Season 2 ends-Season 3 begins

Earlier today Blizzard has finally announced that Season 2 of the ladder will end soon and Season 3 will soon follow. Season 2 will have a ladder lock the same as Season 1, where you will no longer be able to be promoted or demoted and the bonus pool will stop accruing points. The ladder lock for Season 2 will start Tuesday, July 5th at 5:00 AM PDT and continue until Tuesday July 19th When Season 3 begins after that Tuesday's morning maintenance. Please keep in mind that your Match Maker Rating (MMR/Hidden rating) will continue to change with each win or loss when the ladder is locked.

For the full information on this announcement go to http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/blog/3031252#blog and read Blizzard's announcement.

(If the mods want to delete this post in lieu of "official" SC:L post then by all means have at it)

In light of this information...how long has season 2 lasted??

Jesus Christ they're making these seasons WAY too short. The end of the first season is what nearly sapped all my desire to continue playing. Unless you're really dedicated to the game a 6 month season barely gives players enough time to get an established record. The game hasn't even been out for a year and already the season has been reset twice.

Totally Agree. I would like to seasons be a year long. Is there some good reason I'm not thinking of that would justify season 2 being so short? I only have like 100 1v1 wins, and even less team wins. I think it makes the seasons seem somewhat meaningless, and detracts from someones overall profile.

Yeah too short IMO. A year would be solid. :/

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Originally Posted by JackhammerIV

In light of this information...how long has season 2 lasted??

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4 months.

_T.T_

Yeah. The seasons are really really short. The main reason is to get rid of inactive players. To active players it's fine. It gets rid of the people who completely stopped playing at all. But the casual players who rarely play feel it to be too short.

I haven't even played like 50 games this season. Seems to kinda discourage casual players that their win counts and rating get dropped to 0 quite frequently. And requires more effort with each season to total up wins across seasons; having to click through it on B.Net and all.

I don't mind these seasons being 3-4 months IF there's a clear indicator of your win/loss overall and for past seasons that's easily found and accessed, as well as an indicator of skill (MMR) being visible. Even just saying "Low/Mid/High" in each league would be a major improvement.

Added to that the fact that personally Blizzard seems to be doing these seasons in such a way that I only really seem to be playing at the start and end of seasons.

I think their reasoning is that each new season gives people an opportunity to start fresh and get back into it esp. if they haven't played in a while, so seasons should restart more often.

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Originally Posted by Gradius

I think their reasoning is that each new season gives people an opportunity to start fresh and get back into it esp. if they haven't played in a while, so seasons should restart more often.

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Well...the way it's done I don't think that really applies. Think about...
1. Johnny bronze with 200wins (and a hidden 300 losses) in season 2. Suddenly season 3 comes and he's back to 0 wins. And he's saddened because if he wants to see those 200 wins he has to dig and find past season results and not right on his profile page. He remains oblivious to his losses and win/loss ratio.

2. Starting fresh means you were doing badly and you just want a reset. By only showing win/loss to people masters and above....technically only masters and above players would want the fresh start since everyone else kinda doesn't know if they need a fresh start unless they expend the effort to find out (save replays, analyse, etc). And if they do expend the effort they want to keep a constant record and check how they do across time. They have their own win/loss analysis tables and so don't mind so much about the reset.

3. Now those masters players in 2. They're playing seriously to improve and are good at the game. If they see a negative win ratio they just take it as they suck and strive harder for improve. That competitive attitude doesn't suit a "fresh start" mentality.

4. Getting back into it. I come under this category. Barely have any games played. Too busy with life, school, work or just watching SC2 instead of playing it. Then now a reset. So it feels like I have to start over again and not continue on. The equivalent is like I played WoW and got a character to level 20 then I took a long break. Then now my character is back to level 1. In terms of the visible achievement that others can see I'm back to the beginning. I have more knowledge and skill than before obviously but the reset has sort of relegated my past achievements and basically made me feel like I should have spent more time getting it to as high a level as i wanted before reset.

I'll probably make an effort to be in the category of "keep track of record". Using that sc2analysis.com site. But still feels crap to be back at 0points in diamond (hopefully) when season 3 comes around.

Wait, I don't understand the lock thingy.

So, if say I am locked in gold, will I still be playing against gold players even if my uber-skillz are better matched against say, diamond players?

If so, will these wins be counted and lead to a promotion next season?

If I were to stay in gold and fight diamond players, and get an equal footing with them, will this count towards a promotion next season?

Yes, if you start getting überskill while the ladder is locked you will be promoted next season asap.

This reset doesn't really bother me. And we'll finally get some new maps!

This season thing is SO annoying... and pointless....

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Originally Posted by HydraHydra

This season thing is SO annoying... and pointless....

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Care to explain why?

Im pumped, been waiting for this for awhile now..

Just so you guys know, while MMR does slightly carry over to the next season; the first 2 weeks are the most important. If you can get a really good record going in the first 2 weeks, you'll be placed significantly higher. Remember last season when people who were platinum in S1 played a shitload at the beginning of S2 and somehow made GM, while people who were borderline GM in S1 and didnt play those 2 weeks, were left out..

I know im gonna just like mass tons games the first 2 weeks and hope to get back in GM this time.. maybe I'll even do it on both servers if I have time.

Can't wait!

I'm guessing the seasons will become longer as patches become less frequent - or when Heart of the Swarm comes closer. I also know a few friends who really shouldn't be in bronze league anymore so it's good for them.

I'm okay with this.

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Originally Posted by Skyze

Im pumped, been waiting for this for awhile now..

Just so you guys know, while MMR does slightly carry over to the next season; the first 2 weeks are the most important. If you can get a really good record going in the first 2 weeks, you'll be placed significantly higher. Remember last season when people who were platinum in S1 played a shitload at the beginning of S2 and somehow made GM, while people who were borderline GM in S1 and didnt play those 2 weeks, were left out..

I know im gonna just like mass tons games the first 2 weeks and hope to get back in GM this time.. maybe I'll even do it on both servers if I have time.

Can't wait!

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Seeing as I'm on vacation atm. and am unable to play SC2, I feel motivated as fuck to ladder once I get back to civilization. Knowing myself, I'll probably end up doing some other counterproductive things instead, but we'll see.

My goal is/was to get to masters in S2. I think I still have a slight window of opportunity to realize this goal. Even if I don't, I still plan to play competitively once S3 hits. And by that, I mean at least 10-15 game a day, and a top 8 position in my current division.

Good times ahead ; )

Your hidden rating is not affected!

1) No. Your "public" rating will stay gold, but your "hidden" rating would be platinum or diamond. You would keep playing higher-skilled players.

2) Yes. (Your public win/loss record would change though, I think. Is that even public anymore?)

3) Yes.

It seems that Season 3 has been delayed. The ladder will be locked until July 26th, where the new season will begin.

http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/2826193523

The map changes have been announced :

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The following changes are being made to the ladder map pool when Season 3 begins on Tuesday, July 26:

1v1

Removed:
Scrap Station (2)
Slag Pits (4)
Delta Quadrant (4)
Metalopolis (4)

Carried over:
Xel’Naga Caverns (2)
Backwater Gulch (4)
Shakuras Plateau (4)
Tal'Darim Altar LE (4)
The Shattered Temple (4)
Typhon Peaks (4)

New:
Nerazim Crypt (4)
Searing Crater (4)
Antiga Shipyard (4)
Abyssal Caverns (4)


2v2

Removed:
Monlyth Ridge (4)
Gutterhulk (4)
Omega Sector (4)
Red Stone Gulch (4)

Carried over:
Discord IV (4)
High Orbit (4)
Khaydarin Depths (4)
Scorched Haven (4)
The Ruins of Tarsonis (4)
Tempest (8)

New:
Tyrador Keep (8)
The Boneyard (8)


3v3

Removed:
Quicksand (6)
Colony 426 (6)
Monsoon (6)
Typhon (6)

Carried over:
Arakan Citadel (6)
Cinder Fortress (6)
Dig Site (6)
Frontier (6)
The Bio Lab (6)
Ulaan Deeps (6)

New:
Green Acres (6)
Temple of the Preservers (6)


4v4

Removed:
High Ground (8)
Megaton (8)

Carried over:
District 10 (8)
Extinction (8)
Lava Flow (8)
Outpost (8)
Sand Canyon (8)
Toxic Slums (8)

New:
Fossil Quarry (8)
Deadlock Ridge (8)

FFA

Removed:
Metalopolis (4)
Slag Pits (4)

Carried over:
The Shattered Temple (4)
Quicksand (6)
Tectonic Rift (6)
Abyss (8)

New:
Abyssal Caverns (4)
Antiga Shipyard (4)
Nerazim Crypt (4)

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http://us.battle.net/sc2/en/forum/topic/2878401533#1

Season 3 starts on my birthday, nice. :P

Finally, a season I'll be able to play through entirely without internet problems.

*crosses fingers*

Hope I didn't just jynx it.

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Originally Posted by Gradius

Season 3 starts on my birthday, nice. :P

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Happy birthday.:)

omg omg omg im not ready, im not ready, im still being bet up by bronze and silver players (even that somehow every two or three matches i manage to win a gold player xD).

i would be pretty happy is i end in gold, or even in silver... but i dont think that i could take and endure all the cheesecraft of bronze league G_G.

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Originally Posted by SpikeVorador

omg omg omg im not ready, im not ready, im still being bet up by bronze and silver players (even that somehow every two or three matches i manage to win a gold player xD).

i would be pretty happy is i end in gold, or even in silver... but i dont think that i could take and endure all the cheesecraft of bronze league G_G.

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Hate to break it to you man, but on the NA server (where your new home will be) theres cheese in EVERY league, not just bronze. So, good luck and try not to rage.

There's definitely cheese everywhere. Probably more common at the top since cheesing tends to get them much farther than they should :(

http://theducks.org/pictures/do-not-want-dog.jpg


i think that i will stop to play ladder and only play custom maps from now on xD

Why???

i hate losing and i really dont enjoy that much winning =P.

cheese is really easy to stop and get a free win from, other than the retarded marine/tank/banshee/raven/scv allin timing.

Haha, I ended up in the same division as Catz & Desrow. Lost my placement match, but it was to a 1700 guy last season, so I can't feel too bad.

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Originally Posted by Gradius

Haha, I ended up in the same division as Catz & Desrow. Lost my placement match, but it was to a 1700 guy last season, so I can't feel too bad.

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Nice...:D I still haven't done placement.:p

Won my placement and got demoted to platinum.:p At least it gives me something to aim for this season I guess (getting back to Diamond). Hope I'll have the free time for that though.:D

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Originally Posted by SpikeVorador

i hate losing and i really dont enjoy that much winning =P.

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Playing and enjoying playing ladder depsite all the bullshit is all about learning to be zen. its a journey of self discovery. no joke.

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Originally Posted by JackhammerIV

Won my placement and got demoted to platinum.:p

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... im not alone then...

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At least it gives me something to aim for this season I guess (getting back to Diamond). Hope I'll have the free time for that though.:D

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Ill race ya!

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Originally Posted by Todie

... im not alone then... Ill race ya!

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You'll probably win.:p Probably can only maybe get back to laddering a lot in a few more weeks.

Lolol Todie I used to watch up to you. Now I am masters and you platinum :O what happened? (hello down there)

im not surprsied. seen you goign strong for a long time. as for my comparative shortcomings, i blame age, and -perhaps more importantly - stuff.

Aaah atlast season 2 ends and now jumped towards season 3 but i think it would be quite difficult as compared to season 2..what do you think guys?