(Thanks to http://www.ozfortress.com for allowing us to hack and use the f6i ruleset!)

1. General

1.1 Tournament Format

The ClanSport TF2 Masters is a six team, six versus six ("6v6") double elimination invitational Team Fortress 2 tournament. Teams that lose two games will be eliminated from the tournament.
All rounds of the tournament will be best-of-three-maps and will be played in a first-to-5-points match format. Maps will run for 30 minutes. For more information on best-of-three map selection please see Section 2.2.

Click here for the tournament draw.


1.2 Tournament Prizes

• 1st Place Prize: $500 cash thanks to netGameRadio & 6x Cyber Snipa® Micro-fibre Mouse Mats

• 2nd Place Prize: $300 cash thanks to Foosh Australia & 6x Cyber Snipa® Micro-fibre Mouse Mats

• 3rd Place Prize: 6x Cyber Snipa® Micro-fibre Mouse Mats

Cyber Snipa® Player of the Tournament 

•    Cyber Snipa® Stinger MouseTM

•    Cyber Snipa® Game Pad V2

•    Cyber Snipa® TracerTM Mouse Pad
 

1.3 Tournament Representatives

• Tournament Directors:

o Heals

o wm

• Server Administrators:

o TBA

o TBA

o TBA

• netGameRadio:

o JiNxXx

o NoMercy

o Josh

o Scarecrow

o Geomanis

o Cholesterol

o Chookz 

o Razor

1.4 Important Dates

• <09-01-10 11:59pm>: Rosters Locked; Players registered to teams after this date will not be considered eligible players unless they’re an approved exception.
• <10-01-10>: Round 1 Starts
• <17-01-10>: Round 2 Starts
• <24-01-10>: Round 3 Starts
• <31-01-10>: Round 4 Starts
• <07-02-10>: Finals Week
• <14-02-10>: Grand Final



2. Scheduling

2.1 Match Scheduling

Match information threads will be posted in the ClanSport TF2 Masters sub-forum on ozfortress (http://www.ozfortress.com) once the participants for a given match have been finalised. These threads will contain the match date and time, maps, server & STV information.

Server passwords will be distributed to team captains 12-24 hours prior to a given match.


2.2 Map Selection for 'Best-of-Three'

Best-of-three ("bo3") map selection is done as per the following:

• The away team eliminates one map from the list of seven maps (See: 2.2.1 Map List)

• The home team eliminates one map from the six remaining maps

• The away team then picks one map as their map selection from the five remaining maps

• The home team then picks one map as their map selection from the four remaining maps

• The away team eliminates one map from the three remaining maps (Tie-breaker map elim)

• The home team eliminates one map from the two remaining maps (Tie-breaker map elim)

Important Notes:

• When a match is scheduled a tournament administrator will use the ChanServ dice (!d) function in #ozfortress, #clansport or #netgameradio to randomly determine which team will be the home team

• A team cannot eliminate the same map during the map selection process two matches in a row, with the exception of the note below.

• Tie-breaker map eliminations have no bearing on map elimination ability for the following week and are not influenced by the previous week’s primary or tie-breaker eliminations

• The maps are to be played in the order that they were picked

• The tie-breaker map is only played if there is no winner (e.g. 1-1) after the first two maps have been played

2.2.1 Map List

• cp_granary

• cp_well

• cp_badlands

• cp_pro_lane_v2

• cp_follower

• cp_freight

• cp_gravelpit

3. Matches

3.1 Eligible Players

Teams are only permitted to use players that meet all of the following conditions:

• Must be signed up and registered to their team on ozfortress

• Must have joined their team before the roster lock date (See: 1.4 Important Dates)

• Must have their Steam ID submitted in their ozfortress profile

3.1.1 Player Exceptions

In the interests of maintaining team stability throughout the competition, exceptions will be considered on a case-by-case basis. The following limitations will apply:

• The player must not have been a member of another team competing in the tournament at any time after the original roster lock date

To apply for an exception, please make sure the player is registered on ozfortress and has their Steam ID handy. Contact a tournament director (See: 1.3 Tournament Representatives) with all the relevant information (Player's name and the reason you believe an exception should be made). Exceptions will be published in the exceptions thread, in the ozfortress ClanSport Masters tournament forum.

3.2 Class Restrictions

• Demoman: 1
• Engineer: 1
• Heavy: 1
• Medic: 1
• Spy: 1
• Pyro: 2
• Scout: 2
• Sniper: 2
• Soldier: 2

3.3 Weapon Unlocks

All weapon unlocks available in the game as of roster lock are allowed with the exception of the Sandman and Gunboats, the Sandman and Gunboats are not to be used. Any unlock released by valve post-roster lock is NOT allowed.


3.4 Starting and Playing the Match

3.4.1 Starting the match

All server IP addresses and passwords for matches will be e-mailed to team captains at least 24 hours prior to the match. If details change, a tournament representative will contact both of the teams involved.


3.4.2 Joining the server

Once both teams have the server IP address and password they are to join the server. Matches must start within ten (10) minutes of the scheduled start time.


3.4.3 Minimum Starting Players

Teams must have a minimum of five (5) ready players in the server to start a match. If they do not meet these requirements by ten (10) minutes after the organised match start time, they will forfeit the match.

3.4.4 Player Names

Players are required to use the same name in-game as listed on their team roster. Spoof names may result in offending players immediate dismissal from the tournament.


3.4.5 Status Screenshots

Before the match starts and once all players are in the server each team must take a screenshot of the console after using the status command (i.e. bring down the console (default key '~'), type the command 'status' and then take a screenshot with 'jpeg').

3.4.6 Personal Demos

All players are required to record a personal demo (also referred to as a "point of view" or "POV" demo) for every map they play and keep the recording for the duration of the tournament. Demos are to be provided on request of a tournament administrator.

To record a POV demo, drop down the console and type the command 'record filename', where filename is a filename of your choosing (e.g. record teama_vs_teamb). You do not have to type this for every map during the match; Team Fortress 2 will automatically stop and restart recording to a new file (and will suffix a number to the filename you specified) after each map change. To stop recording once the match is over type 'stop' in the console.


3.5 Match Scoring

3.5.1 Mirrored CP Maps

The following scoring method will be used for mirrored cp maps.

• First team to reach 5 points or until the 30 minute time limit is reached.

3.5.2 Time Based Maps (Gravelpit)

3.6 Draws

• If there is no outright winner after the first two team picked maps have been played, then the third tie-breaker map must be played (See: 2.2 Map Selection). If the tie-breaker map itself ends in a draw, then the map must be restarted and another single ("golden") round on the map must be played to determine the winner of the match. Please note that draws ARE allowed on the first two team-picked maps, only when playing the tie-breaker map is a draw not allowed.


3.7 Spectators

With the exception of ClanSport admins, netGameRadio & Auscast staff/guests and one reserve player for each team, no spectators are allowed in matches under any circumstances.

If a substitute player is needed, the original player must leave before the replacement player joins the team -- a team cannot have more than six (6) players spawned in when a map is live.


4. Cheating and Exploits

4.1 Exploits

Exploiting game or map bugs/glitches/flaws ("exploits") for the purposes of gaining an unfair advantage is prohibited. Exploits that are not specifically named here are still prohibited but will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis.

The following game/map exploits are specifically prohibited:
• Engineer Buildables in the Respawn: All Engineer buildables (Sentry Gun, Dispenser, Teleporter Entrance and Exit) must be able to be damaged while the respawn doors are closed. If they cannot be damaged while the respawn doors are closed then that build location is considered to be an exploit.
• cp_well: Using the lamp post bug on the RED side of the base to jump over the trains is prohibited. All other methods of jumping over the trains is acceptable.
• cp_well: Standing on top of the red windows outside between middle and second. If standing here, it will be classified as an exploit.
• Jump Exploiting: "Spamming" the +duck command while jumping is prohibited. If more than two crouches per jump is observed, it can be classified as an exploit.
• Sticky Exploiting: The use sticky bombs to cause damage or death through a solid wall where it logically shouldn't. One known exploit location is under point A on cp_gravelpit.

4.1.2 Exceptions

There are currently no exceptions.


4.2 Third Party Software

The use of any third-party addons, hooks, programs or wrappers that interact with or alter the Team Fortress 2 client, its appearance or behaviour for the purposes of gaining an unfair advantage is prohibited. Players and teams caught using such addons will, at the discretion of the tournament administrators, be removed from the tournament and forfeit any prizes awarded by their position.


4.2.1 Exceptions

Third party voice communication software such as (but not limited to) Ventrilo, Teamspeak and mumble are allowed.


4.3 Impersonating an Eligible Player

Impersonating an eligible player by attempting to alias as them, using their Steam account or by any other method is prohibited and will result in the aliasing player and the player they are aliasing as being removed from the tournament. If a team is caught for aliasing twice, be it in the same match or in different matches, the entire team will be removed from the tournament and forfeit any prizes awarded by their position.


5. Servers

5.1 Server Configuration

All tournament matches must use the official server configuration file. Please contact an administrator if you need this file.


5.2 Acceptable Servers

An acceptable server must have at least nineteen slots (14 for the players and up to 5 for ClanSport admins & netGameRadio and Auscast staff/guests). The server must also have SourceTV available and use the official server configuration file (available on request).


5.4 Foreign Teams

All matches involving Australian teams are played on the tournament server (hosted by iPGN). However, if the match is between two New Zealand teams, it may be played on an acceptable New Zealand server (See: 5.2 Acceptable Servers).


5.5 Server Crashes

In the event of a server crash, the map in progress when the server crashed must be replayed once the server comes back online. If the server is not online within ten (10) minutes, another acceptable server (See: 5.2 Acceptable Servers) must be found and used. If another server cannot be found then the match must be rescheduled to be finished at the next available opportunity before the round ends (See: 2.1 Match Scheduling).

5.6 Pausing

Teams will be entitled to request that the game be paused once per match. Pause requests can only be made in the event that a player from the requesting team has been involuntarily disconnected from the server during a live round. Games will be paused for no longer than 3 minutes. If the issue is not resolved and the player has not rejoined the server in 3 minutes, play will resume. Exact timing of a pause will be at the discretion of the server administrator.

6. Punishment and Disputes

6.1 Disputes

The dispute process has been set up for team captains to report teams and/or player(s) that may have broken the rules of the tournament

Tournament administrators may initiate a dispute if they witness a team in breach of the rules during the course of administrating a match.


6.1.1 Lodging a Dispute

Team captains must lodge disputes within forty-eight (48) hours of match completion.

To lodge a dispute, a team captain must submit a private message to a tournament administrator on the ozfortress forums (http://www.ozfortress.com).

When lodging the dispute, please include all relevant information and evidence to support the allegation. Disputes lodged with insufficient supporting information and/or evidence will be closed without an investigation being opened.

6.1.2 Process

Once a dispute has been lodged and received by the administrators, disputes will be handled in a three stage process:
1. Checked for Merit: The administrators will assess the submitted evidence and make a determination whether there is sufficient evidence presented to support an investigation into the dispute. If it is determined that there is sufficient evidence, then the dispute will move onto the next stage, otherwise the dispute will be closed and no further action will be taken. (Up to 12 hours)
2. Administrator Investigation: The administrators will investigate the lodged dispute and may request additional supporting evidence such as POV demos. (Up to 24-48 hours)
3. Deliberation and Ruling: Once the dispute has been investigated, the administrators will deliberate (up to 24 hours) and make a ruling. The ruling will be posted and 'stickied' in the disputes sub-forum and an announcement made. All rulings are final. (Up to 24 hours)

7. Forfeits & Defaults

Forfeited contests needlessly waste time and resources and detract from the overall satisfaction level for all parties involved in the ClanSport TF2 Masters Series. By accepting an invitation to this tournament, participants are making a commitment to attend all scheduled contests. It is with this commitment in mind that the following policy regarding forfeits has been designed. 

7.1 Forfeits

7.1.1 Standard Match Forfeits

Any team that fails to appear for any scheduled Standard Match will be charged with a forfeit. Similarly, a forfeit will result when a team does not have the minimum number of required players in the time allotted to start a match (See 3.4.3). A Standard Match forfeit will count as a loss. Standard Matches include any match that is not a quarter-final, semi-final, grand final, play-off or special match. Please contact a tournament director for match type clarification.

7.1.2 Finals Match Forfeits

Any team that fails to appear for a Finals Match or indicates an inability to appear prior to a Finals Match, including but not limited to, quarter-finals, semi-finals, grand finals and play-offs, will be charged with a forfeit. Similarly, a forfeit will result when a team does not have the minimum number of required players in the time allotted to start a finals match (See 3.4.3). A Finals Match forfeit will count as a loss and incur immediate expulsion from the tournament including forfeiture of all tournament prizes that would have been awarded by their end placing or position. Individual players of a forfeiting team will also become ineligible for tandem awards such as 'Player of the Tournament' upon a Finals Match forfeit. This policy will be strictly enforced.

In an effort to avoid match forfeits, please take advantage of player exceptions (See 3.1.1).

7.1.3 Repeated Match Forfeits

Any team that forfeits two Standard Matches during the course of the tournament will forfeit all tournament prizes that would have been awarded to them by their end placing or position.

7.2 Defaults

7.2.1 Standard Match Defaults

If a team knows in advance that it will not be able to make a scheduled Standard Match, the captain should contact a Tournament Director no later than 48hrs prior to the match. A default will be granted to any team requesting it prior to the 48hr deadline.

All defaulted contests will be counted as a loss, however the team will not be charged with a forfeit and will remain in the double elimination tournament provided the defaulted contest does not result in the second loss.
 

7.3 Forfeited Prizes

Forfeited prizes will be passed down to the next team eligible. In the case that two or more teams may be eligible for the forfeited prize, at ClanSport's discretion, a play-off will be scheduled or the prize divided among eligible teams.