| STA SoF2 Rules |
I. I. Introduction
II. II. Terminology
III. III. Scheduling and Match Results
IV. IV. Match Regulations
V. V. Server Settings
VI. VI. Server BanList Settings
VII. VII. Server MODS and OSP Regulations
VIII. VIII. Pre-Match & Match Play Information
IX. IX. Overtime
X. X. Anti-Smurf Regulations
XI. XI. Conduct, Cheating, Sportsmanship, etc
XII. XII. Ping Imbalance
XIII. XII. Disputes
I. I. Introduction
I. Introduction
Welcome to the STA-SOF2 6 v 6 Capture The Flag league.
This section of the website is dedicated to laying out the structure of the Stronger Than All – Capture The Flag league. You can find answers to the most common questions regarding match play and regulations, in the following paragraphs.
If you feel something is answered inadequately please contact an administrator to have it reviewed and the rules amended / added.
Please remember, in the absence of a specific rule definition, the administrator(s) will make the final call on what is or is not acceptable. The rules may be changed at any time when flaws/loopholes have been exposed, based on input from the community and/or administration.
II. II. Terminology
II. Terminology
During the course of the rules certain terms will be used. This section will be used to clarify those terms to help reduce misunderstandings.
Acceptable Ping: 75ms average ping difference between the 2 teams participating in the match.
Away Clan: Any clan listed second on the schedule.
Demo: A player recording of match play.
Demotion: A team that has been moved down a division for playing poorly.
Home Clan: Any clan listed first on the schedule.
Match: Two (2) - 20 minute rounds – Scores totaled together.
MM1: Message mode 1, global chat where everyone can hear.
MM2: Message mode 2, team chat where only other teammates can hear.
OSP: Orange Smoothie Admin Mod
Promotion: A team that has been moved up a division for playing well.
PunkBuster: Cheat Monitoring Software by EvenBalance.
Round: A round consists of 20 minutes as either the red or blue team
Anti-Smurf: A system in place to avoid illegal substitutions. No player without a registered GUID is authorize to play in STA!
III. III. Scheduling and Match Results
III. Scheduling and Match Results
Teams play at a default time of 8:30pm CST every Thursday. If for some reason the match cannot be completed on Thursday teams have until the following Sunday (11:00pm CST) to complete and report the match. If both teams cannot agree on a time they must complete the match on the default-designated day (Thursday). Deviations from the default day must be communicated to administrators. Please post ALL communications, including reschedules, in the Captains forums. If you are a Team Captain and do not have access to these forums, please email sabes@sta-league.org.
Clans are scheduled on the following criteria:
* Division: (All matches will be played against another team in your division)
* Win/Loss streak: a team with 2 wins in a row will be scheduled against another team that has 2 wins in a row or the closest thing to it and so on.
* Previous opponents: we will do the best we can to not schedule a team against another that they have played recently, within the last 2 weeks or longer.
Match results can be reported via the 'Operations' link on the left Navbar. Then go to Match Results. Any member of the team that is in possession of the team’s password, which is necessary to report, may report the results.
BOTH Teams MUST report the outcome of the match. When both teams report the match results; schedules can be created faster and disputes can be addressed quicker. Failure to report the results on time may result in a Null match and neither team will get credit for it. We do not want to have to chase you down for results. It is important that the team captains monitor their email after a match, in case an administrator has a specific question or request!
IV. IV. Match Regulations
IV. Match Regulations
Smurfing
STA-SOF2 will not tolerate ringers. A ringer is defined as someone playing for a team that is not currently part of that team. Anyone caught ringing for another team will automatically forfeit their team. Team members must play under their roster name at all times during the match. Teams who think a player may be playing under another persons name must provide proof in order for the admin to make a ruling.
In order to enforce the above rule, a PB-GUID registration is required by every member. Anyone can review another team’s roster and their members GUID in the ‘Clan Contacts’ section located on the left NavBar. Click on ‘More Information’ for further details on the team.
Team rosters must be checked before the match begins in order to avoid such situations. This can be accomplished by dropping your console and typing pb_plist. I suggest taking a screenshot of the plist. If you dispute based on this rule, a screenshot will be required.
Substitutions
Teams may sub players in and out when the teams switch from offense to defense during the break. Another member joining the server may replace a player that drops due to a disconnection problem or something similar.
Spectators
STA does not allow spectators during match play, unless both team captains agree on using specs. OSP allows for spectator-locking and offers no specific advantage to team play. Nevertheless, STA will NOT support spectators during match play. The exception is the STA admins. We do spectate matches each week.
Demos
All players are to take demos of the match and keep them at least 2 weeks in order to be reviewed if requested by an admin. Failure to do so may cause teams and/or players to be punished. The following line may be used to create a demo
bind F11 "g_synchronousclients 1; record; g_synchronousclients 0"
bind F12 "stoprecord"
* You may change F11 and F12 to whatever key you wish, a demo is successfully recording if it says recording in the top middle of your screen.
V. V. Server Settings
V. Server Settings
The STA settings must be setup on the server before the match begins. Any complaints about server settings MUST be brought up before the match begins not after. Complaints brought forth to an admin after the fact will not be looked into. Each team should ensure that these settings are properly loaded, BEFORE the match begins.
The staserver.cfg file is available for download from the Captains forums. If you do not have access to the Captains forums, please contact MA-Chick for the file or Sabes for access. Admin contact information is in the bottom right corner.
All match servers MUST be Pure and have Punkbuster enabled. Cvar checks and MD5Tool checks are supported by STA. Bans based on those checks will be added to the staban.dat. Our banlist is composed of the banlist generated by both pbbans.com and punksbusted.com and STA community bans that meet the requirements of pbbans.com and punksbusted.com. Streaming your server to either site is encouraged.
VI. VI. Server BanList Settings
VI. Server BanList Settings
Stronger Than All will again enforce a Master Banlist generated by PunksBusted.com and PBBans.com. This list will be updated monthly. The admins of this site will also add players to this list as they are discovered within our games. This is a requirement of every team within STA and must be implemented by 9/2004. Here are some instructions on getting the file to load correctly.
1. Receive the new banlist from our admins via the Captains forums.
2. Upload the file (staban.dat) to your /pb/ directory within your game server.
3. Two lines must be added to your server configuration in order to kick in the banlist:
\rcon pb_sv_banempty
\rcon pb_sv_banload <Your PB Path>/staban.dat
(if you're using the staserver.cfg - these lines are already included)
If you have some installation questions, please contact MA-Chick at ceisenhart@msn.com or send Chick a message on the forums..
VII. VII. Server MODS and OSP Regulations
VII. Server MODS and OSP Regulations
The Stronger Than All League only supports a single server mod. That MOD is the OSP (Orange Smoothie Production) administration mod. Considering OSP has several versions associated with its use; STA requires that the most current community reliable version be used. At this time, the required version is: OSP++0.1d_BETA. In addition to running the mod, server admins must ensure that the BUGFIXES are ENABLED or ON during match play (seta g_enhancedbugfixes "1"). If both teams agree that OSP and/or BugFixes will not be used, this agreement MUST be confirmed 48hours prior to match time, and posted in the Captains forums. Both teams must agree to the change, if not OSP++0.1d is required with BugFixes ON!
VIII. VIII. Pre-Match & Match Play Information
VIII. Pre-Match & Match Play Information
* Home team advantage. Like in all sports/games the home team usually has a slight advantage. Without trying to unbalance things too much in STA, the home team will have first choice of color and server in the event of a 2 match server as well as choice of side should the match go into overtime. The home team is the first team listed in the schedule.
Pre Match
The home team MUST contact their opponent VIA THE CAPTAINS FORUMS a minimum of 24 hours before a match in order to setup server selection, passwords, time verifications, specific mod use, etc. If the home team does not contact their opponent and the opponent reports it, a forfeit will be awarded. If you come to an admin with a dispute regarding this rule, please don't waste your time. The rule is clear and there is no room for interpretation. Admins will be popping into servers from time to time to spectate matches. It is imperative that this information be posted in the Captains forums.
If you fail to notify your opponent of an inability to field a team for your match and you lose by forfeit, your team will be suspended for one week. Subsequent violations will result in an indefinite suspension and your team will not be readmitted until an admin has reviewed the situation. This is NOW enforced and required by all teams! This will ensure that the match can begin on time and in an orderly fashion. Make sure you check player GUID's using the steps in Section XI. Anti-Smurf Regulations.
Teams have 15 minutes after the scheduled/agreed time to get on the server and be ready to play. If a team is not on the server after 15 minutes has expired and no exceptional reason as to why has been put forth the match will cost the offending team a forfeit. That does not alleviate the winning team from reporting the match.
The match may start when both team leaders announce over MM1 that their teams will not be readmitted until an admin has reviewed the situation. This is NOW enforced and required by all teams! This will ensure that the match can begin on time and in an orderly fashion. Make sure you check player GUID's using the steps in Section XI. Anti-Smurf Regulations.
Both teams should ensure that the server settings are entered as required by the default configuration. Any disputes in server settings MUST be addressed prior to the Match start!
Match
Matches are to be played 6 v 6, although if the team captains agree they may play as many players definite suspension and your team will not be readmitted until an admin has reviewed the situation. This is NOW enforced and required by all teams! This will ensure that the match can begin on time and in an orderly fashion. Make sure you check player GUID's using the steps in Section XI. Anti-Smurf Regulations.
Teams have 15 minutes after the scheduled/agreed time to get on the server and be ready to play. If a team is not on the server after 15 minutes has expired and no exceptional reason as to why has been put forth the match will cost the offending team a forfeit. That does not alleviate the winning team from reporting the match.
The match may start when both team leaders announce over MM1 that their teams will not be readmitted until an admin has reviewed the situation. This is NOW enforced and required by all teams! This will ensure that the match can begin on time and in an orderly fashion. Make sure you check player GUID's using the steps in Section XI. Anti-Smurf Regulations.
Both teams should ensure that the server settings are entered as required by the default configuration. Any disputes in server settings MUST be addressed prior to the Match start!
Match
Matches are to be played 6 v 6, although if the team captains agree they may play as many players as they want. If both clans agree, the match may be played short as low as 5 v 6.
Matches in STA consist of 20-minute rounds; each team will play 1 round on each color. After the conclusion of the 2 rounds the scores from both rounds will be totaled up and the final score will be achieved. After the first round has been played the map is to be restarted when both teams are ready to play. Teams may take a 5 - 10 minute break at the halfway point to make substitutions, switch servers etc.
Scoring / Round Example: Team A wins 7-3 on red side after 20 minutes then on Blue side after 20 minutes Team A loses 6-4 on their Defense. Overall team A wins the match 11 - 9 (7 on Offense + 4 on Defense)
IX. IX. Overtime
IX. Overtime
Overtime
Teams will go into overtime if the scores are level after the 2 rounds are completed and the scores from both rounds have been added together. As described in home team advantage above the home team will get choice of server and color for the overtime round. All OT rounds are played as sudden death (First cap wins)! The command to set sudden death is g_suddendeath "1"
X. X. Anti-Smurf Regulations
X. Anti-Smurf Regulations
In an effort to monitor 'smurfing' during matches, STA uses the Anti-Smurf System to allow team captains to monitor team players. This rule takes effect on February 4th, 2004.
Entering Player GUID's
Team captains must update their player GUID's by February 4th, 2004. Only enter the LAST 8 DIGITS of the GUID. To enter player GUID's use the following steps:
1. Click on the 'Operations' Link.
2. Click on 'Update Roster'.
3. Select your team name and click on the 'Continue' button.
4. Enter the 'SoF2 Anti-Smurf ID' in the text box for every player. (LAST 8 digits ONLY!)
5. Enter your clan password.
6. Click on the 'Update Roster' button.
Obtaining PB-GUID's
To get your specific player GUID please use the following steps, within the SoF2 game:
1. Open your console using the ~ key.
2. type: /pb_myguid
3. Grab the last 8 digits and write them down.
4. Use the procedure above to enter the information.
Checking GUID's During a Match
Checking GUID's is the responsibility of Team Captains and will NOT be checked by admins. Follow these steps to record players GUID's:
1. Open your console using the ~ key.
2. type: /pb_plist
3. type: /screenshot
4. Review against the other teams roster.
5. This screenshot should be submitted to the admin, during any accusation of 'smurfing'.
Violations
Every team must have their GUID's placed in the Roster by February 4th, 2004. The rule will be enforced as of that date. Any team playing a member without the correct GUID will automatically forfeit the match.
1st Offense
The 'Smurfing' team forfeits the match, after an admin has reviewed the proof.
2nd Offense
The 'Smurfing' team forfeits the match, after an admin has reviewed the proof and team is subject to a two week suspension.
3rd Offense
The 'Smurfing' team forfeits the match, after an admin has reviewed the proof and team is subject to a permenant ban from STA-SoF2 games.
Any team captain suspecting a 'smurf' violation should take the screenshot and send to MA-Chick via email at Ceisenhart@msn.com, within 24hours of the violation. You should NOT complete the match! Stop playing and let the admin make a ruling!
XI. XI. Conduct, Cheating, Sportsmanship, etc
XI. Conduct, Cheating, Sportsmanship, etc
Teams are to conduct themselves professionally at all times, in game and out of game.
Nuking, channel takeovers, spamming, crashing a match server, or any other form of denial of service will not be tolerated. If it is proven that any clan has engaged in the above activity, that clan will be REMOVED from STA-SOF immediately. There is ZERO tolerance for this type of behavior. Adequate proof in the form of screen shots, demos, and server logs must be provided to the Admins before a ruling is made.
Cheating
If it is found that cheating occurs, notify an STA official and proper punishment will be decided upon. Make sure to have proof. Proof may include demos and console logs. If your clan claims that another clan has cheated and cannot supply enough evidence to substantiate the claim, then the claim will be discarded. Spurious accusations of cheating will be considered a violation of proper conduct and action will be taken against the accusing clan.
Sportsmanship
Clans that have sportsmanship or conduct issues will be treated harshly. Poor sportsmanship will typically result in immediate ejection from STA SOF. Activities that would warrant this consideration include excessive mm1 spamming (in-game), and public defilement of other clans. Keep in mind that sportsmanship covers issues not specifically addressed here and admins will use their best judgement on these issues.
VOIP
Use of external communication programs such as TeamSpeak and Ventrillo are allowed in STA-SOF.
Admins
Members of clans in STA-SOF will treat STA-SOF staff with respect at all times. Admins will treat members of clans with respect as well.
Staff volunteer their time and effort for this league; if you fail to respect them, you will no longer play for STA-SOF. Without clans, there is no league. Administrators will treat clans with respect, even when disputes arise. The same is expected in return.
XII. XII. Ping Imbalance
XII. Ping Imbalance
In order for a match to be played on a server the average ping must be within 75ms. Exceptions are made when players are playing over dial up when its simply not possible to make the speed of a broadband connection.
Severe packetloss is also unacceptable for playing on a server if it involves more than a couple of members.
XIII. XII. Disputes
XII. Disputes
In the event of a dispute, both clans involved must submit claim packages to their division coordinators for review. A claim package is a precise representation of a clan's claim that the opposing clan's actions warrant a forfeit loss for that clan. Claim packages must include:
* Rule violated by opposing clan, as quoted from the rules
* How the rule was violated by the opposing clan
* Proof that the rule was violated as described - proof may be in the form of server logs, e-mails, ICQ logs, IRC logs, (in-game) screen shots, or in-game demos
For any one dispute, each clan involved may submit no more than four claim packages. Division coordinators will evaluate the submitted material and the result will be one of the following:
* Technical forfeit - Both clans earn a loss
* Forfeit by dispute - One of the two clans involved will earn a win by forfeit; the other will earn a corresponding loss
* Nulled match - Neither clan earns a win or loss
The transgressing clan (only in forfeit by dispute case) may be suspended or ejected if its division coordinators deem it appropriate due to the situation at hand.
Real-Time Dispute Handling
If a dispute must be handled immediately, please contact Sabes or MA-Chick via MSN. Their contact information can be found on the contacts pages. If there is no STA official able to handle the dispute at the time, clans must follow the outline given above.
Rulings
During match night, any STA-SOF2 coordinator may handle your dispute. Once a dispute is settled, you may not appeal the decision with another admin. If you believe you were penalized due to an unfair ruling, contact the STA-SOF2 League Administrator, but be prepared to justify your case. Clans will be punished for poor sportsmanship if they abuse this privilege, e.g. in hopes of a ruling reversal when the ruling was valid. If a dispute is not covered by the rules, the admins will issue a ruling that upholds fairness and the spirit of the rules.
Important: If there is a dispute during a match, STA must be notified BEFORE the match is over. Once a match is played, both clans have signified that they agreed to the server and server settings. Hence, the match result will stand unless it is discovered that there were extenuating circumstances of some kind.
Note that for all disputes, clans are encouraged to find mutually acceptable solutions without the aid of an STA-SOF2 official.
Any clan entering a dispute without proof will be subject to disciplinary action under the sportmanship clausehick via MSN. Their contact information can be found on the contacts pages. If there is no STA official able to handle the dispute at the time, clans must follow the outline given above.
Rulings
During match night, any STA-SOF2 coordinator may handle your dispute. Once a dispute is settled, you may not appeal the decision with another admin. If you believe you were penalized due to an unfair ruling, contact the STA-SOF2 League Administrator, but be prepared to justify your case. Clans will be punished for poor sportsmanship if they abuse this privilege, e.g. in hopes of a ruling reversal when the ruling was valid. If a dispute is not covered by the rules, the admins will issue a ruling that upholds fairness and the spirit of the rules.
Important: If there is a dispute during a match, STA must be notified BEFORE the match is over. Once a match is played, both clans have signified that they agreed to the server and server settings. Hence, the match result will stand unless it is discovered that there were extenuating circumstances of some kind.
Note that for all disputes, clans are encouraged to find mutually acceptable solutions without the aid of an STA-SOF2 official.
Any clan entering a dispute without proof will be subject to disciplinary action under the sportmanship clauseesnet.net. There they may contact their division coordinator or disputes handler, as listed on the STA-SOF2 contacts pages. If there is no STA official able to handle the dispute at the time, clans must follow the outline given above.
Rulings
During match night, any STA-SOF2 coordinator may handle your dispute. Once a dispute is settled, you may not appeal the decision with another admin. If you believe you were penalized due to an unfair ruling, contact the STA-SOF2 League Administrator, but be prepared to justify your case. Clans will be punished for poor sportsmanship if they abuse this privilege, e.g. in hopes of a ruling reversal when the ruling was valid. If a dispute is not covered by the rules, a committee of admins will issue a ruling that upholds fairness and the spirit of the rules.
Important: If there is a dispute during a match, STA must be notified BEFORE the match is over. Once a match is played, both clans have signified that they agreed to the server and server settings. Hence, the match result will stand unless it is discovered that there were extenuating circumstances of some kind.
Note that for all disputes, clans are encouraged to find mutually acceptable solutions without the aid of an STA-SOF2 official.
Any clan entering a dispute without proof will be esnet.net. There they may contact their division coordinator or disputes handler, as listed on the STA-SOF2 contacts pages. If there is no STA official able to handle the dispute at the time, clans must follow the outline given above.
Rulings
During match night, any STA-SOF2 coordinator may handle your dispute. Once a dispute is settled, you may not appeal the decision with another admin. If you believe you were penalized due to an unfair ruling, contact the STA-SOF2 League Administrator, but be prepared to justify your case. Clans will be punished for poor sportsmanship if they abuse this privilege, e.g. in hopes of a ruling reversal when the ruling was valid. If a dispute is not covered by the rules, a committee of admins will issue a ruling that upholds fairness and the spirit of the rules.
Important: If there is a dispute during a match, STA must be notified BEFORE the match is over. Once a match is played, both clans have signified that they agreed to the server and server settings. Hence, the match result will stand unless it is discovered that there were extenuating circumstances of some kind.
Note that for all disputes, clans are encouraged to find mutually acceptable solutions without the aid of an STA-SOF2 official.
Any clan entering a dispute without proof will be subject to disciplinary action under the sportmanship clause.
| Last Updated on June 1, 2006 |
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