GENERAL REGULATIONS

EGF LEAGUE TERMINOLOGY

The following terminology will be used within EGF leagues and events:

  1. “Match” or “Series” - used interchangeably to describe a set of gaming events as in a “Best-of Series” as a single event. E.g. Team A and Team B played a best of 5 match this week

  2. “Game” or “Round” or "Set" - A single gaming event within a Series or Match. E.g., the first Game of a “Best-of 3” Series. (Note: “game” is also used to describe a published product, such as Overwatch.)

    2.1. Round is also used to describe the individual in-game locations of a Map. E.g., for Ilios in Overwatch, the Rounds/Points/Sections are: Lighthouse, Ruins, Well.

  1. “Map” - The in-game location(s) where players compete; note that in Overwatch this only describes a set of potential physical locations (e.g., Ilios), and not the individual Rounds/Points/Sections (below).

TEAM ELIGIBILITY

  1. To be eligible to compete in an EGFH Season, a team must:

    1.1. Be affiliated with a high school within North America

    1.2. Have a faculty or staff person who is responsible for the team(s)

    1.3. Have a minimum number of required players for the game(s) of choice

    1.4. Pay Membership dues as assigned

    1.5. Provide:

    • 1.5.1. Team name and team bio
    • 1.5.2. School colors, with hex codes
    • 1.5.3. High-resolution school logo - no less than 400 x 400 pixels, with a transparent background; source files are ideal

Schools that meet this expectation must submit a Membership Application to EGF and be approved prior to the registration deadline for the next season.

Once the application is submitted, EGF will review the application and request any missing and/or additional materials. The eligibility is then verified, allowing the school’s team to compete in scrimmages and other invitational events as determined by EGF.

Teams applying to EGFH mid-season will not be considered eligible to compete in the official EGFH league until the following season.

Membership Expectations

All members of EGFH are expected to:

  1. Follow the EGF Code of Conduct
  2. Complete all matches during the regular season and if they qualify, the post season
  3. Pay all membership dues in a timely manner
  4. Communicate clearly and often with EGF, opponents, and other officials

Any team or player that forfeits more than three matches per season will be ineligible to participate in the playoffs for that season and may be removed from the remainder of the season.

Teams who have not paid their membership dues by the start of the playoffs are not eligible to compete in that season's playoffs.

PLAYER ELIGIBILITY

  1. To be considered eligible to compete in league play, they must be:

    • 1.1. A registered high school student at the school where they wish to compete

    • 1.2. Registered with EGFH

    • 1.3. In good standing with EGFH

    • 1.4. In good standing with their institution

    • 1.5. Provide accurate identification for purposes of registration

      • 1.5.1. Should a person be believed to have provided false registration information, additional verification of identity may be requested by an EGF official. Should a person fail to provide adequate verification of identity, they may be barred from competing in EGF competition until identity can be verified.

  1. Eligibility exceptions may be made for students from other schools/districts who do not have an esports program at their own school or for those students who are homeschooled. For students in this situation, they must:

    • 2.1. Request to join a nearby school in writing, to EGFH organizers including the supervising staff member from the school they intend to join.

    • 2.2. The receiving school’s team must then confirm the player's application to their team, and respond with their acceptance in writing, CC’ing EGF officials.

    • 2.3. EGF reserves the right to reject the trade if found to be in violation of EGF rules.

    • 2.4. A team from any given school may not be made up of more than 33% of players from other school districts.

TEAM ROSTER

  1. A player may only compete if they are registered for the roster of a team recognized by EGFH.

  1. Players may only be registered on one team roster, per game.

    • 2.1. A player may be registered on multiple team rosters, as long as each team is competing in a different game but each player is limited to competing on no more than three unique rosters

    • 2.2. Exceptions to this rule may be granted on a case by case basis through an appeal to EGFH administrators, however, the majority of players on any team must be exclusive to that team

    • 2.3. A player may be moved from a junior varsity to a varsity roster or vice versa, however that player cannot compete for both teams in the same week.

  1. Teams may not make additions to their official roster after week 3 of a regular season unless otherwise granted permission by an EGFH administrator.

    • 3.1. No roster changes may be made during the playoffs of each season with certain exceptions made on a case by case basis with a request made to EGF officials

  1. Teams may add players to a live roster using the following process:

    • 4.1. The captain or advisor must send an email stating that a player is being added to the roster to EGFH organizers with the following info: :
    • 4.1.1. Game and specific team player is being added to
    • 4.1.2. Player first and last name
    • 4.1.3. In-game name
    • 4.1.4. Preferred email address
    • 4.1.5. Discord handle
    • 4.2. To remove a player from a team roster, the team advisor must send an email to EGFH organizers stating the player’s removal.

  2. Team Captain replacement

    • 5.1. Each team competing in EGFH is expected to have at least one student captain and/or team manager. This person or persons are responsible for managing their communications with other teams, and with the league in collaboration with their advisor.

    • 5.2. If this person or persons are unable to continue their duties during a season, the advisor of the team or interim captain should notify EGFH by email that the person is no longer serving in that role and provide information for their replacement as soon as they are able.

IN-GAME NAMES (IGN)

All team and player names of any participant in EGFH must comply with EGFH Code of Conduct Article II Section 5.

  1. All players must be using accounts with IGNs and team names consistent with the guidelines listed.

    • 1.1. Any IGNs or team names inconsistent with this policy should be contested BEFORE the start of the match.

    • 1.2. To file a dispute, a screenshot of the lobby along with the names of the teams and match time should be sent to the league coordinator and reported to an EGF official through Discord.

    • 1.3. Once the game begins, disputes based on roster inconsistencies cannot be levied.

  1. Changing an account name

    2.1 The account name that a player registers with EGFH at their entry to the league is their official name for the remainder of the season, unless a name change request is granted by EGF.

    2.2. A player may apply for a name change by submitting a name change request to EGFH officials by email, detailing the name change (e.g., changing account name from “[original-name]” to “[new-name]”), and await approval before performing the name change.

    • 2.2.1. Once a name change request has been granted by EGFH officials, as part of performing a name change, a player must submit the following information to EGFH to document the name change and to register the new name with the league:
      • 2.2.1.1. Submit a description of the name change (e.g., changing account name from “[original-name]” to “[new-name]”), along with both the before and after screenshots, to your team captain, advisor, and to EGFH
      • 2.2.1.2. Proof of name change that may be a receipt from the publisher or game platform or if this is unavailable, a screenshot of the player’s in-game profile screen before and after the change, or another form of proof of name change that must be pre-approved by EGFH

GENERAL SEASON STRUCTURE

EGFH organizes two competitive seasons per academic year. All game titles played in the League, unless otherwise stated in the rules, are played under the same general season structure and schedule across both seasons.

  1. Fall Season (October-December)

  2. Spring Season (February-April)

  3. National Tournament (June)

Regular Season Structure

Each season consists of eight (8) weeks with one (1) interscholastic match per game occurring each week for a total of eight (8) matches per season.

Each match during the regular season is to be played online unless otherwise determined by and EGFH administrator during the scheduling process.

Scheduling procedure

EGFH will provide a schedule to each member of the League prior to the start of the season. When scheduling, the individuals creating the schedule will prioritize:

  • Athletics or other academic association affiliation
  • Historical relevance between school (e.g. traditional rivalries)
  • Geography
  • Skill levels of respective teams

EGFH POSTSEASON

Eligibility for Postseason Participation

Student Eligibility

In order to be eligible to participate in the League postseason, a student must meet all eligibility requirements set forth by the League and their institution.

Member Eligibility

In order to be eligible to participate in the League postseason, an institution must be a Member in good standing with the League,

Regional and Conference Tournaments

At the conclusion of the regular season, EGFH will host a postseason tournament for each region for each game title. All game titles are to be treated independently with the performance of a school in one game title not affecting others. Each tournament will consist of a double elimination bracket using the rules for each game title played therein. These tournaments may be held in-person or online.

Postseason Seeding

Each tournament is to be seeded by the League based on the following:

  1. Competitive match record within assigned region

  2. Overall League record

  3. Strength of schedule

Championships

After the conclusion of the Spring Regional Championships, EGFH will host a single elimination National Tournament for each game title. Prior to the conclusion of the Spring Season, EGFH will announce the total number of teams being invited to the National Tournament.

Automatic Qualification

Teams automatically qualify for the National Tournament by winning a regional tournament during either season.

National Tournament Qualification

Teams not automatically qualifying through a regional tournament may qualify for the National Tournament by selection by EGFH based on their ranking in their respective game title.

Rankings are determined by points earned based on placement during each season in consideration with each team’s competitive record and strength of schedule. Points are awarded to the top 8 teams in each region as follows

Position Points Earned
1st 25
2nd 18
3rd 15
4th 12
5th 10
6th 8
7th 6
8th 4

Teams will be notified of their qualification immediately following the conclusion of the Spring regional tournaments.

Match Process

Season Matches

All EGFH-sanctioned competitive matches are expected to adhere to the following standards:

  1. Game setup

    • 1.1. Non-broadcasted matches

      • 1.1.1. Captains are responsible for checking in, relaying information to their teams on behalf of the officials, and providing instructions to connect to their respective match.
      • 1.1.2. The captain of the home team as listed on the EGF match schedule is responsible for joining the assigned lobby by tournament code or other join instructions from EGFH admins or creating the competitive lobby following the approved game settings, listed under Game Settings in this document.
      • 1.1.3. If tournament codes or other automated lobby creation is not available:
        • 1.1.3.1. A player from the home team must create a lobby at least five minutes prior to the scheduled start time of the match.
        • 1.1.3.2. The home then will invite the captain or alternative member of the opposing team to the lobby they created.
          • 1.1.3.2.1. The member of the opposing team is then responsible for inviting the remaining members of their team.
        • 1.1.3.3.Once both teams have full eligible rosters present, the match will begin at the designated time.
      • 1.1.3.4 In the event that a captain fails to create a lobby and send an invite, the opposing team should contact the opposing team’s coordinator via the EGFH Discord.
        • 1.1.3.4.1. If no response is given within 15 minutes of the match start time, the present team’s coordinator should compose an email to the EGF admin email with a timestamped screenshot of the empty lobby and communication attempts and notify an EGFH admin by Discord message as quickly as possible.

      • 1.2. Broadcasted matches

        • 1.2.1. For regular, non-championship league matches, matches may be broadcasted on one of the official EGF Twitch channel by either
        • 1.2.2. Designated Broadcast staff are responsible for collecting the tournament code, if possible.
        • 1.2.3. The captains of teams playing in matches designated to be broadcasted will be contacted by the broadcasting staff responsible for the match at least one hour prior to the scheduled start time of the match to address any pre-match logistics or changes
        • 1.2.4. Broadcasters are allowed to commentate on any match that they are not competing in regardless of their school affiliation.
        • 1.2.5. If tournament codes are not available: The EGFH broadcaster assigned to a match will create the competitive lobby according to the approved Game Settings.
          • 1.2.5.1. The broadcaster will then invite both captains, who are then responsible for inviting the rest of their teams into the lobby.
  1. All matches must be played to completion with a clear winner. Should a team exit a match prior to its conclusion or be otherwise unable to complete the match, that team shall forfeit the match. A team may complete a match without a full team in accordance with the game-specific rules.

  1. Match Timing: Matches will be played in sequence according to the schedule provided at the beginning of the season. Each match is allocated a default time slot based on the average time needed to complete a match including its picks and bans phase.

    3.1. In the case of broadcasted games, should there be a delay in the completion of a game for any reason resulting in a delayed start of the next scheduled match, the next game will start within 10 minutes of the conclusion of the preceding match.

    3.2. If the match is not being broadcasted, matches will start according to the provided schedule unless rescheduled following the process outlined under “Rescheduling Matches”.

    3.3. Teams will compete in at least one scheduled match per week for the duration of the season. Two seasons will be run each academic year in line with the high school academic calendar split into Fall and Spring.

    3.4. The schedule for each season will be released to teams by EGF no later than one week prior to the beginning of the season. The released schedule may be altered to accommodate teams that are removed from the league.

    3.5. All times for League matches are scheduled as local time.

  1. Rescheduling Matches - Rescheduling Matches uses the following procedure only:

    4.1. The captain of the team requesting a rescheduled time must contact the opposing team’s captain by email or Discord with a schedule change request, which must include at least two new proposed times to play their match.

    • 4.1.1. All discussions regarding rescheduling matches should be done by email, or by Discord or through the Tournament platform

    4.2. The new time must be agreed upon by both teams. If teams cannot agree on a new time, the original time stands.

    4.3. Once the new time is arranged between captains, each captain is responsible for communicating the new time with their team, and ensuring that the team is present and ready to compete at the new time.

    4.4. All games for the week must be completed and reported by the normal time, below, regardless of rescheduling.

  1. Reporting Matches - Both captains must submit the results of their match by the Sunday immediately following the default match time at 11:59 PM ET. Each team must:

    5.1 Take a screenshot of the final result of the match that shows individual player performance and team results.

    • 5.1.1. Each team is required to hold their screenshots for a period of one (1) week to be referenced in the case of a score dispute

    5.2. Report the results on the designated tournament platform including each round score

  1. Tie-breaks

    6.1. In the event of a tie in the standings at the end of the regular season, the tiebreaks, in order of process, are:

    • 6.1.1. Match record between tied teams (e.g., if one team beat a team earlier in the season, they win a tiebreak with that team)

      • 6.1.2. Map or round differential (if applicable) - if a team has a higher number of map wins (e.g. collective map wins in Overwatch) or a higher number of rounds won, that team will be declared the winner
      • 6.1.3. Strength of Schedule (the sum of the match wins of the teams that each team played against)
        • 6.1.3.1. For the purposes of determining a team’s Strength of Schedule, a Bye awards a team the average number of match wins for all teams in the league.

    • 6.1.4. A tiebreaker match between the tied teams. In the event of multiple teams being tied for the same place after consideration of matchup and strength of schedule, a tiebreaker match will be played between the remaining teams between the end of the season and playoffs.

    6.2. Tiebreak consideration will continue until the tie is resolved.

  1. Substitutions During Play

    • 7.1. A team may substitute a player on their roster during a match using the following procedure:
      • 7.1.1. The active player switch must be made between games in a series
      • 7.1.2. The player being brought in must be officially registered on the team with EGFH, and be otherwise eligible to compete.
      • 7.1.3. The substitute must be playing on their own account; a player may not use another player’s account under any circumstances.
      • 7.1.4. The team making the substitution must notify the opposing team of the change and the opposing team must acknowledge it. If an EGF official is present, they must also be notified of the change.

  1. Spectator Regulations during EGFH events and leagues

    • 8.1. Spectators are allowed following the specific guidelines for each game listed under “Game Rules”.

    • 8.2. Both teams must agree to allow spectators in the game. If one team does not agree, no spectators except EGFH officials, broadcasters, or individuals who have been given specific permission by EGF will be allowed.

  1. Streaming

    • 9.1. If a match is not being broadcasted by EGF, an organization may stream their match pending EGFH approval. If a match is being broadcasted by EGF, no other streams are permitted.
      • 9.1.1. Any individual must receive written permission by EGFH prior to the match in order to be allowed to stream
      • 9.1.2. All streams of EGFH matches must be performed by a player from a first person point of view; no allowances will be made for non-EGF spectators for any purpose including broadcast.
      • 9.1.3. Players streaming EGFH games – even if it is on their personal channel – must follow the EGFH Code of Conduct, and will be responsible for behavior during the stream.
      • 9.1.4. An individual player’s stream must have a delay of at least 3 minutes

Forfeits

  1. Both teams are required to be in the team lobby 5 minutes before each match, even if the opposing team cannot field a full eligible roster.

    • 1.1. If a team knows they will be unable to field a full eligible roster for the match, the team captain should notify an EGF official and all forfeit wins will be awarded immediately.

    • 1.2. If neither team has a full standard team of eligible players, both teams will receive a forfeit loss.

  1. In a best of one match, if a team does not have a number of eligible players equal to the standard team size for the game being played (e.g., 6 for Overwatch) in the lobby/server at the scheduled match time, the team captain representing the team with a full roster should:

    • 2.1. Send an email to the opposing team captain, both team advisors, and EGFH officials, stating that the opposing team is not prepared to play at the scheduled match time, and will receive a forfeit loss if they cannot field a full team by 15 minutes past the scheduled time.

    • 2.2. Include in the email both team names, and a screenshot of the in-game lobby as it currently stands, with current time visible.

    • 2.3. If a team cannot field the required number of players by 15 minutes past the scheduled match time, that team will receive a forfeit loss, and the opposing team captain (with the full roster), must follow these steps to report the forfeit:

      • 2.3.1. Reply All to the previous email, above, including the opposing team captain, both team advisors, and EGFH officials, explaining as clearly as possible that the opposing team could not field a full team by 15 minutes past the scheduled time, and so they will receive a forfeit loss.
      • 2.3.2. Include both team names, and a screenshot of the in-game lobby at 15 minutes past the scheduled time, with current time visible.
      • 2.3.3. Include any relevant evidence, including conversations between team captains or players regarding the scheduling of that match.
    • 2.4. If both teams would still like to play a match where one team is playing with a less than full roster, they may, but the team without a full roster will still be given a forfeit loss, regardless of the outcome.
  1. A team receiving forfeit losses equaling 33% of their total number of matches during the regular season, not counting any single forfeits in a best-of series, will be marked inactive for the rest of the season, and will not be allowed to compete in subsequent matches. Readmittance to the league is subject to the discretion of the EGFH Commissioner.

Stats & Demos

  1. Standings are updated weekly through the EGFH website and/or Tournament platform

    • 1.1. Teams will submit their recorded matches through the identified VoD storage system, with screenshots of end-of-game victory and stats if required.

  1. Player Demos/Replays - all players are responsible for recording a POV demo/replay to be used in case of a player dispute. If requested, demos must be sent to EGF admins within 24 hours of a request being made.

    • 2.1. Replays are used for recording match results, and for adjudicating issues
    • 2.2. Replays must be kept for at least one full week after the match’s completion
    • 2.3. Replays may be recorded using OBS or other recording software approved by EGF

Character Restrictions

In the event of a major bug or by decision of the developer, select characters may be restricted from gameplay for a period of time by EGF officials. Decisions on any character restrictions will be made the day of the match and teams will be notified at least one hour prior to the start of the first match of the day.

Exploits & Infractions

  1. Please refer to the EGFH Infraction Process for greater detail on the infraction process.
  1. Dispute Resolutions - all disputes must be submitted via email within six hours of the conclusion of the match along with the demo described in the above section Season Matches/Reporting Matches/Section 5, explain in detail the specifics of the infraction, and the round in which the infraction occurred. Disputes will be reviewed by EGF admins and will be sent to the Committee on Infractions if deemed appropriate.
  1. Exploit & Infraction Penalties - exploits and infractions will be dealt with on a case-by-case basis. If a dispute cannot be resolved immediately, the match in question may be postponed for evidence review.

Unfair play

The following actions will be considered unfair play:

  1. The use of any cheat program and/or map hack program
  1. An intentional disconnection without a proper and explicitly stated reason
  1. The use of any settings exceeding the standard and permitted settings
  1. Intentionally allowing an opponent to win a game
  1. Unsportsmanlike or disruptive behavior, such as inappropriate and/or unprofessional actions directed towards another player or tournament official
  1. The use of a game bug that is determined by the board of referees as being unfair (“exploits”).
  1. The use of an ineligible player (“ringing”)
  1. Upon discovery of any player committing any violations regarded as unfair play, the offending player, at the sole discretion of the tournament director or a group of referees, may receive a warning, a forfeit loss, or be disqualified from the competition. During the course of the event, the commissioner or group of referees may determine other actions to embody unfair play

Server Location

If the game being played allows for the selection of a specific region or server location, the game shall be hosted best suited for the location of the teams playing (i.e. if both teams are located on the east coast, an east coast server location shall be used).

If the teams playing are from different regions and there is the potential for a substantive difference in performance which creates a benefit for one team over the other, the location of the server will be chosen first by an attempt of both teams with assistance from EGF officials to find a mutually acceptable server.

If it is not possible to find a mutually agreeable server by the state of the match, the server being used may be changed from match to match within a series to maintain competitive integrity by the following guidelines:

  • The designated home team during the regular season, or higher seed in tournament play, will select the location of the server for the first game in the series
  • For the remainder of the series, the losing team of the previous match will select the server location for the next match in the series
  • In a best of one, the teams may mutually agree to a server location or defer to a coin toss in which the home team or higher seed will call the coin toss

    • Server Crashes and Disconnects

    This section describes the general stoppage of play guidelines for League play. Individual games may outline additional steps or restrictions specific to its gameplay noted under the “Game Title Rules” section.

    1. Server Crash:

      1.1. In the event of a game server crash, the match will be restarted using the original settings and picks/bans/side selection if applicable to the specific game.

      1.2. Teams are responsible for ensuring their choices are exactly the same as the disconnected match during the remake, to the best of their ability, and any deviation from this is considered unfair play and will be dealt with accordingly.

    1. Player Disconnect:

      2.1. If a player disconnects, only the Captain (or a designated player if the Captain disconnects) of the disconnected player’s team may pause the game. The pause for either team may not exceed a total of fifteen (10) minutes per match. If a team pauses for longer than fifteen minutes total within a match, the pausing team will forfeit that round.

    1. Stoppage of Play:

      3.1. A player experiencing technical issues on any team may have their captain pause the game.

      3.2. The player must be experiencing a hardware malfunction (e.g., monitor, peripheral). The captain may pause or call for a pause depending on the technical mechanics for each game, then the team requesting the pause must declare the issue to a League Official immediately.

      3.3. Once the issue has been resolved, the League Official will verify that both teams are ready to resume play and unpause the game. If the issue cannot be resolved within a 15 minute period, the team experiencing the issue may play down a player or forfeit the match.

      3.4. If an unintentional disconnection occurs within 1 minute from the start of the match and before the first major benchmark of the game –OR– a player’s client crashes or fails to load the match, then the match must be restarted with the original settings. If the unintentional disconnection occurs after those milestones, the game will continue as normal, barring any decision by team captains to pause, the disconnected player may reconnect into the game as soon as they are able.

      3.5. If a player intentionally disconnects without specifying a reason, then the gameplay will continue.

    1. Imminent Defeat Standard:

      • 4.1 If a server crash occurs, then a League Official will decide between (a) restarting the game, or (b) awarding the match victory to one of the teams. A victory will only be awarded upon a server crash in a situation where one team was on the verge of certain defeat (e.g., a Rocket League team is up by 5+ goals with less than 10 seconds left).

      • 4.2 If it is not clear that a team would have unquestionably won a match, or if the crash or disconnect happens before the first minute, or first milestone (point capture, goal score, stock loss, etc), then the game will be restarted and returned as close as possible to the state of the game when the disconnect or crash occurred. For example:

        • 4.2.1. Rocket League - The score should be returned to what it was by allowing either team to score up to that point and the clock run down to the same time (as best as the teams are able) to that state

        • 4.2.2. SSBU - Each player should get to the same number of remaining stocks by jumping off the stage, damage should be run up, and the clock should be allowed to run off until the time matches where the disconnect happened. Both players should start from neutral at this point

        • 4.2.3. Overwatch - a pause may be taken in Overwatch and should be used to manage any disconnects

    • .4.3. This decision will only affect the specific game within a series. The rest of the series will continue as usual.

    Game Settings

    Chess

    Chess will be played as a best of 3 series with each school's team composed of at least three unique players. The winner is the team who is the first to win two games in the series. Matches will be played using chess.com

    Regular Season

    The regular season will consist of weekly matches between two teams of at least three players. Chess Match Procedure:

    1. Both teams declare their first player to one another before starting
    2. A coin is flipped with the home team calling heads or tails
      • The winner decides which side they want to start with (white or black)
    3. The first game is played to completion
    4. The winning team then declares their second player
    5. The losing team then declares their player and the side to start on
    6. This process is repeated until one team achieves two game wins
    7. If any given game is a draw, the series continues. A team may not use the same player twice UNLESS all of their active players have played a game in the series

    Match Setup

    1. Log in to chess.com
    2. Select "play" from the menu on the side
    3. Select "play a friend" from the play menu
    4. Select "Create Challenge Link" at the bottom
      • Change rules to: Standard rules, 10 minute game
      • Select which side you're starting on
    5. Send link to your opponent

    Anti-Cheat Procedures

    Every tournament played throughout the series will be audited by Chess.com compliance experts for irregularities. Should a player be found in violation of competitive integrity rules by Chess.com or EGF staff, the player will be immediately disqualified from the tournament.

    Overwatch

    The EGFH Overwatch season will consist of a regular season made up of weekly matches followed by a postseason ending in a national championship using the following ruleset.

    Match format

    All matches played during the regular season and Regional and League Championships are to be played as a “first to three” series where the winner is determined by the first team to achieve three individual map victories.

    Game Spectators

    Overwatch teams are permitted to have coaches or team managers spectate in-game using the locked spectator option.

    Role Selection

    Each player must select a role (Tank, Support, or DPS) to play at the beginning of each map. Players may not change roles during a map but may change their role between maps in a series.

    Map selection

    During the regular season and postseason, maps for each match will be played in the following order:

    • Control
    • Hybrid
    • Assault
    • Escort
    • Tiebreaker: Control
    • Tiebreaker 2: Control

    Regular season map pool

    The League will provide a fixed map pool for each split a minimum of one (1) week prior to the start of each split during the regular season. Each pool will be split into two (2) groups of maps one of which will be played for the first four weeks of the split, and the second group being played for the second half of the split.

    The following schedule outlines the maps and the order they are to be played in each week during the regular season.

    Weeks 1,3,7 2,5,8 3,6
    Control Ilios Lijiang Tower Oasis
    Hybrid King's Row Paraiso Blizzard World
    Push Colosseo New Queen Street Esperanca
    Escort Circuit Royal Shambali Monastery Dorado
    Control Antarctic Peninsula Nepal Ilios
    Control 2 Lijiang Tower Oasis Antarctic Peninsula

    Postseason map pool

    During the League postseason, including Conference and League Championships, the League will provide an expanded map pool to be used in each match. The first control map will be pre-selected by the League and the map used in subsequent matches in the series will be selected by the losing team of the preceding match including tiebreakers.

    The map pools will be announced a minimum of two (2) weeks prior to the start of the first Conference Championship and will be comprised of:

    • Five (5) control maps
    • Three hybrid maps
    • Three assault maps
    • Three escort maps

    Current map list This map pool is selected at the beginning of each season with the option to update the pool after each split. Should the pool be changed or expanded, EGFC will inform all teams at least fourteen (14) days prior to the start of the next split. The current map pool is:

    • Control
      • Antarctic Peninsula
      • Busan
      • Ilios
      • Lijiang Tower
      • Nepal
      • Oasis
    • Escort
      • Circuit Royal
      • Dorado
      • Havana
      • Junkertown
      • Rialto
      • Route 66
      • Watchpoint: Gibraltar
    • Hybrid
      • Blizzard World
      • Eichenwalde
      • Hollywood
      • King’s Row
      • Midtown
      • Numbani
      • Paraiso
    • Push
      • Colosseo
      • Esperanca
      • New Queen Street

    Side Selection

    The losing team of the previous map will select their starting side for relevant map types.

    Game Settings for Overwatch 2

    Matches will be played using the "Competitive" preset with skins and Kill Cam disabled but sprays, emotes, and golden guns allowed.

    Control maps must be set to "Score to Win: 2"

    Rocket League

    The EGFH Rocket League season will consist of a regular season made up of weekly matches followed by a postseason ending in a national championship using the following ruleset.

    Competitive format for Rocket League

    • Teams will compete in one match per week during the regular season
    • Each match is played as a best of 5 series with the first team to win 3 of the 5 matches being declared the victor.

    Game settings for Rocket League:

    If playing in a broadcasted match, the EGFH producer will create the lobby, select settings, and invite each team once completed. For non-broadcasted matches, the home team is responsible for creating a lobby by:

    1. Select “Play” from the main menu
    2. Select “Private Match”
    3. Select “Create Private Match”
    4. Use the following lobby settings a. Game Mode: Soccar b. Arena: DFH Stadium or as selected ( See “Arena Choice” rules below) c. Team size: 3v3 d. Bot difficulty: No bots e. Mutators: None f. Match time: 5 minutes g. Region: US East or West depending on your team’s division h. Joinable by: Name/Password i. Platform: PC (Steam), Nintendo Switch, PS4, or Xbox One
    5. Select “Create Match”
    6. Name the match “(your school name) vs (opponent’s school name) and set appropriate password

    Arena Choice:

    Teams may agree to play on a different map instead of DFH Stadium. If teams elect to play on a different map, then they must use the current standardized version not the unique variant. If teams cannot agree to a specific map then the match will default back to DFH Stadium.

    Controllers:

    Players may use any standard compatible controller or mouse/keyboard combination while competing. Macro functions and modified controllers are not permissible.

    Super Smash Bros. Ultimate

    The EGFH Super Smash Bros. Ultimate season will consist of a regular season made up of weekly matches followed by a regional postseason tournament. Schools may register individual players for SSBU (Singles) or teams for SSBU (Teams). Both competitions will use the same settings for lobbies, stage and character selection, LAN rules, and other regulations as laid out below.

    Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Singles)

    Schools may register individual players to compete in one versus one competition otherwise known as singles. In this format, players act as their own teams and are required to follow the posted schedule, schedule their own matches, and report the scores of those matches once completed.

    SSBU Singles Format:

    • Each regular season match will be played as a best of three series.
    • Post season matches will be played as a best of five series
    • Matches played during the regular season and post-season tournament will be played online unless otherwise scheduled
    • Regional and national tournaments may be played on LAN and will follow the additional LAN rules as detailed below.

    Super Smash Bros. Ultimate (Teams)

    Schools registering for SSBU Teams will use the following format:

    • Rosters for each team will consist of no less than three players
    • Each regular season match will be played using a 3v3 (players) best of 3 series format
    • Post season matches will be played as a best of five series
    • During the regular season and post-season qualifiers will be played online
    • State Regional and national championships tournaments may be played on LAN and will follow the additional LAN rules as detailed below.

    SSBU Teams Series Format:

    Each team will consist of three (3) players and the Match between schools is played as a best of 3. In practice, this should play out as follows:

    1. Player 1 from Team A and Player 1 from Team B play a best of 3 series according to the rules below
    1. Player 2 from Team A and Player 2 from Team B then play a best of 3 series
    1. If Team A or Team B wins both of the first two matches then the match is over and that team wins.
    1. If both Teams have won a series, the match continues and the first time to win two series of the three is considered the winner

    A player only plays one series per match similar to a tennis or wrestling match.

    Super Smash Bros. Ultimate Game Settings

    The following settings are used for both SSBU Singles and SSBU Teams.

    Game Settings

    • Stocks: 3
    • Time limit: 7 minutes
    • Handicap: Off
    • Friendly Fire: On
    • Damage Ratio: 100%
    • Items: Off and None
    • Final Smash Meter: Off
    • Custom Balance: Off
    • Pause: Off
    • Stage hazards: Off
    • Stage morph: Off

    Lobby creation:

    • Players should contact opponent via Discord and obtain their Nintendo ID to add them to their Nintendo friends list
    • Either player then creates an online Battle Arena. By default, the “home team” should create the lobby using the following procedure*:
      • From the main SSBU Ultimate Menu under Online → Smash → Battle Arena → Create Arena
    • Use the following settings:
      • Type: All Skill Levels
      • Visibility: Friends
      • Format: 1-on-1
      • Rules: Create a ruleset according to Game Settings above
      • Rotation: Either
      • Password: Optional
    • The other player should then join the battle arena under Online → Smash → Battle Arena → Join Arena → Friends’ Arenas, after the first player makes the lobby

    • If the match is being broadcasted, the lobby creator should also send a Friend Request to the appropriate producers and casters as well and allow them to join as spectators.

      • When setting up the lobby, players have to select the same “preferred stage” in the Battle Arena settings in the order those maps were selected.

    Stage List/Selection

    • Players are to pick and ban stages using the following process in a 1-2-1 order:
    • On Discord, the designated home player uses ‘/flipcoin’ command
    • The winner of the coinflip gets choice of banning a stage first or second

    Game #1 stage ban

    • The player banning first chooses one of the five stages from the “Starter Stages” list to ban.
    • The player banning second chooses two of the remaining Starter Stages to ban.
    • The player banning first chooses one of the two remaining Starter Stages to ban.
    • The remaining stage is the stage game #1 is to be played on

    Game #2

    • The winner of Game #1 may ban two stages from the combined list of Starter and Counterpick Stages.
    • The loser of Game #1 chooses a stage from the list of starter and counterpick stages.
    • A stage cannot be selected if the other player has banned it or the choosing player has already won on the stage in this match.

    Game #3 and beyond uses the same process as Game #2

    Starter Stages

    • Battlefield
    • Final Destination
    • Smashville
    • Pokemon Stadium 2
    • Town and City

    Counterpick Stages

    • Kalos Pokemon League
    • Yoshi’s Story (Melee)

    Character selection:

    • Each player makes their selection before the start of a match
    • At the conclusion of each stage, both players may select a different character or continue using the same character
    • Mii fighters - Mii Fighters must use their default costumes and must use a Guest Mii. Any player who intends to use a Mii during a set must declare they are creating Mii Fighters before the set. Mii Fighters should be named after the combination of special moves chosen, listed in the format “XXXX” (where X represents the numbered option chosen for the special moves in the top-down order they appear in the selection menu). Any combination of moves may be used, but all movesets must be decided before the set begins and are not permitted to change for the duration of the set.

    Controllers Players may use any standard controller compatible with the Nintendo Switch. Modifications to controllers are not allowed except in the case of approved specialized controllers for persons with disabilities.

    LAN Rules

    Character selection Players will use a “double blind” character selection when playing on LAN. Each player will indicate their character selection to an EGFH official in secret then the official will verify selections as they are made. Play interruptions In the event that a game is interrupted by external conditions such as a power failure, the stage is to be reset and replayed. Stalling Stalling, or intentionally making the game unplayable, is banned and at the discretion of tournament staff. Examples of stalling include (but are not limited to): reaching a position where your opponent cannot attack you, becoming invisible, continuing infinites past 300% or repeatedly traveling under the stage in an attempt to avoid combat. Stalling will result in a forfeit of the round for the offending player.

    Valorant

    Match Format

    Each match played during the regular season will be played as a best of three series with the winning team being the first two win two of the three maps in a series.

    Tactical Timeouts

    Each team is allowed two (2), 60 second pauses per map in a series. This is considered separate time the technical pause limit of 15 minutes per series.

    RIOT IDs

    All players must register using their RIOT ID registered to the North American region and may not change that during the series.

    Game Patches

    1. Matches will be played on the most recent patch released by Riot Games.
    1. If a patch is introduced within one week of the start of a series or during a series, any new content, including new Agents but excluding new maps, included in that patch will be considered available to all teams unless otherwise stated by either EGF or Riot Games.

    Lobby Creation

    All lobbies will be created by the "home team" which is decided by the team who appears on top when viewing the Toornament page for the team's regular season group. If the "home team" is unable to creat the lobby, the away team may create the lobby instead.

    If the match is being broadcasted by EGF, the lobby creator will also invite the EGF observer to the lobby.

    Lobby Options:

    The following settings should be selected under the "options" menu accessed from the game lobby:

    • Allow cheats: OFF
    • Tournament Mode: ON
    • Overtime Win By Two: ON
    • Play Out All Rounds: OFF
    • Hide Match History: OFF

    Map Pool:

    EGFH will use maps currently considered as a part of the "Active Pool" as officially designated by Riot Games and their official professional circuit. In the event of a chance to the Active Pool during an EGFH Season, EGF will provide a two week grace period before introducing the map into League play.

    Map Selection:

    Before the beginning of each series, the higher-seeded team, or "Home Team" as decided by EGF will have the choice of banning (Team A) or choosing (Team B) maps first. Then, map selection will proceed as follows:

    For a Best of 3

    1. Team A bans one Map
    2. Team B bans one Map
    3. Team A picks Map 1
    4. Team B picks side for Map 1
    5. Team B picks Map 2
    6. Team A picks side for Map 2
    7. Team A bans one Map
    8. Team B bans one Map
    9. Map 3 is only Map remaining
    10. Team A picks side for Map 3

    Agent Selection Process.

    Once Agent Select has started, Players will have 85 seconds to pick their Agent, with both Teams picking simultaneously.

    If an Agent selection error is made by a team during the selection process, a team may request a reset by notifying an EGF Admin before time expires. Should a reset be granted, all players must select the same Agent up to the point of the error. If a player fails to request the reset prior to time expiring, no reset will be granted and the match will be played with the selected Agents.