Maybe I just don't understand you very well, but my feeling was that you were shutting me down and basically saying that I'm working off of "perceived realities".  Well, those "perceived realities" (from threads here and in Chat) are all that I've have to go on.  It has been very difficult for me to get a clear grasp on what actually are the facts.  Dismissing my suggestion as not part of the "think tank" and labeling it as "perceived reality" didn't set too well with me.
 
If I'm truly taking things wrong from you then I apologize in doing so.  However, in the absence of someone actually providing the facts about the very design issues that have plagued our competitive performance, I didn't exactly appreciate the response that I got from you.  Your second response would have been far better IMO and did not leave me with any ill feelings.  I know what you want in this thread and hope you get it, but for me I'm bowing out of it.

Hey AB, I like your idea of Platinum, Gold, Silver "brackets". 
never like bronze anyway.  
 
One thing I would consider though is if team X that was in silver bracket got new folders, this might push them up to the gold bracket if their PPD went over 5mil ppd during the contest. 
 
so now you have a scenario of does team X get pushed out of first place in the silver bracket and into last place of gold or do you leave team X in silver and hear the other teams in silver complain. 
If team X does get pushed up into the gold division from silver for going over the 4,999,999 ppd during the contest, then teams might start "kicking members off the team to stay in the silver division.  
which loses the whole integrity of the contest.  
 
Just a thought on improving your system if we can find the solution.  

Good input folks thank you!
 
I have had this idea in my mind from the first few moments I read the rules... Maybe others have mentioned it, maybe it is a bad idea (And why I have not mentioned it). But I think all of the ideas should be out there so here you go..
 
If any kind of handicap, regardless of any other rules/challenges, are going to happen, this seems to get closer the the intended goal. However this can only be a "Part" of how teams get points and cannot be the only way. As this does not fix the root issue with smaller teams being able to get Five points to a larger teams one. And to be clear... I am suggesting this in the spirit of there being three levels/tears. So only the Big teams are going at it with big teams, and the small teams are going at it with the small teams...
 
Then I would think these two items need to happen in the spirit of growth...

1. The actual performance/gains made during the 2011 CC...
2. And the last Six months of each teams Averaged production....

Is combined for the ground zero balancing (Benchmark) for 2012.
 
This means.... As one team has doubled their normal production. That is now a part of next years standard. So in order for that team to repeat, they have to double their production again.
 
Example...
 
Call it team Alpha...
 
Team alpha does avg 500,000 ppd on avg for the last six months previous to the 2012 competition. But does 1,000,000 during the ten days of the 2011 CC. Their new benchmark is 750,000 for one point.
 
Now for team Echo...
 
Team echo does avg 5,000,000 ppd on avg for the last six months previous to the competition. But does 6,000,000 during the ten days of the 2011 CC. Their new benchmark is 5,550,000 for one point.
 
Basically just add the last six months of PPD, divide it by six to get the AVG PPD. Then add last years AVG PPD from the ten days of the 2011 CC. And then divide that number by two. (Echo = 5+6/2= 5.5)
 
Kind of a different way to handicap. Without doing the % attempted this year. Still allowing for flat out production.

---

Additionally. Any team that gets help from another team I propose the following....
 
Having other teams help I think is very good for the folding community as a whole. I see nothing wrong with it.  However this is a double edge sword or the 3000lbs. elephant in the room as it has the potential to be completely counter productive to the rules as any team can now overinflate the numbers for a win. That  has to be addressed.
 
So here are my half witted thoughts...
 
Any team that gets help form another, has the responsibility to have a thread on their own forum where folks go to announce their desire to participate for that said team. This same forum adds up the last Six months of all those (PPD) that are now folding under the new flag for the CC and that AVG is added to the Benchmark for that team. SO say all those that are now folding for this said team, from another team, equals 500,000 PPD. That 500,000 point per day (Using Alpha and Echo above) would look like this....

• Alpha = 500,000 + helped 500,000 = 1,000,000 PPD plus 2011 CC balancing = a Benchmark of 1,000,000.
• Echo = 5,000,000 = 500,000 in help = 5,500,000 plus the 2011 CC balancing = a Benchmark of 5,750,000

---

Additionally...
 
I propose that any new team that is getting involved (Just a suggestion here) for the first time, that we give them a five point head start. And that they be in their own bracket going at it with other new 1st time teams. This way we get a benchmark from them for the 2013 CC. But at the same time if we adopt the Grand Champion idea, their bracket can go for that title!!
 
All the rules are the same. Only as an added benefit to getting involved in the CC is that each new team
 
Some basic understanding...

• New team = Folding and producing for no less than one month before the 2011 CC to get this bonus for the 2012 CC (To minimize those pesky sneaky folks)
• Teams should be of no less than 100 folders during those previous months
• New= Never participated in the CC before. Ever. 

 
Anyway... Probably of no real value. And like all the contest before this is based off of integrity and high morals. I just so desperately want to see similar sized teams go head to head than a broad brushing that only changes who the one winner will be and see the production number fall as some participants walk away...
 
And honestly, having four or five ways to gain points just sounds so fun and keep more and more folks in it longer. Not to mention the excitement will only gain momentum and draw even more folders into the fold FTW!

what's one person's winter is another person's summer
 
just make one in each season or put them in spring /fall
fair for everyone

a_fool

Interesting ideas. I must say, however, that #6 is begging for abuse. I advise against it, for too many reasons to count.

Yeah yeah, I should give examples. However, I'm in a lazy mood at the moment. Just think about how you could exploit it.

Totally agree... Just tossing ideas Looking forward to your thoughts later on...
 
 

kody7839

^^ 

I don't thing the above numbers surprised anyone. Everyone knew going in that EVGA and OCN were going to bring the pain output wise.

What is very cool to see is four teams within 5 million points of each other in the 40 million range, and another 2 neck and neck at around 30 million. 

Could not agree more... My post above was intended to be a continuation of the last Idea I mentioned... Putting OCN Chimpin and EVGApes together as one team to go all out vs the other seven teams combined as a team with zero handicaps based on raw production.