Empires League Rules

League rules are a combination of player & team guidelines enforced to maximize the regularity of clan matches. They outline the match-scheduling process, accepted gameplay, and recourse in the event of suspected foul play or server error.

Contents
How The Season Works
- ELO Ranking
- Match Scheduling
- Winning The Season
1. Player Rules
- 1.1 Player Conduct
- 1.2 Player Information
- 1.3 Multi-Clanning
2. Server Settings
- 2.1 Server Variables
3. Match Structure
- 3.1 Prematch Phase
- 3.2 Match Phase
- 3.3 Reporting Match Results
- 3.4 Disputing The Match Outcome
4. Match Rules
- 4.1 Allowed/Legitimate Strategies
- 4.2 Forbidden Exploits
- 4.3 Spectators, Communication, and Substitutions


How The Season Works (top)

ELO Ranking
Performance can't be measured absolutely; it can only be inferred from wins and losses. Ratings therefore have meaning only relative to other ratings. Therefore, both the average and the spread of ratings were arbitrarily chosen. The average ranking for Empires League is 1500 and the K constant (spread variable) is 32.

A clan's expected score is his probability of winning plus half his probability of drawing. Thus an expected score of 0.75 could represent a 75% chance of winning, 25% chance of losing, and 0% chance of drawing. On the other extreme it could represent a 50% chance of winning, 0% chance of losing, and 50% chance of drawing. The probability of drawing, as opposed to having a decisive result, is not specified in the ELO system. Instead a draw is considered half a win and half a loss.

Let me begin by outlining a few variables:


OK, before the first match, every clan will start with the average ELO ranking of 1500. Then, two clans will play their first set of matches. As both clans have to play as NF and as BE:

where

  • 2 = won as both NF and BE
  • 1 = only won once
  • 0 = lost both matches

Next comes the heart of the ELO calculation: figuring out the expected score for the matches based on previous wins and losses. Somehow someone made this formula. I won't pretend to understand it exactly, especially why they chose 400, but it works.
For Clan A -->

And conversely for Clan B -->


The expected score for Clan A plus the expected score for Clan B should sum to 2.


Lastly, the new ranking is calculated from the old ranking plus the spread-weighted difference of the actual score of the matches minus the estimated score.


The major perk to ELO is that it's based on the amount of success a clan has in its matches. A clan with a high rank cannot get as many points playing a low ranking clan as they would from playing an equal or higher ranked clan. Conversely, a low ranked clan can get lots of points by beating a high ranked clan.

One of the drawbacks of the ELO system is that a clan that is participating in the season but doesn't compete very often doesn't change ELO rankings very often. This is why we have instituted the rule that to be crowned champion of the season you must have played a minimum of 8 matches.

Match Scheduling
Matches are to be scheduled between clans by clan leaders. Check the clan list to see what other clans are participating. Clans may not play the same clan five times in a row, unless they have played the same number of contests against other clans in the same time span.

Clans are permitted to NOT accept a match challenge only if: (1) they cannot field enough players (2) they cannot schedule a time that works for both clans. Any other reasons are not valid excuses. If a clan consistently does not accept challenges, they may be investigated by referees.

All matches must be scheduled 7 days in advance. The only official way to schedule a contest is on the Empires League forums, but you can unofficially schedule via IM or IRC. If a clan does not show up for the scheduled contest, they forfeit their points.

When scheduling a match, the clan that was approached by the challenging clan leader MUST play on the map suggested by the challenger if the map is from this list:
  • emp_canyon
  • emp_crossroads
  • emp_cyclopean
  • emp_duststorm
  • emp_isle
  • emp_mvalley
  • emp_streetsoffire

The following maps may be played but must be agreed on by both participating clans:
  • emp_atol
  • emp_badlands
  • emp_gauntlet
  • emp_oasis
  • emp_railroad
  • emp_slaughtered


Winning The Season
The season lasts 12 weeks (3 months). At the end of that period, the clan that meets all of the following criteria will be named champion:
  • Has played a minimum of 8 contests (double BE/NF matches) with other clans
  • Has competed against the top three ranked clans at least once each
  • Has the highest rank of clans meeting these criteria


1. Player Rules (top)

1.1 Player conduct
Insulting during matches may end with player suspension or team forfeiture of the game. Unless speaking about matters concerning the structure of the match, players are only to use teamsay.

1.2 Player information
Every player must specify his STEAMID on the clan roster to be eligible for league matches. Players must be on the roster 7 days before contests to participate.

1.3 Multi clanning
During a league season a player can only be a member of one clan. Any player caught playing for two clans will be suspended.

2. Server Settings (top)

2.1 Server Variables
Servers hosting league matches must install and execute the league.cfg file

3. Match Structure (top)

3.1 Prematch phase
Before the start of the match, teams will have three minutes to vote for a team commander.

3.2 Match phase
Matches will occur between teams of atleast 8 players each. Team sizes must be equal. During the match teams will play until the map is won. Both teams play a round on the same map as each faction.

3.3 Reporting Match Results
Every member of both clans participating in the contest must take and retain a screenshot showing enemy models. At least two members of each clan must record demos of the two matches in the contest. Screenshots and demos must be kept for 3 days following the completion of the contest.

Contest results should be posted in the appropriate forum on the Empires League forums.

3.4 Disputing the Match Outcome
Disputes must be filed within (3) days of the match. The appropriate method for disputing the outcome is to contact a league official by PM on the forum AND in the IRC channel (#empiresleague @ gamesurge.net). Disputes should be presented in a logical, polite manner.

4. Match Rules (top)

4.1 Allowed legitimate strategies (these are not exploits)
-Hopping on turrets to de-construct them
-Walling an enemy's barracks
-Driving into an enemy's VF
-Mining an enemy's barracks or VF
-Spawn camping
-Mining the enemy's CV (ninja)
-Pushing infantry with vehicles
-Ramming enemy vehicles with jeeps

4.2 Forbidden Exploits
- Going anywhere underneath the map (for example: to places where you can shoot the enemy but the enemy cannot shoot back by normal means)
- All Empires Mod files must remain unchanged for league play, including enemy player models.
- Using buildings to climb onto structures you cannot normally reach by any other route. Climbing up cliffs that are accessible by other paths is acceptable. This rule includes using mines to blow vehicles up onto hills. Teams are allowed to mine vehicles onto hills that they could reach in another manner, but not onto otherwise unreachable terrain.

4.3 Spectators, Communication, and Substitutions
Spectators are forbidden because of ghosting.

Substitutions are allowed, especially after a round has finished. It is recommended that reserve players are kept at hand with Steam Friends logged on.