Online Qualifier #2: Schedule
1. Registration Opens - March 14th
2. Ladder Begins - March 28th
3. Registration Closes - April 22nd, 11:59 PM ET
4. Ladder Ends - April 24th, 8:59 PM ET
5. Playoff Bracket Begins - April 26th
6. Playoff Bracket Ends - May 26th
7. Pro Circuit Regular Season Competition #2 (Columbus) - June 3rd - June 5th
General
1. The Entry Fee is 10 Credits per Player.
2. Players may request a Credit refund prior to the close of Registration if they have yet to play a Match. After Registration closes, all Credits will be considered used and nonrefundable.
3. The top 32 Teams at the end of the Ladder will advance to the Playoff Bracket.
4. The top 64 Teams at the end of the Ladder will receive Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points at the end of the Playoff Bracket.
5. At the end of the Ladder, Standings ties will be broken using the following tiebreakers in this order: Winning Percentage, Match Wins, and Team ID. If Winning Percentage, Match Wins, or Team ID is used to break a tie, the highest number will win the tiebreaker.
6. Online Qualifier #2 teammates are not required to play with each other at Pro Circuit Competitions.
7. Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points are awarded to each Player on a Team individually and move with the Player should they leave the Team with which they earned the Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points. Players will have a Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points total, calculated by adding up the Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points they’ve earned in each of the 2011 Black Ops Online Qualifiers.
8. Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points will be used to determine Team Seeds in Black Ops Pro Circuit Events.
9. Players must use the same MLG Username in the Black Ops Online Qualifier that they plan to use in upcoming Black Ops Pro Circuit Events. Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points can’t be transferred from one MLG Username to another unless a Player has Black Ops Rank Points on more than one MLG Username.
10.By registering for this Online Qualifier, Players acknowledge that they have read, understand, and agree to abide by all of the rules.
11.Breaking any rule or any sign of cheating, unnecessary disputes, unsportsmanlike behavior, or verbal abuse of Players may result in disqualification from the Online Qualifier, a Temporary Ban from MLG’s Network of Websites (including majorleaguegaming.com and gamebattles.com), and a Competition Ban for a future Online Qualifier(s) and/or a Pro Circuit Competition(s).
12.Players who are disqualified from the Online Qualifier may see their Team removed from the Online Qualifier and will not be eligible to receive Black Ops Online Qualifier Rank Points.
13.The rules and the schedule are subject to change, so check them often. The rules and schedule were last updated at 5:00 PM ET on March 25th, 2011. Sections updated since the Online Qualifier began: None
MLG Usernames, PSN Accounts & Team Names
1. Players must register and use their own MLG Username in order to compete in the Online Qualifier. Each Player’s registered MLG Username must contain the Player’s correct Name, Mailing Address, and Email Address.
2. Players must not share the information stored on their MLG Username with another person. This includes, but is not limited to the following: Passwords, PSN Accounts, and Email Addresses.
3. Players may not register for the Online Qualifier with more than one MLG Username.
4. Individuals may not use another Player’s PSN Account in the Online Qualifier. Individuals may not allow another Player to use their PSN Account in the Online Qualifier.
5. Players are not allowed to compete in the Online Qualifier from outside of North America.
6. All MLG Usernames are property of Major League Gaming Inc. Any advertising of, or attempts to buy, sell trade, or exchange an MLG Username, by any means, is strictly prohibited.
7. Violators of MLG Usernames, PSN Accounts & Team Names Rules #1-6 may be disqualified from the Online Qualifier, given a Temporary Ban from MLG’s Network of Websites, and given a Competition Ban for a future Online Qualifier(s) and/or a Pro Circuit Competition(s).
8. Teams may not contain a Player who is attempting to evade a GameBattles ban. Playing with such a Player may result in a Forfeit of the most recent Match or all Matches in which the banned Player participated.
9. Players are limited to one PSN Account for the Online Qualifier. Players who need to change their PSN Account should submit a Ticket and a Pro Circuit Admin will review the request and decide whether or not to allow the change.
10. PSN Accounts should be checked, before the start of a Match, to verify each Player’s eligibility. If a Player is found to be ineligible, a Pro Circuit Admin should be contacted. If a Pro Circuit Admin isn’t immediately available, the Match should be played in its entirety and a Ticket should be submitted. If an ineligible Player participates and sufficient proof is provided, the Team with the ineligible Player will Forfeit the Match when the Ticket is processed.
11. Use of an incorrect PSN Account will result in a Forfeit of the Match. Spelling and spaces of PSN Accounts must be exact, but correct capitalization is not necessary.
12. Usernames and Team Names may not contain inappropriate language. Team Names cannot be used if they are already taken by another Team registered for the Online Qualifier. Violators of this rule will have their MLG Username/Team Name changed immediately.
13. Players are not able to change their Team’s name. Leaders must submit a Ticket requesting that their Team Name be changed. Teams will not be allowed to change their Team Name more than once.
Teams & Rosters
1. Teams may not have more than four Players (one Leader and three Members).
2. A Team’s Roster will lock at 11:59 PM ET on Friday, April 22nd.
3. Leaders are allowed to remove Players from their Team at any time before their Team’s Roster is locked.
4. Players are allowed to leave a Team at any time before the Playoff Bracket. However, if a Player leaves a Team after the Team’s Roster is locked, they will not be allowed to join another Team for the Online Qualifier.
5. If a Team’s Roster changes or a Player on a Team changes their PSN Account, the Team must wait 6 hours before participating in a Match.
6. No Team Roster or PSN Account changes will be granted during the Playoff Bracket.
7. Teams with fewer than 4 Players, when the Ladder ends, will be ineligible for the Playoff Bracket. If a Team is left with fewer than 4 Players as a result of a Player(s) leaving the Team on April 25th or April 26th, the Team will be eligible for the Playoff Bracket and a Pro Circuit Admin will help the Team add a Player(s) so that they can compete with a full Roster in the Playoff Bracket.
8. Teams may change their Leader at any time. The Leader may relinquish the role, by submitting a Ticket requesting a new Leader be named, and remain on the Team or leave the Team. Teams can request a Leader change if the other three Team members submit Tickets requesting that the same Player be named the new Leader.
9. No more than one Team may be created from the same location for the Online Qualifier. Opposing Team Leaders may not submit/accept a Challenge or report a Match Score, for the same Match, from the same location. Leaders found breaking these rules may be disqualified from the Online Qualifier, given a Temporary Ban from MLG’s Network of Websites, and given a Competition Ban for a future Online Qualifier(s) and/or a Pro Circuit Competition(s).
Gameplay & Banned List
1. No leaving the normal boundaries of a map.
2. No Switching Teams or going into Spectator Mode at any time during a Game.
3. Breaking any of Gameplay Rules #1-2, using a Banned Secondary Weapon, Banned Tactical Grenade, Banned Equipment, Banned Perks, or Banned Weapon Attachments will result in a Forfeit of the Game.
Banned Secondary Weapons, Tactical Grenades, Equipment, Perks & Weapon Attachments
1. Secondary Launchers
2. Flak Jacket
3. Nova Gas
4. Decoy
5. All Equipment
6. Warlord
7. Second Chance
8. Grenade Launcher
9. Flamethrower
10. Rapid Fire
All Matches
1. Players must be signed in to the PlayStation Network for all Matches. If this rule is violated, the Match results will be removed.
2. Players must set an Away Message before the start of a Match.
3. The Team that doesn’t Host must choose to play as the top or bottom team. For Round 2 of Domination Games, Teams will switch from the top team to the bottom team and vice versa.
4. For Domination Games, two Rounds (each an 8-minute Game) must be played, with Teams switching top/bottom teams after Round 1. After Round 2, the scores from both Rounds will be added together in order to determine a winner.
5. The scores from both Rounds of a Capture the Flag Game will be added together in order to determine a winner.
6. If a Capture the Flag Game ends in a tie, the Overtime tiebreaker will not be used. Instead, the Game must be replayed. If a Domination Game ends in a tie, the Game must be replayed. Host and top/bottom teams for Round 1 are not changed when a Game is replayed.
7. No warm-up or practice Games are permitted once the Match’s first Game has begun. Host Test Games are allowed. Private Match creators who violate this rule may forfeit the Match.
8. Private Match creators who start a Game with the wrong Settings may Forfeit the Game, determined by a Pro Circuit Admin. Teams that quit out of a Game and claim that the wrong Settings were used will Forfeit the Game if they are unable to provide proof to back up their claim.
9. Teams must have 3 Players present in order to start a Round/Game.
10. 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.
11. Teams may delay the Match between Games for up to five minutes. Teams can request that a Pro Circuit Admin enforce this five minute time limit. After five minutes, if the delaying Team’s full Roster isn’t present, they must play the next Game shorthanded or Forfeit the Match.
12. If the Private Match creator wrongly ends a Round/Game, their Team will Forfeit the Game.
13. Before the start of a Match, Players should ensure that they don’t have any outstanding invitations to the Private Match.
14. 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, picks up or returns the flag, or is injured, the effected Round must be restarted. Teams should also select the same top/bottom team for the restarted Round as they used in the effected Round. Teams may be required to provide proof of the Round/Game Score and each Team’s top/bottom designation prior to the outside Player joining the effected Round. If proof of the Round/Game Score can’t be provided, the entire Game may be restarted. If proof of each Team’s top/bottom designation can’t be provided, a coin toss may be used to determine such designation.
15. If an outside Player joins a Round while it is in progress, stays for less than 10 seconds, doesn’t pick up or use a weapon, doesn’t pick up or defuse the bomb, doesn’t pick up or return the flag, and isn’t injured, the Round must continue. The Team responsible for inviting the outside Player may be penalized with a Game or Match Forfeit, a Temporary Ban from MLG’s Network of Websites, and a Competition Ban for a future Online Qualifier(s) and/or a Pro Circuit Competition(s).
Ladder Matches
1. Teams must use the Match Finder in order to schedule a Match.
2. The Game Types for each Match will be set by the Map Randomizer.
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 5 Levels above or below them.
5. Teams may not play each other more than once in a 12 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.
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 (See Playoff Bracket Game Types).
4. Each Match will consist of two Capture the Flag Games, two Search and Destroy Games, and one Domination Game.
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 Bracket Seed will be equivalent to their Standings Rank at the end of the Ladder.
8. If Teams are scheduled to play each other 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 Game 11. The Host for Games 6-10 will be chosen in the opposite order in which Host was chosen for Games 1-5 (See Host Rule #2). The winner of a Finals Best of 11 will win the Event.
9. If Teams are scheduled to play a Best of 11 Game Match, Games 4 and 5 have not been played, and the Hosts of the Games in the previous Match can’t be determined, the higher seeded Team must choose to Host Game 4 or 5. The lower seeded Team must Host the Game that wasn’t chosen. If Teams are scheduled to play a Best of 11 Game Match, only Game 5 has not been played, and the Hosts of the Games in the previous Match can’t be determined, the higher seeded Team must Host Game 5.
10. The Game Types for a Best of 11 Game Match will be scheduled by the Commissioner in order to ensure that a Game Type isn’t repeated.
11. If the Teams scheduled to play each other in the Finals have not yet played against each other in the Playoff Bracket, an initial Match must be played using the Finals Game Types. If the Team that came from the Winners Bracket wins the initial Match, they will win the Online Qualifier. If the Team that came from the Losers Bracket wins the initial Match, the Match will expand to a Best of 11, include the initial Match, and pick up where that Match left off. For example, if the Losers Bracket Team beat the Winners Bracket Team 3 Games to 0 in the initial Match, the Best of 11 will resume with Game 4 and the Losers Bracket Team leading 3 Games to 0. If Games 4 and/or 5 of the initial Match were not played, they must be played first with Host for each Game going to the Team that would’ve hosted in the initial Match. The Losers Bracket Team must choose to Host or not Host Game 11. The Host for Games 6-10 will be chosen in the opposite order in which Host was chosen for Games 1-5 (See Host Rule #2).
12. Teams eliminated in the same Round of the Losers Bracket will be ranked against each other, for Online Qualifier Rank Points purposes, using their Playoff Bracket Seed. Higher seeded Teams will be given a higher rank.
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. Leaders from opposing Teams, can reschedule a Match. In order for a 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. Teams should contact a Pro Circuit Admin if they encounter any problems scheduling or playing their Match. In order to get a Forfeit win, Teams should contact a Pro Circuit Admin and invite them into the Private Match, so that 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 Admin see Reporting Rule #3.
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 the PSN at the scheduled Match time, the Match win will be awarded to the higher seeded Team.
20. If a Match is played, both Teams claim that they won, but neither Team has proof, the Match win will be awarded to the higher seeded Team.
Host
1. For Ladder Matches, the Team with the higher rank in the Online Qualifier Standings must choose 1 Game to Host. The Team with the lower rank in the Online Qualifier Standings must Host the other 2 Games. Games must be played in the order set by the Map Randomizer. If Teams have the same rank in the Online Qualifier Standings, the Team with the lower Team ID must assume the role of the higher ranked Team.
2. For Playoff Bracket Matches, 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 the order set in the Playoff Bracket Game Types section of the Rules and all Host choices must be made before the start of the Match.
3. Hosting Players should create the Private Match. As the hosting Team changes over the course of a Match, the new hosting Player should leave the Private Match and create a new one.
4. Teams should play a Host Test Game, for roughly 30 seconds, before a new Host is going to be used, in order to determine if the Host is reasonable. Host Test Games should be played using a Map that the Teams are not scheduled to play against each other so that Players aren’t confused about whether the Match has officially begun/resumed.
5. 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.
6. If the Host isn't given to the Player who was designated to be the Game’s Host, the Game must still be played.
7. 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.
8. If a Player loses their connection to the Host when the Game launches, the Game must be restarted.
9. If a Player loses their connection to the Host during a Game, the Round/Game must continue. Players losing their connection to the Host may be invited back to the Private Match.
Pro Circuit Admins
1. Pro Circuit Admins can be contacted by way of the GB Live Support system in order to answer any questions or solve any problems during a Match. Live Support: http://gamebattles.com/ps3/call-of-duty-black-ops/pro-circuit/2011-mlg-pcoq-columbus/support/
2. If a Pro Circuit Admin is called into a Private Match, Players must keep them un-muted at all times and comply with their instructions.
3. Verbal abuse of a Pro Circuit Admin may result in disqualification from the Online Qualifier, a Temporary Ban from MLG’s Network of Websites, and a Competition Ban for a future Online Qualifier(s) and/or a Pro Circuit Competition(s).
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. In order to get a Forfeit Win when a Team fails to attend or complete a Match, a Team must submit a Ticket within 1 hour of the scheduled Match time. The Ticket must include a Screenshot. The Screenshot must show at least three Team members in the Match’s first scheduled Game Type and a time stamp within 15 minutes of the scheduled Match time.
4. A Free Win is a reported Match that was not played and the Players conspired to give the win/take the loss, in order to exchange Experience Points. Matches suspected of being Free Wins will be deleted if Players are unable to provide sufficient proof that a Match was played or that a Player failed to attend or complete the Match. Players who report a Free Win will be subject to penalties such as disqualification from the Online Qualifier, a Temporary Ban from MLG’s Network of Websites, and a Competition Ban for a future Online Qualifier (s) and/or a Pro Circuit Competition(s).
5. At least one member of each Team should take a Screenshot(s) of each Game’s results. Screenshots should contain the Game Score, Players on each Team, and a time stamp. Such proof of Match results should be kept until the end of the Online Qualifier.
6. In order to dispute Match results, Tickets must be submitted within 3 hours of the scheduled Match time.
7. Teams that need to submit a Screenshot in order to resolve a dispute should uploaded the Screenshot to their MLG Profile Page. If a Video is needed in order to resolve a dispute, it should be uploaded to a User Generated Video upload site. The URL for the Screenshot or Video should be attached to the dispute Ticket.
8. For all cheating claims, the burden of proof is on the accuser.
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 a Ticket can be viewed through “My Support Tickets,” also found within the “My GB” menu.
4. All decisions made by Pro Circuit Admins 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 Admins should not be contacted regarding the status of Tickets that have not been closed.
