Just a simple concept on paper right now, stemming from some overly enthusiastic writing I've been doing for myself. 3 vs 3 to the death allowed but not required three game objects: 1: a non-lethal ball, used to score 2: a lethal ball, used to bash 2: two or three non-lethal balls connected by strings, used to bring opponents down The objects are placed in the middle of the playing field, at a good distance from each other. One player from each team is released onto the playing field. A few moments later, the other two players from each team are released. There are two rules: 1: game starts as soon as the first player enters the playing field 2: points are scored by [???] The two captains' first decision must be which object to target when they are released into the playing field, and then to run towards it at top speed. If both players go for the same object (or one goes straight for the other, ignoring the objects), a one-on-one fight will ensue, at least until the other players reach the two combatants. Some thoughts: a. I'm not sure yet how scoring should take place. Place one more object, a goal on the playing field? One for each team? b. Should the scoring and bashing objects be combined into one object? [Edited by - Silvermyst on March 12, 2010 11:59:38 AM]

Okay just for fun make it very unlike any Earth-based game such as soccer, football or basketball:

1) One scoring area (maybe a well at one end of the field?)
2) The first player who gets the NLB (non-lethal ball) has to run it back to the scoring area
3) Only a player holding the NLB can be "attacked" and only by either the LB or the bolos, no physical contact
4) The bolos are placed at the halfway mark
5) The NLB is at the end
6) The LB is placed (hidden) randomly along the path to the NLB
7) The field is a mix of high grass, open terrain and small hills
8) The field is extremely narrow, about a quarter of the width of a football field but half again it's length
9) Spectators can see down into the field to see what's going on but players really use hunting instincts to determine what's happening, making the game slower and far more stealthy than human games; there's a lot of concealment and ambushing or, with the LB, taking up "sniper" positions on hillocks (or fakeouts making the opposing team THINK you have the LB - make it small but extremely heavy, maybe the color of the sky so you can't see it sailing down to hit you)
10) Throw in any wild, ravenous animals?

Definitely one scoring area. I'm now thinking that one score wins the game. Three versus three versus three makes sense.

I might just drop the bolas and go for two objects in that scenario. I figured in 3 vs 3, it would be important to have three game objects, to ensure there would be no real stalemate situation, but in 3 v 3 v 3, I think two objects makes the early game more interesting.

The added team will ensure that with only one scoring ball and with only one score needed to win the game, the two teams not in control of the scoring ball will likely team up in the early stage of the game. 3 v 6. But only one of the two teamed-up teams will have the killing ball. The team with the killing ball could quite easily take out one of the ball-less team's players. "Cover me while I bang you in the head." What is the now two-member team, still without a ball, to do? Take revenge while allowing the other team to score?

Having the goal be at the top of a hill makes sense. It forces an uphill battle for the scoring team. How steep? Rough terrain? Huge boulders to climb?

I'd like to keep the game very brutal. So anything goes. The lethal ball just happens to be an excellent weapon. Best for smashing, but can also be hurled. Having more open options for the objects also allows for more different strategies to develop. (Not sure how much the bolas would add. It seems a much more intricate device.)

A clean arena would likely be the ultimate for this sport, though pickup games would be played in just about any natural setting.

This feels (and probably was inspired at least to a degree) by the Faerun drow's last-man-standing game, where at first teams are formed, but eventually it's every one for themselves (but at which stage of the game?). The likelihood of a team scoring against six opponents is low. It would require incredible evasiness to accomplish. So do all three teams go for the lethal ball? Or do they just go mano a mano, stealing the lethal ball away in the process? Do 6 gang up on 3 until all three are no longer able to play? Or will it be 3 against 3 once one team is reduced to 2 ? What happens in a 2 v 2 v 3 situation? The 13 (I think) different scenarios could all become games unto themselves.

Where to place the two game objects, though, so that no team has an unfair advantage/disadvantage?

The killing ball can be placed at the top of the hill, in the scoring area. That way, no matter their position at the bottom of the hill, assuming the hill is circular, each team has a similar shot at getting to the killing ball.

Placing the scoring ball randomly and/or hidden would take away a lot of the strategy in the early game.

I guess the ideal would be to have an inverted hill (pit) right below the hill, and have the scoring ball be placed at the bottom. But that brings along all kinds of gravity issues (what's holding up the top hill?) and would make pickup games near impossible.

I think caffiene asks the right question. How alien are these aliens? What is the shape of their bodies? How many appendages do they have? How flexible are they? How do they move? Do they have eyes? What kind of eyes? Do they have ears? What kind of ears? How do they communicate? What kind of environment(s) do they inhabit? What kinds of environmental resources do they need? How scarce are those resources? How do they acquire them? What skills do they use? How cooperative are they? How aggressive? How do they reproduce? -- It seems to me that in the same ways that our sports reflect aspects of how we inhabit this planet, their sports would also, so it's necessary to start at a low level and build up from there.

Alternatively, you could just say the aliens were humanoids and start from that rather than starting from scratch.

Strong, tough, humanoid aliens. Top of the foodchain, revere both physical and mental fitness. Technologically advanced, but take extreme pleasure in primitive combat.

Klingons perhaps?

The item in the image suggests a mace or a bolo - bolo may not be the right word - a throwing weapon used to trip up prey. Perhaps it would be used to remove opponents from the field during a round in a manner that effects the points awarded to a goal of some kind (it's difficult to get away from putting a ball into a hole). Perhaps goals scored with fewer opponents on the field count for less or count for more depending on the dynamics you want the game to have.

Yeah, Klingon fits the description.

Boleadoras, I think they're called (or bolas, short).

I want to keep the rules as limited as possible (which is why the bolas are slowly disappearing from the game).

I really like the "you score, you win" concept. And the three team concept. The two combined create an almost political atmosphere on the playing field, where alliances will be made and broken in a heartbeat.

Perhaps there is no need for two game objects, even. The killing ball and scoring ball could be merged into one. Especially in the early game, there doesn't seem to be a real advantage to controlling the scoring ball (3 v 6). Maybe that disadvantage can be somewhat offset by making the scoring ball into the lone weapon. As long as the weapon does not grant the player superpowers (let's say it increases the player's combat strength by about half), it would seem that the object could be dropped onto the field from above, or perhaps some kind of three-player jumpball could start the game.