Ladder & Playoff Bracket Rules

Schedule

1.   Registration Opens - February 2nd

2.   Ladder Begins - February 16th, 5:00 PM ET

3.   Roster Lock Date - March 1st, 11:59:59 PM ET

4.   Ladder Ends - March 15th, 9:00 PM ET

5.   Playoff Bracket Begins - March 17th

6.   Playoff Bracket Ends - April 16th

7.   CoD4 Finals - TBA

General

1.   The Entry Fee is 40 Credits per Player.

2.   The Prizes are as follows: 1st = $1200, 2nd = $800, 3rd = $500, 4th = $300.

3.   The top 32 Teams at the end of the Ladder will advance to the Playoff Bracket.

4.   The top 64 Teams will receive Pro Circuit Rank Points at the end of the Playoff Bracket.

5.   Pro Circuit Rank Points are not tied to the Teams.  The Rank Points are given to Players and stay with those Players for the entire 2009 Pro Circuit.  Players will have a Pro Circuit Rank Points total, calculated by adding up the Pro Circuit Rank Points they’ve earned in each of the Pro Circuit Online Events for CoD4.

6.   The top 8 Teams, determined by cumulative CoD4 Pro Circuit Rank Points, will be considered Pro Teams.

7.   Players may request that their Pro Circuit Rank Points be transferred to another Username.  However, if it can't be proven that both Usernames are managed by the same person, the Pro Circuit Rank Points won't be transferred.  Players looking to transfer their Pro Circuit Rank Points should send a private message on MLGpro.com to the Username Anakin.

8.   By sending or accepting a Challenge, Players acknowledge that they have read, understand, and agree to abide by all of the rules. 

9.   Breaking any rule may result in a Forfeit of a Game, Match, or ban from GameBattles and/or the 2009 Pro Circuit.

10. The rules are subject to change at any time, so check them often.

11. The rules were last updated at 5:00 PM ET on February 10th, 2009.  Sections updated since the Ladder began: None

Teams

1.   Teams may not have more than 4 Players (1 Leader, 3 Co-Leader/Members).

2.   Leaders can give Co-Leader status to their teammates.

3.   Leaders and Co-Leaders are able to send invitations to the Team, remove Members, use the Match Finder, report Match results, update the Team page, and delete the Team.

4.   Players may not be on more than one Team, in the same Online Event. 

5.   Players may not create or manage more than one Team, from the same household, in the same Online Event.

6.   Players are limited to one XBL Gamertag, per Online Event.

7.   Individuals may not recover another Player’s XBL Gamertag and use it in an Online Event Match.  Violators of this rule may be banned from GameBattles and/or the 2009 Pro Circuit.

8.   Players must be on their Team for at least 12 hours before participating in a Match. 

9.   If a Player changes their XBL Gamertag, they must wait 12 hours before participating in a Match.

10. Teams should be checked, before the start of a Match, to verify all Players’ eligibility.  If a Player is found to be ineligible, a Ticket should be submitted immediately and a Pro Circuit Online Event Referee or Administrator should be contacted.  If a Pro Circuit Online Event Referee or Administrator isn’t immediately available, the Match should be played in its entirety.  If an ineligible Player is used, the Match will result in a Forfeit, when the Ticket is processed.

11. Use of an incorrect XBL Gamertag will result in a Forfeit of the Match.  Spelling and spaces of XBL Gamertags must be exact, but correct capitalization is not necessary.

12. Players are not allowed to compete in the Online Event from outside of North America.

13. Team or Player names may not contain inappropriate language.

14. Players are not able to change their Team’s name.  Leaders must submit a Ticket requesting that their Team name be changed.

Player Movement

1.   Players are allowed to join and leave a Team at any time before the Roster Lock Date.

2.   Leaders are allowed to add and remove Players at any time before the Roster Lock Date.

3.   Players may not switch Teams after the Roster Lock Date.  Players may leave a Team after the Roster Lock Date if they no longer want or are able to participate.  Such Players must submit a Ticket requesting that they be removed from the Team and include the Username and XBL Gamertag of the Player that will be replacing them.  A Pro Circuit Online Event Administrator will review the request and decide whether or not to allow the change.

4.   No Player Movement will be allowed during the Playoff Bracket.

5.   Players can’t change their XBL Gamertags after the Roster Lock Date.  Players may submit a Ticket requesting that their XBL Gamertag be changed after the Roster Lock Date.  A Pro Circuit Online Event Administrator will review the request and decide whether or not to allow the change.

6.   Teams must have 4 Players on the Roster Lock Date.  Teams with fewer than 4 Players, at that time, will be ineligible for the Playoff Bracket.

7.   The Roster Lock Date is 8:00 PM ET on March 1st.

8.   If a Team is left with fewer than 4 Players, as result of a Player(s) leaving the Team on March 1st, Pro Circuit Online Event Administrators will help the Team add a Player(s) so that they can continue to compete and remain eligible for the Playoff Bracket.

9.   Teams may change their Leader at any time.  The Leader may relinquish the role, by submitting a Ticket requesting a new Leader, and remain on, or leave, the Team.  Teams can request a Leader change if the other 3 Team members submit Tickets requesting that the same Player be named the new Leader.

Gameplay

1.   No leaving the normal boundaries of a Map.

2.   No going into the tunnel walls on Pipepline.

3.   No going on top of the arch on District.

4.   No going onto Invisible Ledges.

5.   No jumping off of another Character.

6.   No faking the prone position.

7.   No using the Grenade Launcher.

8.   No using the Frag x 3 Perk.

9.   No using C4.

10. No using Claymores.

11. No removing players on the opposing Team from the Private Match once a Game has started.

12. Breaking any of rules #1-11 will result in a Forfeit of the Game.

For Screen Shots of all illegal locations and maneuvers follow this link:

http://www.mlgpro.com/forum/showthread.php?t=158846

All Matches

1.   Players must be signed in to Xbox Live for all Matches.

2.   Players must appear offline for the entire Match.

3.   The Team that doesn’t Host must choose to play as the OpFor/Spetsnaz or Marines/S.A.S. team for Round 1 of each Game.   

4.   All Domination Games require that each Team play 1 Round as the OpFor/Spetsnaz team and 1 Round as the Marines/S.A.S. team.  Scores from each Round must be added to determine the winner of the Game.  If each Team has the same Game Score after 2 Rounds, the Game must be replayed.  Host and Side Choice are not changed when a Game is replayed.

5.   All Sabotage Games will be played until 1 Team wins 2 Rounds.

6.   No warm-up or practice Games are permitted once the Match’s first Game has begun.

7.   Starting a Game with the wrong Game Type Settings may result in a Forfeit of the Game.

8.   Teams must have at least 3 members present in order to start a Round/Game.

9.   If by 15 minutes past the scheduled Match time, a Team doesn’t have enough Players to play the Games, the incomplete Team Forfeits the Match.

10. Teams may delay the Match between Rounds/Games for up to five minutes.  Teams can request that a Pro Circuit Online Event Referee enforce this five minute time limit.  After five minutes, if the delaying Team’s full Roster isn’t present, they must play the next Round/Game shorthanded or Forfeit the Match.

11. If the Hosting Player wrongly ends a Round/Game, their Team will Forfeit the Game.

12. Before a Match starts, Players should ensure that they don’t have any outstanding invitations to the Private Match. 

13. If an outside Player joins a Round while it is in progress and stays for more than 10 seconds, picks up or uses a weapon, picks up or defuses the bomb, or is injured, the Game must be reset with the appropriate Round Score.  Teams should also reset the Game so that Teams start the effected Round as the correct OpFor/Spetsnaz or Marines/S.A.S. team.  If the outside Player stays for less than 10 seconds, doesn’t pick up or use a weapon, doesn’t pick up or defuse the bomb, and isn’t injured, the Round must continue.  The Team responsible for inviting the outside Player could be penalized with a Game or Match Forfeit or ban from GameBattles and/or the 2009 Pro Circuit.

Ladder Matches

1.   Teams must use the Match Finder in order to schedule a Match.

2.   Game Types for each Match will be determined by the Map Randomizer.  Should the Map Randomizer fail to generate Game Types for a Match, the following Game Types should be used: Domination - Strike, Sabotage - District, Search and Destroy - Crash

3.   A Match will consist of 3 Games.  Once one Team wins 2 Games, the Match is over.

4.   Teams are not able to accept Challenges made by Teams that are more than 3 Levels above, or below, them unless they are separated by 25 or fewer Rank spots.  For example, a Level 5 Team Ranked 100th will be able to accept a Challenge made by a Level 10 Team Ranked 80th.  Teams Ranked 1st-51st will be able to accept Challenges made by other Teams Ranked 1st-51st no matter what Level they are. 

5.   Teams may not play each other more than once in a 24 hour period.

6.   A Team may cancel a scheduled Match by submitting a Ticket at least 24 hours prior to the Match’s scheduled start time.  Scheduled Matches can also be removed at any time if both Teams submit a Ticket.

7.   Matches must be played, in their entirety, unless both Teams agree to postpone, or cancel, the Match.  In order to postpone, or cancel a Match that has already begun, both Teams must submit a Ticket.

8.   In order to get a Forfeit Win, a Team must submit a Ticket within 1 hour of the scheduled Match time.  The Ticket must include two Screenshots.  The first Screenshot must show at least 3 Team members in a Private Match Lobby featuring the first scheduled Game Type and the second Screenshot must show a XBL time stamp within 15 minutes of the scheduled Match time.

9.   The higher ranked Team must choose the Game they want to Host and Host that Game first.  The lower ranked Team must Host the other 2 Games.  Games do not have to be played in the order that they are presented.

10. If Teams have the same Rank, the Team with the higher Team ID must assume the privileges of the higher ranked Team.

11. At the end of Ladder play, ties will be broken using the following tiebreakers in this order: Winning Percentage, Match Wins, and Team ID.

Playoff Bracket Matches

1.   The Playoff Bracket will be a Best of 5 Game Match, Double Elimination Bracket.

2.   Once one Team wins 3 Games, the Match is over.

3.   Game Types will be set for each Round of the Playoff Bracket.

4.   Each Match will consist of 2 Domination, 1 Sabotage, and 2 Search and Destroy Games.

5.   After losing a Match, Teams will fall into the Losers Bracket.

6.   A Match loss in the Losers Bracket will result in elimination from the Playoff Bracket.

7.   A Team’s Playoff Seed will be equivalent to their Rank at the end of the Ladder.

8.   The higher seeded Team must choose 1 Game to Host.  Then, the lower seeded Team must choose 2 Games to Host.  The higher seeded Team must Host the Games that weren’t chosen.  The Games must be played in order.

9.   If Teams meet for a 2nd time, in the Playoff Bracket, their Match will expand to a Best of 11, include the previous Match, and pick up where that Match left off.  For example, if Team A beat Team B 3 Games to 0 in the Winners Bracket, the Best of 11 will resume with Game 4 and Team A leading 3 Games to 0.  If Games 4 and/or 5 of the Winners Bracket Match were not played, they must be played first with Host for each Game going to the Team that would’ve hosted in the Winners Bracket.  The Team that won the first Match must Host the 11th Game, if necessary.  The lower seeded Team must choose 1 Game to Host.  Then, the higher seeded Team must choose 2 Games to Host.  The lower seeded Team must Host the Games that weren’t chosen.

10. Game Types will be set, for a Best of 11 Game Match, to ensure that Teams don’t play the same Game Type against each other twice.

11. If the Teams meeting in the Finals have not yet faced each other in the Playoff Bracket and the Team coming from the Losers Bracket wins a Match, the Winners Bracket Finals Game Types must be played, in order to break the tie, since both Teams would only have one Match loss.  Before the start of the Finals, the Team without a Match loss must choose to have higher Seed hosting privileges for the Finals or Winners Bracket Finals set of Game Types (See Playoff Bracket Rule #8).

12. Teams eliminated in the same Round of the Losers Bracket will be ranked against each other, for Pro Circuit Rank Point purposes, using their Playoff Bracket Seed.

13. The Playoff Bracket will run on a Tuesday/Thursday schedule with all Matches originally scheduled for 9 PM ET.

14. If a proposed rescheduling of the Match time has not been agreed upon, the Match is required to be played at the scheduled Match time.

15. Captains or Co-Captains, from opposing Teams, can reschedule a Match.  In order for the Match to be officially rescheduled, a Challenge must be accepted for a different Match time.

16. Matches originally scheduled for Tuesday at 9 PM ET must be played by 9 AM ET on Thursday.  Matches originally scheduled for Thursday at 9 PM ET must be played by 9 AM ET on Tuesday.

17. Each Match will be assigned a Pro Circuit Online Event Referee.  Teams should contact their Pro Circuit Online Event Referee if they encounter any problems scheduling or playing their Match.  In order to get a Forfeit win, Teams should contact their Pro Circuit Online Event Referee and invite them into the Private Match Lobby, so they can confirm that the Team was online at the scheduled time.  In order to get a Forfeit win, in the absence of a Pro Circuit Online Event Referee, a Team must submit a Ticket within 1 hour of the scheduled Match time.  The Ticket must include two Screenshots.  The first Screenshot must show at least 3 Team members in a Private Match Lobby featuring the first scheduled Game Type and the second Screenshot must show a XBL time stamp within 15 minutes of the scheduled Match time.

18. If a Match isn’t played, and neither Team submits a Ticket requesting the Forfeit win, the Match win will be awarded to the higher seeded Team.

19. If a Match isn’t played and both Teams submit a Ticket requesting the Forfeit win, but neither can prove that they were signed into XBL at the scheduled Match time, the Match win will be awarded to the higher seeded Team.

Host

1.   Hosting Players should create the Private Match Lobby to ensure that they are given Host.  As the hosting Team changes over the course of a Match, the new hosting Player should leave the Private Match Lobby and create a new one to ensure that they are given Host for that Game.

2.   Teams should play a test Game, for roughly 30 seconds, before a new Host is going to be used, in order to determine if the Host is reasonable.  Test Games should be played using a Game Type the Teams are not scheduled to play against each other so that Players aren’t confused about whether the Match has officially begun/resumed or not. 

3.   All Players must agree that the Host is reasonable (all Players with green bars) before the start of a Game.  If a reasonable Host can’t be found, the hosting Team’s best Host must be used.

4.   If the Host isn't given to the Player that was designated to be the Game’s Host, the Game must still be played.

5.   If a Player’s connection to the Host becomes unreasonable during a Game, the Game must still be played.  After each Game, either Team may request that a new Host be tested, if the previous Host was unreasonable.

6.   If a Player loses their connection to the Host when the Game launches, the Game must be restarted.

7.   If a Player loses their connection to the Host, the Round must continue.  Players losing their connection to the Host may be invited back to the Private Match.

8.   If a Round/Game is ended because the Host drops from the Game, the Team that hosted will Forfeit the Game.

Referees

1.   Pro Circuit Online Event Referees and Administrators can be contacted by way of the GB Live Support system in order to answer any questions or solve any problems your Team may have during a Match.  Live Support:

http://gamebattles.com/xbox360/call-of-duty-4/ladder/09-mlg-online-pro-circuit-even/support

2.   If a Pro Circuit Online Event Referee is called into a Private Match Lobby, Players must keep them un-muted at all times.

3.   Verbal abuse of a Pro Circuit Online Event Referee may result in a ban from GameBattles.  Team Leaders are responsible for the conduct of their teammates.

Reporting

1.   The winning Team must report the Match results within 30 minutes of its completion. 

2.   To report the Match results, Teams must report the Match Score (2-0, 2-1, 3-0, 3-1, or 3-2).  Reporting the individual Game Scores is optional.  Instead of reporting the individual Game Scores for Playoff Bracket Matches, Teams must report a number 1 for each Game in order to indicate which Team Hosted each Game, including any Games that weren’t played.

3.   At least one member of each Team should take a Screenshot(s) of each Round’s/Game’s results.  Screenshots should contain the Round/Game Score, Players on each Team, and a time stamp.

4.   In order to dispute Match results, Tickets must be submitted within 3 hours of the scheduled Match time.  

5.   If a Screenshot(s) is needed in order to resolve a dispute, it should be transferred to the user’s computer and uploaded to a free image-hosting site such as the GB Game Room.  The URL for the image(s) should be attached to the dispute Ticket(s).

6.   For all cheating claims, the burden of proof is on the accuser. 

7.   Any form of cheating or unsportsmanlike behavior may result in a Forfeit of a Game, Match, or ban from GameBattles and/or the 2009 Pro Circuit.

8.   Unsportsmanlike behavior and verbal abuse will not be tolerated.  Punishable behavior includes, but is not limited to, excessive use of foul or degrading language.  

Tickets

1.   To submit a Ticket, click “New Support Ticket,” found within “My GB,” on the console navigation bar.  Select a category that best describes your problem, the Arena in which it occurred, and a detailed description of the issue.

2.   When submitting a Ticket, fill out all applicable fields.  Incomplete or incorrect Tickets will be closed without being processed.

3.   Once submitted, the status of your Ticket can be viewed through “My Support Tickets,” also found within the “My GB” menu.

4.   All Pro Circuit Online Event Administrator decisions are final.  After a decision has been made, regarding a Ticket, additional Tickets may only be submitted if they contain new information.

5.   Tickets are handled in the order that they are received.  Pro Circuit Online Event Staff members should not be contacted regarding the status of Tickets that have not been closed.

Settings

1.   All of the Settings changes that were made to the default Game Modes (Domination, Sabotage, and Search and Destroy) are listed below.  Settings, not listed below, shouldn’t be changed from their default state.

All Games

Spectate = Team Only

Friendly Fire = On

Kill Cam = On

Air Support = Off

 

Domination

Time Limit = 10 Minutes each

Score Limit = Unlimited

Respawn Delay = 7.5 Seconds

 

Search and Destroy

Round Length = 3 Minutes

Bomb Timer = 45 Seconds

Plant Timer = 7.5

Defuser Timer = 7.5

Score Limit = 4

Round Switch: Every Round

 

Sabotage

Time Limit = 5 Minutes

Plant Time = 5 Seconds

Score Limit = 4

Game Types

Domination - Crash

Domination - District

Domination - Overgrown

Domination - Strike

Sabotage - District

Sabotage - Overgrown

Sabotage - Strike

Search and Destroy - Backlot

Search and Destroy - Crash

Search and Destroy - Overgrown

Search and Destroy - Strike

Playoff Bracket Game Types

Winners Bracket
Round 1 - (3/17)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Crash
Game 2 - Domination - Strike
Game 3 - Sabotage - District
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Backlot
Game 5 - Domination - Overgrown

Round 2 - (3/19)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Overgrown
Game 2 - Domination - Crash
Game 3 - Sabotage - Strike
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 5 - Domination - District

Round 3 - (3/26)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 2 - Domination - Overgrown
Game 3 - Sabotage - Overgrown
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Backlot
Game 5 - Domination - Crash

Round 4 - (4/2)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Crash
Game 2 - Domination - Strike
Game 3 - Sabotage - Strike
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Backlot
Game 5 - Domination - District

Round 5 - Winners Finals - (4/9)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 2 - Domination - District
Game 3 - Sabotage - Overgrown
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Crash
Game 5 - Domination - Strike

Round 6 - Finals - (4/16)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Backlot
Game 2 - Domination - Overgrown
Game 3 - Sabotage - Strike
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Overgrown
Game 5 - Domination - Crash

Tiebreaker Game
Game 11 - Sabotage - District

Losers Bracket
Round 1 - (3/19)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Overgrown
Game 2 - Domination - Crash
Game 3 - Sabotage - Strike
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 5 - Domination - District

Round 2 - (3/24)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Overgrown
Game 2 - Domination - District
Game 3 - Sabotage - District
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Crash
Game 5 - Domination - Strike

Round 3 - (3/26)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 2 - Domination - Overgrown
Game 3 - Sabotage - Overgrown
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Backlot
Game 5 - Domination - Crash

Round 4 - (3/31)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 2 - Domination - Overgrown
Game 3 - Sabotage - Strike
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Crash
Game 5 - Domination - District

Round 5 - (4/2)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Crash
Game 2 - Domination - Strike
Game 3 - Sabotage - Strike
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Backlot
Game 5 - Domination - District
    
Round 6 - (4/7)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Backlot
Game 2 - Domination - Crash
Game 3 - Sabotage - Overgrown
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Overgrown
Game 5 - Domination - Strike

Round 7 - (4/9)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 2 - Domination - District
Game 3 - Sabotage - Overgrown
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Crash
Game 5 - Domination - Strike

Round 8 - Losers Finals - (4/14)
Game 1 - Search and Destroy - Overgrown
Game 2 - Domination - Crash
Game 3 - Sabotage - District
Game 4 - Search and Destroy - Strike
Game 5 - Domination - Overgrown

Tiebreaker Game
Game 11 - Sabotage - Overgrown