1. General Info

1. These rules are specific to the NSL European Open 2013 playing Natural Selection 2.
2. As with any NSL contest, the General Rule Set applies.
3. The first 16 teams to sign up for the contest are eligible to participate with remaining signed up teams eligible to play if a team from the first 16 is unable to participate. Priority to replace a team that is unable to participate will be based by sign up order.
4. This contest is open only to residents of Europe.
5. Teams have been split into 4 groups of 4 teams based on seedings to make the most evenly skilled groups as possible. Seedings are based on Season 2 finishes and weighted with results from the Balance Mod Cup.
6. The first part of the open (Group Stage) is scheduled to start on Saturday, June 29th 2013 and end on Sunday, July 6th 2013. If necessary, tie breakers for the Group Stage is scheduled for playing on Sunday, July 7th 2013.  The second part of the cup (Playoffs) is scheduled to start on Saturday, July 13th 2013 and end on Sunday, July 14th 2013. The Final will occur on Saturday, August 24th 2013, in a live event, at Insomnia 49.
   

2. Prizes

Grand Prize - Winners Bracket

1. The top two teams from the Winners Bracket will be provided with international flights and acommodations to the Grand Final, live event, at Insomnia49.
2. Details of the monetary prize pool can be found at http://www.gofundme.com/39cl44
3. If the prize pool passes $1,500, $500 will be allocated as a prize for the second place team. Every dollar raised after $1,500 will be split - 70c for the winning team, 30c for the second place team.

Grand Prize - Horizon Bracket

1. The winner of the Horizon Bracket will receive 6 UWE tee shirts.

3. Structure

Group Stage (June 29th through July 6th 2013)

1. The Group Stage of the Open will be play with a Round Robin format.
2. Each team will play against every other team in its group once.
3. Winning one round (marines or aliens) will earn your team 1 point. You can earn up to 4 points in a match.
4. Note that admins can punish your team by reducing the number of point earned if rules were violated by your team or team members.
5. The top two teams from each grouping will move onto the Winners Bracket with the remaining two teams of each grouping moved to the Horizon Bracket.
6. The Winners Bracket and Horizon Bracket will be played separately with the Horizon Bracket ineligible for the grand prize.
7. The playoffs will be single elimination.

Tie Breakers

1. In the case of teams with the same number of points earned at the end of the Group Stage, the tie breaker will be determined by results in their head to head match up . If the match resulted in a 2-2 draw, a "Best of 3" tie breaker match must be played.
2. Tie breakers MUST have a confirmed play time and date by Sunday, July 7th 2013 2000 CEST (the default time) or be played by the default time. Tie breakers may be played at any time between Sunday, July 7th 2013 through Wednesday, July 10th, 2013.

Coinflip

1. A coinflip between the two teams will occur to determine a coinflip winner. The coinflip winner can either choose which side they play on first (marines or aliens) or the first map to be played. After each round, the sides will switch. A map has to always be played two times in a row and must change after those two rounds. The team deciding which map to be played next switches after every map, so that if Team A decided the first map, then Team B decides the second map, then Team A the third map and so on. A map that has been played gets removed out of the available map pool until all maps have been played. The next map must always differ from the last map played.

Quarterfinals - Winners & Horizon Bracket (Saturday, July 13th 2013)

1. The match will be played as a "Best of 5" format.
2. Side and map to be determined by coinflip.

Semifinals - Winners & Horizon Bracket (Sunday, July 14th 2013)

1. The match will be played as a "Best of 7" format.
2. Side and map to be determined by coinflip.

Grand Final - Winners Bracket (Saturday, August 24th 2013)

1. The Grand Final for the Winners Bracket will be held on live stage in Telford, Shropshire, England on August 24th 2013 at The International Centre in Telford.
2. The match format is to be determined.
3. Side and map to be determined by coinflip.

Grand Final - Horizon Bracket

1. The match will be played as a "Best of 7" format.
2. Side and map to be determined by coinflip.

4. Rescheduling Matches

1. Rescheduling a match is ONLY allowed during the Group Stage of play.
2. If rescheduled, matches MUST have a confirmed date and time for play by the default match time.
3. Once a rescheduled match is confirmed within the time period allotted (by the default match times), teams are allowed to play these matches at any time between Wednesday, June 26th 2013 and Saturday, July 6th 2013.
4. Teams MUST set a reschedule date on the ensl.org website in the comments for their match by the deadline.
5. A team is allowed to reschedule a confirmed match if: 1) They give their opponent at least 24 hours notice AND 2) the opponent agrees to a new date and time.
6. If teams are unable to agree to a reschedule date and time for a match before the default time, the default time MUST be used.
7. A forfeited match can be replayed at the discretion of the winning team, but is not mandatory.

8. Rescheduling of matches during the playoff stages (quarterfinals, semifinals, and finals) is prohibited. Teams MUST play those matches at the scheduled time listed or accept a forfeit.

5. Servers

1. Teams have to agree on a server for their match.
2. The server must have the NSL enforced modifications or the match may be discarded.
3. If possible, try to use the NSL Official Servers instead of a clan's server.
4. Server interpolation may NEVER be changed. This can result in a forfeit loss for the team that operates the server.
5. No close spawns + Spectator lights mod (ModID: 73ca53d) must be installed on the server.
   This mod prevents teams from spawning at adjacent tech points with only one resource node in between the bases. And re-enables all lights, holograms etc. removed from the nsl maps for spectators.
6. Server consistency checking should look like this:
   {
   
   "check": [ "game_setup.xml", "*.lua", "*.screenfx", "*.surface_shader", "*.fxh", "*.render_setup", "*.shader_template", "*.fsb", "*.dds", "*.model", "*.material", "*.level", "*.cinematic", "*.fx" ]
   
   "ignore": [ "ui/crosshairs.dds", "ui/crosshairs-hit.dds", "ui/exosuit_HUD1.dds", "ui/exosuit_HUD4.dds", "shaders/Blur.fx", "ui/marine_minimap_blip.dds", "ui/minimap_blip.dds", "materials/biodome/biodome_floor_panel_01b.material" ]
   
   }
7. How to set your server up.

6. Maps

1. The following maps are the maps to be played in the cup: ns2_nsl_summit (ModID: 735cebc), ns2_nsl_tram (ModID: 7741098), ns2_nsl_veil (ModID: 78ac3ed), ns2_nsl_descent (ModID: 7d527cc), ns2_jambi (ModID: 7b986f5).

7. Substitutes

1. A team may use up to two substitutes for any given match (as many rounds as necessary).
2. Substitutes must be of equal or lesser skill level to the members of the team they will be playing for.
3. If the substitute is a member of another NSL team, their team must be in the same division or in a division below the team's division they are playing for.
4. Substitutes are allowed only if the other team agrees on the players substituting. If a substitutes fits the criteria listed above, they cannot be rejected to force a forfeit on the team needing a substitute.
5. Substitutes MUST be registered on the NSL website.

8. During the Match

1. Don't forget to be on time! You may receive a forfeit loss if your players are late and the other team has its 6 players.
2. Players must use the same nickname ingame as registered on the NSL website. Using your team's tag is also mandatory.
3. All players need to record their matches and keep the demo for the entire cup and one week afterwards.
4. If a player can not provide a demo one week after a request by NSL admins, they will get a punishment. ONLY admins can ask for your demos. You do not have to give them to anyone else but an admin. Any cheating accusations are done AFTER the match, and happens in private chat with the admins.
5. ALT+TAB breaks recordings, so if you ALT+TAB during a match, you have to disconnect, "stop" your demo in console, and start a new demo.
6. TIP: How to record a demo.
7. If both teams agree not to record demos, they may do so. Matches where demos are not recorded can not be contested by the teams.

9. Prohibited Known Exploits

1. Placing buildings where it should not be possible (like walls for marine buildings).
2. Placing gorge tunnels in vents.
3. Macros or scripts, for example to fire pistol faster.

10. Prohibited Client Modifications

1. Any modification giving an unfair advantage. ex : model-changing, colour-changing, wall/no-clip, aimbots, etc.
2. Custom crosshairs and transparent minimaps/map colour changes are ALLOWED.

11. Punishments

1. Major exploits : Match loss, depending on the case.
2. Racism, excessive swearing, insults. After warnings, if the player does not change their behaviour, a 1 week ban will be enforced. Repeated offenses will call for longer bans.
3. Cheating : 1 year ban
4. These are general guidelines, but ban lengths may vary and will be decided by NSL admins.

All rules are subject to change at the discretion of the general administration.