Drawn and Halved

Scott Hardie | September 20, 2014
During the first two weeks of Rock Block, I've become aware of a small problem introduced by the rules in the new game, and I'd like to correct it.

In the new game, you get a credit towards a new artist for every victory. You can spend it right away on a new R1, or save up multiple credits for a higher-ranking artist. This creates a small incentive to lose instead of drawing.

Sure, we all want to win, and we will if we can. But if winning a concert is not possible, losing on purpose (or forfeiting) gives your opponent that new R1 and thus offers you a small advantage: In the next concert against them, you get to discover whatever artist they pick, and they might choose something weak that makes you likelier to win next time. Plus, you might engender goodwill from the other player that makes them likely to continue playing against you. None of this happens with a draw, and draws should be more rewarding than losses, right?

So, let's change that. You'll now earn a half-credit towards a new artist for every draw. You'll earn a new artist for every 2 draws, the same that you would for every 1 win. You can also think of a draw as the players splitting the one-credit prize that's up for grabs.

This change is retroactive to the start of the game earlier this month. Draws already earned have given their players the equivalent number of half-credits. Here's a list. Enjoy the new artists, and use them well to earn some more! :-)

If you haven't started playing Rock Block yet, we're having a great time, and we'd be glad to have your company! Very minor issues like this aside, it's been a terrific launch, and the new game is going very well.

Aaron Shurtleff | September 20, 2014
...my GOD

Scott Hardie | September 20, 2014
Is that your reaction to getting a few new artists at once? That's one reason why I'm doing this now. I've been thinking about it for a few days, but once I made the decision, I wanted to enact the changes as quickly as possible, to keep the sudden addition of more artists as small as possible. If this change had happened much later in the game, I would not have made it retroactive, but we're close enough to the start that it's not a big deal.

Aaron Shurtleff | September 20, 2014
Yeah, pretty much. I went for the gusto, and took highest ranking artists I could. Might have been wiser to take lots of smaller ones, but wisdom and I have never really been good friends...

Scott Hardie | September 20, 2014
I think it's a good strategy. Higher ranks open up more combinations that can be played with in the future, leading to more varied experiences playing the game and more opportunities for strategy. Plus, the more likeable artists are higher up anyway. :-)

Aaron Shurtleff | September 21, 2014
What are you talking about? Bon Jovi is R1! ;)

Is there anyway to tell how many credits you have at any point, short of adding up your draws and victories and subtracting out the ones you've already turned in? I have bad memory, and I can't remember. That way, if I get to three credits, and I don't see a R3 band, I know I need another R2, and I can spend appropriately.

Scott Hardie | September 21, 2014
Good suggestion. It's done.

Chris Lemler | September 24, 2014
Scott I have a suggestion. On one of the feats you have to beat ten different opponents. Is there a way that you can put who you beat so you know who you played and beat to get the new feat?

Aaron Shurtleff | September 24, 2014
Chris, I think on the challenge page, if someone doesn't have a red star next to their name, that's someone you already beat. That's how I keep track.

Scott Hardie | September 27, 2014
Good suggestion, Chris. I'll do you one better: On the Rules tab of your label, the feats now list how many more of each thing are needed. For example, I've had 16 losses so far, so when I look at the list, one of the feats tells me: "Lose twenty concerts. (4 more)" The feats that involve defeating a certain number of opponents also list by name the players who you haven't beaten yet, so that you can focus on those people.