I don't know how much opinions would change. This format was obviously bad. Having played bo5 with map ad and with p/b ad, map ad is probably a better format. Just from listening to people talk about it na is fairly indifferent about map ad in general while eu definitely dislikes it.

At 5 maps in the pool a bracket reset format would have been totally fine. Especially in an online season where you can just schedule the 2nd bo3 on a different day. RGL has used similar formats outside of 6s before. Play 4 maps with map ad + 1 ban would have also been fine. Potential for a bo1 gf is so obviously bad to watch, and definitely lackluster to play.

Map advantage is honestly pretty strong, especially in grands. For this season for instance, the two finalists should have pretty good reads on their respective map pools. For a tournament like physgun denver or poland likewise by finals time each team should have a pretty strong read on their map pool. TF2 also has this thing where a couple of the maps are a bit same-y like snake/sun/proc/metal so having maps included like granary, gully, bagel, via where teams fluctuate a lot more in skill level definitely improves the format. If we just played process 5 times, a map ad would be pretty fair. At physgun for instance, I thought it was pretty cool to play bagel after literally everyone banning it against us the entire tournament.

Upper bracket winner already has an advantage in that they have to play less games, which gives them more time to prepare and usually less to prepare for, as well as more time to rest. I don't really personally think a map adv is justified currently.

commenting on na cause I really am not a great knower on etf2l after like s35 or something
esea: 6, 11, 12 (i46), 16, 18, 21, 24 (rewind), 27 (rewind 2)
honorable mentions: 14 had a fantastic regular season but terrible playoffs, 15 had a fantastic finals but was otherwise boring

rgl: 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 15, 18

cu@

freight has been a terrible dm map always, fog put it in because he thought people dying to the trains was funny
not a fan of warmtic either but at least it hasn't been wasting my time for 10+ years

i enjoy playing sultry because it's new and playing snakewater process and metalworks for 10 years has worn on my soul. i do not enjoy playing sultry because it is comically easy to defend.

on the subject of game time, the majority of the lasts in 6s are too easy to defend currently. Gully is kind of the only map where the defenders don't actually have a positional advantage even with offclasses. Part of this is definitely spawns being too strong (process) but part of it is just map design (metal, snake, sultry)

losing 1 pipe and rollers isn't insignificant BUT
removing one of demoman's biggest weakness (range) while also making it a better dm class in a 1v1 (especially on LAN) significantly outweighs the downsides. the weapon was straight gate kept by itself for so long because it makes you want to farm long range pipes like an idiot (which isn't even bad somehow) but once you get over that hurdle the weapon is straight better on the class that's already the most impactful class that isn't medic.
The weapon also buffs hitting 100 damage across the map with a pipe which, gameplay wise, is the most obnoxious part of the class. The weapon also somehow makes quickies viable and enables a playstyle where you sit way out of range of every other class while also pressuring one shots on scouts from across the map. People complain about sniper incessantly and this shit is literally just projectile sniper class while also STILL being demoman.

guys this is a serious post

do 1+2 & this

also someone please fix sultry last it's boring and bad, actually ruins the map

https://i.imgur.com/0RH2B49.jpeg

thank you.

shady maple is pretty neat
they also have a tchotchke and furniture store lol

demos

nyxi i'm right here man

stabby
dimento
uhhh...
joe..?

over-utilized and underdeveloped

also IP theft is dumb and bad

There's significantly more traps than this. 4 (and also on the slanted wall above 4!!!) is probably the most impactful to remove because it stops soldiers from jumping through and it's essentially impossible to airdet I like the idea of the nook a lot, and I think similarly you could move the wall out fort where hose/ the wooden platform is to give a little extra space to dodge spam for the first scout / soldier who get through