PAX05 Console Tournies: Rules and Info

Zig21 · February 2005

This will be updated as I finish the rules for each game. Feel free to ask any and all questions you may have, and I'll try my best to answer them.

Please note that rules and tournament format are subject to change based on actual turn-out. The final tournament schedule might change as well if we need more time for a particular game.

Current Tournament Schedule:

Friday, August 26th
Tekken 5, 5:30pm - 8:30pm
Super Smash Bros Melee, 10:00pm - 1:30am

Saturday, August 27th
Halo 2, 11:00am - 3:00pm
Mario Kart Double Dash, 4:00pm - 7:30pm
Mario Tennis, 8pm - 10:30pm
Guilty Gear XX #Reload, 11:30pm - 2:00am

Sunday, August 28th
Splinter Cell: Chaos Theory, 10:00am - 1:00pm
Soul Calibur 2, 2:00pm - 5:00pm

Zig21 · February 2005

Tekken 5 (PS2)

Rules
Bring your own controller if you want
Standard VS mode
100% health
Best 3 of 5 rounds
60 second timer
Neutral guard on
Random stage select

Auto Save OFF
Winner keeps character; loser may change side and character if they wish

All known infinite combos are banned, including but not limited to: Steve [3],1,1 infinite ([3],1,1 as a combo starter is still allowed); Raven wall infinite; Bryan wall taunt infinite; Asuka 1,1,3 infinite; Ganryu d+2,2,2,2... infinite; Lee WS 3,3,d+3,3... infinite. Note that the above moves are not banned; you may still use Asuka, Ganryu, and Lee's infinite strings. 100% combos are still allowed as well.

Players are responsible for bringing their own memory cards if they wish to use customized items and colors. Simply insert your card into whichever side you are using at the character select screen. DO NOT load your card's file from the options menu. Be sure to remove your card when your match is over.

If you pause the game for ANY reason short of a serious emergency, you automatically lose the round, no questions asked. This means you can sacrifice a round to set your controls if you failed to do so before the game begins. This rule also applies if you reset the game or console during gameplay.

Format: Qualifiers
Players are divided into 8-16 man pools, each assigned to a specific station
Each pool will be organized into an 8-16 man single elimination bracket
Each match is best of 3 games
The winner of each pool advances to the semi-finals

Format: Semi-Finals and Finals
The pool winners will be re-seeded and placed into a 32 man single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 3 games
Winner's finals will be best of 5 games
Grand finals will be best of 7 games

Zig21 · February 2005

Super Smash Brothers Melee (GC)

Rules
1 vs 1
4 stock
6 minute time limit
Items set to low

Banned items: Heart, tomatoe, food, star, hammer, cloaking device, party ball, metal box, red koopa shell, mushroom

Banned stages: Hyrule, Termina, Brinstar Depths, Yoshi 64, Icicle Mtn., Flatzone, Big Blue

Both lists are subject to change, so please don't freak out just yet.

Items may be disabled during the semi-finals ONLY if both players wish to do so. This option is not available during qualifiers because time is an issue and the less we spend fooling around with settings, the better.

Format: Qualifiers
Players are divided into 8-16 man pools, each assigned to a specific station
Each pool will be organized into an 8-16 man single elimination bracket
Each match is best of 3 games
The winner of each pool advances to the semi-finals

Format: Semi-Finals and Finals
The pool winners will be re-seeded and placed into a 32 man single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 3 games
Winner's finals will be best of 5 games
Grand finals will be best of 7 games

Zig21 · February 2005

Halo 2 (XBox)

Rules
Team Slayer, 4 vs 4
First to 50 kills
15 minute time limit
5 second respawn time
10 second suicide penalty
Battle Rifle for starting weapon, no secondary weapon, rest is map default
Players start with 2 grenades
No radar
Map selection is still being decided

Current maps:
Beaver Creek, Ascension, Zanzibar, Lockout

This is by no means the final list, so feel free to offer suggestions for other maps. The larger maps won't be included, and I'd recommend against the smallest maps as well. I hear Bungie intends to release additional maps in the near future.

If you quit the game for ANY reason short of a serious emergency, the current game will proceed without you. If your team wins, you will be allowed to play in the next match. Should your entire team quit without permission, it will count as a forfeit and you will be eliminated from the tournament. If the current match is best of 3 games, these actions will result in a loss regardless of the current score. This rule also applies if you reset the game or console.

Glitches
No grenade jumping
No reloard glitch
No sword lock-on/flying glitch
No leaving the standard boundaries of the level
All other glitches are allowed; however this list is subject to change between now and the day of the tournament

Format: Qualifiers
Teams will be divided into 32 pools, each containing up to 8 teams
Each pool will be organized into an 8 team single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 1 game
The winner of each pool will advance to the semi-finals

Format: Semi-finals and Finals
The winning teams from each pool will be re-seeded and placed into a new 32 team single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 1 games
Bracket semi-finals and grand finals will be best of 3 games

Each round in the bracket will be on a different map. For the grand finals, both teams may agree to use a specific map if they wish to do so.

Zig21 · February 2005

Mario Kart Double Dash (GC)

Rules
Each race includes 8 teams with 2 players each
Random character and Kart selection
Standard Karts only
150cc

Format: Qualifiers
Players will play one 4-race cup, with the top 2 teams advancing to the next round
Single elimination

Format: Semi-finals and Finals
Coming soon.

Zig21 · February 2005

Mario Tennis (Gamecube)
- Doubles Only. Must have human teammate
- Control Options: Technical
- Exhibition Match, Coin toss to determine which team chooses the first character. Opposite team chooses second character and so on
- All matches to be played on Peach Dome Court
- Playmode: Standard
- Powershot: On
- No star/secret characters allowed

Format: Qualifiers
Teams divided into pools, each assigned to a specific station.
Each pool will be organized into a main single elimination bracket
Each match is ONE 6-Game Set
The winner of each pool advances to the semi-finals

Format: Semi-Finals and Finals
The pool winners will be re-seeded and placed into a single elimination bracket.
Each match is BEST 2 OF 3 6-Game Sets
Final Match is BEST 3 of 5 6-Game Sets

Zig21 · February 2005

Guilty Gear XX #Reload (XBox)

Rules
Bring your own controller if you want
Best 2 of 3 rounds
99 second timer
Kliff, Justice, EX, Gold, and Black characters are banned
Robo Ky IS allowed
Winner keeps character; loser may change character if they wish

If you pause the game for ANY reason short of a serious emergency, you automatically lose the round, no questions asked. This means you can sacrifice a round to set your controls if you failed to do so at the character select screen. This rule also applies if you reset the game or console.

To change controls, follow these steps:

1. Select your character and start the game.
2. When the round begins, pause the game.
3. Select "Controller Settings" from the menu and adjust things as needed.
4. Return to the menu and select "Character Select".
5. Re-select your characters and begin the match.

Format: Qualifiers
Players are divided into 8-16 man pools, each assigned to a specific station
Each pool will be organized into an 8-16 man single elimination bracket
Each match is best of 3 games
The winner of each pool advances to the semi-finals

Format: Semi-finals and Finals
The pool winners will be re-seeded and placed into a 32 man single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 3 games
Winner's finals will be best of 5 games
Grand finals will be best of 7 games

Zig21 · February 2005

Splinter Cell Chaos Theory (XBox)

Rules
Teams of 2
Player cap is 64 teams (128 players)
Story Mode game type
Revenge mode on
10 minute time limit
Spy lives = 4
Mercenary lives = 3
10 second respawn time
Map order: Orphanage, Deftech, Clubhouse, Museum, Aquarius, River Mall

Scoring will be tabulated at the end of the match to determine the winner, and are based on the number of points neutralized. In the event of a tie, the winner is determined by time, kills, successfully defended ND133's, and remaining lives (in that order).

Format: Qualifiers
Teams will be randomly divided into 8 pools, each containing up to 8 teams
Each pool will be organized into an 8 team single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 1 set (1 set=1 round per side=2 rounds total)

Format: Semi-finals and Finals
The final 8 teams will be re-seeded into a new 8 team single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 1 set
Grand finals will be best of 3 sets (6 rounds total)

Zig21 · February 2005

Soul Calibur 2 (XBox)

Rules
Bring your own controller if you want
Standard VS mode
100% health
Best 3 of 5 rounds
50 second timer
Neutral guard on
Spawn is banned
Winner keeps character; loser may change character if they wish

If you pause the game for ANY reason short of a serious emergency, you automatically lose the round, no questions asked. This means you can sacrifice a round to set your controls if you failed to do so at the character select screen. This rule also applies if you reset the game or console.

Format: Qualifiers
Players are divided into 8-16 man pools, each assigned to a specific station
Each pool will be organized into an 8-16 man single elimination bracket
Each match is best of 3 games
The winner of each pool advances to the semi-finals

Format: Semi-finals and Finals
The pool winners will be re-seeded and placed into a 32 man single elimination bracket
Each match will be best of 3 games
Winner's finals will be best of 5 games
Grand finals will be best of 7 games

Zig21 · February 2005

Thread now open to questions and comments.

eelektrik · February 2005

Thank you thank you thank you for bringing back Double Dash and not making it the last tournament of the Expo like last year... How will prizes work this time? We got 2nd in Double Dash but all the good prizes were gone by then...

Zig21 · February 2005

I haven't looked into prizes yet, but thanks for asking. Hopefully I'll have details in the near future.

Borfase · February 2005

oh god is zig gonna flip out and hit people i'm scared man

Zig21 · February 2005

Considering it's not 24 hours and I'll actually get sleep.....well, who am I kidding? Of course! It's too fun.

jebus_777 · February 2005

I don't suppose any other people can submit suggestions for specific tournaments?

-jebus

The Geek · February 2005

What, no Marble Madness?

B:L · February 2005

Zig21 wrote:

Considering it's not 24 hours and I'll actually get sleep.....well, who am I kidding? Of course! It's too fun.

Oh man Zig is totally going to clothesline me :shock:

I never heard about that Mokujin thing for T5...weird.

Well in any case, if you need help again this year, I'm there for ya 8)

Zig21 · February 2005

jebus_777 wrote:

I don't suppose any other people can submit suggestions for specific tournaments?

-jebus

Feel free to do so.

jebus_777 · February 2005

Instead of a list of unallowed levels, stick to the levels that are overall balanced, namely Yoshi's Island, Battlefield, Final Destination, Kirby 64, Corneria, PokÃ©mon Stadium, and Fountain of Dreams. With these, the "random" movements of the environment are not so likely to swing the battle in another player's favor so immediately. For example, in Fountain of Dreams, the platforms will change in height gradually, the difference in which will not dictate a win/loss. Contrary to this, Green Greens has bomb blocks and explosive apples, which have the potency of a bob-omb, both of which can decide instant victory and defeat. Corneria is debateable because of the arwings/wolfens being bastards and randomly firing at characters, or if a character lands on on of them and they fly off the top of the screen. There is also the rare, and truly awesome spectacle that occurs when a character is hit by the Great Fox's main gun.
Items should be dropped entirely, since they allow players to rely on chance item drops rather than their ability to use specific characters.
Other thing to disallow: Peach has a technique called the "wall bomb" that keeps her from falling off of edges. Totally unballanced.
Something to consider disallowing: Ice Climbers have a way to inflict massive damage on opponents by grabbing, then using gentle analog stick commands to direct the secondary Ice Climber to inflict extra damage while still grabbing, especially when using C-stick to do repeated smash attacks. Somewhat hard to pull off......so may not need to be restricted. I'm just putting it out there.

-jebus

Zig21 · February 2005

Thanks for the suggestions, but the Smash rules are going to remain pretty much as-is. I understand the competetive players generally don't like items but banning them altogther is very unapealing to the masses. Last year, Takagi and Captain Jack agreed to play the grand finals without items, and I'll probably give players that option in the final 32.

eelektrik · February 2005

Picked up the Unreal Championship 2 demo with a preorder at EB Games, pretty damn cool even though I completely and utterly suck. Wouldnt mind seeing a UC2 CTF or 1 on 1 DM tournament or something... Not sure what all modes are in the full version but those might work, and wed have to wait till the game comes out before coming up with rules for what levels and characters would be allowed(hopfully the characters are all balanced, or itll suck online).

Zig21 · February 2005

There are currently no plans to add any more console tournies, sorry. I wouldn't rule it out completely, but it's not something that's come up yet.

marcuspohl · February 2005

Mario Tennis isn't listed on the sign-up during the pre-registration process, how would I get into this event?

Edit: Thanks for the update Zig!

Zig21 · February 2005

Eek, I should've made a note on that.

You can only pre-register for one-on-one games. For team games, sign-ups will be taken during the Expo itself.

Grath · February 2005

jebus_777 wrote:

snip*
-jebus

yeah dropping the items and different levels is retarded, they are a tactic and make the game unique and allow people to come up with diferent play styles. Last year when the tourny was announced items were banned and we were limited to just the stages you want. about 98% of the people here went off on how stupid that was to do. I don't think you're going to get anyone behind you this year.

Viscountalpha · February 2005

Midway arcade treasures tournament? a few classic titles?
mabey even Robotron? or rampart? Something there must be cool like rootbeer tapper!

*shrug*

It would be cool to have an arcade supergun( arcade board to tv converter) and do some street fighter 2 or something like that.. something Classic...

-vis

Zig21 · February 2005

Negatory. And man, superguns are a pain in the ass to work with.

Tobi · February 2005

Can I ask what the 'custom weapon set' consists of for Halo 2? Or is it still to be decided?
What would be nice is to see MLG settings (http://www.mlgpro.com) - you know, spawning with 1 grenade and a battle rifle instead of the SMG?

Zig21 · March 2005

Still working on it.

Borfase · March 2005

make the weapon set totally random

Nate Graves · March 2005

Borfase wrote:

make the weapon set totally random

Those always turn into rocket or sniping matches, depending on the map, with (in a grouping of people with similar skill) your performance usually being dictated by the luck o' the spawn.

Fiesta Juggernaut matches are pretty fun though.

How will the Slayer maps be decided? Certain maps (Waterworks) just aren't conducive to a fun 4 on 4 match. If we're doing an 8 person match, that means we'll still have to play split-screen, right?

I'm not in favor of starting with a battle rifle. As a personal preference, yes, but starting with it makes it easy to quickly pick up a plasma pistol and use that combo, as opposed to having to run / find both guns on their own.

Starting with something short or mid-range makes sense. SMGs, Plasma rifles, Needlers, are okay by me. (Needlers even more so, but pretty unlikely)

Also: how far away will we be sitting from our opponents or teammates? Effective communication can be the difference between winning and losing. I presume we should bring our own headset microphones as well.

That's pretty much it.

Tobi · March 2005

I would say definately no to the random weapons. Too much luck and not enough skill involved.

What's wrong with starting battle rifles? It really doesn't turn into a race for the plasma gun, because map default would still be on. There are plently of weapon combo's that are more so, or just as powerful as the damn pea shooter. In fact, dodging the flying green ball of doom is pretty easy.
I love starting with battle rifles. It makes dual wielding harder to come by, and overall I think uses more actual skill and knowledge of the game. (HENCE why MLG uses it...)

But regardless, I think a safe route to go would just to play by map default. Less arguement, anyway...

(Damn you Nate - I see you everywhere.)

Zig21 · March 2005

WE'RE WORKING ON IT!!!!

DeathByFireball · March 2005

Nate Graves wrote:

Also: how far away will we be sitting from our opponents or teammates? Effective communication can be the difference between winning and losing. I presume we should bring our own headset microphones as well.

I can't say for sure this year, but I know that for last year's Halo tourney, each team was set up together on one large TV and the two teams' TVs were back-to-back (except for the TVs on stage, which were side by side, but seperated by a sheet).

Most communication was whispering, which seemed to work okay since the console room was pretty noisy.

F_disk · March 2005

Zig21 wrote:

Tekken 5 (PS2)
Using Mokujin occasionally crashes the game, and he will be banned if this is not fixed on console. Any additional changes and rules regarding character customization will be determined after the US console release.

Use of Mokujin does not appear to cause any crashes in the console version.

Zig21 · March 2005

Thanks for remeinding me about that.

Edit: Updated the rules regarding Mokujin and Heihachi, as well as guidelines for character files.

MrFisticuffs · March 2005

What about shoulder buttons and control mapping for Tekken 5?

Some tourneys allow shoulder buttons, some don't.

Zig21 · March 2005

Shoulder buttons are fine per-se, it's mapping more than one input to a single button that tends to be an issue. I haven't given much thought to this but odds are I'll allow it.

Brass Monkey · March 2005

question i signed up for a couple of events, but that i looked at the event chart and it coincided with something else going on at the expo, is there away i can un-register online or will i have to do it there, or?

Zig21 · March 2005

It's fine if you can't make it to a particular tourney. We always assume there'll be a fair number of no-shows, so we'll just DQ you once pools get started. It's not a big deal.

Brass Monkey · March 2005

ahhh good

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