23 replies to this topic

[Nept]

 

With TPG's regular season rapidly approaching, our admins have updated the ruleset with descriptions for several infractions and penalties.  Captains and players should visit our site to familiarize themselves with these changes, but I've included most relevant sections below.

 

Note on .ini graphical modifications:

In light of our recording requirements, TPG Admins will permit “plastic Hawken” .ini modifications. To ensure that everyone's on a level playing field, it's important to note that these settings negate ISM Disrupter effects. In other words, your ISM Disrupters are ineffective against anyone running plastic Hawken settings.

 

Note on Match Infractions

If both teams in a given match are determined to have violated the rules during a match (i.e., "off-setting penalties"), TPG reserves the right to give forfeit losses to each team involved or request that the match be played. Rule violations do not have to be "equal" for this option to be enforced.

 

 

Failure to record valid demos

 

Team-based Warnings

TPG will not issue individual warnings for recording infractions. Instead, warnings will be team-based: should someone on your roster fail their recording check, your team will receive a warning. Each team will be granted only one warning per season. Warnings issued during pre-season will not count toward this total.

 

TPG may decide against issuing team warnings should special circumstances arise (e.g., a departing player seeks to disadvantage their former team by failing to record).

 

Penalties

• Failure to record a valid demo for one round will result in a two-game suspension for the player in question.
• Failure to record a valid demo for two or more rounds will result in a three-game suspension for the player in question.
• Opponents may opt to replay the round(s) in question.
• Suspensions will carry through into playoffs.
• TPG may enact stricter penalties should special circumstances arise (e.g., a disputed player fails to submit demos).

 

Failure to Take Valid Screenshots

• TPG will issue individual warnings for screenshot infractions.
• Failure to submit valid screenshots (one or more) will result in a one-game suspension.

 

Banned Item/Banned Internal Infractions

• Using banned items and/or banned internals will result in a one-game suspension.
• Opponents may opt to replay the round(s) in question.
• Repeat offenders will receive stricter penalties.
• TPG strongly suggests that players place TPG-regulation mechs apart from their pub-play loadouts.

 

Mech Restriction Infractions

Cases will be thoroughly reviewed by our Admin team.  If infractions are determined to have been intentional and/or to have had a significant on the game, the following actions may be taken:

• Opponents may opt to replay the round(s) in question.
• Offenders will be suspended for one game.
• Repeat offenders will receive stricter penalties.

 

Synopsis

• Record your matches. (hit a button twice per round)
• Take screenshots before and after rounds (hit a button twice per round)
• Don't use a Scanner
• Don't use Orb Lord internals (Basic Extractor, Extractor, Repair Kit, Advanced Repair Kit)
• Your team may run only one of each mech type.
• Your team may run only three of each mech class.

Edited by God-King Nept, 08 July 2015 - 04:57 AM.

[Hyginos]

Holotaunts not expressly banned. Leet holo strats still viable.

 

#dontimpeachneptjustyet

[Elite_is_salty]

Shoutout to FakeName. 4 TPG related topics today, excluding mine.

[The_Silencer]

Just curious.. how do you check internals?

 

P.S. If disruptors aren't banned items then that custom ini should not be allowed.. No?

[OmegaNull]

So I need to make sure everyone on my team records? That may be an issue but I will work on it. 

[ThirdEyE]

Note on Match Infractions

If both teams in a given match are determined to have violated the rules during a match (i.e., "off-setting penalties"), TPG reserves the right to give forfeit losses to each team involved or request that the match be played.

 

Are there any sort of guidelines as to which option will be enforced?

 

Penalties

• Failure to record a valid demo for one round will result in a two-game suspension for the player in question.
• Failure to record a valid demo for two or more rounds will result in a three-game suspension for the player in question.
• Opponents may opt to replay the round(s) in question.

Is each map counted as a round or each match?  If someones recording gets corrupted during a single scrim a 2-3 game suspension is overkill for punishment considering that's 1/3 of the entire season.  Clarification would be nice between map, match, round, game, etc.

 

Banned Item/Banned Internal Infractions

• Repeat offenders will receive stricter penalties.

Any idea what these stricter penalties would be?

 

Mech Restriction Infractions

Cases will be thoroughly reviewed by our Admin team.  If infractions are determined to have been intentional and/or to have had a significant on the game, the following actions may be taken:

• Opponents may opt to replay the round(s) in question.
• Offenders will be suspended for one game.

Who exactly would be punished in these situations?  All people playing mechs that break the rules or just the last person who spawns in a rule-breaking mech?

[DieselCat]

I really don't understand why it's necessary for each player on both teams to record a video of the match ? Can't, say just one person from each team be assigned to do that ?

 

I for one am having issues with being able to record. I installed Overwolf which doesn't work because one needs Win 7 or better for it to function.

 

Also installed OBS and adjusted to the recommended settings but for some reason I can't get it to record either. I may be using it incorrectly or need to refine the settings, at the moment  I'm not in a position to record and stream. 

 

*+

[LoC_TR]

I really don't understand why it's necessary for each player on both teams to record a video of the match ? Can't, say just one person from each team be assigned to do that ?

 

https://community.pl...heir-necessity/

[DieselCat]

https://community.pl...heir-necessity/

 

I saw the second thread just made about video requirements after I posted this. Kind of understand the need to police cheaters but the random screening of several players screenshots and recording at request seems a bit extreme. It's just a videogame, not the NCAA.

 

*+

[Nept]

 

Note on Match Infractions

If both teams in a given match are determined to have violated the rules during a match (i.e., "off-setting penalties"), TPG reserves the right to give forfeit losses to each team involved or request that the match be played.

 

Are there any sort of guidelines as to which option will be enforced?

 

Some rules are written to provide the Admin team some latitude.  Although rigorously defining most every situation provides certainty, it limits our ability to respond appropriately to individual events.  This particular rule has existed through TPG Hawken's entire history; I simply moved it to the fore.  I'll post later about our Admins and our philosophy.

 

 

Is each map counted as a round or each match?  If someones recording gets corrupted during a single scrim a 2-3 game suspension is overkill for punishment considering that's 1/3 of the entire season.  Clarification would be nice between map, match, round, game, etc.

 

1. Each map during a match is considered one round (best two rounds out of three format).
2. We'll never demand scrim demos. That being said, our Anti-cheat team will act should someone record an obvious hacker during scrims.
3. This thread serves only to notify participants about the penalties.  We will not be debating their severity.  I will note, though, that the previous penalties included 3- or 6-month suspensions depending on the number of rounds for which demos weren't recorded. 

 

Banned Item/Banned Internal Infractions

• Repeat offenders will receive stricter penalties.

Any idea what these stricter penalties would be?

 

Scenario-dependent.  Generally speaking, though, we would be looking at longer suspensions and regular demo pulls for the player in question.

 

 

 

Mech Restriction Infractions

Cases will be thoroughly reviewed by our Admin team.  If infractions are determined to have been intentional and/or to have had a significant on the game, the following actions may be taken:

• Opponents may opt to replay the round(s) in question.
• Offenders will be suspended for one game.

Who exactly would be punished in these situations?  All people playing mechs that break the rules or just the last person who spawns in a rule-breaking mech?

 

 

Excluding special circumstances (e.g., coordinated efforts to bypass our restrictions), penalties will target the person whose mech selection breaks the rule.  If a team is running dual Sharpshooters, for instance, the person(s) whose selection brought twins to the field will be punished.

 

We recognize that teams sometimes accidentally select repeats - hence the wording differences between penalties for banned item/internals infractions and mech restriction infractions.  Should you find yourself running twins, it's important that someone switches out asap.  Do not wait.  Commit "death by pilot error" or reconnect if necessary.  Our admins will thoroughly investigate mech restriction infractions and determine a) whether doubling up affected round(s) outcome, and b) whether the infraction seems intentional.  Suspensions will depend primarily on the latter factor.

 

 

 

 

Also installed OBS and adjusted to the recommended settings but for some reason I can't get it to record either. I may be using it incorrectly or need to refine the settings, at the moment  I'm not in a position to record and stream. 

 

You'll find a tutorial here.

 

 

I saw the second thread just made about video requirements after I posted this. Kind of understand the need to police cheaters but the random screening of several players screenshots and recording at request seems a bit extreme. It's just a videogame, not the NCAA.

 

As per the thread,

 

Recording Q&A

 

Q: Do you really think that anyone within Hawken's competitive community is cheating? Aren't you going a bit overboard?

 

A: Personally, I haven't witnessed anything suspicious during TPG matches. That being said, I've not spent much (match) time searching – and to be perfectly honest, cheaters would have to be pretty blatant to attract my attention during Omni matches.

 

Unfortunately, there are (almost) always individuals who turn toward cheating, whether out of frustration and apathy, or for amusement and personal gain. The fact that I haven't seen anyone cheating against my team does not exclude the possibility of cheaters.

 

Additionally, TPG must uphold certain standards of competitive play. We strive to create a safe, cheat-free space for community-based competition. As such, we must enact AC safeguards – especially when they're unavailable through the game itself. We must also ensure that our dispute resolution process is both thorough and fair – an endeavour that's made much easier through demo/recording availability.

 

 

Q: Couldn't TPG host matches on 13- or 14-man servers and require the presence of a recording spectator? Would that not suffice?

 

A: No, dedicated, recording spectators would not suffice. Their recordings would be limited to brief snippets of single players, or to bird's eye views of the battle. They could easily miss dispute-prompting events, and their (exclusive) use would dramatically decrease our AC capabilities. When disputes are filed, our Admin team pulls demos and screenshots from every relevant player. And when we're conducting AC activities, our Admin team watches the player(s) in question throughout the entire match.

 

Furthermore, requiring spectators would present logistical issues surrounding the vetting and availability of said spectators.

 

 

Q: What about . . .

 

A: No, sorry (eh). We require full recordings from each player, for each round, for each match.

 

 

Q: Can opposing captains agree to forego recording requirements before a match?

 

A: No, unfortunately not. Although I attempted to implement something similar during Season 1, we ultimately decided against it. Without recordings, arbitrating disputes between teams would become extremely difficult. As such, any non-recording rule would also preclude (most) dispute filing; and a league without a means of filing and resolving disputes could quickly descend into anarchy. While this risk was relatively low during the league's (Hawken) inception, its likelihood increases alongside our rising team and participant counts. There's also the risk that teams could be coerced into agreements – something which seems somewhat likely given the infrequency of ringer refusals. Finally, any non-recording arrangements would circumvent our random AC sweeps, rendering cheating much easier.

 

I understand that participants may think these procedures and penalties overly harsh.  However, our requirements will not change.

Edited by God-King Nept, 02 July 2015 - 05:38 PM.

[Call_Me_Ishmael]

God-King?

 

Kal Torak.  Or just 'Zakath?

 

Maybe 'Colonel of a Banana Republic'?

[Nept]

God-King?

 

Kal Torak.  Or just 'Zakath?

 

Maybe 'Colonel of a Banana Republic'?

 

Was thinking along the lines of Gilgamesh.

[spr1nterJam]

Note on .ini graphical modifications:

In light of our recording requirements, TPG Admins will permit “plastic Hawken” .ini modifications. To ensure that everyone's on a level playing field, it's important to note that these settings negate ISM Disrupter effects. In other words, your ISM Disrupters are ineffective against anyone running plastic Hawken settings.

 

it's a joke?

these changes deep into modificated files're simply called cheating and're not alowed in any turnaments and legues

it's nearly the same like you'll use modificated textures files or something like that

maybe also predators and infiltrators're visible too when they useing hinding abilies?

[CraftyDus]

it's a joke?

these changes deep into modificated files're simply called cheating and're not alowed in any turnaments and legues

it's nearly the same like you'll use modificated textures files or something like that

maybe also predators and infiltrators're visible too when they useing hinding abilies?

 

pred and infil cloak remain invisible with textureless ini

[Nept]

it's a joke?

these changes deep into modificated files're simply called cheating and're not alowed in any turnaments and legues

it's nearly the same like you'll use modificated textures files or something like that

maybe also predators and infiltrators're visible too when they useing hinding abilies?

 

Can see the cloaking effect here: https://youtu.be/oIzT27BfC9M?t=3m7s

 

As I explained, these "plastic" graphics reduce the performance cost of our recording requirement.  Were ISM Disrupters a popular competition item, we would've considered banning these settings.  ISM Disrupters are not popular competition items, though, so the negative impact of plastic Hawken is minimal.

[DerMax]

You guys take your league way too seriously with all these rules and stipulations, for a game that's barely afloat. It's like you think you're on par with NHL or something.

 

Why so serious?

[sabrehawk90]

I really don't understand why it's necessary for each player on both teams to record a video of the match ? Can't, say just one person from each team be assigned to do that ?

 

I for one am having issues with being able to record. I installed Overwolf which doesn't work because one needs Win 7 or better for it to function.

 

Also installed OBS and adjusted to the recommended settings but for some reason I can't get it to record either. I may be using it incorrectly or need to refine the settings, at the moment  I'm not in a position to record and stream. 

 

*+

 

Are you getting no video / black screen output when you're recording? I had a problem where OBS didn't record video, just audio. Maybe I'm doing something wrong and there's a better solution, but so far I've found that using Window Capture and putting the game in Window mode instead of Fullscreen is the only way to solve the problem.

Edited by sabrehawk90, 03 July 2015 - 05:01 AM.

[Nept]

You guys take your league way too seriously with all these rules and stipulations, for a game that's barely afloat. It's like you think you're on par with NHL or something.

 

Why so serious?

 

A few things:

 

1) Leagues wouldn't last long without rules and procedures.  Filing and resolving disputes would be difficult, cheating would eventually emerge, and competitive potential/enjoyment would be limited by obviously overpowered mechanics (e.g., Scanner).

 

2) TPG's rather extensive ruleset has been built on years of experience.  The league has provided communities a competitive venue since ever, and kept Day of Defeat alive and active well past expectations.  That may not mean much to you, but I imagine it meant a lot for its community members.  Similarly, there are many Hawken players who enjoy competitive play - even if the playerbase isn't massive.  Done properly, competitive leagues and gaming communities keep each other healthy.  And if I'm to administrate a competitive Hawken league, I would rather do it properly.

 

3) TPG Hawken's regulations amount to the following:

• Record your matches. (hit a button twice per round)
• Take screenshots before and after rounds (hit a button twice per round)
• Don't use a Scanner
• Don't use Orb Lord internals (Basic Extractor, Extractor, Repair Kit, Advanced Repair Kit)
• Your team may run only one of each mech type.
• Your team may run only three of each mech class.

Are those rules difficult to follow?  Are they overly complex?  I find them pretty simple.

 

In any case, something's working.  We've seen two successful seasons and are heading into our third with 9 or 10 fully-rostered teams.  Participants enjoy playing their matches, and viewers enjoy watching the streams.  We've seen significant improvements from our players, our teams, and from the competitive community at-large.  TPG has provided our participants not only an opportunity to experience Hawken at its highest levels, but a reason to organize teams around common competitive goals, develop friendships, and play a game that we enjoy.  If we sometimes come across as overly "NHL," it's because we're trying to ensure the best standards of community-based competition for our members.

Edited by God-King Nept, 03 July 2015 - 06:44 AM.

[Leonhardt]

Was thinking along the lines of Gilgamesh.

 

Thought I should point out that the story of Gilgamesh opens with Gilgamesh raping a woman and makes mention that this is a regular occurance. Gotta love the ancient Sumerians.

[Nept]

Classy as fuzzy bunny.

[DerMax]

A few things:

 

1) Leagues wouldn't last long without rules and procedures.  Filing and resolving disputes would be difficult, cheating would eventually emerge, and competitive potential/enjoyment would be limited by obviously overpowered mechanics (e.g., Scanner).

 

2) TPG's rather extensive ruleset has been built on years of experience.  The league has provided communities a competitive venue since ever, and kept Day of Defeat alive and active well past expectations.  That may not mean much to you, but I imagine it meant a lot for its community members.  Similarly, there are many Hawken players who enjoy competitive play - even if the playerbase isn't massive.  Done properly, competitive leagues and gaming communities keep each other healthy.  And if I'm to administrate a competitive Hawken league, I would rather do it properly.

 

3) TPG Hawken's regulations amount to the following:

• Record your matches. (hit a button twice per round)
• Take screenshots before and after rounds (hit a button twice per round)
• Don't use a Scanner
• Don't use Orb Lord internals (Basic Extractor, Extractor, Repair Kit, Advanced Repair Kit)
• Your team may run only one of each mech type.
• Your team may run only three of each mech class.

Are those rules difficult to follow?  Are they overly complex?  I find them pretty simple.

 

In any case, something's working.  We've seen two successful seasons and are heading into our third with 9 or 10 fully-rostered teams.  Participants enjoy playing their matches, and viewers enjoy watching the streams.  We've seen significant improvements from our players, our teams, and from the competitive community at-large.  TPG has provided our participants not only an opportunity to experience Hawken at its highest levels, but a reason to organize teams around common competitive goals, develop friendships, and play a game that we enjoy.  If we sometimes come across as overly "NHL," it's because we're trying to ensure the best standards of community-based competition for our members.

Very well put.

[Weezl3]

Thought I should point out that the story of Gilgamesh opens with Gilgamesh raping a woman and makes mention that this is a regular occurance. Gotta love the ancient Sumerians.

Also Gilgamesh is a scumbag. The real hero of that story is Enkidu.

[Leonhardt]

Also Gilgamesh is a scumbag. The real hero of that story is Enkidu.

Even though Enkidu gets killed due to Gilgamesh's incompetence much like goose from top gun.

[phed]

But like he wrestles lions and fuzzy bunny