MTT Guide for Referees - Tournament Rules

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MTT Guide for Referees - Tournament Rules

Postby Impregnable » Wed 01 Jul, 2020 4:03 pm

- Monthly Team Tournament Codex: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2760
- MTT Guide for Referees: viewtopic.php?f=14&t=2975

- If anyone got any questions regarding rules in this page, contact the organizer either on Discord.
Discord - Impregnable#8903

Table of Contents
1/ Reading Guide
2. Tournament Day Procedures
- 2.1/ Standard Phases
Phase 1 - Gathering People
Phase 2 - Rule Enforcing
Phase 3 - Editing Bracket Page
- 2.2/ Optional Phases
1) Disconnection
2) Dropping
3) Observers/Streamers
- 2.3/ Division Finals
1) Preventing Disconnection
2) Map/Hero Picks
3) Disconnection
4) Dropping/Reserves
5) Restrictions in Player Rights

1/ Reading Guide
- After receiving the initiation training, you as a referee will most likely not need to look back at MTT Guide for Referees. The current page you are viewing contains all tournament rules and procedure related knowledge that you need to know in order to do duties during a tournament. Therefore, if you need to revise tournament rules, this is the only page you need to revisit.
- You need to bookmark this page or save its link.

Training Instructions
- When using this page for training, it is important to actually try all the procedures as if one is actually participating as a referee. This is best done by using tournament related pages of a previously finished tournament since they contains examples.
- On the other hand, tournament pages for the upcoming tournament is not suitable for training because they will remain empty until about 4 hours before the start of the tournament.

Labels Detail
  • ^
    - When above label is attached in front of below labels, it means what is written beneath the label only applies to the statement right above it. When it is not attached, it means what is written beneath the label applies to the entire section it belongs to.
  • Procedure
    - Provides step by step guide on what to do.
  • Explanation
    - Tells you why that section is needed to be done or be understood.
  • (Know-Hows)
    - Includes various tips that help you in applying or understanding what is written in that section.
    - This part is usually included due to many referees in the past having hard time about applying or understanding that particular section during training sessions.
  • (CAUTION)
    - Warns you on common misunderstandings and mistakes that can be made while trying to apply or understand that particular section.
  • (Related Bug/Solution)
    - Consists of reports of technical bugs that you need to know about and how to solve them.
2/ Tournament Day Procedures
- Referee duties on the tournament day can be divided into 3 standard phases and optional phases. For standard phases, firstly, the referee host a room in game for the match that the organizer assigned him or her to and gather required players into the room. After that, the referee proceed the match according to rules. When a match ends, the referee report scores and result by editing Bracket Page.
- Up to reporting scores is the usual process and there are optional phases that only needs to be done when a referee has to deal with abnormal situations. Such situations are dealing with disconnections, droppings and observers who enter the room. What to do when you get assigned to Division Finals is provided as a separate section.

General Instructions
a) Be online on Steam at least 30 minutes before the tournament start.
- Late coming referees do not need to do this.
(Know-Hows)
- If something happens and you cannot arrive for the tournament after telling the organizer that you are coming, you should directly message the organizer through either Steam or Discord.
- If you do not have access to your computer, use SMART PHONE APP for Steam or Discord to message the organizer.
Steam - https://steamcommunity.com/profiles/76561198008307003/
Discord - Impregnable#8903

b) Always be ready to check Steam messages from the organizer.
c) Report to the organizer quickly if there is any trouble.
d) Feel free to ask questions if you are unsure about something.
e) For whatever reason it maybe, tell the organizer when you have to leave or be away from keyboard.
f) You can leave anytime after finishing managing your first BO series but you need to message the organizer beforehand.
Explanation
- The organizer cannot be in every room. Therefore, he relies on reports from referees to track progress and ascertain situations. Also, he can only take actions through referees who are inside those rooms.
- In a gist, you are acting as eyes and hands of the organizer. This is why it is important to always be ready to check messages from the organizer and answer back as soon as possible when contacted. Without your help, the organizer will be severely handicapped and the tournament will be greatly delayed.

To do list while being on standby before the start
a) Give the organizer a direct message on Steam to show that you are on present and ready.
b) Open MRT group chat
c) Open sign up page
d) Check whether your internet and game are working properly.

2.1/ Standard Phases
- Below 3 phases are standard ones that you need to do for every room you are assigned to.

Phase 1 - Gathering People
- When the tournament starts, you are assigned a Division and a match. Then, you are required to host a room inside the game and gather involved people for the assigned match.

Step 1> Once Bracket Page and Participant List are finished, the organizer directly messages you on Steam on which match to host and which Division the match belongs to like below.
- The game number of each match is located at the left side of each box at Bracket Page.
Example: Div A Game 1

Step 2> Open Bracket Page and Participant List of the Division you are assigned to on separate tabs.
- Putting them on separate tabs is for your convenience of viewing each page without having to click on tabs inside Challonge page.

Step 3> Turn on ESL reporter and launch the game.

Step 4> According to the organizer's instruction, host your room in public and place yourself at the observer slot.
- Hosting a public room is done through below procedure.
(Multiplayer -> Custom Games -> Public -> Host -> Name your room)
- The room should be named using team names provided by Bracket Page like below.
Example: Brawling of Lokyo vs Brooding Shroom
(Know-Hows)
- If alt tabbing from the game while hosting matches to see Challonge pages crashes or lags your computer, use smartphone to open Challonge pages.


Step 5> After hosting the room, go to Participant List in order to identify 4 players who are required to be in your room.
- You can quickly find them by using search function in your browser to search for their team name. In Chrome, hotkey for search function is Ctrl + F.
(Know-Hows)
- There is no need to search for the full name of a team, can just type a part of their team name for a quick search.
- If alt tabbing from the game while hosting matches to see Challonge pages crashes or lags your computer, use smartphone to open Challonge pages.


Step 6> After figuring out who are involved players, contact them directly through MRT group chat.
- What I mean by directly contacting players is to actually directly send Steam messages to them and not just announce their IDs in the group chat.
- In the group chat's right side panel, there is a list of players inside the group chat. Right next to their Steam IDs, there is a small downward pointing arrow icon. Clicking it presents you a list options and one of options is to send direct message to the person. This can be done even if they are not your Steam friend.
- Report to the organizer immediately when players are missing from the Steam group chat or from your room for any reason.
(Know-Hows)
- Using search filter located on top of the player list for searching player ID is recommended.


Phase 2 - Rule Enforcing
- After gathering 4 involved players into your room, you are required to proceed matches according to rules.
- All matches are best of 3 except all Division finals which are best of 5.
- Remember that Map Picking procedure is always done first before Hero Picking procedure starts.
(Know-Hows)
- When communicating with players in the room in order to proceed procedures stated under this phase, you should only use in game lobby chat.
- Only in certain exceptional cases, you are to use Steam group chat or individual Steam chat with players.


Map Picks
a) A map is picked in each game in accordance to below stated rule.
1st Game - Predetermined by the organizer for each Round
2nd Game - The losing team of the previous match chooses
3rd Game - The losing team of the previous match chooses
^(Know-Hows)
- First Game map for each Round Can be found on Bracket Page. Maps are located underneath labels for each Round.
- The easiest way to find the location is to use search function of the browser to search for the word (Round). Search function will highlight locations of matching texts and you will be able to see maps stated beneath them.


b) No map can be played more than once within a Round.
^(Know-Hows)
- Some referees have hard time understanding this rule so it is recommended check the below quiz to see if you understand. Need to know the reasoning behind each answer.
Example: Round 1 Game 1 map is Argus Desert Gate.
Q1) Can Argus Desert Gate be used in Round 1 Game 2?
A> NO
Q2) Can Argus Desert Gate be used in Round 2 Game 2?
A> YES
- Answer to Q1 is NO because no map can be used twice in the same Round.
- Argus is the starting map which should be used in Game 1 thus cannot be used in Game 2.
- Answer to Q2 is YES because it is a different Round. No same map twice is limited to each Round.
- As such, the limitation is reset when advancing towards a different Round making maps used in previous Rounds usable again.


c) Maps that are variants of other maps, such as Calderis Refinery/Valderus Refinery, will count as one map.
^(Know-Hows)
- In the current map pool, Calderis Refinery/Valderus Refinery is the only case of same map with different skins.


d) Only maps in Map Pool may be played to be considered a valid tournament match. Map Pool can be found on sign up pages.
^(Know-Hows)
- When there is a change, the organizer will inform you in advance.
- Shouldn't worry too much about It cause it rarely changes.


Hero Picks
a) Each team takes turns in locking heroes first in an set order as shown below until the victor is decided. The order of picking is not affected by wins or loses of each set unlike map picking.
1st Game - Top of the box team first
2nd Game - Bottom of the box team first
3rd Game - Top of the box team first
^(Know-Hows)
- Teams who are having a match is grouped into a rectangular box shape at Bracket Page. One team occupies the top side while the other occupies the bottom. This is what I mean by top or bottom of a box.

^Explanation
- Those who have experienced MOBA genre games should be able to understand the concept here easily. Both teams should not be able to freely pick heroes without taking turns. If that is allowed, each team will not able to settle down on their hero picks due to each team trying to pick counter picks.
- This is why a set order has to be applied for each game on which team lock their heroes first.

b) When it is a team's turn to pick heroes, both players belonging to that team have to finalize their choices. One player picking and the teammate not doing so is not allowed.

c) Players must choose from 3 pre-picked choices. Each player's pick is located at Participant List.
^(Know-Hows)
- As long as they are picking from 1 of the 3, each hero can be picked any number of times and in whatever order in each game.


d) Players who chose random can only play random throughout the entire tournament.

e) Players must announce their hero picks in the match chat room after finalizing their hero pick.
f) Players picking random must immediately announce their faction via Shift + Enter global chat as soon as the game finishes loading.
^(CAUTION)
- Above two rules must be strictly applied in order to prevent disputes.
- Tell players involved to follow above two rules in the lobby chat and do not start the game until they comply or say in the lobby chat that they fully understand the rule in a clear way.


Phase 3 - Editing Bracket Page
- Referees are required to do below things after each set of a BO series concludes.
a) After each set of a series concludes, report scores at the Challonge Bracket Page.
- Reporting scores at the Challonge Bracket Page is done by pressing Icons that appear around match boxes at Bracket tab of Bracket Page.
b) If the concluded match is the last match of a BO series, report which team in which Division advanced to the organizer through the Steam chat.
Procedure
Step 1> Click on (a pen in a box icon) which are located at the right side of each match box.
- Upon clicking on the icon, you are presented with a pop up screen.
- The pop up screen contains blank spots for inputting numbers for each set.
Step 2> Input number 1 to the winning team.
- The only number you should assign to each box is 1.
- You are not required to input any number for the losing team. When not assigned a number, the losing team automatically gets the score of 0.
^(Related Bug/Solution)
- There is a bug related to inputting scores for sets at the pop up screen. When a team is given a score while the opposing team has lower or no score assigned, the Challonge program automatically select that team as the winner of the entire series.
- When this bug is triggered, you will be able to see that a team has been selected to advance although you did not take any actions. This will always happen when you are reporting score for the first set. You input the number 1 for the winning team then try to report the score and this bug happens and you make a team advance which is against your intention.
- In order to report scores only and not make a team advance, you need to deselect the highlighted team by clicking on it again after inputting the score at one of blank boxes.


(Know-Hows)
Manually making a team advance
- Although making a team advance is done automatically when you report scores for all sets, it is necessary to know how to do it manually.
- Making a team manually advance to the next round is done by clicking on one of the two team names located at the bottom of the pop up screen. The selected team is highlighted in orange color.
- This is a separate function from inputting scores. It is possible to make a team advance after inputting lower score to the advancing team, giving equal scores to both teams or even when no score is assigned to either team.

Fixing match results
- Fixing match results is done by using icons that appear next to match boxes when putting the mouse cursor on top of the match box of a finished match. There are two methods.
- The first method is to use (a pen in a box icon). Clicking on it prompts the same pop up screen you used when inputting scores for each set. From that pop up screen, can edit scores and change the advancing team in order to fix reported match results on that particular match box.
- The second method is to use (circling arrow icon). This is a complete reset icon. Upon clicking on the icon, scores are erased, the advancing team is pulled back into the previous match and a pen in a box icon reappear on the right side of the match box. After the reset, you can report scores again in the same way as you did for untouched match boxes.
- When both teams are assigned an equal score, circling arrow icon method cannot be used for resetting the match box.


2.2/ Optional Phases
- Up to phase 3 is what you normally do as a standard procedure. However, from time to time, you would have to apply the optional phase to deal with abnormal situations stated below that do not belong to standard phases.

1) Disconnection
- If someone disconnects during the game, report to the organizer of the tournament immediately.
- The meaning of the term disconnection used here includes but not limited to any activity that result in leaving the game while the match is in progress such as sound bug, rage quitting and force quitting.
- Same map and same hero settings on both teams have to be used for all rematches.
- In any rematch, players who registered as random must pick the hero the random gave them during the crashed match for the rematch.

5 Minutes Rule
- In case of disconnection, different rules are applied based on whether it happened over or below 5 minutes.
- The hosting referee is the one who determines whether the match was over or below 5 minutes based on his or her observation.
- The hosting referee's decision will be final and without discussion so the tournament can go on as smoothly as possible. Failure to comply will result in the tournament ejection of the offending party.

a) Below or exactly 5 minutes
  • A rematch is done.
b) Above 5 minutes
  • The hosting referee must explain that there are two options to 4 players in the room.
  • The first and by default option is the hosting referee or the organizer determining the winner using whatever information available.
  • The second and optional rule is doing a rematch. It can only be done under the condition that all players in the room agree on a rematch.
  • For this to work, the referee should directly message each player via group chat and ask which option he or she chooses. However, before making contacted players choose an option, the referee must explain in detail that the first option is the default one and the second option cannot be forced if one of involved players disagrees.
  • The referee should also notify when directly messaging each player that harassing the player who does not agree on the rematch will result in disqualification of the offending party.
Disconnection Penalties I Preventive Measure
  • For whatever reason if a team member disconnects twice in an entire tournament, it will result in that player being ejected out of the tournament.
  • If each team member of a team disconnects once within a round, the entire team is disqualified.
  • If someone disconnects during the game, the hosting referee must inform applicable players about above penalties when players enter rehosted room. At the same time, the referee must inform applicable players about the preventive measure. Almost all types of the disconnections can be prevented by turning the game and Steam off and on after every match.
  • Players who got disqualified due to these penalties cannot be a reserve.
Exceptions
- Disconnection rules are strictly applied in all forms of disconnection but there are exceptions. In below cases, a rematch is done without having to use same map and same hero settings on both teams, without having to count minutes and without applying penalties.
a) Everyone crashing together including the referee
b) Players crashing during the loading screen

2) Dropping
- Dropping means a player is either missing or is being unresponsive in a match lobby when they are required to be present and responsive.

15 Minutes Rule
- The moment you realized dropping happened, you start 15 Minutes countdown and you apply different rules depending on what happened in the room
- This countdown cannot be reset under any circumstances.
- Rules are applied on a team basis.
^(Know-Hows)
- For example, if each team in your room dropped a member each, you apply rules separately for each remaining member who is present and is being responsive.


a) When there is no remaining member who is present and responsive
- By default, wait for 15 minutes and report to the organizer when time is up.
- If the entire team manages to return and be responsive within time limit, proceed the match as normal.
- If only one member arrives or become responsive within time limit, report to the organizer. He will deal with the situation.

b) When there is a remaining member who is present and responsive
- Ask the remaining member to choose from one of four options stated below within 15 minutes time limit.
- Also, tell the remaining member that he or she can decide to switch between options but need to know that 15 minutes time limit is shared among options and is not reset when switching to other options.

b.1) Wait for 15 minutes
- Continue 15 minutes countdown.
- If the missing or unresponsive manages to return or become responsive in time, proceed the match as normal.
- If above does not happen and countdown runs out, inform the remaining member that the organizer will find a reserve for him or her and that he or she cannot deny the provided reserve.
- After informing the applicable player, report to the organizer.

b.2) Find a substitute member
- Inform the applicable player of below conditions for finding a substitute.
- The substitute player must be found and be made to arrive in the game lobby within time limit.
- People who got eliminated due to disconnection rule and those who are banned from the tournament cannot be a substitute.
- In case of unresponsiveness, when the substitute member comes into the lobby, kick the unresponsive member.
- Just saying that he or she is available and not coming inside the lobby within time limit is not allowed.
- After arriving in the lobby, the substitute player must respond quickly to your instructions.
^(CAUTION)
- If you judge that the substitute or the remaining member is trying to play by the rules in order to buy time for the dropped player, report to the organizer immediately.

- If the substitute member fails to arrive in the match lobby within 15 minutes, inform the remaining member that the organizer will find a reserve for him or her and that he or she cannot deny the provided reserve.
- After informing the applicable player, report to the organizer.

b.3) Ask the organizer to find a substitute member
- Inform the remaining member that the organizer will find a reserve for him or her and that he or she cannot deny the provided reserve.
- After informing the applicable player, report to the organizer.

b.4) Quit the tournament
- Report to the organizer.

Reuniting with Dropped Players
- What you need to do depend on whether the remaining member was merged or not.
- Merging is done by grouping two players who both lost their teammate into a new team. This means their original teams are dissolved.
- The organizer will tell you whether merging happened or not when contacting you.
(Know-how)
- You are the one who decides the timing.

a) The remaining member was not subject to merging
- When the organizer contacts you, ask the original member whether he or she wants to accept the dropped player.
- The match must not be in progress thus you ask in the match lobby not during the game.
a.1) When the answer is no, report to the organizer.

a.2) When the answer is yes, you check whether the reserve member played more than one game as a part of the team or not.
a.2.a) If he or she played more than 1 game already, politely ask the reserve player to leave and report to the organizer.
- He will make the returning dropped player to step into your room.

a.2.b) if he or she did not play a single game yet, you have to judge which happened earlier between the reserve player getting in the lobby and getting message from me that the dropped player has returned.
a.2.b.1) If the reserve entering the room was faster, the reserve gets to play his 1 game.
a.2.b.2) If receiving the message was faster, you politely ask the reserve player to leave and report to the organizer.

b) The remaining member got merged
- When the organizer contact you, inform to the original member that the dropped player has returned and about below rules.
- The match must not be in progress thus you ask in the match lobby not during the game.
- The dropped player cannot rejoin the team until the player who got teamed up with the original member quit the tournament or get disqualified.
- It is fine for players in a merged team to persuade each other to leave the spot for the dropped member but harassing the player who does not agree on quitting or purposefully sabotaging games is not allowed.
[i]^(CAUTION)
- If you judge that one of merged team member is doing such thing to get rejoined with the dropped member, report to the organizer immediately.


3) Observers/Streamers
- Not every player is allowed to be in observer slots.

Allowed Personnel
- All observers beside below exceptions are banned.
a) Referees
b) Streamers
c) Signed up players who have the organizer's permission for observing
^(Know-Hows)
- The easiest way to apply this rule is to ask the organizer on Steam whenever someone whom you do not recognize enters the observer slot whether that person has permission to be on observer slot or not.


Observer Slot Purge Right
- Players have the right to kick all observers and streamers. Even if only one player requests it, the referee must kick all observers and streamers from the room.

2.3/ Division Finals
- This section is applied when you are assigned to Division Finals.
- Below rules overrides standard rules in Division Finals.
- Only rules stated below are changed for Division Finals. Not mentioned rules stay the same.

1) Preventing Disconnection
- All participants including referees who host the final room must turn their game and Steam off and on after each set in order to prevent disconnection issues.
- The hosting referee must warn involved players about this rule before the start of the first set.
- The hosting referee must not start the first set until all players in the room comply or say in the lobby chat that they fully understand this rule.
- If there are replacements, replacing players must also be informed of this rule when they arrive in the match lobby.
^(Know-Hows)
- Above restart rule is a recommendation therefore, do not need to be enforced. Just make sure to warn players that by not following this rule, they are running a great risk of invoking disconnection penalties.


2) Map/Hero Picks
- Division Finals uses best of 5 format.
- Every rule for map and hero picks stays the same but with below changes and extensions made.

a) Map Picks
- 4th and 5th games are added.
1st Game - Predetermined by the organizer for each Round
2nd Game - The losing team of the previous match chooses
3rd Game - The losing team of the previous match chooses
4th Game - The losing team of the previous match chooses
5th Game - The losing team of the previous match chooses

b) Hero Picks
- 4th and 5th games are added.
1st Game - Top team locks heroes first
2nd Game - Bottom team locks heroes first
3rd Game - Top team locks heroes first
4th Game - Bottom team locks heroes first
5th Game - Top team locks heroes first
- Teams still take turns each game to lock heroes first but the top team who locks heroes first in the first set is decided by coin flip feature provided at the tournament section of the main elite discord.
- Before the hero pick of the first set, top team is decided by below process.
Step 1> The hosting referee asks each team to decide on whether to take heads or tails.
Step 2> The hosting referee uses flip coin feature by typing !flip at rollmap channel to get either heads or tails.
Step 3> The team who picked matching result from flipping coin is decided as the top team and the hosting referee informs players in the lobby chat on who got chosen as the top team.
Step 4> Hero picking procedure starts.

3) Disconnection
- Standard disconnection rules are disregarded and replaced with below rules.

a) Rematch Rules
- Regardless of game length, a rematch happens when disconnection occurs using the same map and same hero settings on both teams but with below conditions attached.
- If 2 units belonging to either team except Spore Mines/Ripper Swarm get wiped before the disconnection, a rematch does not happen and the team with disconnected player take the loss for the applicable set of the series.
- Hero deaths also counts as unit wipes.
- The hosting referee is the one who determines whether a disconnection happened before or after 2 squad wipes based on his or her observation.
- The hosting referee's decision will be final and without discussion so the tournament can go on as smoothly as possible. Failure to comply will result in the tournament ejection of the offending party.
- Rematches are limited to only 1 time per team without exceptions.
- When a rematch cannot be done for whatever reason, the team with disconnected player loses the applicable set of the series.
- Disconnection Penalties are not applied in Division Finals.

b) Exceptions
- In below cases, a rematch is done without having to use same map and same hero settings on both teams, without having to count unit wipes and without using up rematch limits.
> Everyone crashing together including the referee
> Players crashing during the loading screen

4) Dropping/Reserves
- Standard dropping and reserve rules are disregarded and replaced with below rules.
- Different rules are applied based on who and how many dropped.
- Regardless of which rule is applied, dropping results in prize not getting granted to anyone for that Division.
- In addition, reserves who could not or did not participate in the first set of semifinals for the team they got assigned to, cannot receive tournament prizes.
- For Division A Finals, getting a reserve results in winning team members not getting tournament championship wins. This affects seeding in future tournaments.

a) Missing a team member
- When dropping happens, players who lost their teammate have the first say on whom to pick for their respective teams but if they cannot bring or find reserves for some reason, the organizer find someone for them.
- If either the organizer is absent or is unable to bring reserves for some reason, bystanders like streamers, referees and observers can bring one but only under the condition that the receiving player agrees on accepting the selected reserve.
- Players who got rejected out of the tournament due to receiving disconnection penalties and those who are banned from the tournament cannot become a reserve.
- If for some reason a reserve cannot be acquired by bystanders, rules under d.2) applies.

b) Missing an entire team or both teams
- The score freezes at that moment and the tournament concludes without a champion team.

5) Restrictions in Player Rights
- Observer Slot Purge Right cannot be exercised.
- YouTube Cast Privacy Right cannot be exercised.
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