Total Gaming League Official Rules - Team Fortress 2 8vs8 League –Season 1 Open Version: 5 Last Revised: May 4th, 2008 Change Log: • Changes made to Version 5 – Revised May 4th, 2008 - Clarified the guidelines for make-up matches (Section 4.8). • Changes made to Version 4 – Revised April 3rd, 2008 - Updated regular season map list (Section 3.6). • Changes made to Version 3 – Revised March 26th, 2008 - Permission to use both Mach 4 and Junction has been received from the map developers. • Changes made to Version 2 – Revised March 18th, 2008 - Not available, this is the first rule set revision to make use of a change log. 1.0 General Information 1.1 Introduction The following Team Fortress 2 rules were developed utilizing characteristics found in today’s most popular and well managed professional sporting events and organizations. This rule set is to be used as a guideline for running a successful, fair, and fun event for gamers of all ages and talent levels. Thank you for your support, we look forward to providing you with the most complete gaming competition available. 1.2 Disclaimer Below you will find the official rules for this Team Fortress 2 League. The Total Gaming League (“TGL”) will conduct this online event for Team Fortress 2 (the “League” or “Event”) in accordance with these official rules, unless otherwise indicated. By participating in the League, each participant agrees to abide by these rules and the decisions of the admins, which shall be final and binding in all respects. It is the responsibility of all users to know and understand the rules before playing in a match. This League is void where prohibited. Personal information submitted by each user for his or her profile must be accurate. Profiles, comments, names, or other information posted on the website deemed offensive to the general public will be edited, with possible member warnings and/or suspension depending on severity. 1.3 Requirements for Participation Registration and participation at the TGL and this event is free to all users. All participants must be registered with the TGL, be 13 years old or older, have a valid email address, and be a member of an eight (8) person team. This eight (8) person team must also be registered as a participating team in the event specific to this rule set (please see section 1.5 for details on registering with the TGL and forming/joining a team, and then joining this event). Participants are prohibited from creating or managing more than one active username in the tournament from the same household. Employees of MyInternetServices.com, the League’s participating sponsors, their advertising agencies, and members of the immediate family of any such persons are not eligible to participate and win. All entries become the property of the TGL and will not be acknowledged or returned. The TGL is not responsible for lost, late, incomplete, misdirected or incomplete registrations or entries. 1.4 International Team Eligibility and Restrictions International teams are free to register, compete, and win cash prizes in this League. However, all international teams must agree to play on US based servers at the established default match time (9:30 PM Eastern US time zone). Teams within the US may coordinate an alternate match time and server arrangement as needed, but the TGL will not force US teams to play on international servers at inconvenient times unless they voluntarily choose to do so. If a TGL event is specifically hosted for international teams, or if two international teams from the same geographical area are scheduled to play each other in a North American based TGL event, the scheduling and server restrictions above do not apply. 1.5 Registering for the TGL and Joining/Creating a Team To register, please click on the "Enlist Today!" link (http://www.totalgamingleague.com/register) found in the top left area of the web site. A valid email address is required to register on the TGL web site. A referral code is not required for new user registration; the referral code is used for special event purposes. Please fill out all required fields on the registration form and confirm your email address by following the provided instructions. Once you're registered, you may create a new team or join an existing team by going to the "My Teams" (http://www.totalgamingleague.com/account/teams) area of your account. To create a team, please fill out the required fields on the form. To join an existing team, you need the join password as designated by the team leader. If you are the leader, manager, or scheduler of a team with at least eight (8) members, you are eligible to join the League, by clicking on the signup link on the official event page. 1.6 The Total Gaming League and MyInternetServices.com, LLC. The Total Gaming League is a wholly owned subsidiary of MyInternetServices.com, LLC; a legally registered corporation in the state of California. 2.0 Prizing Information and Guidelines 2.1 Prizes The following League prizes are official. Additional prizes may be added before, during, or after the tournament without notification. At this time, there isn’t any prizing or sponsors for the Team Fortress 2 8vs8 League - Season 1 Open. The finals match will be played between the final two teams that have not lost during the playoff/tournament bracket; the winner claims 1st place and the loser claims 2nd place. The two teams that lose in the semifinals matches will play a total of one match to determine the 3rd and 4th place teams. • 1st Place: No prizing acquired at this time • 2nd Place: No prizing acquired at this time • 3rd Place: No prizing acquired at this time 2.2 Prize Distribution Winners will be notified via e-mail and/or posted on the TGL site approximately thirty (30) days (at the latest) after the conclusion of the League final’s match. Players from all countries are eligible to receive cash prize winnings and will be required to fill out the TGL Earnings Forms or a prize waiver, depending on the prizing option the winning team leader chooses. Both of these forms require signatures and your Social Security number/Social ID number for legal and/or tax purposes. All earnings forms must be returned to the TGL within thirty (30) days of the conclusion of the event to guarantee cash prize delivery. All cash prize money not claimed within the thirty (30) day period may be forfeited at the discretion of MyInternetServices.com. Team leaders will be directly responsible for receiving and distributing cash prizes, hardware prizes, or any other type of prizes won as a team on the TGL. Team leaders have two options for prize distribution. For option 1, the leader specifies which team members are to receive an equal share of the cash prize; each of these members must then complete TGL Earnings Forms and all applicable tax forms. For option 2, the leader must complete the TGL Earnings Form and any applicable tax forms. In addition, each remaining team member must sign a TGL Earnings Waiver, which waives their individual right to an equal share of the prize money. As an example of option 2, if the default tournament format calls for 6 versus 6 matches, the leader must then also have at least 5 other team members complete TGL earnings waivers, specifying that their share of the prize will go directly to the leader or legally registered team organization. If a minor wins a prize, the prize will be awarded to the parent or legal guardian who signs the earnings form. Prizes are limited to only one (1) prize, per household, per event. Cash prizes are distributed via company check and mailed via the United States Postal Service to the address indicated on the TGL Earnings Form. The designated team leader is a very critical position on the TGL web site; if you do not trust your team leader to be honest and fair, please do not remain as a member of that team. The TGL does not have authority to handle disputes as a result of your team leader’s mismanagement of cash prizes won at the TGL. If it is determined that a team has violated any of the TGL rules during match play where monies are at stake, all monies that the team would have earned are forfeited and will either be immediately transferred into the cash pot for the next event, or assigned towards a different project at the TGL’s discretion. 2.3 Taxes Each winner is solely responsible for any and all applicable taxes. The TGL is not responsible for any unspecified expenses which shall be the responsibility of winners. Any individual which wins $600 or more in prizes will receive an IRS form 1099 at the end of the calendar year (at the latest), and a copy of such form will be filed with the IRS. 2.4 Publicity By participating, all participants and winner(s) grant the TGL permission to use their names, nick-names, gaming handles, usernames, characters, user profiles (and all information within them), photographs, voices, and likenesses in connection with promotion of this, and other, TGL events, in perpetuity, throughout the world, and waive any claims to royalty, right, or remuneration for such use, except where prohibited. 3.0 Competition Information and Guidelines (Game and Event Specific) 3.1 League Specific Competition Format All Team Fortress 2 League matches are played in the following format: • Eight (8) players per team • Control Point or Capture the Flag game modes • 1 map per match • Friendly Fire Off 3.2 League Specific Rules/Restrictions • N/A 3.3 Map Specific Scoring/Rules/Restrictions • ctf_2fort Play two (2) thirty minute (30:00) halves; the team with the most points after both halves (a total of 60:00 minutes) wins the match. Each capture of the intelligence equals one (1) point for the purpose of match reporting. Overtime Scoring: If it’s tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The first team to capture the intelligence in overtime is the winner of the match. • ctf_mach4 Play two (2) thirty minute (30:00) halves; the team with the most points after both halves (a total of 60:00 minutes) wins the match. Each capture of the intelligence equals one (1) point for the purpose of match reporting. Overtime Scoring: If it’s tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The first team to capture the intelligence in overtime is the winner of the match. • ctf_well Play two (2) thirty minute (30:00) halves; the team with the most points after both halves (a total of 60:00 minutes) wins the match. Each capture of the intelligence equals one (1) point for the purpose of match reporting. Overtime Scoring: If it’s tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The first team to capture the intelligence in overtime is the winner of the match. • cp_gravelpit A stopwatch format will be used to score cp_gravelpit. Each team is to play two sets. A set is defined as each team playing once on the offensive side and once on the defensive side. The only possible scores are: 2-0 and 2-1 (each point represents a set win). This is a best of 3 set format, the first team to win two sets, wins the match. If one team captures all of the control points on offense and successfully defends one or more control points while on defense, that team will receive the win and 1 point for that set. If one team completes more objectives than the other team within a set, that team will receive the win and 1 point for that set. If both teams are able to successfully capture all the control points in a set, the set will be awarded to the team who does so in the least amount of time. In other words, the attacking team with the most time left on the clock at the end of the set wins and receives 1 point for that set. Teams will be required to use their first person demos to confirm capture times as needed. Overtime Scoring: If two sets have been completed, and the score is tied at 1-1, a third and final overtime set with the same stopwatch format will be played to determine the winner. • cp_dustbowl A stopwatch format will be used to score cp_dustbowl. Each team is to play two sets. A set is defined as each team playing once on the offensive side and once on the defensive side. The only possible scores are: 2-0 and 2-1 (each point represents a set win). This is a best of 3 set format, the first team to win two sets, wins the match. If one team captures all of the control points on offense and successfully defends one or more control points while on defense, that team will receive the win and 1 point for that set. If one team completes more objectives than the other team within a set, that team will receive the win and 1 point for that set. If both teams are able to successfully capture all the control points in a set, the set will be awarded to the team who does so in the least amount of time. In other words, the attacking team with the most time left on the clock at the end of the set wins and receives 1 point for that set. Teams will be required to use their first person demos to confirm capture times as needed. Overtime Scoring: If two sets have been completed, and the score is tied at 1-1, a third and final overtime set with the same stopwatch format will be played to determine the winner. • cp_junction A stopwatch format will be used to score cp_junction. Each team is to play two sets. A set is defined as each team playing once on the offensive side and once on the defensive side. The only possible scores are: 2-0 and 2-1 (each point represents a set win). This is a best of 3 set format, the first team to win two sets, wins the match. If one team captures all of the control points on offense and successfully defends one or more control points while on defense, that team will receive the win and 1 point for that set. If one team completes more objectives than the other team within a set, that team will receive the win and 1 point for that set. If both teams are able to successfully capture all the control points in a set, the set will be awarded to the team who does so in the least amount of time. In other words, the attacking team with the most time left on the clock at the end of the set wins and receives 1 point for that set. Teams will be required to use their first person demos to confirm capture times as needed. Overtime Scoring: If two sets have been completed, and the score is tied at 1-1, a third and final overtime set with the same stopwatch format will be played to determine the winner. • cp_granary Play to three (3) points or thirty minutes (30:00) and switch sides. The first team to six (6) points or the team with the most points after sixty minutes (60:00) wins the match. Overtime Scoring: If it’s still tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The team that wins the one (1) overtime round is the winner of the match. • cp_well Play to three (3) points or thirty minutes (30:00) and switch sides. The first team to six (6) points or the team with the most points after sixty minutes (60:00) wins the match. Overtime Scoring: If it’s still tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The team that wins the one (1) overtime round is the winner of the match. • cp_badlands Play to three (3) points or thirty minutes (30:00) and switch sides. The first team to six (6) points or the team with the most points after sixty minutes (60:00) wins the match. Overtime Scoring: If it’s still tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The team that wins the one (1) overtime round is the winner of the match. All Control Point maps will be played until one team reaches the amount of points needed for that specific map. If the time limit expires, the score of the match will be reported as the score when the time limit expired. If the match is tied, an overtime round will be played. The TGL is NOT using the built-in sudden death or overtime features of TF2. A match is considered “complete” once one team wins the required amount of rounds in regular match play and/or any overtime rounds that are needed to determine the winner. 3.4 Weapon or Class Specific Rules/Restrictions To enhance competition and dynamic play, we’re using the following class restrictions for 8vs8 competition: • Three (3) Soldiers • Two (2) Snipers • Two (2) Scouts • Two (2) Pyros • Two (2) Medics • Two (2) Heavys • Two (2) Spies • Two (2) Demomen • Two (2) Engineers 3.5 Game Specific Rules/Restrictions • Crits are DISABLED • Killing during setup is ILLEGAL on all maps, except on cp_well, where it is legal 3.6 League Schedule and Map List • Regular Season Week 1 – Thursday, April 17th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: cp_dustbowl • Regular Season Week 2 – Thursday, April 24th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: cp_badlands • Regular Season Week 3 – Thursday, May 1st, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: ctf_mach4 • Regular Season Week 4 – Thursday, May 8th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: cp_granary • Regular Season Week 5 – Thursday, May 15th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: cp_dustbowl • Regular Season Week 6 – Thursday, May 22nd, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: ctf_2fort • Regular Season Week 7 – Thursday, May 29th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: cp_gravelpit • Regular Season Week 8 – Thursday, June 5th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: cp_well • Playoffs Round 1 – Thursday, June 12th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: TBD • Playoffs Round 2 (Quarter-Finals) – Thursday, June 19th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: TBD • Playoffs Round 3 (Semi-Finals) – Thursday, June 26th, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: TBD • Playoffs Round 4 (Finals) – Thursday, July 3rd, 2008 9:30 PM Eastern/8:30 PM Central/7:30 PM Mountain/6:30 PM Pacific Map: TBD 3.7 Game Specific Definitions of Common Terms • Team Fortress 2 - The game being played in this League; also known as TF2. • Side - On TF2 maps there are 2 teams, RED and BLUE. There are two different map types in TF2 offering variants to game play, although generally teams will play once on each side during each set. One side is always assigned to defense and the opposing side set to be the offense. • Event - The entire eight (8) week regular season followed by a playoff tournament, a multi-round tournament bracket, or other special competition event hosted at the TGL. • Conference - A grouping of teams within a division that are located in, or closest to, the same geographical area or time zone. A TGL league may elect to bypass the use of a conference system, or use a combination of conferences with a total of three variables: Western, Central, and Eastern. • Division - A grouping of all teams of the same or similar skill level. Seasons may be divided into multiple divisions as dictated by the TGL staff. One popular configuration is hosting Open and Professional divisions in order to separate the very top teams from all other participating teams. • Live Round - A round in which official play will commence, and the score will be counted. • Lagout - When a player is disconnected from the game server due to network connectivity issues. • Score - The accumulated amount of points in game. • Home Team - The scheduled home team (or the higher seed) will choose the server or side to begin a match. • Away Team - The scheduled away team (or the lower seed). • MOTW - An acronym for Match of the Week. Our media partners select the matches they’re interested in broadcasting each week, usually with the help of the community. • User – Any individual that has registered for a free TGL account. • Captain - The players listed as leader, scheduler, or manager on the team roster. If a team leader, scheduler, or manager isn't present for the match, the team must select an acting team captain; in this case, teams are required to notify the opposing team before the match, and let them know who their captain will be for the duration of the match. • Scheduler - The player listed as the scheduler on a team roster. Schedulers must conduct all communication with the opposing team via the TGL private messaging system. Failure to do so may result in a match forfeit. • Team/Player Warning – An official written letter informing a player or team that they have been found in violation of the TGL rules. Two (2) such warnings may result in termination. 3.8 Default League Formats All TGL leagues will either have one or two matches played per week. Special scheduling considerations for Christmas, New Years, Easter, and other potential holidays, in addition to large LAN events, will be provided. Schedules will be done and posted approximately four days before the default match day for any given league. First person demos (for games with demo support) and end of round screenshots are mandatory to prevent cheating and to encourage accurate match reporting. 3.9 Default Tournament Formats All TGL tournaments will be played utilizing either a single elimination or double elimination format. Special scheduling considerations for Christmas, New Years, Easter, and other potential holidays, in addition to large LAN events, will be provided. The tournament schedule will be posted on both the specific tournament schedule page and also the bracket page. Within a tournament bracket, once the seeding is completed, the schedules are finalized for the remainder of the tournament, with matchups directly being determined by the winners of previous rounds. Once registration is closed and the seeding is completed, no team can be added to or removed from the tournament. First person demos (for games with demo support) and end of round screenshots are mandatory to prevent cheating and to encourage accurate match reporting. 4.0 Match Information and Guidelines 4.1 Default Match Day and Time/Match Scheduling One match will be played each week of the League. The default day and time for matches is Thursday at 9:30 PM Eastern. Each team is generally required to contact their opponent at least three hours prior to the default match time of 9:30 PM EST (on the night of the match) to agree on match times and server information. If contact has not been made, then the team who has not attempted to contact the opposition MAY be subject to a forfeit loss. The official method of contacting another team is by use of the Private Messaging system on the TGL Website. This method of contact is being required because all communications between teams will be logged in the event of a dispute. Failure to use this system for scheduling of matches could result in a forfeit or suspension. In order to send a message to your opponent, select their team on the schedule and then select the Member listed as the Scheduler. From there you will be able to send a Private Message to the Scheduler for the team you are playing. All matches, by default, must be played on the scheduled match day. Teams are allowed to play on a day other than the default day/time, but there must be complete agreement between the teams, and it must be BEFORE the default match day for a tournament match. You must inform a TGL Admin of any rescheduled matches. If no alternate day/time can be agreed upon by both teams, then the match shall be played on the default day, at the default time. If a different day/time is agreed upon then that is your new default day/time and NO further rescheduling is allowed unless approved by both teams and a TGL Admin. If the game was scheduled prior to the default day/time and a team fails to attend, the situation must be reported immediately to an admin. Game results should be turned in no later than 11:59pm in your team's time zone on match days. If a game is scheduled for any day other than the default game day/time, then results MUST be turned in within 1 hour of game completion. If both teams fail to report the match results on the TGL web site, AND fail to contact a TGL Admin to inform them of the match results manually, within seventy-two (72) hours of the default match time, both teams will receive forfeit losses. 4.2 Match Procedures Both teams must be ready to start the match 15 minutes after the agreed upon (or default) match time. During this 15 minute warm-up period, teams should confirm that their opponent's roster is accurate and legal, and that the server settings are correct. This must take place before the match begins. If the 15 minutes pass and there are no complaints from either team about roster or server settings, the match will proceed and all players on the server will be considered valid. Any player who is not on the roster with a matching unique game ID is considered ineligible and can be asked to leave the server by the opposing team or a TGL Admin. TGL Admins will NOT accept disputes over a roster or server settings issue after the match has been played, unless an illegal substitute player from outside the server was used after the match had started, or a server setting was changed during match play. After the 15 minute warm-up period, the match must start immediately unless both teams agree to a delay. If one team does not have the correct number of players on their team after the warm-up period is over (either the default of eight (8) players or the minimum amount of six (6) players to avoid a forfeit), the offending team will forfeit the match. Similarly, if the team controlling the server refuses to start the match after the warm-up period, they will forfeit the match. However, an admin may make a ruling contradicting this rule if he feels one team is simply seeking an easy forfeit win, or if the match is a league playoff match/important round of a tournament bracket. An end round screenshot is mandatory, as they prove that the match was played and that the match results are correct. At least one person on each team is required to take a screenshot at the end of each round, which displays the overall score for that round. Generally, admins will not ask for the screenshots of match scores unless there is a dispute over the scoring results. As a general guideline for all TGL matches, the home team has the option of server or side choice. By selecting server choice, the entire duration of the regulation match time will be played on the home team’s server. However, if the match goes into overtime, the server/side choice process is repeated, with the team holding the overtime tie-breaker selecting server or side choice first. Once the home team has selected server or side choice, the away team will inherit whichever choice remains. If a home team’s server is ruled inadequate under the ping differential guideline of a 30ms average difference between the two teams, the server has crashed more than once, or if all users are receiving poor pings, the hosting team may forfeit their right to server choice for the entirety of the match. In this situation, the team that originally selected side choice would still retain side choice, in addition to hosting the match on their server. If there’s any dispute over the forfeiture of server rights, an admin should be contacted before the match begins; once the match has begun, no server quality/forfeiture disputes will be valid. Round 1: The home team will choose either server or side choice. Intermission: After finishing the first half of the match, teams are allowed to utilize an optional five (5) minute break. If the match is switching to a new server for any reason, team leaders should exchange information regarding the second half of the match (server IP, port, and password). Ideally, the server information for both teams should be known in advance. Half time simply gives both teams an opportunity to finalize server information in case of last minute changes. If a team fails to show up in the agreed upon server or fails to have the required minimum number of players, that team will forfeit the remaining rounds of the match. Round 2: The teams switch sides. Round 3 (Overtime): By using a match format that requires two rounds of regulation play, a third overtime round will be used in the situation of a 1-1 round tie. If the third (overtime) round ends in an exact tie, a sudden death fourth round will be played and so on, until a clear winner is determined. 4.3 Overtime Rules Overtime rules for Team Fortress 2 are map specific; please be sure to read Section 3.3 in addition to this section for complete map scoring guidelines. • ctf_2fort Overtime Scoring: If it’s tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The first team to capture the intelligence in overtime is the winner of the match. • ctf_mach4 Overtime Scoring: If it’s tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The first team to capture the intelligence in overtime is the winner of the match. • ctf_well Overtime Scoring: If it’s tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The first team to capture the intelligence in overtime is the winner of the match. • cp_gravelpit Overtime Scoring: If two sets have been completed, and the score is tied at 1-1, a third and final overtime set with the same stopwatch format will be played to determine the winner. • cp_dustbowl Overtime Scoring: If two sets have been completed, and the score is tied at 1-1, a third and final overtime set with the same stopwatch format will be played to determine the winner. • cp_junction Overtime Scoring: If two sets have been completed, and the score is tied at 1-1, a third and final overtime set with the same stopwatch format will be played to determine the winner. • cp_granary Overtime Scoring: If it’s still tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The team that wins the one (1) overtime round is the winner of the match. • cp_well Overtime Scoring: If it’s still tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The team that wins the one (1) overtime round is the winner of the match. • cp_badlands Overtime Scoring: If it’s still tied after regulation play, reload the map config. The team that wins the one (1) overtime round is the winner of the match. 4.4 Ties and Match Completion Requirements A tie is not a valid final match score for any TGL event or match. All ties after regulation must be settled by utilizing the overtime rules as described in section 4.3. Teams are required to play the entire match in one night unless both teams agree to reschedule due to lateness. A TGL Admin must be informed if the remainder of a match is being rescheduled. Under extreme circumstances, such as rounds being replayed due to a dispute or an unusual number of ties, the admin may grant a rescheduling of the rounds to be replayed. If a team leaves the server prior to the completion of a match, the team that remains in the server will be awarded all remaining rounds as wins. 4.5 Match Forfeits and the Consequences If the team you are scheduled against does not show by the default time, plus fifteen (15) minutes, please report a forfeit win. If you report a forfeit win without following the proper guidelines, your team may be suspended for one match. Teams that receive two (2) forfeit losses will be removed from the league. Teams that forfeit a tournament match are automatically eliminated, unless the tournament is double elimination, and the forfeit loss is the team’s first loss of that tournament. If your team receives more than two (2) forfeit wins within a single season, only the first two (2) forfeit wins will count positively towards your team’s weight (and therefore ranking). In other words, your team could potentially go an entire season receiving a total of eight (8) forfeit wins, but only the first two (2) forfeit wins will actually provide you with positive points towards your team weight. This rule is in place to encourage makeup matches and limit the acceptance of forfeit wins. 4.6 Match Substitutions Substitutions are legal, and they may be made at any time during the match. In the case of a substitution, the member that is being subbed OUT must leave the game PRIOR to when the member subbing IN joins the game. This prevents unbalanced teams during a substitution. Failure to respect this rule may result in forfeiture of the match. Demo evidence will be used when possible to confirm any potential violations of the substitution rule. 4.7 Match Reporting Guidelines After the completion of the match, the winning team should immediately report the results, regardless if a dispute is going to be filed. If there is a dispute, the results can be altered by a TGL Admin accordingly, once the dispute is settled. When reporting a win, you must indicate whether or not the win was due to the opposing team playing against your team, and losing the match, or if they forfeited the match. If the match isn’t a forfeit win, you will be asked if you won round 1 and then if you won round 2; simply answer the questions correctly to report your match score. If the winning team does not report the match within a 12 hour time frame from completion of the match, a warning will be issued to that team. If this happens a second time, the offending team leader will be suspended for 1 match, or forfeit the match that they failed to report. If both teams fail to report the match results on the TGL web site, AND fail to contact a TGL Admin to inform them of the match results manually, within seventy-two (72) hours of the default match time, both teams will receive forfeit losses. 5.0 Team Information and Guidelines 5.1 Team Rosters, Unique Game IDs, and Minimum Amount of Players Teams are required to have at least eight (8) members with valid unique game IDs on their roster before they will be scheduled in any matches. Only the last eight (8) digits of a player's PunkBuster GUID are required for valid identification. SteamIDs should be entered in the format of “0:0x:xxxxxxx”. To check a player’s PunkBuster GUID in a server, simply type "pb_plist" in the console when that particular player is present in the server. To check a player’s SteamID in a server, simply type “status” in the console when that particular player is present in the server. All matches should be played 8vs8. Matches may be played with more or less players if both teams agree beforehand on the format to be used. The agreed format must be used for the entire match. As always, if the teams are unable to come to agreement on the number of players, the default of eight (8) will be used. Teams may choose to play shorthanded if they wish to prevent a forfeit, but the opposing team is under no obligation to match the number of players, and may play with eight (8). You must have a minimum of six (6) players ready in the server no later than fifteen (15) minutes after the scheduled match time to avoid a forfeit loss. 5.2 Teams Right to Remove a Corrupt or Irresponsible Team Leader If a team leader has proven to be corrupt, or displays a history of irresponsibility, the members under such leader may file official complaints to a TGL Game Manager. For a team leader to be removed, 80% or more of the listed members on the team roster must email the Game Manager (of the game they’re actively participating in), with the information listed below; they must also express the clear desire for the TGL to remove the team leader in question. • Your Team Name • Your Current Leader’s Real Name • Current Leader’s Username and Unique Game IDs • Your Real Name • Your Username and Unique Game IDs • A written explanation of why you would like your team leader removed from power by the TGL 5.3 Roster Lock Information Rosters will be locked on match days, but open the rest of the week. To change your unique game ID, you must submit a request to an admin using the web site. Unique game ID changes are not processed on match days. It is your responsibility to make sure your correct unique game ID is entered BEFORE the day of your match. All team rosters will be locked at the beginning of the playoffs. Tournament roster lock typically goes into effect after round 3. A roster lock warning for both league playoffs and tournaments will be announced on the appropriate news sections. 5.4 Ringing (Smurfing) and Team Hopping Ringing (smurfing) and team hopping will not be tolerated. If a ringer is suspected, notify a TGL Admin immediately. No player is allowed to be on two TGL team rosters at the same time for any single TGL event. Penalties for ringing will result in: • An official team warning to the offending team • The match results being overturned if necessary • Potential banning of the members account on TGL, which was used to ring • Potential banning of the members account on TGL, who was ringing in the match • Potential suspension of the offending teams leader • Potential removal from the event in which the incident occurred If you or one of your members is going to be playing from a place other than their original point of registration, that member needs to notify his or her Head of division prior to the match. Failure to do so will result in a ringing suspension unless there is sufficient evidence to prove otherwise. If your team is eliminated in a tournament during any round, you may NOT join another team still active within the tournament for any reason. Doing so will result in an individual suspension of the offending player(s), and potential elimination from the tournament for the team you joined. 5.5 Team Inactivity The League will not observe leaves of absence, unless there are tremendously special circumstances, and these circumstances are brought to a TGL admin’s attention. If your team decides to take a break longer than one week, you must choose one of two options, quit the league or accept your forfeit loss. 5.6 Offensive (Illegal) Team Names Team names including, but not limited to, the following will not be tolerated: profanity, hateful to any race, sex, or religious group, condone drug use, or general vulgarity. Teams found to have an offensive name will be notified by an admin, and must choose a new name for their team, or be removed from the Total Gaming League. 5.7 Team Leader Responsibility and Cheater Detection All participants in the TGL will be required to uphold the highest standards and observe common sportsmanship for the good of the League. Team Leaders need to ensure that their members have read and understand the rules because they will ultimately bear that responsibility. This includes checking for cheaters - team leaders should review PunkBuster screenshots and all relevant server logs regularly for the purpose of self-policing their team. If any single team has three or more banned cheaters on their roster within a three month period, the TGL may suspend/ban the team leader, suspend the team as a whole, or remove the team from the Total Gaming League. Any prizes won at the TGL during such a three month period (with three banned cheaters) may be forfeited at the discretion of TGL admins. 5.8 Hijacked Teams A team is considered "hijacked" when less than 50% of the roster from the beginning of the event are still participating and remain on that team. The TGL reserves the right to determine if any team is considered “hijacked”, and to remove any team that falls within these guidelines, from any event. If your team is experiencing unusual internal issues, or extreme roster changes, your Game Manager must be consulted for approval. This rule is in place to prevent the prevalence of team members participating on one team and doing relatively poorly, only to join a second team which is in a better overall position to succeed, due to ranking, seeding, or future schedule. 6.0 Server Information and Guidelines 6.1 Server Usage and Requirements At this time TGL does not supply official match servers for TF2 competition. Teams that own/operate their own gaming server will be allowed to use it during their scheduled match. If a team is on a LAN, that team may not use a server connected to the same local network for an official match; this would result in the entire team having a 0 to 5 pings for the match, while the opposing team would have normal pings (15ms-100ms). Servers must meet the following requirements: • Must be dedicated (not a listen server) • Must not be on the same LAN connection as either participating team, unless they are also on a LAN • Must have at least 1.5Mbps bandwidth upload and download (full T1 or greater) • Cannot be hosted on residential* cable or DSL connections • Must be located in the continental United States or Canada, unless both teams agree to a server in a different location • Must meet or exceed the minimum CPU requirements specified by the game publisher or developer *Business-grade cable modems and DSL are acceptable, as long as they meet the bandwidth requirements. Such connections have a guaranteed level-of-service and a dedicated circuit; therefore they are reliable enough to host a match server. Fiber Optic services such as Verizon FIOS are also acceptable, as long as there aren’t any complaints from the visiting team. 6.2 Server Configuration The server configuration is subject to change as this event evolves and new patches are released. The most current and correct server configuration will always be posted in the files section of the site. Teams are responsible for checking this page on a regular basis and ensuring that the server settings are correct. Upon entering a match server, both teams should check the server's settings to verify that they are correct. If no objections are made prior to play commencing, no team may challenge the settings during or after play. If an objection is made prior to the match commencing and the server settings do not match those set by the League, the settings must be fixed prior to the start of the match. Failure to use the League server settings will result in the server team's forfeit. An initial objection will suffice as notice that settings are incorrect and may be given as evidence after the match; this would indicate corrections were not made and will result in a forfeit for the hosting team. Any changes to the server settings while a game is in progress will result in the host team's forfeit. 6.3 Ping Imbalance, Dial-up Players, and International Players The difference between each team's average pings to the agreed upon server can be no greater than 30ms. Pings must be confirmed in game, not through pinging tools/server browsers such as GameSpy and AllSeeingEye. If the difference between the average team pings is less than 30 milliseconds, the server is acceptable for play. If a server is unacceptable by the rule, then a new server must be found. In extreme cases where a server cannot be agreed upon by the teams, then a TGL Admin must be contacted to solve the dispute, and decide on a server that is suitable for the match. If one team declares a server to be unplayable and an alternate server is used, that team must use the same players that were pinging high to the original server in question. Individuals playing on dial-up connections waive their right to the ping imbalance rule. The ping imbalance rule does not protect international players (players outside of the continental United States, Southern Canada, and the Northern Mexico geographical areas). The TGL is a U.S. based organization and as a result, we must cater to our primary users. 6.4 Server Crashes and Resolution If the server crashes during a round (half of a set), please restart that round. If the server crashes a second time, please switch servers and restart that specific round. For ctf_2fort, cp_well, and cp_granary, the amount of points each team has accumulated before the server crash will be counted towards the final round/match score. Please come to an agreement on how many minutes were remaining in that particular half if applicable (using demos if necessary) and only use that amount of time when the half is replayed. In the event of a third crash, the game must be postponed and team captains must contact a TGL Admin. An admin may assign a new server and have the match restarted, or allow for a reschedule of the remaining rounds to be played. The Total Gaming League cannot be held liable for any potential server crashes. 6.5 Server Pauses Server pauses during a TGL match are legal, however, both teams must agree to a server pause before it can be initiated. Both teams must also agree to resume the match before the pause is lifted and live play is resumed. If a match is paused without the visiting team’s consent, the host team may be forced to forfeit the round, or lose their right to host the remainder of the match. The specific penalty is determined by the match conditions at the time of the pause, and any other relevant circumstances. 6.6 Player Connectivity TGL is not responsible for players who experience connectivity problems, under any circumstances. It is suggested that you have someone waiting as a backup, so that if a player is disconnected, the backup can enter the server immediately. Voice Communication programs such as Ventrilo and Teamspeak are a great way to communicate with players awaiting substitution. 6.7 Spectators Spectators are not allowed in any official event matches. Only TGL Admins and official media partners have the right to observe any match. TGL Admins and broadcaster(s) DO have the right to use the spectator team, giving them access to all spectator functions. Not providing server information to an admin when requested shall be grounds for disciplinary action. 6.8 Broadcast Applications A team may use spectator applications (such as HLTV, SourceTV, CoDTV, etc.) to broadcast or record any match. All public spectator applications must have a delay of no less than 120 seconds to ensure fair play. It is the team’s responsibility to check the delay times before the start of any TGL match. Spectator applications are NOT required for TGL matches, however, it is recommended, as it is in the best interest of the event to provide as much exposure to the public as possible. Teams CANNOT refuse the use of a spectator application, if one team can provide it, likewise kicking spectator applications from a server, and/or configuring your server to prevent connection of spectator applications is considered unsportsmanlike, and will be punished accordingly. The TGL reserves the right to require a spectator application in order to broadcast any official match. In this case, the TGL will provide the spectator application; in addition the TGL reserves the right to require the match to be played on a server with enough slots to host such a spectator application. If this creates a server conflict, the match will be played on a server of the TGL’s choosing. 6.9 IRC Scorebots IRC scorebots may be run as long as both teams agree to its usage. The use of a scorebot without the consent of the other team will be considered unsportsmanlike and dealt with accordingly. IRC scorebots are never allowed to broadcast any message mode information. IRC scorebots that broadcast message mode information are a violation of this rule and will result in the hosting team to forfeit the TGL match. 6.10 In-Game Communication (Global Chat Messages) Participants in a TGL TF2 matches ARE allowed to use global in-game chat, but it must not be in an abusive, offensive, vulgar, or spamming manner at any point during the match. This includes pre-match, intermission, and post match periods. In other words, if you want to type something in global chat, it must be of a friendly nature. When a match is live, only team leaders are allowed to use global in-game messages. Other players must use team-only in-game messages. Violators of these rules are subject to punishment at the TGL’s discretion; punishment may include player/team warnings, player suspension(s), or forfeiture of the match under particularly extreme cases. 6.11 Use of Voice Communication Programs The use of voice communication programs (such as Ventrilo or Teamspeak) in TGL matches is completely acceptable. Any connection problems or issues with such programs are not the responsibility of the TGL Admins, or a reason to halt or delay a match. Any potential voice communication capability, which is built into the game, may also be used legally; however, we do not require the hosting team to enable this feature on their server. 6.12 TGL Media Partner Coverage The TGL reserves the right to allow our media partners to cover any and all official TGL matches for any game title in any event. This is in the best interest of the event, the TGL as an organization, and TGL’s partners. All teams must comply with the decision of the TGL or its media partners pertaining to which matches are broadcasted; failure to cooperate with the TGL or its media partners, and the coverage of any TGL match will be considered unsportsmanlike, and will be punished accordingly. 7.0 Anti-Cheat Information and Guidelines 7.1 Mandatory use of the Bad Apple Anti-Cheat Client The Total Gaming League and Bad Apple E-Sports Integrity Management Systems (BA ESIMS) are proud to announce the release of the Bad Apple Anti-Cheat client. The Bad Apple Anti-Cheat client is now mandatory for all TGL matches. To use the program, you should first go to your "My Account" area of the TGL site, located on the upper left navigational panel. There, you will see a small Bad Apple section below your normal account options. In this section you will find a link to activate your Bad Apple account (http://www.badappleesims.com/activation.aspx), along with your unique/private Bad Apple PIN. Once you're on the Bad Apple web site, you simply fill in your TGL username, your unique PIN number as found on the TGL web site, and proceed to create an account. The whole process is self explanatory, but you can use the Support link on the Bad Apple web site if you encounter any issues. Please note that this added PIN/GUID/Activation step is being used to prevent the act of ringing (smurfing) in TGL matches. All participants are required to operate the Bad Apple anti-cheat client during the entirety of all matches. Users that experience any difficulty operating the Bad Apple Anti-Cheat client are required to contact a TGL AC Admin. Any user that cannot run the Bad Apple client for ANY reason is NOT allowed to participate in the TGL. All generated AC files should be held for a period of no less than three (3) weeks. Failure to provide the designated AC files upon request by a TGL official will possibly result in suspension and forfeiture of matches. For more information, please visit http://www.badappleesims.com/. 7.2 Mandatory First Person Demos All TF2 participants must record first person demos for each match played in the League. Demos must be kept for a minimum of three (3) weeks, after which they can be deleted. Demos must be turned over to an admin if requested any time during this 3 week period. Failure to produce requested demos may result in forfeiture of the match and player suspensions. 7.3 Mandatory First Person Screenshots Screenshots must be taken during the warm-up period (BEFORE your match starts) and all players must be in the server. You do not have to meet up to take your screenshots; you can do it from within your spawn. Each and every player, including team leaders, must take a screenshot using the following criteria: • All demos must include the action of you taking your screenshots • All screenshots require the players scoreboard (default key: TAB) • All of the above screenshots are required to have net_graph 1-3 displayed (if applicable) • All of this must be taken on one (1) screenshot In the event of a player reconnecting or being replaced, the player should take a SS after starting to record their demo. Also, the server host is required to take an RCON status screenshot at the time of the player's connect/reconnect. 7.4 Mandatory Use of PunkBuster/VAC Anti-Cheat PunkBuster Anti-Cheat (PB) must be enabled for all TGL matches, as long as the game utilizes EvenBalance’s PunkBuster Anti-Cheat solution. The current TGL TF2 PunkBuster server configuration file can be found in the appropriate files section, and it is required for all TGL TF2 League matches. Any reports of PunkBuster concerning a player cheating (either violations or screenshots) shall be reviewed by the TGL AC Staff after the match has been played. Please contact a TGL AC Admin ASAP concerning any PB violations. Valve Anti-Cheat (VAC) must be enabled for all TGL matches, as long as the game utilizes Valve’s Anti-Cheat solution. Any reports from Valve concerning a player cheating (either violations or screenshots) shall be reviewed by the TGL AC Staff after the match has been played. Please contact a TGL AC Admin ASAP concerning any VAC violations. 7.5 Mandatory Streaming to Punksbusted.com (For PB Supported Games) All teams must setup their server to stream to Punksbusted.com, unless the game you’re participating in doesn’t support PunkBuster. A PunkBuster enabled game server is not legal in the TGL unless it’s streaming to both Punksbusted.com and PBBans.com. • Step 1 • Create a Forum account at www.punksbusted.com • Step 2 • Make sure your team/clan does not already have an application on file, if you they do, you must reactivate the existing account. Go to http://www.punksbusted.com/forums/index.php?showforum=65 to request reactivation and be prepared to answer some questions about your clan • Step 3 • After joining the forums, in the upper bar click the Join Today link: http://www.punksbusted.com/cgi-bin/membership/new.cgi • Pay careful attention to this application • For WEB URL #1, add your clan/team web site, if you do not have a Domain name use your TGL Roster page URL • For WEB URL #2, add your TGL roster page URL • The link to a roster page is very important in getting your application accepted • Step 4 • After your application has been accepted (this can take a few days as they research your clan/team for known cheaters), add your clanID into the pbsvlog.cfg on your server (in the PB folder) • Step 5 • Finally, download Auto-MBL: http://www.punksbusted.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=41 Auto-MBL is used to keep the ban list updated on your servers; it also can update the MD5 checks on your server (to make sure your files aren’t modified). Once you have a PunksBusted and a PBBans account, you can stream whatever servers you choose. Remember streaming is not just for match servers, if you install it on your pubs you will be doing a great service in removing cheaters from the game. If you have any problems getting your server streaming please contact TGL Admin DK and he will do his best to assist you. 7.6 Mandatory Streaming to PBBans.com (For PB Supported Games) All teams must setup their server to stream to PBBans.com, unless the game you’re participating in doesn’t support PunkBuster. A PunkBuster enabled game server is not legal in the TGL unless it’s streaming to both Punksbusted.com and PBBans.com. • To create an account: http://www.pbbans.com/account_application.php • The streaming guide: http://www.pbbans.com/information.php?page=hubguide After Streaming is established, go to your account manager, view servers, select the server you want, and Edit Flags. UNCHECK accept hub bans, and CHECK enforce bans. This will allow you to maintain PunksBusted's MBL and use the PBBan’s MBI separately. 7.7 Illegal Non-Streaming Servers (For PB Supported Games) As the hosting team, your server is not officially TGL match certified unless it’s streaming to both PunksBusted.com and PBBans.com; provided both services are working properly at the start time of the match, and throughout the entire duration of the match. As the visiting team, playing on your opponent’s server, it’s your responsibility to verify that the server is streaming to both PunksBusted.com and PBBans.com. If the server is not streaming to one, or both of these services, and as long as both services are functioning properly at the time, you can refuse to play on the uncertified server until this is corrected. If the hosting team fails to correct the issue within 15 minutes, you may force them to play on your server, and you would also retain side choice. If a match is played on a non-streaming server, both teams may lose their right to dispute the match results due to anti-cheat related issues. Multiple offenses could lead to player or team suspensions, at the discretion of TGL AC admins. 7.8 TGL Admins Refereeing Matches TGL Admins may be available to referee matches when necessary. If you feel an admin is needed for a match you play, please submit your request to the admin team, with your reasoning, a minimum of 48 hours before the match is to start. Due to the volunteer nature of TGL Admin positions, and a potentially limited amount of available staff, referee requests are not guaranteed to be fulfilled. 7.9 Bug Abuse and Exploits All known bug abuses/exploits that are illegal in TGL TF2 events will be listed here. Should a clan discover a possible exploit that is not listed here, they should contact a TGL Admin immediately, so it can be evaluated and a ruling made on its legality. Any team caught using an exploit may be subject to punishment at the TGL's discretion, which can include a forced replay or forfeiture of the round in question, or even forfeiture of the match. If an exploit is not listed in this section it does NOT mean it is legal. Any questions or concerns regarding a possible exploit should be brought to a TGL Admin’s attention before a match is played. Known Exploits: • Activating an uber charge and then saving it for later use (by switching medic weapons) is legal. • Extending an active uber charge by continuous weapon swapping is illegal In general, if you believe an unknown bug/exploit gives your team an unfair advantage, don’t use it. Just because an exploit isn’t listed here, doesn’t mean that it won’t found out and considered illegal in the future. Using an unknown potential exploit can still result in the forfeiture of the offending team. 7.10 Unsportsmanlike Conduct and Consequences Any and all rule violations are a serious issue and will not be taken lightly. Teams who violate any rule may be subject to disciplinary action. This includes the specific penalties listed, or suspensions, forfeits, replays, removal from the event, and loss of points. The League admins may change penalties as it sees fit. In the event a team verbally attacks or threatens an opponent, the team that the player represents will be deducted two (2) points in the standings and that individual player shall be suspended until further notice. A second infraction will cost that team a one (1) week suspension and loss of three (3) additional points. The TGL will not tolerate such behavior. Disruptive teams will be removed from the event. Any team that is repeatedly disruptive in the form of un-tolerated language, pointless spamming, server crashing, etc. will be removed from the TGL. Any player, or team caught (with valid proof) using any type of internet attack tools to interrupt a game, a player in that game, or a team’s servers (such as voice communication), will be subject to disciplinary actions as if they were a cheater. Any member that belittles or demeans the TGL, another team, or TGL Admins may be immediately suspended until further notice. Personal attacks will not be tolerated. Individuals caught posting private conversations, logs, or emails in public sites/forums or sharing any confidential information will be subject to individual penalties. Teams which participate in the TGL, who post private conversations or matters on their official team sites may face repercussions also. Logs and emails are not considered proof, as the can be easily or altered or forged. Confidential matters should be respected and logs from third parties should not be considered proof of any action or intention on their own. Any accusations against another team made in a public forum or other public media will result in a suspension against the team or individuals making the accusation. All disputes or accusation must be sent to TGL Admins in a private manner. 7.11 The TGL’s Strict and Unique Anti-Cheat Policy Any player who has been caught cheating at any time, playing any online game, whether it’s on a public server, at a LAN event, in a scrim, in a match, or in any other form of the game (including other competition organizations such as CAL, CEVO, and TWL), may be banned from any and all TGL events permanently. TGL AC Admins will review each case and once a player is banned permanently, the player is then subject to review by TGL for re-admission. If a player is caught cheating in a TGL match, their team shall forfeit the match, and the player will automatically be removed from the team’s roster. Any matches played and won within the specific event, with that particular player participating, will result in overturned matches (wins converted to losses). Bans implemented by other organizations based purely on demo evidence will not be honored. TGL bans purely based on demo evidence require TGL AC Admins to review any and all demo evidence before making our own decision on such case. If a member is caught cheating outside of a TGL match, the ban shall be enforced on the player without official TGL matches being overturned. The computer system that you play from is not the responsibility of the TGL; it is your sole responsibility to make sure that your system is cheat free. If you allow others to use your computer(s) or you borrow/rent systems to play from, you need to ensure that they are cheat free prior to playing. It is impossible to trust a player who has been caught cheating on a pub to withstand the temptation to cheat when a title or prize is up for grabs. 7.12 Add-ons and Game Modifications Any modification made to the game client will not be allowed. This includes any change of player skins, scripts (or macros of any form), or 3rd party software that changes the game client in any way. Any team caught violating this rule will forfeit their match and will be subject to further disciplinary actions. The game is to be played as is from original installation and updated in accordance with official patch releases and any possible official event endorsed modifications. 7.13 Players Skins and Models All users MUST use default player skins and models. If a member is found using ANY non-standard skins or models during an event match, it will be considered a violation of the rules and will result in a loss and your removal from the TGL. 7.14 Sprites All users must use default sprites. If a player is found using ANY non-standard sprite during a TGL match, it will be considered a violation of the rules and will result in a loss and your removal from the TGL. 7.15 Configuration Files Users are allowed to edit their user configuration files in the native game directory. Users are NOT allowed to have any other configuration files inside the native game directory. Any other configuration files found may be considered a violation of the rules and may result in a loss and a one (1) week suspension from the TGL. 7.16 Custom Sprays (In Games Supporting Player Sprays) The use of custom sprays is not encouraged by the TGL, but they may be used as long as the sprays do not: • Replicate models • Replicate map features or textures • Display pornography • Display unsportsmanlike text or images The use of the above sprays will be considered a violation of the rules and may result in a loss, a warning to the player in violation, and possible removal from the TGL. 7.17 32-bit Video Settings All members are required to use 32-bit video settings for TGL matches. Members that are found using any other video settings may be suspended for one (1) week and have any match where non-approved video settings were used overturned. 7.18 Cheating Scenarios and Punishment The Total Gaming League is making use of a zero tolerance policy on cheating (please see section 7.11). If we receive valid evidence of a registered TGL player cheating in any competitive multiplayer game, that person will be permanently banned from TGL competition. We don't care if it's America's Army, StarCraft, CounterStrike, Call of Duty, Quake, or Checkers. If we have evidence of online multiplayer cheating, the player will be banned. We do not wish to award cash and prizes to individuals that have a problem with fair competition. Since we’ve opened as a competition site, we’ve heard virtually every excuse possible. The overall guiding principle to our ban criterion is: You are responsible for everything that happens on your computer, your unique game ID, and your IP (to a certain extent). Obviously, with dynamic IP addresses and the massive amount of variables inherent with the internet, IP bans may require additional evidence before being executed. Your user account IP addresses ARE logged for anti-cheat purposes. Below you will find specific scenarios to help assist you in understanding our guidelines for banning cheaters. 1. A player is on a PunkBuster recognized ban list (regardless of game), such as the PunksBusted.com Master Ban List or the PBBans.com Master Ban Index. • Result: The player is permanently banned from TGL competition. It doesn’t matter if the game was Delta Force and the violation occurred 9 years ago. It doesn’t matter if the violation occurred in a public or a private server. If we’re aware of the previous cheating violation, that user will be banned. TGL matches that the banned player previously participated in are not overturned unless the ban occurred during a TGL match. 2. A player is kicked by PunkBuster or cheating on a public/private server, but the ban isn’t streamed to the PunksBusted.com Master Ban List or the PBBans.com Master Ban Index. • Result: The player is permanently banned from TGL competition. TGL matches that the banned player previously participated in are not overturned unless the ban occurred during a TGL match. 3. A player is banned for cheating at CAL, TWL, CEVO, on LAN, or any other competitive gaming competition using anti-cheat software or PunkBuster screenshots/logs as evidence. • Result: The player is permanently banned from TGL competition. TGL matches that the banned player previously participated in are not overturned unless the ban occurred during a TGL match. 4. A player is banned for cheating at CAL, TWL, CEVO , on LAN, or any other competitive gaming competition strictly using a demo review as evidence. • Result: The player is NOT automatically banned from TGL competition unless that demo evidence is also reviewed by TGL staff members first. If the player is banned after demo review, any TGL matches that the banned player previously participated in are not overturned unless the ban occurred during a TGL match. 5. A player is banned for cheating during a TGL match using anti-cheat software (including our very own Bad Apple ESIMS), PunkBuster screenshots, server logs, or demo files as evidence. • Result: The player is permanently banned from TGL competition. TGL matches that the banned player previously participated in during that specific event are overturned. 6. A previously banned TGL player participates in a TGL match. • Result: The banned player’s new TGL account and registered unique game ID will be banned again if applicable. The team allowing the banned player to participate will forfeit the match. A second offense will result in the team being removed from all current events and the leader will be permanently banned from TGL competition. 7. Both teams in a single match use players previously banned from the TGL. • Result: The banned player’s new TGL accounts and registered unique game ID will be banned again if applicable. Both teams will receive forfeit losses. A second offense by either team will result in that particular team being removed from all current events and the leader will be permanently banned from TGL competition. 8. A player admits to cheating. • Result: Admitting to cheating is very risky business. TGL Admins may or may not ban individuals that admit to cheating, depending on their own judgment of the context in which such a statement was made. 9. A player uses an illegal CD key (leaked, stolen, publicly listed, borrowed, etc.) and the associated unique game ID is on a trusted ban list. • Result: The player is permanently banned from TGL competition. TGL matches that the banned player previously participated in are not overturned unless the ban occurred during a TGL match. 10. Your brother, sister, friend, roommate, co-worker, husband, wife, son, daughter, mom, father, aunt, uncle, grandmother, grandfather, niece, nephew, step-brother, step-sister, step-mom, step-father, dog, cat, fish, police officer, fireman, EMS technician, teacher, boss, commanding officer, the President of the United States, or imaginary friend used cheats on your computer, or your GUID/SteamID is on a PunkBuster, Punksbusted.com, PBBans.com, or other trusted ban list. • Result: The player is permanently banned from TGL competition. TGL matches that the banned player previously participated in are not overturned unless the ban occurred during a TGL match. TGL cheating bans based strictly on demo review are voted on by TGL Admins that have reviewed all known demo footage. A majority vote in favor of a ban will result in the TGL player being banned. If the vote isn't unanimous or if the vote is tied, a decision by more senior TGL Admins or additional review is required to make a final decision; this may include leaving the case open to wait for further evidence to develop. TGL Admins reserve the right to interpret these rules as necessary; the items listed above are simply guidelines. The TGL reserves the right to treat certain situations uniquely and decide on proper punishment for circumstances not described above. 8.0 Dispute Information and Guidelines 8.1 The Dispute Process Disputes include, but are not limited to: • Scores being reported incorrectly • Unsportsmanlike behavior • Cheating in game • Improper conduct in or out of game In the case of a dispute, team leaders must submit an email to a TGL AC Admin. Any member who is not a designated leader is not allowed to report a dispute. Disputes are not a public matter and should only be handled by the admins. Posting disputes on public forums could lead to suspension. A formal dispute must be filed within 24 hours of the match being completed. The dispute must be made through email from the email address of the leader as listed on the TGL website. As much information as possible should be sent in this initial email, so please include a full description of what happened, details of the match (including which teams are involved and what TGL event you’re participating in), why this dispute is being made, and also include any logs or screenshots that may be used as evidence to support your claim. If you fail to provide any proof, then there is no dispute. If a team makes repeated false claims against other teams, the disruption may be viewed as grounds for team suspension. Once a team has two failed disputes, they will lose the right to submit general disputes. Anti-Cheat disputes will remain open at all times. As necessary, a TGL AC Admin may request additional information from either team. Team will then have forty-eight (48) hours from the initial request to provide the requested items or risk forfeit or other disciplinary action. All evidence will be reviewed by the AC Admins and a ruling will be issued. This ruling will be final, and the matter laid to rest. If a TGL AC Admin is a member of a team involved in a dispute, that admin will not have access to the dispute or any proof provided to support such a dispute. A representative from the defending team other than any potential TGL AC Admin directly involved in the dispute will be contacted to handle any issues related to the dispute. 8.2 Dispute Evidence Request If a dispute has been filed, TGL Admins will contact all parties involved in the dispute (both the team members filing the dispute and the team members being disputed) and request all first person demo files, in addition to their Bad Apple Anti-Cheat files. All individuals involved will then have forty-eight (48) hours to submit all requested files to the TGL AC Admin in charge of the dispute. While a majority of disputes can be resolved from this information, there is the chance that server logs may be requested to further assist in determining a ruling. If a player has been requested to submit demos and Bad Apple AC files to a TGL Admin for any reason, the player has forty-eight (48) hours to comply. If the player does not have the requested information, the following penalties will be enforced: • 1st Offense: Official warning and the match is overturned • 2nd Offense: 1 week suspension and the match is overturned • 3rd Offense: 3 week suspension and the match is overturned Once a match is overturned as a result of failing to provide TGL with the relevant demo and Bad Apple AC files as requested, the outcome is final. The match will not return to the pre-dispute outcome even if the demos and Bad Apple AC files are received at a later time and proven to be clean. If any player fails to start their first person demo prior to the start of the match, any round not recorded in the demo will be overturned and rewarded to the opposing team. 8.3 Random Demo and Bad Apple AC File Disputes Initiated by Admins TGL Anti-Cheat admins may request mandatory demo and Bad Apple Anti-Cheat file submissions from both teams, for any reason, at any time. Such requests are made in an effort to keep teams honest, helping to ensure teams properly record demo and AC files for each match. When random requests are made, files are collected from both teams involved in the match, not just one. 8.4 Demo and Bad Apple AC File Submission Criteria for Playoffs/Tournaments TGL Anti-Cheat admins may request mandatory demo and Bad Apple Anti-Cheat file submissions from both teams during especially important matches, such as playoff matches, or other matches determining prize winners. 9.0 How to Contact a TGL Admin There are many ways to contact a TGL Admin - the TGL website private message system, instant messaging programs as listed in the admin’s profile, the TGL IRC channel (irc.gamesurge.net #TGL), the TGL forums, and by email. The preferred method to contact an admin is via the TGL website private messaging system. To send a message to an admin, go to the admins page and click the name of the admin you wish to contact. If you need to send files/logs/transcripts to an admin, please send an email to the admin with the necessary files attached. It is also a good idea to send a private message to an admin when sending attachments via email. 10.0 Official Rule Changes The Total Gaming League and its admins reserve the right to modify the rules as needed, before, during, or after any particular event or match. Such changes can be made utilizing this official document, or be expressed verbally by an admin making a time-sensitive ruling. This includes changes due to software updates or releases, competition committee decisions, and all other changes deemed necessary to the success of the event. Teams should check the rules on a regular basis and prior to each match to ensure they are in complete compliance; all rule sets list the revision number and date last revised at the top of the document. Teams must understand that the rules listed are guidelines that TGL will use to try and ensure fair and competitive play and are subject to interpretation by the TGL Admins based on the spirit of the rules and game. If a team attempts to manipulate or exploit a TGL rule in any way, other than for its intended use, TGL Admins reserve the right to make a final ruling and interpretation on the rule in question, for the given TGL match and/or dispute. 11.0 General The TGL is not responsible for any incorrect or inaccurate information, whether caused by users of the site or by any of the equipment or programming associated with or utilized on the site or in any event or by any technical or human error, which may occur in the processing of registrations, entries into any TGL event, or otherwise in connection with any TGL event including, without limitation, any technical limitation or other event that results in the disqualification or loss of ranking status of any participant in any TGL event . The TGL assumes no responsibility for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, or communications line failure relating to the Site or any TGL event, or for any theft or destruction of or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, any registration materials or entries. The TGL is not responsible for any problems or technical malfunction of any telephone, network, satellite, cable or lines, computer, on-line-systems, servers or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of e-mail, registrations or entry submissions on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or at any web site or combination thereof in connection with the Site or any TGL event, including, without limitation, any technical limitation or other event that results in the disqualification or loss of ranking status of any Player in any Game. The TGL is not responsible for injury or damage to participants' or to any other person's computer related to or resulting from participating, downloading or uploading materials from the Site or in connection with any TGL event. Any use of robotic, automatic, micro, programmed or like entry methods will void all such entries by such methods, and disqualify any person using such methods. IN NO EVENT WILL THE TGL, ITS PARENTS, AFFILIATES, SUBSIDIARIES, SUPPLIERS, AND RELATED COMPANIES, ITS SPONSORS, ADVERTISING OR PROMOTION AGENCIES OR PARTNERS OR ANY OF THEIR RESPECTIVE OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS, BE RESPONSIBLE OR LIABLE FOR: (A) ANY INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL OR PUNITIVE DAMAGES OF ANY KIND UNDER ANY THEORY (WHETHER CONTRACT, TORT, WARRANTY OR OTHERWISE), INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF PROFITS OR TGL EVENT PRIZES, ARISING OUT OF ANY PARTICIPANT'S ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SITE OR PARTICIPATION IN ANY TOURNAMENT OR (B) FOR ANY DAMAGES OF ANY KIND IN EXCESS OF ANY FEE PAID BY YOU (IF ANY) TO ENTER THE APPLICABLE TGL EVENT. WITHOUT LIMITING THE FOREGOING, EVERYTHING ON THE SITE AND IN CONNECTION WITH ANY TGL EVENT IS PROVIDED "AS IS" WITHOUT WARRANTY OF ANY KIND, EITHER EXPRESSED OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, THE IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OR NON-INFRINGEMENT. SOME JURISDICTIONS DO NOT ALLOW THE LIMITATION OR EXCLUSION OF CERTAIN LIABILITY OR WARRANTIES SO SOME OF THE ABOVE LIMITATIONS MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. IN SUCH JURISDICTIONS, THE TGL’S LIABILITY IS LIMITED TO THE GREATEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. 12.0 Release By participating, each participant and winner waives any and all claims of liability against the TGL, its parents, subsidiaries, affiliates, subsidiaries, suppliers, and related companies, adverting and promotion agencies and partners, and any of their respective officers, directors, employees, representatives, and agents, from any and all liability for any loss, harm, damages, cost or expense, including without limitation property damages, personal injury and/or death, arising out of participation in any TGL event or the acceptance, use or misuse of the prize. If any part of these Official Rules shall be held or declared to be invalid or unenforceable for any reason by any court of competent jurisdiction, such provision shall be ineffective but shall not affect any other part of these Official Rules and the invalid portion of any provision shall be deemed modified to the least degree necessary to remedy such invalidity while retaining the original intent of the parties. The failure of the TGL to partially or fully exercise any rights or the waiver by the TGL of any breach of these Official Rules by you, shall not prevent a subsequent exercise of such right by TGL or be deemed a waiver by TGL of any subsequent breach by you of the same or any other term of these Official Rules. The rights and remedies of TGL under these Official Rules shall be cumulative, and the exercise of any right or remedy shall not limit a right to exercise any other right or remedy hereunder. In case of dispute, entries will be declared made by the authorized account holder of the e-mail address submitted at the time of registration. "Authorized account holder" is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an e-mail address by an Internet Access Provider, on-line service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning e-mail addresses for the domain associated with the submitted e-mail address. 13.0 Conduct and Decisions By participating in this League, participants agree to be bound by the decisions of the TGL, Admins, and all other TGL personnel. If the conduct or outcome of the League is affected by human error, any mechanical malfunctions or failures of any kind, intentional interference or any event beyond the control of the TGL, the Company reserves the right to terminate this League, or make such other decisions regarding the outcome as the TGL deems appropriate. The TGL reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual it finds (a) to be tampering with the registration or entry process or the operation of the Site or any TGL event; (b) be acting in violation of these Official Rules; (c) to be hacking, or to be acting in a non-sportsmanlike or disruptive manner, or with intent to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other person; or (d) to have provided any false or misleading information as part of the registration process including, without limitation, any false names, addresses or e-mail addresses. All decisions will be made by the TGL and they are final. ANY ATTEMPT BY A PARTICIPANT OR ANY OTHER INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY CIRCUMVENT, DISRUPT OR DAMAGE ORDINARY AND NORMAL OPERATION OF THIS LEAGUE, TELEPHONE SYSTEMS OR WEBSITE, OR UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF ANY TGL EVENT IS A VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, TGL RESERVES THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES FROM ANY SUCH PARTICIPANT TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. 14.0 Registrant Conduct The user agrees not to maliciously disparage, discredit, slander, libel, or defame the TGL or MyIS, TGL or MyIS staff, TGL or MyIS event or TGL divisions, MyIS or TGL Sponsors, in any public forum, or format, including but not limited to, websites, IRC, Usenet/Web discussion systems, chat programs, magazines, newsletters, newspapers, radio, videos, documentaries, television, etc. If the user fails to abide by this requirement, the user may be disqualified from TGL events, forfeit prizes, be barred from future competitions including all divisions within TGL, and/or be subject to appropriate civil penalties. 15.0 Miscellaneous If for any reason, any TGL event, in the TGL's sole opinion, is not capable of running as planned, including, but not limited to, by reason of infection by computer virus, bugs, worms, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes beyond the control of the TGL which, in the TGL's sole judgment, corrupts or affects the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of any TGL event, the TGL reserves the right at their sole discretion to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the TGL event and proceed in such a manner as may be deemed fair and equitable by the TGL in their sole discretion. 16.0 Arbitration and Governing Law Any controversy, claim or dispute arising out of or relating to this TGL event shall be settled by arbitration administered by the American Arbitration Association in accordance with its Commercial Rules, except that, to the extent any participant, winner or guest has in any manner violated or threatened to violate the TGL’s intellectual property or confidentiality rights, the TGL may seek injunctive, monetary or other appropriate relief in any state or federal court in the state California (and TGL may assert both intellectual property causes of action and other appropriate causes of action in any such action), and you consent to exclusive jurisdiction and venue in such courts. The arbitrator's award shall be binding and may be entered as a judgment in any court of competent jurisdiction. To the fullest extent permitted by applicable law, no arbitration under this Agreement shall be joined to an arbitration involving any other party subject to this Agreement, whether through class arbitration proceedings or otherwise. 17.0 Use of Data The TGL will be collecting personal data about participants online, in accordance with its privacy policy. Please review the TGL’s privacy policy at http://www.myinternetservices.com/legal/policy. By participating in this League, participants hereby agree to TGL’s collection and usage of their personal information and acknowledge that they have read and accepted TGL’s privacy policy. 18.0 Official Rules and List of Winners For a copy of the winners list or official rules for a specific event, please send a stamped, self-addressed, business-size envelope to: Total Gaming League, ATTN: Team Fortress 2 8v8 Season 1 Open – [Winners List or Official Rules], 158 Oxford Avenue, Fair Haven NJ, 07704.