MLIGCTF ZP III
1. League Rules            
These are the official rules for season 3 of MLIGZP. The rules may be changed at a later date, but any major rule changes will be announced in the forums and on the main news page as well. If you are a captain or would like to be a captain, please take the time to know the rules. Rules will be strictly enforced this season with zero exceptions.
1.1 League Format            
The third edition of Major League Instagib Capture the Flag [ ZP ], hereafter referred to as MLIGZP 3, will be a season format and feature a single-elimination playoff bracket. There will be one (1) division, containing eight (8) teams. The season portion of MLIGZP 3 will see each team have one (1) match against every other team in the division for a total of seven (7) regular season matches; there will be two (2) matches a week per team. This means every teams plays both on both match days. Matches will take place on Mondays and Wednesdays. The regular season will last 4 weeks. Playoff length will roughly be 2 weeks.
1.2 League Point Format            
Each match consists of two maps and no tiebreaker. Teams will be awarded three (3) points for each map win, one (1) point for each map loss and zero (0) points for each map forfeit. The four (4) teams with the most points at the end of the regular season in each division will advance to the playoffs. In the event of a tie, the team who has recorded the most game wins (not map wins) will advance. Should both teams have an equal number of game wins, the team that won the head-to-head matchup between both teams will advance. If the teams had split, the team with the better capture ratio in the head to head matchup will advance. If one of the teams had forfeited a map during the head to head, it will be considered an 8-0 loss for the purposes of calculating capture differential. If the teams are still tied in capture ratio in their head to head matchup, the team with the least number of forfeit losses will advance. If both teams have an equal number of forfeit losses, they will play a one map tiebreaker on a map determined by the admins.
1.3 Playoff Format            
The playoffs will feature a single elimination bracket between the six (6) teams with the best records; this means 2 teams will not make playoffs. The quarter-final and semi-final matches will feature a best-of-three format and the finals will feature a best-of-five format.
2. Match Rules            
2.1 Map Selection            
Each round of the regular season will consist of 2 maps selected from a predetermined map list. Each team will select one (1) map from the list for that round and disclose their selection to the match admin 10 minutes before match time. Once the match admin has announced each team's map selection, neither team may change their map choice. The one exception to this is if both teams pick the same map. Should this happen, the admin will allow both teams to resubmit their map selection. If both teams decide not to change their map selection, that map will be played twice. However, if both teams change their map pick but end up picking the same map once again, the map that was selected by both teams initially will be the first map played and the map that was selected by both teams the second time will be the second map played for the match. The team listed first on the site will have their map pick played first on the second team's server choice. You may not choose the same map twice during the regular season.

The quarter-final and semi-final rounds of the playoffs will be a best of three (3) maps with each team choosing one (1) map from the entire maplist. A team may not choose the same map in both the quarter-final and semi-final matches. Should a tiebreaker be required, they will play the first map on the tiebreaker list that was not chosen by either team. The higher seeded team will play their map selection first.

The final round of the playoffs will be a best of five (5) maps with each team choosing two (2) maps from the entire maplist. Should a tiebreaker be required, they will play the first map on the tiebreaker list that was not chosen by either team. The teams will play the higher seeded team's map selection first and then third.
2.2 Maplist            
CTF-AcronyCB
CTF-Anfractuous NEW
CTF-Azcanize-LE101 NEW
CTF-BrokenLimitsCB5
CTF-CommandCE3
CTF-CoretCE105
CTF-Crotus NEW
CTF-DiamondSword_CE
CTF-DisposableHeroesUGL-LE102 NEW
CTF-DukuCB3
CTF-EpicManIG
CTF-EternalCave2
CTF-ExortionCE
CTF-Gauntlet-IG NEW
CTF-IndusRage NEW
CTF-GrendelKeep99MLUT2
CTF-OrbitalLE102
CTF-Revenge-LE-102
CTF-Scandinavium_riffcustom
CTF-SprintaCB3

Playoff Tiebreaker Maps:
1: CTF-SprintaCB3
2: CTF-DukuCB3
3: CTF-Scandinavium_riffcustom

4: CTF-EternalCave2
5: CTF-CoretCE105
2.3 Color Choice            
During all matches, the team that has not chosen the map to be played is allowed to choose color. During the playoffs, the choice of color for the tiebreaker maps is granted to the higher seeded team.
2.4 Match Scheduling            
All matches are scheduled by the MLIGZP staff and times will be posted on the MLIGZP website. If a team cannot field an adequate lineup (5 legal players) at match time, they will be subject to a forfeit loss. The specific rules for a forfeit loss due to a lack of players are enumerated under sections 2.4a through 2.4d.
2.4a Forfeit Loss - Double Forfeit            
If neither team can field a team of five (5) players fifteen (15) minutes after the designated start match time or arrival of an admin, whichever is later, both teams receive a forfeit loss for both maps, neither team receiving any points.

There will be zero exceptions for not having five legitimate players at the designated start time this season.
2.4b Forfeit Loss - 15 Minutes            
If Team B cannot field a team of five (5) members fifteen (15) minutes after the designated match start time or arrival of an admin, whichever is later, Team B forfeits their map pick and Team A receives points for the win.

There will be zero exceptions for not having five legitimate players at the designated start time this season.
2.4c Forfeit Loss - Double Forfeit Between Maps            
If neither team can field a team of five (5) players within ten (10) minutes of the completion of a map, provided an admin is present, both teams receive a forfeit loss for the next map, neither team receiving any points.

There will be zero exceptions for not having five legitimate players at the designated start time this season.
2.4d Forfeit Loss - Between Maps            
If, between maps, Team B cannot field a team of five (5) members ten (10) minutes after the conclusion of the first map, provided an admin is present, Team B forfeits the map and Team A is awarded points for a map win.

There will be zero exceptions for not having five legitimate players at the designated start time this season.
2.5 Connections            
MLIGZP 3 is an open ping event, and as such, nearly all connections are accepted and legal. However, a person cannot be on a LAN (local-area network) with the server. Any players found to be in violation of this rule will be suspended from league play until further notice.
2.6 Fair Ping            
It is extremely difficult to find a level playing field in this age of the Internet.
MLIGZP has decided upon a simple rule to aid in the server selection process.

While server selection can be used as a strategy in some instances, it can also hurt the quality of a match. That being said, this is a zp league instead of a regig league. Equal pings are encouraged and a spread greater than 70ms will be considered unfair. The match admin has the right to request the match be played on another server if a spread greater than 70 is observed (excluding the pings provided by european players).
2.7 Servers            
The admins are responsible for having at least one MLIGZP-sanctioned server available for each match that meets the Server Settings requirements (see next section). PM your match admin if you don't have a server preference (that you can set).

If you have a specific server preference (that's a common server used in pugs or other), let the admin know and the admin will try to accomodate your request. However this server is not guaranteed - it must be setup correctly, possible to mapvote to the correct config, or the server admin must be around.

If you have a specific server preference AND you have admin to it, let the match admin know. As long as it meets the server requirements, and people have no trouble connecting to it, it should be allowed.
2.8 Server Settings            
UTDC 2.1
SmartCTF 4D
UTPure7G
Monster Announcer (Preferred by many)

20 minute map
10 Cap Limit
Mapvote with all MLIGZP maps (correct version), or a server admin must be around to force a map

A server admin must be around to take a screenshot of all IPs.
2.9 Server Crash            
In the event that the game server crashes during a match, the match will restart with the amount of time that was remaining when the server crashed. If the score was tied prior to the crash then any overtime played in the restart will be official. If the match was not tied any captures made prior to the crash will be added to the score once the clock reaches 0:00. If overtime is required at that point, teams will restart the map again with the first team capturing winning the map.
3. Team Rules            
3.1 Captain Responsibilities            
Captains will be selected from a list of applicants by the admininstrators. Captains will be required to:

a) Name their team.
b) Draft a competitive team.
c) Assign an assistant captain.
d) Maintain the teams roster.
e) Make team decisions, such as lineup, map, color and server.
f) Remind your teammates to record demos of official mligzp matches.
g) Take SmartCTF screenshots of their matches and provide them to the admins if admins did not do so themselves.
h) Collect evidence and provide it to the MLUT admins when accusing another team of breaking the rules.

In the absence of the official captain, the co-captain will act as the captain. In the absence of both the captain and the co-captain, the available player with the highest salary will act as captain.
3.2 Captain Replacement            
Should a team be unhappy with their team captain, they may hold a team vote of non-confidence to remove him. If four (4) or more players on a team agree to the removal of a captain, the captain will be removed from the league. The player with the highest salary on the team will then become captain, or he may promote another player to the role of captain.

Should a captain not take his or her duties seriously, he may be removed from his position as captain by the league and may face suspension.
3.3 Team Creation            
Each team will consist of ten (10) players. They will be accquired through a draft process on IRC using a bot. The draft order will use the snake format, and begin with the captain with the lowest salary, and continue on in ascending order. Each team will have a salary cap that they cannot exceed, but they also must maintain a roster of ten (10) players at all times.

If a team drops below ten (10) players for any reason the spot(s) on the roster MUST be filled to bring the team back up to ten (10), even if it requires dropping additional players to free up salary.
3.4 Player Salaries            
All MLIGZP players will be listed with a corresponding salary based on their compiled skill ranking.

Over the course of a few days, all players, admins and captains will be asked to submit player ranking lists using the integrated ranking program found on the MLUT site. All players are encouraged to use this program. You are able to edit your list at any time and save the changes. Once you are finished, you can submit the list to the admins via the website. The admins then review the lists, and the ones that we believe are accurate enough will be approved.

All approved lists will be averaged, then each player will receive a compiled ranking and will be assigned a salary based on a graduated pay scale.
3.5 Transactions            
Captains and assistant captains can add and drop players from their roster at anytime using the MLUT website. Teams must remain under the salary cap and also must maintain a ten (10) player roster at all times. If a team drops below ten (10) players for any reason the spot(s) on the roster MUST be filled to bring the team back up to ten (10), even if it requires dropping additional players to free up salary.

Teams will be locked and unable to make transactions during a match, and will remain locked until the match is over. Teams will be unlocked following the match, unless they were eliminated from the tournament, or have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs. Team rosters will be locked 2 days before playoffs start.
3.6 Player Holdout            
If a player feels he is being treated unfairly, he may present his case to the admins and we will contact both him and his captain to resolve the dispute. Should an inquiry find that the captain is at fault, the player will be returned to the free agent list at his current salary.

The team can not reacquire that player and the spot on the roster MUST be filled to bring the team to ten (10), even if it requires dropping additional players to free up salary.

Please note that if a captain or co-captain removes themselves from their roster, they will be removed from the league.
3.7 Inactive Player            
If a player misses two (2) consecutive matches, a team can drop him and contact an admin with an inactivity request and the player will be removed from the league. If the player is picked up during the inactivity request the transaction will be reversed.
3.8 Multiple Teams            
No player may play for more than one team in a single round. Any player caught breaking this rule will be removed from MLIGZP 3. Captains who attempt to violate this rule will be removed from the tournament and have any maps played with the violating player forfeited to the opposing team.
4. Game Rules            
4.1 Cheats            
All hacks, bots, radars and cheats are illegal. This includes any kind of automated aiming bot, a trigger bot, any form of radar, server-crashing bugs and tools, packet loss and latency inducing devices, HUD timers, and anything in that same vein or spirit. Please use your brain. All violations will result in an PERMANENT EXPULSION for the offending player from MLUT and all MLIG related events. It will also result in a forfeit loss of the match in question for the offending team.

In addition, players can be convicted of the above without being caught by server cheat protection. Admins reserve the right to take into account all evidence regarding said player, including but not limited to: demos, screenshots and server logs.

All players previously caught or removed for any of the above reasons will not be allowed to play.
4.1a Skins            
Players may not use any skins other than those included in a default installation of Unreal Tournament, and may not alter the appearance of any of these skins by any means.
4.1b Spectators            
Should any players be spectating a game without the consent of an administrator, they risk a possible suspension from league play. Should they be a member of a team playing in that match, the offending team will receive a forfeit loss for the map in question.
4.1c Boosts            
Boosts that enable players to reach or utilize map bugs are illegal and will result in the team forfeiting their map.
4.1d Frog Jumps            
Frog Jumps and/or Bunny Hops are illegal and any player found doing them will forfeit the map for their team.
4.1e Demos            
Every player must record a first-person demo of each map he plays and keep this demo for 1 week (7) days after the match. If a player joins the server after the start of a map, it is his responsibility to ensure that he starts recording a demo before commencing play.

If foul play is suspected in a match, a player must submit an inquiry directly to an admin. An accusation MUST be made before 11:59pm EST the day AFTER the match, or it will not be considered. The player making the accusation of foul-play, must submit his/her own demo to the admins, along with an explanation of the accusation, which player is in question, and the location in the demo of suspicious play. If the accusing player cannot supply their own demo, the inquiry will be dropped. If review of the accuser's demo reveals no suspicion of foul-play, the inquiry will be dropped. The admins will inspect the accuser's demo, and if there is the possibility of foul-play, the admins will request and then review the demo from the player in question.

Should the player or players in question be unable or unwilling to fulfill the admin staff's demo request promptly, the following punitive structure will be followed:

1st Offense: The map(s) in question will be forfeited to the opposing team and the player(s) in question will be officially warned.

2nd Offense: The map(s) in question will be forfeited to the opposing team and the player(s) in question will be suspended for one (1) official match.

3rd Offense: The map(s) in question will be forfeited to the opposing team and the player(s) in question will be removed from the season.
4.2 Server Admin            
If a player logs in to a server as administrator prior to a match, the player must logout when complete, and reconnect to the server. At no time may a player login as administrator during the match. Doing so will result in a forfeit loss for the map in question for the offending team, and a possible suspension for the offending player.
4.3 Connection Fraud            
All connection fraud is illegal, including but not limited to, faking your ping or disturbing another's connection through any means. Any violations will result in a forfeit loss of the map in question for the offending team. The offending player will be suspended from play for the current season with the possibility of a longer ban.
4.4 Aliasing            
A player may not use multiple identities over the course of the season. The name a player uses and that will be tracked by the admins defaults to the name they used to sign up. If at any time a player refuses to use the name they signed up with when asked by an admin to change it during a match, they will be denied permission to play. Repeated offenses will result in a player being suspended from play for the rest of the season.
4.5 Ringing            
Using a ringer (a player not on your eligible roster, who is generally posing as an eligible player) is a serious offense. Using a ringer will result in the offending player, as well as any captains or co-captains present, being banned indefinitely. In addition, the team will forfeit the maps in question and be disqualified from play for the remainder of the season.
4.6 Map Bugs            
Exploiting maps bugs is illegal, such as but not limited to dropping flags into areas they are not supposed to be able too such as through walls and/or doors. Any violations will result in a forfeit loss of the map in question for the offending team.
4.7 Flag Passing/Dropping            
Dropping a flag into a glitched (unreturnable) area of a map is illegal and will result in a forfeit of the map.
4.8 Taunts            
Excessive use of text taunts is illegal. Using taunts bound to movement keys, firing keys, weapon switch keys, or any other frequently used bind in the game, is illegal. First violations will result in a warning. ANY Repeated offense will result in the player being removed from the player list for the current season.
5. Administration            

5.1 Administrative Powers            
All MLIGCTF admins have the power to make any changes to information on the MLIGCTF website. Should a captain or player notice any mistakes, he or she may contact an admin to make any changes. Should a captain, player or other admin feel that an admin is abusing their power, he or she may file a grievance with the MLIGCTF VIII head admin. The MLIGCTF administration will then look into this claim
5.2 Conflict Resolution            
Any and all problems (including those not governed in the rules) will be resolved by an admin vote. All admins have one (1) vote and can choose not to vote if they so please. In the hopes of keeping things moving, all open votes have a twenty-four (24) hour window in which admins can place their vote. There may, however, be exceptions to this twenty-four (24) hour window, should the vote be for something that does not require immediate resolution.
5.3 Conflict Of Interest            
Admins are not allowed to vote on any issues that involve a team that they are a member of. They may provide feedback and their input, but their vote will not count in determining the final outcome.
5.4 Sportsmanship            
Any player using racial slurs or insulting remarks toward another team or player while in a official match will be removed from the match. ANY repeated offenses will result in the player being removed from the player list for the current season.
5.5 Asterisk            
The admins reserve the right to alter any rule in anyway they see fit if there is a passing admin vote. This is to protect the integrity of the tournament in case of a loophole or something being overlooked.
Moderated By: MLIG ZP III Admins

MLIGCTF ZP III Features