onto the field.

 

[noop]

I was referring to the NXL's new out-of-bounds line...er air-filled shape...as seen in LA. >>>