Altador Cup XI (25 May 2016)
The Altador Cup has returned for its 11th annual version, and it's brought some new rule changes we wanted to discuss. The Altador Cup Rules Committee has taken a good look at player comments from the past couple Cups, along with its own data, and made a few changes to the structure and functionality of the tournament. Now, some of these will be immediately obvious (like sign-ups, seriously do it now!), some will be unveiled throughout the tournament, and some will be more invisible to you guys, but we believe will help create a better experience overall.
One of the changes we made that will affect you guys the most is to the daily score caps, and the ranking system! Now, we know some of you are against the idea of lowering the maximum amount of game scores you can send per day – but hear us out! We looked at how players were doing in the personal ranks over the past few years and decided a change up to the points required for each level was in order. The new rank levels will make getting past rank 1 much more attainable for most users, but still keeps the users who reach All-Star to an elite group. Now, in order to account for the rank values changing by so much, we had to lower the score sending limits per day. It was originally planned out so you could reach All Star by sending the maximum amount of scores for one game, for a certain number of days, accounting for users needing to miss a few days or not being able to send the maximum scores every day. So, we kept the same idea, but obviously with a lower value for reaching All Star, that means the scores you could send per day had to come down, or you'd be able to reach All Star by playing only a few days, which obviously isn't ideal and unfair to the players who send scores each day.
As for more on the changes to this year's cup, be sure to read the Rules page and the updated FAQ, and be sure to keep checking for more updates from us on what else is in store!
Altador Cup XI: Let the Games Begin (31 May 2016)
Altador Cup enthusiasts all over Neopia can barely contain their excitement as the eleventh tournament draws near. AC X reminded fans that nothing is predictable in the Altador Cup, with first time-winner Kiko Lake taking home the Cup and two-time winner Haunted Woods finishing last! What surprises await fans in AC XI? All eyes are on Kreludor, who has been making a steady climb back to the top. Faerieland’s marked improvement has not escaped the notice of the public either. Also on the radar is Kiko Lake – will they be able to compete with the powerhouses once more? And what about the Mummies? Can they make a comeback or do they need more time to recover from their fall? These are just a few of the questions that you, as the Neopian sporting public, are left to answer.
The Race Heats Up (21 Jun 2016)
Round 4 is coming to a close, and what a wild ride it has been! Tyrannia and Brightvale are battling it out for the top spot going into the finals, looking for any kind of edge they can get to come out on top. Will they top the last bracket in the end though, or will hard work pay off as Mystery Island, Kiko Lake and Krawk Island try to close the gap between their standings? Or could a dark horse be waiting to emerge, ready to knock some of these teams down a spot? Only time will tell, but all eyes will be on these top ranked teams going into the last few days of regular tournament play.
An Update from the Altador Cup Rules Committee (6 Jun 2016)
The Altador Cup Rules Committee has been keeping a careful eye on player performance this year, and it has come to their attention that a disease has been spreading among some participants. Symptoms include multiple account disorder and temporary feeling of supernatural or magical performance in the games. In order to stop the spread of this plague, we have quarantined the affected players (and their scores), which have initially caused a dramatic upheaval to some overall team scores. We do expect these to stabilize as we move forward and remove quarantined players from the tournament. We will also continue to monitor other teams closely to make sure that all others stay healthy and unaffected by this plague. No other changes have been made to how the results are tallied, so uninfected players can and should keep playing normally for their teams.
In other news, now that round 1 has come to a close, we are excited to announce a new ending to this year's Cup. Round 5, instead of being another round of regular gameplay, will be a Finals Bracket! The top 6 teams will be placed into one bracket to battle it out for the top spot, teams ranked 7-12 in the next bracket, and 13-18 in the final bracket. The stakes are higher than ever to make sure your team performs well throughout the next few rounds. Each bracket will be worth different amounts, so winning the top bracket will earn more bracket points than the top spot in the second bracket, which will earn more than the last.
Game on, Neopians! This is shaping up to be one of the most dramatic Altador Cups yet!
Uncertain Times Ahead (7 Jun 2016)
The biggest piece of news from the Altador Cup this year comes not from the participating teams but the governing committee! In an unprecedented move, the committee has warned public of an outbreak during the tournament and quarantined players for exhibiting symptoms of 'multiple account disorder' and 'magically enhanced physiology'. Several teams are expected to be affected by this development. Meanwhile, Brightvale seems to be in top form this year, winning all matches against powerhouse Kreludor and finishing at the top of the Vaeolus Bracket. Clearly this tournament will be anything but predictable!