T90 Titans League - Season 2

The first S-Tier event of 2023 is coming - T90 Titans League is back!


The T90 Titans League is a recurring league which aims to provide a consistent high level stage for pro players to hone their skills, and give newcomers a chance to prove their ability and advance into the upper echelon of players.

Season 2 will begin on 2nd January with 5 weeks of round robins before getting into the playoff round. Players will be placed into ‘pots’ based on their previous placement within T90 Titans League. They will then be randomly drawn, with one player from each pot in each group.

The draw took place on Tuesday 27th December at ~21GMT here.

The groups will be:

Platinum League:

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
Vinchester	MbL	Hera	TheViper
Nicov	Liereyy	Jordan	Villese
DauT	Mr Yo	Capoch	Tatoh
ACCM	BacT	miguel	Barles
Valas	Dracken	Ganji	Sitaux
Running	Dark	Kingstone	Sebastian

Gold League:

Group A	Group B	Group C	Group D
slam	classicpro	dogao	Dragonstar
BadBoy	saymyname	SongSong	Vivi
FreakinAndy	Sobek	margougou	F1Re
Daniel	repard	Nili	Lyx/iBUYPOWER
Hearttt/Jibatong	Whocl/Gabi	D3rp/Biry	LaaaaaN/PhillipHJS
Bad Koala/Whitecourt	Mihai/El Matador	Overtaken/Hoang	Somero/Hope

Prize Money

The prize pool of $22,500 has been sponsored by Microsoft.

Platinum League: $17,300
1st place: $2,100
2nd place: $1,400
3rd & 4th place: $1,000
5th - 8th place: $500
9th - 12th place: $200
13th - 24th place: $150

Plus $40 per game won in the group stage (a maximum of $600 if you win all 15 games)

Gold League: $5,200
Group Winner: $180
Playoff Winner: $150
Playoff Loser: $115
4th in Group: $80
5th in Group: $60
6th in Group: $40

Plus $15 per game won in the group stage

Schedule

Platinum League

Group Stage: Jan 2nd - Feb 5th
Round 1: Jan 2nd - Jan 8th
Round 2: Jan 9th - Jan 15th
Round 3: Jan 16th - Jan 22nd
Round 4: Jan 23rd - Jan 29th
Round 5: Jan 30th - Feb 5th

Playoffs: Feb 6th - Feb 12th
Ro12: Feb 9th
Quarterfinals: Feb 10th
Semifinals: Feb 11th
Final: Feb 12th

Gold League

Group Stage: Jan 2nd - Feb 5th
Round 1: Jan 2nd - Jan 8th
Round 2: Jan 9th - Jan 15th
Round 3: Jan 16th - Jan 22nd
Round 4: Jan 23rd - Jan 29th
Round 5: Jan 30th - Feb 5th

Playoffs: Feb 6th - Feb 12th
Deciders: Feb 7th & Feb 8th


Players will be given a large degree of flexibility over scheduling. If they wish to stream their POV, they will be required to play during predetermined slots. These slots will be at 16GMT, 18GMT and 20GMT on Mondays, Thursdays and Saturdays.
If players are unable to play in an available slot, they may play private games, with no pov streaming allowed and the recorded games will be broadcast at another time.

There will be open casting during these timeslots (and of published recs at anytime).

Maps

T90 Titans League Season 2 will feature:

Acropolis
Arabia
Arena
Cross by TheMadCADer
Fortified Clearing by Chrazini
Fortress (Regicide)
Ghost Lake
Kilimanjaro
Nomad
Scandinavia
Shoals by Chrazini

Start practicing today by downloading the map pack here or by searching for “T90 Titans League Season 2 - Map Pack” in the in-game mod workshop.

The map pack is edited and maintained by T-West.

Handbook available here.

 

This may seem like kind of a petty complaint, but I'm really not a fan of games being played out of order. To use group D as an example, Sitaux will almost certainly be fighting to stay in Platinum in that group which includes Viper/Tatoh/Villese. So for him to play Viper (round 5) out of order kind of takes away from the drama of it. Now his last round will be (or should in theory be) against Sebastian which does not carry the same weight as a Viper matchup.

It seems that the internal schedule is different than the (auto generated) order on challonge. When I put the matches on Liquipedia, I took them from challonge. But Viper for example said on stream that his supposed play order is different from the order from challonge.

Edit: Obviously didnt answer the original complaint but I guess for this season they are a bit stricter with the order of play, while Gold League still has some leeway in scheduling.
As for tomorrows matches, besides Hera vs Ganji we can expect Liereyy/BacT, ACCM/Valas and Villese/Barles as they played today or are currently playing (judging by the draft history from aoe2cm.net)

 

This may seem like kind of a petty complaint, but I'm really not a fan of games being played out of order. To use group D as an example, Sitaux will almost certainly be fighting to stay in Platinum in that group which includes Viper/Tatoh/Villese. So for him to play Viper (round 5) out of order kind of takes away from the drama of it. Now his last round will be (or should in theory be) against Sebastian which does not carry the same weight as a Viper matchup.

In general scheduling has been a bit strange so far. 11/12 round 2 matches currently unplayed and unscheduled? Then on Saturday probably 4 matches will be scheduled same day and unless you're sitting there pressing refresh you won't know about them. Not the easiest thing to follow along with.

It's important to keep in perspective that the majority of our pros aren't full time players and many have jobs and other obligations. The goal of TTL is to be as pro player friendly as possible. If we were to structure things how you're asking we would have had to do without 5 or 6 players in Platinum, creating a massive ripple effect through Gold and into Silver. The priority is to give these players opportunities and put money on the table first, and everything else is secondary.

Also while you might feel that Sitaux vs Viper may carry more weight if it's at the end, it doesn't lessen how important the later stages will be. Using your example, Sitaux vs Sebastian would be an important series regardless as every game matters, and Seba will likely be fighting for survival and someone like Sitaux could place from anywhere to 4th to 2nd based on one series. So yeah, the exact narrative you feel would be exciting at the end of Group D might not happen, but others will be there and the format will hold true.

 

Completely understood that many aren't full time. But if you have time to play a best of 3 in week 2, why not play your week 2 match instead of your week 5 match? From Longinator's answer earlier I am thoroughly confused as to which round we're even in at this point.

 

Completely understood that many aren't full time. But if you have time to play a best of 3 in week 2, why not play your week 2 match instead of your week 5 match? From Longinator's answer earlier I am thoroughly confused as to which round we're even in at this point.

The point is that your week 2 available time might not match up well with your intended opponent's week 2 available time, so it offers flexibility to still play that week against someone who is free.

 

I can understand these points but nobody talks about the advantages/disadvantages. Peole like nili,nicov or lan that didn't play any series yet have hugh advantage, they see how the meta goes, how other players adapt and which plays they choose, they get more training time.
I always see crying aoe fans about maps, nerf this, nerf that, bla bla but here is a clear point of unfairness and nobody talks about it because "alot aren't full time players". So people are allowed to take advantage of that? I don't know but leaves a bitter taste, that reduces my joyment and intrest for this tournament.
Maybe it is the afthermath of great warlords, the feelings are still there and I compare to much but I think my point is fair.

 

I can understand these points but nobody talks about the advantages/disadvantages. Peole like nili,nicov or lan that didn't play any series yet have hugh advantage, they see how the meta goes, how other players adapt and which plays they choose, they get more training time.

I don't see all those advantages. Once they play someone that person has seen the meta just as they have and he had the same training time.
Yes they can study the opponent better but the opponent has more tournament experience.

 

I don't see all those advantages. ->
Yes they can study the opponent better but the opponent has more tournament experience ->

you contradict yourself
as an enemy you can use those expierence for your advantage
so you don't see it that the one that doesn't play early can train longer, can prepare longer. can see how other adapt to maps, how the meta shifts, maybe how better players do on some certain maps?
if all my groupenemys played against each others already and I don't then I have ton of information against them and they don't.
if you don't see that then it is because you don't want to see it.
in strategie information is everything..

 

I can understand these points but nobody talks about the advantages/disadvantages. Peole like nili,nicov or lan that didn't play any series yet have hugh advantage, they see how the meta goes, how other players adapt and which plays they choose, they get more training time.
I always see crying aoe fans about maps, nerf this, nerf that, bla bla but here is a clear point of unfairness and nobody talks about it because "alot aren't full time players". So people are allowed to take advantage of that? I don't know but leaves a bitter taste, that reduces my joyment and intrest for this tournament.
Maybe it is the afthermath of great warlords, the feelings are still there and I compare to much but I think my point is fair.

Now, this isn't meant as nili-hating, in case people would assume it as being as such. But Dave said during a stream, last week I think, Nili was actively planning on playing all his games the last week, to leave as much time to prepare as he can. He said it in response to someone saying Andy had done a good job at sceduling all his games early.

Now I don't think people should be forced to play week by week, since indeed people can be busy, but doing it on purpose just seems like an abuse of the system to me. I don't know whether or not it should be punished, since it goes both ways, both you and your opponent have the time to figure the meta/playstyles out. Which should theoretically balance it out.

 

Now I don't think people should be forced to play week by week, since indeed people can be busy, but doing it on purpose just seems like an abuse of the system to me. I don't know whether or not it should be punished

I don't know if Nili truly plans to do this (I am kinda careful about believing everything that gets said on AoEZone), so I don't want to judge, but if he does, then it goes against the handbook which says this:

1. Players should contact their opponents at their earliest convenience and suggest times and days when they are available (not just asking “when can you play”). These times should be specific.
2. All players are expected to schedule their matches during the prescribed timeframes to the best of their ability. .

1. Should players believe they are unable to do so, they must request an exception as soon as possible.
2. Players must provide at least 24 hours notice of when their match will be played.

 

I don't know if Nili truly plans to do this (I am kinda careful about believing everything that gets said on AoEZone), so I don't want to judge, but if he does, then it goes against the handbook which says this:

I expected something like this, which is why I mentioned.
Probably best to consider everything you hear with a grain of salt, and even in the best of scenario's, "I watched a stream where a streamer said something about someone else." Hardly is the best kind of source. Still a mentionable one.

 

if all my groupenemys played against each others already and I don't then I have ton of information against them and they don't.

I agree with you on that one.

the one that doesn't play early can train longer, can prepare longer. can see how other adapt to maps, how the meta shifts, maybe how better players do on some certain maps?

These apply to the opponent as well.

 

I think the main advantage of playing your games in later weeks is that your opponent might not play their best if their results against you don't matter. If they know they'll already get demoted or if they're sure to go to the play-offs, they're less likely to practice for your games, even if there is still some money on the line for each game.

 

the exact narrative you feel would be exciting at the end of Group D might not happen, but others will be there and the format will hold true.

I think you still ideally want players to have the same number of matches (in their group) completed before the next round happens. This is (imo) where you can start thinking about total wins/loss and how that round might affect the placement. I know we want to see all the players play, but this may be the case where you want a time table for all the matches, and the schedule of which matches you are casting.

 

I think you still ideally want players to have the same number of matches (in their group) completed before the next round happens. This is (imo) where you can start thinking about total wins/loss and how that round might affect the placement. I know we want to see all the players play, but this may be the case where you want a time table for all the matches, and the schedule of which matches you are casting.

I think it's great TTL gives players freedom regarding their scheduling. And that for anyone it's actually possible to have a vacation for 2 weeks during the group stage and still manage to play all matches within the time-frame.
At the same time, players should play fair and try to not be more than +1/-1 match at any time. I agree if someone is intentionally delaying his matches until others are played, he's clearly abusing the system and didn't understand the point of the tournament. Basic argument, but if more people would do this, we would have a few matches played in the first weeks and 10 every day in the last week.

 

I think it's great TTL gives players freedom regarding their scheduling. And that for anyone it's actually possible to have a vacation for 2 weeks during the group stage and still manage to play all matches within the time-frame.
At the same time, players should play fair and try to not be more than +1/-1 match at any time. I agree if someone is intentionally delaying his matches until others are played, he's clearly abusing the system and didn't understand the point of the tournament. Basic argument, but if more people would do this, we would have a few matches played in the first weeks and 10 every day in the last week.

Agree with everything, just would add that nowadays is bit harder to train offline and for most probably not even that beneficial. I mean especially if we are talking about Nili for example, can easily see if he is streaming and playing or he is offline for 2 weeks and is on vacation. Also keeping Nili as an example he is one of those few who lives from aoe2 streaming and should be the one having easy time scheduling his matches.

 

I don’t mind the relatively free scheduling too much from a competitive standpoint. However, as a viewer, it would be nice to have a little more advance notice of when group stage sets are going to be live (or recorded). The lack of it (at least from what I have seen) somewhat disincentivizes watching it in a stream as opposed to a YouTube recording.

 

Some dude just took a series against Dogao then lost to Nili, wtf

 

Some dude just took a series against Dogao then lost to Nili, wtf

Lol, what a pleb.

 

I expected something like this, which is why I mentioned.
Probably best to consider everything you hear with a grain of salt, and even in the best of scenario's, "I watched a stream where a streamer said something about someone else." Hardly is the best kind of source. Still a mentionable one.

In that case it might be best practice to just say "a player" instead of naming the player.
If you are aware that it might come off as a blame, but you arent trusting your sources, best to do it anonymously.

 

In that case it might be best practice to just say "a player" instead of naming the player.
If you are aware that it might come off as a blame, but you arent trusting your sources, best to do it anonymously.

I realised this about an hour after I sent the first message, there indeed never was any need to mention the player or stream exactly, even if I had first-hand information. At least not to place in a forum, if it's not meant to hate on said player.

I made the mistake, I'll try to not mention it next time.

 

you contradict yourself
as an enemy you can use those expierence for your advantage
so you don't see it that the one that doesn't play early can train longer, can prepare longer. can see how other adapt to maps, how the meta shifts, maybe how better players do on some certain maps?
if all my groupenemys played against each others already and I don't then I have ton of information against them and they don't.
if you don't see that then it is because you don't want to see it.
in strategie information is everything..

The argument works just the other way around. Players also benefit from playing all their games early (to not give opponents time to practice and time to adjust their preparations). You are right of course that the delayed player has more knowledge, but that only really goes for the first two rounds, afterwards players can catch up again. But in any case, the players are given 5 weeks to complete the games so it is up to them to make the best out of it.

 

Completely understood that many aren't full time. But if you have time to play a best of 3 in week 2, why not play your week 2 match instead of your week 5 match? From Longinator's answer earlier I am thoroughly confused as to which round we're even in at this point.

I think there is no point in thinking about rounds, despite it being presented like this. In the end, there are 5 weeks during which players complete their group stage matches, but the order and timings are not predictable. The only thing you can rely on is that on the streaming days there will be high level games casted

 

why Nicov did not play a single game yet ?

 

why Nicov did not play a single game yet ?

He's moving

 

@Adico Can you add this site under TTL's Additional Contents section?

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