New obstacles in 22?

[davidyko]

This might be a bit premature, but hey, speculation is good, right?

The course has stayed basically the same for 3 tournaments. Do you think it's time for some new obstacles? If so, where?

In the first stage, I think the Sextuple Steps and Pole Maze are done. Time for a new first obstacle, and hopefully a bridge obstacle as well.
As for the second stage, I can see them taking out the Metal Spin. No one's failed that thing since 17. I really don't mind the Swing Ladder staying, though, if there's something new after it.
Third stage: I don't think there's much need to change anything. If they do, then maybe the Arm Rings.

Your thoughts?

[bigblind168]

i could see the steps staying, and the pole maze, i mean people still fail those. Metal spin i could see being replaced with an jumping arm bike, where u have to jump to reach the arm bike.

[obakemono]

Agree with Sextuple Steps and Pole Maze, I think that's a general consensus. I think the Cannonball Run from Viking would make a good third obstacle if it were a bit longer, say, 6 balls. I think the rope catch part of the Flying Chute could do with being a little more challenging as well, but they'll probably leave it.

Second stage... I like the Metal Spin but it doesn't seem to stop anyone. I think they'll keep it and maybe change the Swing Ladder. It's not very visually interesting but can cost you some time if you do it inefficiently. Arm Bike would be excellent in its place.

I think the third stage will be untouched, although I'd personally make the jump distance on the Spider Flip a bit longer.

[dwizzo]

Nov 21, 2008 11:09:31 GMT -5 bigblind168 said:

i could see the steps staying, and the pole maze, i mean people still fail those. Metal spin i could see being replaced with an jumping arm bike, where u have to jump to reach the arm bike.

I don't think they will ever take the metal spin out... Typically speaking, obstacles that nagano failed they like to leave in... (jumping bars, metal spin, chute slider, etc...)

I hope they bring the skywalk back in place of the swinging ladder! I'm still curious about that obstacle... I bet it was challenging and they got rid of it because of the miserable performance that year and they were afraid of a repeat...

[davidyko]

We don't know for sure, but most likely the Skywalk was the same thing as that Power Hanger in the Sasuke 21 trials, except going the other way...but I guess it'd be cool to see that in the real competition.
You are right about the Nagano thing though; I'd never noticed that.
And that Cannonball Run idea is pretty cool, actually. I like it. They've been filching Viking obstacles quite often recently anyway; next thing you know, the Math Parley will show up in Stage 1 and screw Nagano over.

[RiderLeangle]

That obstacle would screw me!
but glad I'm not the only one who noticed, they have been taking Viking obstacles and making them easier, Rope/Pole maze ring a bell?

[talledega7]

If anything happens to the Sextuple Steps, it'll probably be changing them into the Septuple Steps. The steps in all forms have done their fair share of eliminations and the only people who get hurt there are the ones who take a header into a step. Remember, the Rope Glider got taken out because of injuries, so the Steps will probably stay in.

The Cannonball run might be fun, but maybe a bit too random. One of my complaints about the Barrell Climb was how random its elimination pattern was (Eiichi Miura leaps to mind) and the Cannonball had the same type of effect.

[Zorn]

Probably steps might stay or be replaced. The pole maze might go though.
As for the second stage I think the metal spin might stay for one more tournament and then be replaced in the next competition. (Metal spin might end up like the hammer dodge and stay for 5 competitions since the course redesign.)
Changes on the third stage won't happen unless more people start passing.

[RiderLeangle]

I can see the Kudari Ranpu Grasper and Devil Steps being taken out, 4 attempts on both, no Downwards Globe Grasp failures and only 1 Devil Steps failure. And I don't know about the grasper but the Devil Steps are too easy.

[supernovamaniac]

put an inclining salmon ladder for 3rd stage?

[scnoi1217]

Last time I checked someone failed the Devil Steps, and over the last three tournaments, there have only been 4 attempts at the third stage. Once more people get to Stage 3 that don't have the best arm strength, such as a Daisuke Nakata type person, I think you'll see more people fail there. If you only watched Levi's run in 20, you would say that the Devil Steps were easy too. However, watching Daisuke Miyazaki fail there makes me believe otherwise. I think they'll wait until people actually beat the 3rd Stage to change it.

Other changes I think will be made are the Sextuple Step and Pole Maze will go. I've said this for awhile now, and I'm almost sure they'll change it for Sasuke 22.

In the 2nd Stage I could see them doing something after the Stick Slider. Either adding in another obstacle, getting rid of something like the Swing Ladder, or maybe even lowering the time limit by another 5-10 seconds.

[obakemono]

Globe Grasp is a lot harder than the Devil Steps, but being the second obstacle means few people are going to fail there, since the third stage is almost entirely about endurance rather than technique and you need an amount of that to even pass the Salmon Ladder to get there.

I think harder obstacles in the first three spots of the third stage will come if/when too many people pass the Cliff Hanger, just to wear people out more before then.

[RiderLeangle]

Well like I said, one in 4 isn't a great record for the Devil Steps, and even the grasper hasn't taken anyone out since the downwards addition.
And I was saying the Devil Steps were easy because I've done them.

And I don't think the Swing Ladder is staying for too much longer, I still say the steps and maze are leaving by 22.

[obakemono]

My point is that not many people that get there are going to fail the second and third obstacles, whatever they are, unless they perhaps brought back the Body Prop, which loads of people seem to just slip off when they were fine. That was a good obstacle but IMO a bit boring to watch.

[RiderLeangle]

I don't think the third stage was supposed to be exciting, its untimed, don't expect fast paced action.

[obakemono]

It was just the slowest of slow obstacles. I suppose it'd be more interesting if you were watching it live and they could slip off at any moment.

[scnoi1217]

Also remember that to get to the 3rd Stage now, you need considerable upper body strength. The 2nd Stage, with the Salmon Ladder in particular is brutal on the arms and will weed out anybody that might have made it to the 3rd Stage in the pre-Sasuke 18 days. Those are the people most likely to fail in the first 3 obstacles, not the people that breeze through it like Takeda or Nagano.

[Homeslice]

I think the course should be mostly unchanged, except take out the Swing Ladder. I still think the Arm Bike in its place is the best thing to do.

[bigblind168]

Guys. Every obstacle is doing its job.

Sextuple steps are theyre as a decent first obstacle, u can trip up and fail. Pole Maze is doing its job by taking out roughly 5-7 people and slowing people down. Same with the swing ladder, did you see enchi's attempt at it, HORRIFIC! i mean i couldnt watch that! but it slowed him down, if somehting like... the balance tank was their he mighta cleared stage 2. But every obstacle is sasuke is doing its job right now, i take maybe a minor change, but no new or revived obstacles

[RiderLeangle]

I don't think Lee Enchi really was paying attention to the clock, its not just the Swing Ladder that costed him, look at how much time he took on the obstacles (particularly the Salmon Ladder) and how he walked between obstacles except the Metal Spin (I'm pretty sure that it was the metal spin that took him out in 17 and he beat it now) which you have to run for, and he still walked to the runup. So its not the Swing Ladder that took him out. Although its the first time since 17 that the Wall Lift took someone out.