but in a match, with multi stages and multi shooters, you have times of the stages (of which can be longer time, if certain penalties are added for mistakes, etc..) and then all stage times are added up to give overall time, as your final score (is this idpa ? or just individual scoring i've come across ?)
So, how is this fair ? if at least 2 stage match or 3 or 6, etc..stage match, then one stage that you totally ruined by very long time), can still give an overall time to ruin the entire match for you.. instead of it ruining that stage result and definately hurting your overall result...
That one bad stage shouldn't be able to ruin your whole match.. IMHO.
Yes, one stage can ruin your match, just like an IPSC stage. Do you think you're going to win an ipsc match if you zero a stage? If you're the kinda guy blowing an entire stage, take my word for it, you're not going to be winning matches. Applies to multi-gun too.
And if one runs thru a stage really quick and short time, but very sloppy hits and he/she is given the added seconds for those sloppy hits and maybe even fails to engage a target or three..but those were very hard to shoot targets that would have taken said time to go thru that part, will the penalty be enough to erase the seconds he/she saved by running past it and enough penalty too have truly hurt the score over another shooter who's gone thru the COF as it was intended ?
IDPA rewards accuracy over speed. Stiff penalties are applied for "blowing through targets" which pretty much requires shooters to do the stage as intended. If you think you can pick up a penalty and be ahead of those who don't, you're probably wrong....but not always. If you intentionally pick up a penalty without fully engaging a target, you can get an FTDR, which will definitely leave you at the bottom of the pack.
End of the day, in IDPA you pretty much have to shoot the stage as intended as accurately as you can. The person who does it the fastest (usually with low to moderate points down) will win.
My experience with shooting with regular IPSC guys is that they can have a tough time adjusting....suggesting that its not good enough to just blow through stages. Points down in IDPA add up, quickly. I think this is mostly due to the FTN. Two C's in IDPA doesn't cut it.
It's the same goign the other way, when I shoot IPSC I have a tough time adjusting. The scoring is more formula based so its harder to make decisions on how thoroughly and accurately to engage a target.
If you fail to finish, how many seconds are added to your time ? and are those enough to make sure he/she has worse score then someone who shot entire stage, but just reeeeeaaaaaaally slow, due to their skill or other reasons ?
Failure to finish is usually from a broken gun, read the rulebook for how that stage is scored. If you intentionally fail to finish, you'll be scored for penalties, points down and an FTDR. You will not come out ahead by intentionally failing to finish a stage, I can guarantee it.
and have the 2 or 3 or 5, etc... seconds added for what ever penalties, been calculated to properly represent fair and accurate penalty, in balance to what others may shoot the stage in ?
What do you mean in balance to other shooters? The penalties apply the same to everyone! If someone gets a FTN, its 5 seconds...not 5 seconds for one guy and 10 seconds for another. If you think the penalty is unfair, then make sure to get your hits! There's no need to "calculate" an appropriate penalty...there designed to be punitive to ensure that you shoot accurately.
I'm not saying that ipsc scoring is better cause i'm regular ipsc shooter.. but it just seems to be a pretty cool formula created to better gauge ones performance compared to another and a terrible stage lowers your overall score, but can't ruin an entire match...
Terrible scores in IPSC are the same in IDPA....you have to shoot consistently well in both to be able to win.
Again, IMHO
I'm not bashing the sport itself, cause it way COOL, as Ipsc, but in its own way...just think the scoring system needs to be modified.... not that we'll win any great prizes and free trips, etc.. but just to be fair.. IMHO
Be happy you have choices.
