The Brick
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This guide is intended to cover the basic rules and guidelines for the Halflife2.net L4D tournament.
1. Guidelines to a proper match.
2. Finding a server.
3. Rules.
4. Recording and uploading demos.
5. In game connection troubles
1. Guidelines to a proper match
All matches are required to be played within a given time period. Team leaders should contact their opponent's team leader as soon as possible to arrange a date and time. Keep in mind the possible timezone differences. When proposing a time, always include the timezone (GMT is recommended). Always check your team members' availability before settling on a date. In case you can't agree on a date and time because of unavailability, contact Hectic Glenn to report this. Look for other players that can jump in to replace your unavailable player for that match. Only one substitute is allowed, and only with Glenn's permission.
On the day of the match, be sure to remind your team about the match that day. In case you can't play on the arranged date, for whatever reason, contact the opponent as soon as possible to discuss a new date and time.
2. Finding a server
Selecting a server for the match can be done in a few ways. The simplest way is for everyone to get into a lobby with SERVER TYPE: set to Official Dedicated, selecting teams and map and starting the game. This might lead to problems such as high pings or being connected to unofficial servers (in case it can't find an official one). If the latter occurs, call a vote to return to lobby and try again. It is required to play on an official server to rule out altered server configurations or gameplay changing plugins.
A different way is to search for a good official dedicated server using the server browser. To open the server browser, open the console and enter openserverbrowser. When you find a server that everyone has a good ping on and doesn't seem to lag, you can either give everyone the IP address, which can be found using the status command in the console, and call a vote to restart when everyone is in the server and in the right team. This can be a clumsy process. An easier way is for everyone to get into a lobby. The lobby leader will need to enter the following commands in his console. sv_cheats 1 and ms_force_dedicated_server xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:xxxxx with the correct IP address. When you start the game, you will connect to that specific server and it will be set to the right map and correct teams.
A third way is to use a personal dedicated server, granted that it uses the default configuration and no server plugins. This is done in the same way as the previous option (see above). Though players will need to enter the password if the server is password protected.
However you acquire the server, both teams have to explicitly agree on using the server before the match is started.
3. Rules
The rules for this tournament are based on common sense. Common sense still applies to all things that are not stated in the rules. Therefore "But the rules don't say it's not allowed!" is not a valid excuse.
If rules are broken, play out the match anyway. When reporting the match score and screenshot, include a dispute about the broken rule(s) with an explanation and optionally a screenshot. We will investigate this and request demos if need be. If a team/player is found to have broken the rules, the match result will be overturned into a 8000:0 win for the opposing team.
4. Recording and uploading demos
Team leaders are required to record a demo of the entire match. They will need to upload it upon request by the tournament leaders (Hectic Glenn, AciD and me).
Recording a demo is easy. When you are in game and the match is about to start, open your console and enter record demoname [example]. Use whatever name you want, as long as it is one word. Press enter. Now you're recording a demo. You won't need to do anything else. The recording stops when the match is over, and it will have created 5 demo files in your lef4dead folder. Each map is a separate demo (this is done automatically). If you want to stop it for whatever reason before the match ends (general purpose), enter stop in the console. For this tournament, it's required you keep recording until the end of the match, so you won't need it.
Important: In case of a disconnect, a deliberate map change (not the progressive map change during the match) or entering the stop command, the recording will stop. To make sure you are recording, enter record demoname in your console again. If everything is right, it should state that "you are already recording a demo." If it starts recording to demoname.dem, that means you weren't recording before.
In case you are requested to upload your demos, make sure you have Winrar and follow these steps:
5. In game connection troubles
In case a player crashes or drops out because of connection problems, you are supposed to keep playing until the end of the round. If the player doesn't return before the next round, there's an allowed minimum of 5 minutes to wait and/or get a substitute player (from hl2.net). After the 5 minutes, the opposing team can force to continue the game if they really insist. We hope to see good sportsmanship here, though. At least make sure all the players are ready to start playing again.
This rule (play out the round, then 5 minutes to sort it out) also applies if a player suddenly has massive lag or when he's got to take a break for whatever reason.
In case of a server crash, teams will be required to find a new server and start at the chapter in which the crash happened. Don't forget to start a new demo. Play out the match. The final score will be added to the score from the last chapter you had finished before (the demos are used for that). In case the server you started on suddenly turns crap and laggy (but doesn't crash), the same rules apply to finding a new server.
There used to be a bug (I think it's supposed to be fixed now) that caused a timeout at the end of a chapter, when the server was supposed to load the next map. In these situations, the server hasn't crashed, but stops responding for about 40 seconds. Default l4d settings disconnect you from a server if it doesn't respond for longer than 30 seconds. That's why I advise everyone to enter cl_timeout 60 in their consoles. In case the server stops responding, simply wait it out. In case it does disconnect you, find a new server and continue from the chapter that was supposed to load (see above).
That's about it I think. Use this thread for discussions, questions or suggestions about the above.
1. Guidelines to a proper match.
2. Finding a server.
3. Rules.
4. Recording and uploading demos.
5. In game connection troubles
1. Guidelines to a proper match
All matches are required to be played within a given time period. Team leaders should contact their opponent's team leader as soon as possible to arrange a date and time. Keep in mind the possible timezone differences. When proposing a time, always include the timezone (GMT is recommended). Always check your team members' availability before settling on a date. In case you can't agree on a date and time because of unavailability, contact Hectic Glenn to report this. Look for other players that can jump in to replace your unavailable player for that match. Only one substitute is allowed, and only with Glenn's permission.
On the day of the match, be sure to remind your team about the match that day. In case you can't play on the arranged date, for whatever reason, contact the opponent as soon as possible to discuss a new date and time.
2. Finding a server
Selecting a server for the match can be done in a few ways. The simplest way is for everyone to get into a lobby with SERVER TYPE: set to Official Dedicated, selecting teams and map and starting the game. This might lead to problems such as high pings or being connected to unofficial servers (in case it can't find an official one). If the latter occurs, call a vote to return to lobby and try again. It is required to play on an official server to rule out altered server configurations or gameplay changing plugins.
A different way is to search for a good official dedicated server using the server browser. To open the server browser, open the console and enter openserverbrowser. When you find a server that everyone has a good ping on and doesn't seem to lag, you can either give everyone the IP address, which can be found using the status command in the console, and call a vote to restart when everyone is in the server and in the right team. This can be a clumsy process. An easier way is for everyone to get into a lobby. The lobby leader will need to enter the following commands in his console. sv_cheats 1 and ms_force_dedicated_server xxx.xxx.xxx.xxx:xxxxx with the correct IP address. When you start the game, you will connect to that specific server and it will be set to the right map and correct teams.
A third way is to use a personal dedicated server, granted that it uses the default configuration and no server plugins. This is done in the same way as the previous option (see above). Though players will need to enter the password if the server is password protected.
However you acquire the server, both teams have to explicitly agree on using the server before the match is started.
3. Rules
The rules for this tournament are based on common sense. Common sense still applies to all things that are not stated in the rules. Therefore "But the rules don't say it's not allowed!" is not a valid excuse.
- No cheats/hacks. Obviously.
- No custom models that give you any type of advantage to other players.
- No exploits allowed. Not even the ones no one knows about. An exploit is defined as anything that gives you or your team an advantage that was not meant to be part of the game.
- No scripts allowed that give you the edge over players that doesn't use such a script (fast melee, fast pistol fire, etc).
- Use of an external communication program (Teamspeak, Ventrilo, etc) is allowed.
- Matches may not be played on servers with altered configurations or using server plugins. Any match played on such a server will be voided.
- All matches should be played until the very end, even when one team has already secured a victory.
- Every match report must be accompanied with a screenshot of the final score, whether it be attached to the post or uploaded to a site doesn't matter. [example]
If rules are broken, play out the match anyway. When reporting the match score and screenshot, include a dispute about the broken rule(s) with an explanation and optionally a screenshot. We will investigate this and request demos if need be. If a team/player is found to have broken the rules, the match result will be overturned into a 8000:0 win for the opposing team.
4. Recording and uploading demos
Team leaders are required to record a demo of the entire match. They will need to upload it upon request by the tournament leaders (Hectic Glenn, AciD and me).
Recording a demo is easy. When you are in game and the match is about to start, open your console and enter record demoname [example]. Use whatever name you want, as long as it is one word. Press enter. Now you're recording a demo. You won't need to do anything else. The recording stops when the match is over, and it will have created 5 demo files in your lef4dead folder. Each map is a separate demo (this is done automatically). If you want to stop it for whatever reason before the match ends (general purpose), enter stop in the console. For this tournament, it's required you keep recording until the end of the match, so you won't need it.
Important: In case of a disconnect, a deliberate map change (not the progressive map change during the match) or entering the stop command, the recording will stop. To make sure you are recording, enter record demoname in your console again. If everything is right, it should state that "you are already recording a demo." If it starts recording to demoname.dem, that means you weren't recording before.
In case you are requested to upload your demos, make sure you have Winrar and follow these steps:
- Go to your Steam\steamapps\common\left 4 dead\left4dead folder.
- There you should encounter 5 demo files. Select these files and rightclick > add to archive.
- Change the archive name to something understandable and click OK.
- You should now have a hl2netMatch1.rar file in the same folder as your demo files. It will probably weigh between 30mb and 40mb. Upload this file to FileQube, FileDropper, Rapidshare or something similar. This might take a while.
- Send the download link in a PM to Hectic Glenn.
5. In game connection troubles
In case a player crashes or drops out because of connection problems, you are supposed to keep playing until the end of the round. If the player doesn't return before the next round, there's an allowed minimum of 5 minutes to wait and/or get a substitute player (from hl2.net). After the 5 minutes, the opposing team can force to continue the game if they really insist. We hope to see good sportsmanship here, though. At least make sure all the players are ready to start playing again.
This rule (play out the round, then 5 minutes to sort it out) also applies if a player suddenly has massive lag or when he's got to take a break for whatever reason.
In case of a server crash, teams will be required to find a new server and start at the chapter in which the crash happened. Don't forget to start a new demo. Play out the match. The final score will be added to the score from the last chapter you had finished before (the demos are used for that). In case the server you started on suddenly turns crap and laggy (but doesn't crash), the same rules apply to finding a new server.
There used to be a bug (I think it's supposed to be fixed now) that caused a timeout at the end of a chapter, when the server was supposed to load the next map. In these situations, the server hasn't crashed, but stops responding for about 40 seconds. Default l4d settings disconnect you from a server if it doesn't respond for longer than 30 seconds. That's why I advise everyone to enter cl_timeout 60 in their consoles. In case the server stops responding, simply wait it out. In case it does disconnect you, find a new server and continue from the chapter that was supposed to load (see above).
That's about it I think. Use this thread for discussions, questions or suggestions about the above.
