Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Organizing Losers Battles

Prior posts in the series
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 1: suggested games and evaluating their samples
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 2: First look at downloaded samples
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 3: Organizing "Battles"
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Organizing Losers Battles
Search for a current fantasy main system Part 4: Evaluating the game systems

Here are my combined posts concerning the structure of the losers bracket battle rounds.

I'm working out a system to test the non-playable games.

I think after I finish doing the battle phase and reduce the playable games nearly in half, I will do a losers bracket.

Phase 1: losers bracket battle round

*Phase one Criteria might be three:

1. Official Rules - How good are the rules that I can find on the official site? And I don't want to create an account to access it or given something not available officially to all. Unless it's available on RPG Now, which I already have an account.

2. Gameplay - Can I figure out the rules by looking at or watching a few gameplay media?

3. Reviews - Can I figure out the rules by reading or listening to rules review?

*Criteria are subject to change, if between now and then I think of something different or better.

I'll use the same grading scale - A through E as the winners phase 2 battle round.

If any of the systems are missing any of those three data points, it will be an automatic E = 0 for that criteria.

If I can't remember or forget or am distracted hearing or reading a detail - tough, too bad, so sad. My attention and memory can only go so far when media isn't in front of me.

I'll then divide the score by three to get the score.

Phase 2: losers bracket

The winners of the first losers bracket phase I'll try to do a full evaluation using what I've learned about the game like the other games taking the winners and tied games of the first round against each other. Anything that I can't figure out or remember from a few gameplay, reviews, and rules notes in the full-20 criteria will be an automatic E = 0. And all the total of the scores on my criteria spreadsheet is divided by 20.

Only one game from the losers bracket will emerge.

If there is a tie ... maybe a dice roll if I can't decide.

I think it's tough but fair.

Losers Bracket Phase 1 Battles

Strange Object Battle - Burning Wheel Gold v Cypher System

Two 'The's Battle - Shadow of the Demon Lord v The One Ring

Hero Battle - Hero System v Heroquest Glorantha

Kickstarter Battle - Blades in the Dark v 7th Sea

Anyway, it will be a while, at least a week, before I get through the top games. Heck, they might even read this and make sure they have material ready