What if we were allowed to specify the number of performers we had, and each and every one of them could tick? The way I see it, at the beginning of the season you put in how many performers you have (each tier having a minimum). Then the more performers you have you get a score boost. Say a maximum of 150 members earns you 105% of what you normally would score (because it's more impressive if your 80 member company front is perfect as opposed to a 10 man company front). BUT! Each member of the group has a .5% chance of an uncharacteristic tick (we've all had those shows where we messed up in a way we never have before and never did again). And each tick is .1 points off your score. That way there's way more variation in scores and going into finals we have more anticipation, because by some absurdly sad result of the random tick generator, the top corps has every single member uncharacteristically tick resulting in a full 15 point deduction (presumably there was a massive pile up on the field).

Plus it gives us a new director ability. While initially we have each member having a .5% chance of ticking, but the director skill could lower it to as low as .1% or lower. The director skill would be called "Unusually cruel punishments for ticking".

Although, maybe for finals, there's another ability, "Hype" or "Inspirational Speech" where the better you are at it, just for finals, your corps' chance of ticking is cut in half, where if you're bad at it, your corps members will have a tendency to choke (i.e. doubling half the member's chance of ticking just for finals).

Looks like someone has not had their Wheaties today. If rehearsing isn't enough you can just wait for fate to hand you a higher placement. LOL !!!

Your logic is faulty because I've never ticked. :D

I really do like the concept though. I think some randomness would be good, while still being realistic in the sense that groups who have more funds and better staff can more easily avoid it. Plus it will give cire something to do with those useless Skill Points he is currently racking up. Haha.

I'm not saying, I want to be given a higher placement from this. I just want a touch more randomness. Usually going into finals, we're 99% sure of all the placements. It's dull. Sometimes it'd be nice if through luck, someone managed to pull of the upset. Sometimes the group that works harder doesn't win. Just the facts of life.

I really like this idea but what if it also went the other way? What if each member also had a chance of running a "perfect show" where they hit just the right note hit every one of the dots exactly and caused your score to boost. I also think it might be easier if this was done in sections, as in your hornline was great +1 but guard derped it up -1.5. Otherwise I love this idea if it can be done.

I like it. Another thought. Show rewrites.

What if once or twice per season you could press a button that would be the equivalent of a big drill or music change (Like I think at one point in 09 Phantom's closer became the middle of the show). You would say have an 80% chance of improving (so from then on all of your rehearsals have a 105% effectiveness than if you'd just left it), but sometimes show rewrites are too difficult or just don't work and the other 20% of the time your rehearsals go down to 90% effectiveness. These boosts are invisible, so if you notice that your show seems to be scoring slower than it should, at the cost of a full rehearsal day you can revert your show back to original and earn your 100%.

It might also make sense to add additional options of upgrading Equipment (I.E. Brass, Percussion, Guard, Props, Etc.). This would allow for the use of FMA Cash to be used once all staff have been upgraded & possibly keep groups hosting shows if they can still use the proceeds for a positive purpose.

After about 2 1/2 years of BD I stopped getting hyped before shows

Well I only did 2 years of drum corps, so the hype lives on.

Vinny this entire idea is amazing. I like 100% of it. I really hope Alex adds something like this I would be ecstatic.

I think it will just be another thing that will get added to the "if only" category I feel like this will be way too much work to be feasible for Alex to pull off.