INTRODUCTION
------------
Welcome to Season 2 of the official KAOS League.
This event wouldn't be possible without your interest. Thank you all for that.
It's really appreciated to be able to create and take part in this unique professional challenge with good players paticipating.
Season 2 will begin on Thursday 1st January (0:00 GMT time). The regular phase of season will end on 21st March. All matches have to be completed before or on that date. This is the final deadline that won't be postponed. Playoff stage will take place between 22nd and 31st of March. All 4 playoffs, 3rd place match and the season final will be played then.
HOSTING
-------
All games will be hosted by the approved hosts only. No games within this league can be hosted by anyone else. This is to assure that everyone gets exactly same format and fair chances and also no games will remain unspectated.
These players are:
- DreamTrance - the event director, main host
- Kayz
- nickynick
In some rare cases the games can be hosted by the substitute hosts: Hurz & LeTotalKiller, but only if all hosts above will be hosting a game or will be unable to host league games while there will be an urgent need.
Hosts cannot host their own games and must always ask another host to host for them. No exceptions in this rule.
Arranging games on your own will make it a lot more convenient, the arranged games should be then arranged with the hosts so they can host for you.
Pre-arranged games will have the priority before any other although if there is a host available to host simultaneous game it can be played anyway.
ARRANGING GAMES
---------------
The majority of the text below is mostly only for your information so you can see whether the rules are obeyed by the hosts or not. You can always refer to these rules if you see that something is being ommited.
You will not be asked to play more than 1 game per 3-4 days, unless you really want to and there will be a host available for you, but if you don't play any games for more days in a row, it may be very hard for you to complete all within deadline.
Please understand that every single game may matter for certain players, so try to be active to assure you'll play all your games in time.
If any player will be falling back with activity, they will be contacted by the hosts to arrange games via: wormnet, TUS pm or sometimes the contact emails / skype some of you provided.
If there will be serious problems contacting such players they can get penalty points affecting their performance scoring.
EVENT FORMAT
------------
I want it to be a fair and pleasant challenge, everyone will get same chances and all games will be comparable. That's why it is very important to make all games keeping same setup and format.
The league will be classic, it will require exactly 2 games against everyone that signed in to this season (match and a rematch).
All games will be hosted by the approved hosting players only.
You will get basic and performance points for played games (explained in separate points section).
There are also penalty points for some organisational problems that may occure (look at the points section for more details).
Players' points should be announced before and after each game, round and possibly in real time as they are earned.
All games will have same, comparable setup / format (map types, map order - see game setup section below) so each player gets similar chances.
RANKING CRITERIA
----------------
The criteria used to determine final standings of the league will be as follows:
1. Basic points earned in all played games altered by possible unplayed games penalties (see points section how to get them).
2. Performance points count (see points section how to get them).
3. Greater number of victories overall.
4. Won / Lost rounds ratio.
5. Greater number of rounds won.
6. Aggregate of rounds between tied players.
7. Last head-to-head result.
PLAYOFF REGULATIONS
-------------------
Once all regular games in the season are played until 21st March, two-legged play-off stage will begin.
Top 4 players from the standings will qualify for that stage and will be paired according to the pairing system (shown below).
If there won't be a clear situation at the end of 21st March due to unplayed games - special balancing procedure will be used to determine playoff spots and those who'll qualify. It will concern just the players that will maintain mathematical chances of advance at the end of 21st March.
The playoffs as well as finals will be played between 22nd and 31 of Match.
These play-off matches will be played at 4 victories:
Playoff 1 (1st vs 4th) (2 legs)
Playoff 2 (2nd vs 3rd) (2 legs)
The aggregate score winners of these matches will advance to the final match while losers will play 3rd place match (that will be played before the final)
In case of an aggregate draw, the performance points count from playoffs will decide (if still tied than the result of an additional tie-breaker match at 4 victories will decide).
The final as well as 3rd place matches will both be played at 5 victories.
Top 3 players will win a prize: champion, runner up and 3rd place match winner.
The amount of money prize (Euros) will depend solely on global points earned throughout whole event (100% conversion of the difference between final value of global (both basic and performance) points of winner and runner-up, but only paid in full if ALL PLAY-OFF MATCHES (including final of course) ARE PLAYED until the final deadline that is 31st March.
The runner's up prize will be a 50% of champion's prize.
The 3rd place match winner's prize will be calculated with same guidelines as the prize for champion, but it cannot be bigger than the amount of prize for runner up.
VALID SCHEME SETTINGS
---------------------
The official scheme that should be used in the league is Kaos Resurrection that comes as a wsc file especially for this event (specified in scheme section).
This is the ONLY scheme to be used by everyone in every match of the league.
You must play all games with 8 worms.
Just to remind that all games have to be played at 3 victories (this is already set in the scheme).
GAME SETUP GUIDELINES
---------------------
These rules will be followed by the hosts to make all games comparable and fair-played:
1. Use biggest classic maps only (no user-made special maps, no user-made big maps etc.) with as much complicated terrain as possible.
2. Do not modify the maps and object settings in any way, although:
2a Set map complexity to 10 in map-menu right-click section to provide as much tactical hideouts as possible as well as the most obstacles.
2b Set map-bridges amount to 1, so there are no bridges that provide too easy transportation, easier kills / pilings and crate platforms.
3. Everytime use following map pattern:
Round 1: ISLAND
Round 2: ISLAND
Round 3: CAVE
Round 4: CAVE (if still no winner)
Round 5: ISLAND (if still no winner)
Round 6: ISLAND (if any draw occurs in previous rounds and still no winner)
Round 7: CAVE (if more than 1 draw occurs in previous rounds and still no winner)
I-I-C-C-I-I-C-C-(looping until there is a winner)
3a Drawn rounds also follow the pattern - example: if there is a draw in round 4 (cave map), the next map will be island.
3b Island maps shouldn't have water in the middle or at the middle bottom or be split into 2 smaller islands, it should be a 1 solid big terrain.
3c Cave maps should be FULLY CLOSED (sides and bottom) so there is no access to any edge nor water in the beginning of a round. Use a map-menu to pick maps - always pick map types that are located in the very left window of both island and cave types in map-menu.
4. The landscape theme of the maps shouldn't repeat within a match to allow the skills to be tested in various conditions (grass etc).
Additional tips:
5. Don't make any rule decisions on your own, consult every unusual or problematic situation with me before attempting anything (organisation).
6. Be very careful with accidental surrenderings. It will always be counted as lost round without any excuse possible. Only surrender a round tactically if you really want to (considering your very hopeless positions while an opponent is only collecting and you really can't do nothing etc.).
DROPPING ISSUES SOLUTION
------------------------
In case of any drop - a penalty points for the one who caused the drop will be applied according to the penalty rules.
The only exception is the moment when the game doesn't even load before 1st round.
If a drop will occur in any match, game will be repeated from the start, depending on who caused it there can be following scenarios:
1. Player causing the drop is losing in the match
- winning player who didn't drop decides on keeping his score or restart from 0-0 (fair-play points - 3 points for each round).
2. Player causing the drop is winning in the match
- losing player who didn't drop decides on keeping the winning player's score (fair-play points - 3 points for each round) or restart from 0-0
In case of a drop while tied (0-0, 1-1, 2-2) game is replayed from the tied result it was there prior to the dropped round, but if a player who didn't drop had significant advantage or weapons advantage he shall get compensation performance points.
All performance points earned in the round that crashed are unfortunately lost for obvious fair-play reasons (to maintain fair chances for everyone to earn points in exact amount of rounds played). The only exception is when there were some already earned while the host drops game.
In case the host drops, the game is repeated from a result that was there prior to the round it dropped in plus the player who was leading also receives compensation points to cover his potential lost points and worm / weapon advantage gained in dropped round.
Minimising of the game may increase the chance of a drop (this also include minimising between rounds). Do it on your own risk, but if a player will drop, the penalty points will be applied (explained in point system explanation section).
FINAL ORGANISATIONAL STATEMENTS
-------------------------------
Current standings along with info coverage (if needed or requested) will be frequently posted to TUS thread section (at least once a day if any games happen everyday).
In every exceptional case you can solve your problem or ask for complete information on TUS thread section.
These rules above won't change within the season however anything that wasn't specified will be analysed individually as some specific, exceptional cases may occure.
When solving issues I will always have the fair-play spirit in mind, so noone will be treated unfair here because all players should have exactly same chances in this official competition.
--------
HAVE FUN