Conquistadors Important Announcement

[Skylinersop16]

After much thought about this I have made the executive decision to pull the corps from competition. It took me about 3x longer than other seasons to hunt down the information I needed to even submit captions and even then I didn't have enough. My scores reflect how much of a difficult time I've had picking captions and I feel my time could be better spent. I have no future plans for a return to DCP-I at this point because I feel that it caters way too much to those with knowledge of DCI and leaves other at a disadvantage even if it is not meant to.

DCP-I execs - It is your choice. You can pull my corps from the ranks of let it ride out the season but I will not be submitting any more caption changes.

[JohnD]

After much thought about this I have made the executive decision to pull the corps from competition. It took me about 3x longer than other seasons to hunt down the information I needed to even submit captions and even then I didn't have enough. My scores reflect how much of a difficult time I've had picking captions and I feel my time could be better spent. I have no future plans for a return to DCP-I at this point because I feel that it caters way too much to those with knowledge of DCI and leaves other at a disadvantage even if it is not meant to.

DCP-I execs - It is your choice. You can pull my corps from the ranks of let it ride out the season but I will not be submitting any more caption changes.

I'm not sure what sort of problems Harry had - but I'll follow-up with Matt and Matt to see where things can be improved in our interim state. My understanding was that the process hadn't changed much from previous DCPI seasons - as far as caption selections go. It is also my understanding that all sources of information that had been available in the past are available now. That said - I don't have the historical perspective to know what may have been available in the past.

Please know that we're working as fast as we can to get some of the new features of DCPI rolled-out. One of the first steps is a reporting function - that will allow you to easily get to DCI and DCPI statistics. An all-new caption selection process has been designed and we're starting to line-up programming staff to turn the designs into reality.

Harry - we're obviously sorry you encountered problems. Hopefully, you'll keep an eye on our progress and join us in a future season.

-john

[Skylinersop16]

Not so much the difficulty finding what I needed. I've been trying to push to at least bring back DCP-A so that there is a fair shot for DCA orientated people. I refuse to watch DCI and this being a DCI orientated league, I have no purpose here. I would advise trying to build a more generic scoring system in the future and start to drift away from DCI based scoring. Nothing is ever final and my corps is not gone forever. It's time for a break.

[Ex VK DM]

I kind of agree with Harry. The odd season is geared more towards the people who have time to number crunch. Seeing as the season results are there for all to used, the person who can sit down and find what is best combination of captions wins. At the last min. I just threw some captions together and am hoping for the best, but I’m not doing too well either. I don’t think it’s a DCI vs. DCA thing, it’s more of a “how much time can I spend doing this” thing.

With the live season everyone is on an even playing field as no one knows what the next day scores are going to be.

Generally I skip the off seasons but I thought I give it a try when we were going to go with 1 set of avg. captions, but then it was switched to 2. Oh well, I’ll stick out the season and see what happens but not expected to do all that well, because I just don’t have the time to crunch the numbers.

[Galen]

Not so much the difficulty finding what I needed. I've been trying to push to at least bring back DCP-A so that there is a fair shot for DCA orientated people. I refuse to watch DCI and this being a DCI orientated league, I have no purpose here. I would advise trying to build a more generic scoring system in the future and start to drift away from DCI based scoring. Nothing is ever final and my corps is not gone forever. It's time for a break.

Harry,

I appreciate your concern. We've tried to do a DCA version in the past and it proved extremely difficult to implement, due to the significant differences between a DCA season and a DCI one (anybody who competed in that season might remember how certain corps generated 20.0's in particular captions halfway through the season as an example). I would like to see us make another try at that, but right now it would take a LOT of experimentation with models and statistics to create a workable system (and probably a significant change by DCA as well).

Sorry to see you go, but you're welcome back anytime.

[CincinnatiGloryMello]

That is correct Matt. When we first did the DCP-A it was very hard to get everything right. You had to get scores from DCA and some from DCI. And the scores from DCI are different than the DCA scores (different captions). So it was almost impossible to run.

I agree that the off season is more for people who have time to sit down and work out the numbers. But there really isnt any other way to do it, since it is an off season. We could implement using 6 years of scores to make it more challenging, but again, anyone who has time to sit down and crunch the numbers would always win. Taking the averages is different, but again, you can crunch more numbers to come up with the best combo. So there really isnt a way to make a big change for the off season. If anyone has any ideas, im sure we will listen.

[bssop97]

Yeah, I'm out but I still lurk around. I'll throw in my two cents.

I've been in numerous fantasy league (FDCI, FDC, VCL, DCPI) and there is two routes a league can go:

1. A system based on actuall corps numbers (DCPI, FDCI, DCP).

2. A system based on submited points (VCL)

While I agree with Harry that there really needs to be a DCP-A, I can't agree with him that this system needs to change. It is based on DCI and uses real caption and while it is true with number crunching could get you places, it is not 100% true. Back when I did FDCI, I started in the back of the pack. I notice that corps that placed well had something in common and I changed my corps to reflect that. I did one change and made finals. It is not captions guys, it's math. Knowing something about DCI helps... Where does the corps score the most, who is strong visually, who has a solid drumline, which "weaker" corps has a strong section?

I have a good memory and when I won that last offseason, I did it minus a spreadsheet. I looked at recaps do decided 1 caption (ok... who scored bettter in brass during this time of the season, 01 BD or 04 BD?) and made my pick.

Looking at this league from a distance, I see one thing that will help and I know many directors wont like it:

ONE CORPS PER DIVISION PER DIRECTOR

Reason is: There are about 5 directors that can do the number chrunching well and they will get 2 corps into finals. That's 10 spots! Nobody likes to loose to the same people. While it might make for an Elite 6 (ala real DCI), you will have multiple corps fighting for 6 other spots not 1!!!

Lets look at the current season shall we?

Here is the current top 12:

Cross

Oracle

Mystré

Sunrise Surf

Star of Jupiter

Kosmos

White Stars

Nastalgia

Kadence

Kingsmen

The Enginers

Inergy

-----------

The Knights

Lets look at this closer, the corps in bold are part of 2 corps run by the same director. Cross/Star (Mitch), Oracle/Mystré (go CloudHype!!), Kosmos/ Kadence (Matt B.) Italizied corps are part of a 2 corps group Sunrise/Knights (Gary), The Enginers/PRK (Scott). The Knights are in 13th, almost 10 corps in top 12 by 5 directors! I would put money on the fact if Matt Smith had his two corps in, 11 spots would be covered by 6 directors!!

See the problem?

FDCI in its it glory days would have the same top corps (Scarlet Knights, Pacific Knights, Satan Acralac Drugavan, Neil Hamilton's corps, Queen Mutha and Sean Taylors corps (he ran VCL)) around FDCI 6, you added my corps to the mix as I went from low placing finalist to a top 5 corps (ala Bluecoats). Places 7-12 rotated but Steve Burstell was usually in finals.

Around FDCI 14-15 (when I wasn't competing) a director noticed a loop hole and put all 3 of his corps in Div I. Thus the destruction of FDCI began. Also in FDCI 6, a nonactive director won the live seasonand thus went most of the activity of the league.

Why am I bringing this up?

Well for the future of DCPI to thrive, certain changes have to be done and some have already taken place.

If I was running for President of DCPI and I had a platform to run on, this would be it.

1. Corps entry, both Caption entry and Tour entry must be done through a "Web Form" system. No email, No manual work on the directors side. Saves them time and makes for a more accurate system.

2. One corps per director per division. Increses the competiton and makes for more of a "real life" type of results.

3. Try to find a way to bring back DCP-A. As a point generated league!

Edited January 15, 2007 by bssop97

[Galen]

We could implement using 6 years of scores to make it more challenging, but again, anyone who has time to sit down and crunch the numbers would always win.

Or anybody who's got about 10 seasons of FDCI under their belts. B)

[Galen]

Why am I bringing this up?

Well for the future of DCPI to thrive, certain changes have to be done and some have already taken place.

If I was running for President of DCPI and I had a platform to run on, this would be it.

1. Corps entry, both Caption entry and Tour entry must be done through a "Web Form" system. No email, No manual work on the directors side. Saves them time and makes for a more accurate system.

I've been working hard with John and Matt Smith on this one, and this is our TOP priority for next season and beyond. If things go according to plan, this will be the LAST season we have to go the "PM Submission" route.

2. One corps per director per division. Increses the competiton and makes for more of a "real life" type of results.

Sorry, but I'm always going to disagree with you on this one. It isn't fair to penalize directors who take the time and effort to come up with the best set of captions. With all respect, this would be akin to forcing Cavaliers to march with one leg tied behind their back (granted, they'd find a way to do it and probably STILL win, but you get the idea)

3. Try to find a way to bring back DCP-A. As a point generated league!

As I said earlier, this is on my "wish list"- but I have no idea on how to approach it. So in the words of Jeff Ream, "Submit a bid"! Send us some ideas on how we could get it up and running.

[CincinnatiGloryMello]

If I was running for President of DCPI and I had a platform to run on, this would be it.

1. Corps entry, both Caption entry and Tour entry must be done through a "Web Form" system. No email, No manual work on the directors side. Saves them time and makes for a more accurate system.

2. One corps per director per division. Increses the competiton and makes for more of a "real life" type of results.

3. Try to find a way to bring back DCP-A. As a point generated league!

Just gonna make a few comments here...

1. I agree that would be the best way to do it. But I know that I (for one) dont have the programming knowledge to do this. Someone would have to be a pretty good programmer to do it, like Dr. Butera was. It would take the human error out of it for sure, but again... if someone can build it... go for it.

2. My God, ive been trying to get this passed for YEARS!!! But it always gets shot down. Look at last seasons Finalists... of the 12 spots... we had 6 different directors.... 6!!! Matt had Tri Color, Emerald Regime, and Cascade Christian. The other Matt had Kadence and Kosmos. Shannon had Mystre and Menagerie. Mitch had Cross and SoJ, and I had my Nipples ( :P ) and Bill had VK. Thats it... something IS WRONG with that!

3. Again, lets hear some specifics about it... I would be game for setting it up.

This is how the league gets better people, lets hear the ideas.