Fri, Nov 4, 2016 by Kumori

Playoffs are just around the corner! Here is the breakdown of how we're structuring things for Season 20.

NA Platinum Title bracket: Double-elimination -- Top 4 teams
NA Gold Title bracket: Double-elimination -- Top 4 teams
NA Silver Title bracket: Single-elimination -- Top 8 teams
NA Steel Title bracket: Single-elimination -- Top 8 teams
NA Steel Consolation bracket: Single-elimination -- Next 8 teams

EU Platinum Title bracket: Double-elimination -- Top 4 teams
EU Gold Title bracket: Double-elimination -- Top 4 teams
EU Silver Title bracket: Single-elimination -- All 8 teams
EU Steel Title bracket: Single-elimination -- Top 8 teams
EU Steel Consolation bracket: Single-elimination -- Next 8 teams

AUS/NZ Platinum Title bracket: Double-­elimination --­ Top 4 teams
AUS/NZ Steel Title bracket: Single-elimination -­- Top 8 teams

Asia Steel Title bracket: Single-elimination -­- Top 8 teams

This season, we are changing the format of all regular NA Platinum and EU Platinum Playoff matches to Best of 3 Maps.
The changes can be viewed on the schedule page.

Grand Finals, Bronze (3rd place) matches and Lower Bracket Finals Matches are played Best of 3 Maps (each map is played as 1 half only)

• Map 1: Home Team picks Map 1, Visiting Team picks starting color on Map 1 - Map is played on Home Team's server.
• Map 2: Visiting Team picks Map 2, Home Team picks starting color on Map 2 - Map is played on Visiting Team's server.
• Map 3: If a Tiebreaker is needed, Teams will play koth_ashville_rc1 and Home Team picks starting color - Map is played on Home Team's server.

Remember that during the Finals - Best of 3 we play each map a little differently than we did during the regular season. Please read below.

• KOTH Maps - Played to 3 wins. This map type cannot be tied.
• CP Maps - Played to 4 wins or highest score after 30 minutes.**This map type can be tied after 30 minutes. If this occurs then you MUST play 1 additional Overtime round to determine the winner of the map. Whichever team caps all the points first in the OT round will be declared the winner of that map. *If neither team manages to capture all points during the first OT round, a second special OT round is to be played. In this round, whichever team caps the center CP first wins the game. Note: This ONLY occurs if a 2nd OT round is actually needed.
• Payload and Attack/Defend Maps - Played as *1 half (i.e. each team attacks and defends once).* These map types cannot be tied. Optional: Teams may agree to play Payload/AD like a normal match instead of just 1 half, but both must post their agreement in Match Comms prior to match.

Only maps played in regular season or playoffs of the current season can be picked. Map choices must be made in Match Comms.

NA Platinum and EU Platinum are using the Pick/Ban System for choosing maps for all their regular Playoff BO3 matches, Lower Bracket Finals BO3 and Grand Finals BO3.
Finals Matches are played Best of 3 Maps ( with each map played as 1 half only)

1. Home team bans 1st map (7 choices)
2. Visiting team bans 2nd map (6 choices)
3. Home team picks Map #1 (5 choices)
4. Visiting team picks Map #2 (4 choices)
5. Visiting team bans 3rd map (3 choices)
6. Home team picks Map #3 (2 choices)

Once a map is picked, it can't be picked again.
If a second Grand Finals BO3 match needs to be played, then the map Pick/Ban System will be used again.
Map choices must be made in Match Comms and will be reviewed by an admin.

Remember that during the Finals - Best of 3 we play each map a little differently than we did during the regular season. Please read below.

• KOTH Maps - Played to 3 wins. This map type cannot be tied.
• CP Maps - Played to 4 wins or highest score after 30 minutes.**This map type can be tied after 30 minutes. If this occurs then you MUST play 1 additional Overtime round to determine the winner of the map. Whichever team caps all the points first in the OT round will be declared the winner of that map. *If neither team manages to capture all points during the first OT round, a second special OT round is to be played. In this round, whichever team caps the center CP first wins the game. Note: This ONLY occurs if a 2nd OT round is actually needed.
• Payload and Attack/Defend Maps - Played as *1 half (i.e. each team attacks and defends once).* These map types cannot be tied. Optional: Teams may agree to play Payload/AD like a normal match instead of just 1 half, but both must post their agreement in Match Comms prior to match.

Only maps played in regular season or playoffs of the current season can be picked.

We are collecting POV demos from all players involved in the Grand Finals, Bronze (3rd place) matches and Lower Bracket Finals. This is a no-give and teams must cooperate. If you have a player who does not or cannot record POV demos, do not play them in your match. If you get ringers and they are approved, they must also have POV demos recorded and we will request them. We will collect all of them from members of both teams in your match. Failure to provide a POV demo will be grounds for player suspension and/or your match being thrown out, overturned or replayed.

Teams are required to provide the materials via Dropbox or Google Drive. POV demos MUST be tagged with the players name and what class they played. You may send the materials to us through a support ticket, as a message through Match Comms or to your division admin. You have 48 hours to provide all the materials after the conclusion of your match.