Tournament Rules

Game-Specific Rules

--The Alpha 3 tournament will be run on arcade mode (the mode selectable by default, not "Alpha Arrange" mode). Only arcade-mode selectable characters can be used.

--In the Alpha 3 tournament, L-ism and M-ism modes are banned. All arcade-mode selectable characters and techniques are allowed.

--For both tournaments: Players are not allowed to pause the game during a match. Anyone who pauses for any reason (including accidentally) will forfeit that game.

--For Hyper Fighting, all techniques and characters are allowed.

Terminology

The following terms will be used in this document, around the website, and at the tournament itself. I've listed them here for clarity.

Bracket		A flow chart indicating who should play whom at any point in the tournament. The completely deterministic nature of a bracket ensures fair play. These tournaments will use double elimination brackets.
Match		A pairing between two people in the bracket. The two people play each other until a winner is determined. For example, the final Match in in the tournament determines who gets 1st and who gets 2nd. A Match is 2 out of 3 games.
Game		A Game is just what you think it is... a single game between 2 players. For example, a game in Hyper Fighting is over when someone wins 2 out of 3 rounds. Make sure you understand the difference between a Match and a Game.
The Director		The person ultimately responsible for running the whole tournament.
Judge		The Director has people helping him. These people usually watch over Matches and help resolve them if a conflict arises. Thus, those people are called Judges. They are tournament officials. While they can help to resolve conflicts, the Director is the ultimate authority in making sure the rules are enforced.

Registration

All participants must register before the official start-time of the tournament. See the schedule for more details.

Match Play

The Match Play rules describe the rules that will be in effect while a single Match in the tournament is played. This is by far the most important section of the rules. Study it carefully, especially if you have no prior tournament experience.

<<<<<< Choosing Sides

When both players are at the game machine, they must come to an agreement which side of they console they will play on (who will sit on 1p and who will sit on 2p)
If an agreement cannot be reached, the Judge will flip a coin to decide who gets to pick their side.

Choosing Characters

o There are 3 methods for choosing characters. Standard Selection, Double Blind Selection, and Side and Character Courtesy.

If the players do not discuess the method of character selection, it should be understood that the Standard method is being used. If the players cannot come to an agreement on the method of character selection, the judge will apply the double blind method.
Standard Selection

Both players choose their characters whenever they want.
This is a free for all. Players pick who they want and go.
Once either player chooses a character, neither is allowed to request that the Double Blind Selection method be used.

Double Blind Selection

Either player must explicitly ask for the Double Blind Selection method in order for it to take effect.
When a player requests Double Blind, the player on the left side (1p) decides which characters and modes (e.g. ISM) they will choose and whispers his selection to the Judge.
The Judge then signals the player on the right (2p) to pick his characters and play modes.
Once the player on the right (2p) has finished, the Judge makes sure the player on the left (1p) sticks to his original choices.

Side and Character Courtesy

As a courtesy, the player who received his choice of which side to play on (1p vs 2p) can elect to choose his character first.
This is strictly a courtesy. A player is in no way required to do this.

Playing the Match

Once sides and characters have been chosen, the players should begin the first Game in the Match.
The following rules go into effect once a Game ends

The Match is over when either player wins the required number of games (Two out of three games, prior to the finals)
If someone has won the required number of games, the winner of the Match should report the result to the Judge.
If there are still Games to be played, the player who lost the Game has the option of switching sides (1p vs 2p) for the next Game.
The player who won the game does not have the option of switching sides. He must stay on the same side if the loser does not want to switch.
The player who won the last Game is required to keep the same characters and game modes for the next Game.
The player who lost the last Game is allowed to choose whatever characters or game modes he desires.

Reporting Rule Violations

At some point during the tournament, a player may violate either the tournament rules or the rules for a particular game in a tournament. For example, a player may switch his character selection after he won the previous game (a tournament rule violation) or he may choose an L-ism character in Alpha 3 (a tournament game violation). The following rules apply toward rectifying rule violations.

It is the responsibly of the players in the Match to detect all Match Rule violations and report them to a Judge.
ALL non-gameplay rule violations must be reported to a Judge before the Game starts.
Players are not allowed to stop a non-gameplay Game in progress to address a rule violation (save in the first few seconds that it might take a player to notice the violation).
Stopping a Game in progress to report a non-gameplay rule violation will result in the forfeit on the part of the person stopping the game.

Example: Suppose a player loses a Game during his Match. During the middle of the next Game, he notices that his opponent changed characters (a rule violation, since his opponent won the previous Game). Since the player did not notify a Judge immediately after the violation occured, the player must live with the situation. If he stops the Game now, he will be forced to forfeit the Game.
The only time a player is allowed to stop a Game to report a rule violation is when that violation occurs during the middle of the match.
Stopping a Game in progress to erronously report a rule violation (e.g. your opponent using a crouch-cancel combo in Alpha 3, which is allowed) automatically results in a forfeit by the player who stopped the game.
Rule violations must be reported at the time they occur. Otherwise, they will be ignored.

A Judge is allowed to report any rule violations on behalf of a player.
If a Judge stops a game to mis-report a rule violation, the Game is replayed with both players picking the same characters, order, and side. No one is disqualified.
The only people allowed to stop a Game to report a violation are the Judge and the players. Anyone else (e.g. a spectator) stopping a Game (for any reason) will receive a mandatory Red Card (see Rule Enforcement and Disqualification).

Reporting Equipment Failure

Video game hardware has a tendency to break down during tournaments. Buttons or joysticks will occasionally break down in the middle of a match, leaving the player on the broken side at a significant disadvantage. The following rules will be used in the event of a breakdown. Past experience has shown that these rules are the most fair to all parties involved.

o If a Judge notices that equipment is broken during a Game, he will stop the Game immediately, order that the problem be fixed, and the Game will be replayed.

If a player feels that the equipment is broken to such a degree that he cannot play on it (e.g. the Fierce Button breaks), he must report it immediately during the Game which the failure occurs.
If a Judge witnessed the failure (e.g. the player clearly holding back on the stick, but the character refusing to walk backwards), he can order the equipment repaired and the Game replayed.
If the Judge did not witness the failure, the following steps are taken:

A panel composed of The Director, the Judge for the Game, and at least 1 player deemed an expert in that game will evaluate the condition of the controls.

If the panel concludes that the controls are malfunctioning to a degree signifcant enough to affect the outcome of the Game, the controls will be repaired and the Game will be replayed.
If the panel concludes that the controls were NOT malfunctioning to a degree significant enough to affect the outcome of the Game, the player reporting the problem forfeits that Game.

In all Games replayed due to equipment failure, both players must choose the same characters, modes, and side as before.
The Director, at his discretion, may order that any game be replayed due to an equipment failure, even if the failure was never reported by the losing player, and even if the match is already over. This call can ONLY be made by the Director.

Rule Enforcement and Disqualification

Unfortunately, sometimes things get out of hand. Rules occasionally get violated for a variety of reasons; accidently, maliciously, or even out of ignorance. The following rules are designed to deal with rule violators in a way that ensures everyone is treated fairly. These rules WILL be enforced! Know the consequences for your actions ahead of time.

Every participant starts off the tournament with a clean slate.
Judges must report each rule violation to the Director immediately.
The Director has the discretion to issue one (or more) of the following in response to each rule vioation: Match forfeiture, a Yellow Card, a Red Card. Consequences for each violation are explained below
Match Forfeiture

When a Match forfeiture is issued, the particpant automatically loses the Match in dispute (not the Game... the Match. Know the difference!).
The other player automatically advances in the bracket. He is not required to play a replacement.
If no Match is in dispute at the time the forfeiture is awarded (e.g. the forfeiture was issued while the participant was waiting to play), the particpant automatically forfeits his next Match.
If the particpant was in the Losers' Bracket at the time of the forfeiture, he is eliminated from the tournament.

Recommended Circumstances for Issuing a Match Forfeiture

Inabilty to locate the particpant at the time of his Match

Violation of Match rules during the Match.
Minor misconduct during a tournament (e.g. disruptive behavior, etc.).

Yellow Cards

The first Yellow Card violation in and of itself has no effect. However, a Yellow Card violation will almost always also be accompanied by Match Forfeiture.
A 2nd Yellow Card violation REQUIRES that the tournament organizer also issue a Red Card

Recommened Circumstances for Issuing a Yellow Card

Specific rule violations (e.g. Stopping a match due to a broken joystick when the joystick is found to be working. See 'Equipment Failure' for more information).
Excessive stalling/misconduct during a Match (e.g. repeatedly "accidently" picking the wrong character, taking a bathroom break between games in a Match, excessive physical contact with the other player during a Match (e.g. kicking at his chair)).
Major misconduct violations during a tournament (e.g. slamming the screen or joysticks, threats of physical violence, etc).

Red Cards

A player is immediately disqualified from the tournament after receiving a Red Card violation.
The tournament organizer is under no obligation to refund the player for any monetary loss after receiving a Red Card (e.g. tournament entry fee, travel expenses, etc).
Red Card may be given immediately, without any prior violations, in extreme circumstances.

Recommened Circumstances for Issuing a Red Card

- Upon issuing a 2nd Yellow Card.

Physically assaulting another tournament particpant (smacking, punching, etc).
Excessive Misconduct (e.g. theft, causing a disruption which delays the tournament, racial slurs, or excessive trash talking, etc.)

Example Rule Violations

Player A is in a heated battle with Player B in the quarter-finals of the Winner's Bracket. After losing the last game in the Match, Player A loses his temper, stands up, and punches the screen. The tournament Director issues a Yellow Card for misconduct. At his discretion, the Director may also issue a Match Forfeiture. If he does so, Player A will be eliminated from the tournament (1 loss to Player B + 1 loss due to the Match Forfeiture). Keep your temper.
Player A makes it to the semi-finals of the Winner's bracket. During that Match, he uses excessive trash talking to distract his opponent. Although he wins his Match, the Director issues a Yellow Card for unsportsman-like conduct. During the finals of the Winner's bracket, Player A stops his Match and reports that his fierce button is broken. A judge inspects the button and concludes that it's working. Stopping a Match to mis-report a broken controller carries a mandatory Yellow Card violation. Since this is his 2nd Yellow Card, Player A receives a mandatory Red Card. Player A is eliminated from the tournament even though he has not lost a Match.

Additional Rules

<<<<<< There will be no ties in any tournament. Anyone refusing to play any Match (including the finals) will be disqualified and forfeit all rights to any titles or prizes they might have otherwise earned for that tournament.

<<<<<< Anyone visibly intoxicated or under the influence of illicit drugs will be immediately ejected from the tournament, and may be banned. If you do not cooperate immediately, we will not hesitate to call the police and send you to jail. If you are breaking the law at the tournament, then you're endangering the event for everyone else. Anyone exhibiting violent behavior or failing to comply with the requests of tournament officials will be ejected and banned from the tournament, with no exceptions. We have always enjoyed violence-free events, and this a zero tolerance issue. Keep it in the game, or keep it to yourself.

<<<<<< Collaboration of any kind with your competitors is considered cheating. If the Tournament Director determines that any competitor is collaborating or intentionally underperforming, the collaborating player (or players) may be immediately disqualified. How will they be able to *prove* that you threw a match or collaborated? Proving that you threw a match would require the judges to read your mind, wouldn't it? Yes it would, and since they can't read your mind, they can't prove that you threw the match. Fortunately for them (and the fans, and everyone else) this rule is included to state that they don't have to *prove* anything. If, after conference and possibly a review of the match, the Tournament Director determines that opponents are collaborating or that any competitor has thrown their match, those players may be disqualified from receiving any prizes and be ejected from the tournament. This determination is to be made at the sole discretion of the Tournament Director. No one who isn't planning on cheating has anything to worry about--this is a simply a safety rule included to prevent shameful displays. Anyone intentionally performing at less than their best disgraces not only themselves, but the competitive enterprise and the tournament as well.

<<<<<< Gambling is prohibited in and/or around the event hall. Any player that gambles on the property will be immediately ejected from the tournament, and may be banned. If you do not cooperate immediately, we will not hesitate to call the police and send you to jail.

These rules are an attempt to insure that the tournament runs fairly and as smoothly as possible. However, unforeseen circumstances may require a special response, and for that reason the Tournament Director reserves the right to change any of the tournament rules or remove any player at any time, for any reason, at their sole discretion.

Indemnification

All tournament participants shall protect, defend, indemnify and hold harmless DoublePerfectProductions LLC, Capcom, its affiliated corporations, and their respective officers, directors, shareholders, agents, representatives and employees from and against any and all costs and expenses, damages, claims, suits, actions, liabilities, losses and judgments including, without limitation, attorneys' fees and legal expenses, based on, arising out of or in any way related or connected with the Event or any other matter or activity directly or indirectly related to the Event, including but not limited to libel, slander, disparagement, defamation, copyright infringement, invasion of privacy, piracy, plagiarism, or infringement of any patent, copyright, trademark, trade secret or other intellectual property right of any third party. This obligation shall continue beyond the term of the Event.