Friday, March 28, 2008

CAL Official IRC Guide

1 How does it work?

IRC, short for Internet Chat Relay, it is a massive network of text-based chat channels and users from all around the world.

If you would like to find out more, click here.

Where to get it?

www.mirc.com

Purpose of IRC in CAL

As users from around the world can connect to one big network, this program is of much help to CAL as it can connect all of it's members. On IRC you will be able to find a lot of helpful channels and also contact your opponent's to schedule matches etc. IRC is what brings the e-sports community closer.

2 How does it work?

I could write my own guide on how to use it, but the guys at www.mirc.com have already done it, so I'll simply link you to their starter guides.

How to Install IRC (with screenshots)

IRC Intro

3 GameSurge

Now that you have installed IRC and you know how it works, you need to know which network to connect to. This is where GameSurge comes into play. GameSurge is a gaming community built around an IRC network where all gamers interact.



To connect to GameSurge you will need to set up your IRC like in this screenshot. For the rest, please follow the IRC and GameSurge guides provided in the 2 and 4 steps.

To participate in CAL, your team is required to have a registered channel on the GameSurge network. To be able to create a registered channel, you will need to create a user account on http://www.GameSurge.net/.

4 Creating an account on GameSurge/New user guide

The guys at GameSurge have created a great guide for beginners, if you are new to IRC I strongly recommend reading it.

New user Guide

Masking your IP (I suggest you add this command to your perform /mode $me +x )

If you already know how things work, create your account here:

Create account

5 Creating a channel for your team

After you setup your IRC and create your GameSurge account you are now ready to register a channel for your team. I guess that by now you know a little bit how IRC works, therefore start it up and make sure you are authed ( This means you have this command "/authserv AUTH " in your perform). When you are connected to the GameSurge network, join this channel: #registration (You can join a channel by typing "/join #channelnamehere" in any IRC window.

Once there, someone will take care of you and register you a channel for your team. My suggestions when you register a channel is to keep it simple. For example if your team name is "The Evil Badgers" your clan tag would probably look something like this: "teb | name". In this case I would suggest you try and register one of those channels for your team: #teb #team-teb #clan-teb #tebteam etc. do not try and be original here by making your channel name #-=t3h.EviL.B4dGers=-. As I said, try and keep it simple.

You will also want to register a private channel for your team, so you and your gang can have private conversations. When you register your team channel ask the GameSurge staff member helping you to register you a private channel as well. Again make this simple, example: #teb-private or #teb-priv.

6 Important Channels

Now that you are all set up, the good thing to know is where you can get direct help from CAL admins or GameSurge staff or where you can get a scrim for the game you play.

GameSurge channels:

#support
#help
#registration

CAL channels:

#caleague
#cal-support
#caleague-aa
#caleague-bf2
#caleague-cs
#caleague-css
#caleague-cz
#caleague-cod
#caleague-dc
#caleague-dod
#caleague-doom3
#caleague-et
#caleague-fear
#caleague-halo2
#caleague-hl2dm
#caleague-ns
#caleague-pk
#caleague-quake4
#caleague-wc3

Scrim channels:

#aascrim
#bf2scrim
#calscrim
#calscrim-cod
#calscrim-cz
#codscrim
#cod2scrim
#dodscrim
#findscrim
#findscrimbf2
#findscrim-cod2
#findscrim-cod
#findnsscrim
#findscrimns
#sourcescrim
#scrimdod
#scrimdod:s
#scrimnet

Other usefull channels:

#findringer
#findsponsor
#findclan
#aaringer
#aa-pug
#aa-maps
#aaotracker


7 How to get the most from IRC as a gamer

Scheduling matches:



Through IRC you can easily contact your opponent's and schedule match times. When your match is scheduled on the CAL site, click your opponent's name and get to their CAL page. You will then see their IRC channel name (Circled in red on the screenshot). Join their channel and talk to their leader/scheduler to schedule your match. If neither of them are online, e-mail them. Also make sure you use the CAL PM system when scheduling. You may agree on a time in IRC but make sure you confirm it through the CAL PM system. Long story short, PM (Private Message) your IRC conversation to the other team's leader/scheduler. To PM someone, login o the CAL website, go to their team's CAL page and then click the PM icon by their name.

Finding scrims:

To find a scrim (practice game) simply join any of the before mentioned scrim channels, #findscrim for example and post your line or look for one. Post your line? Yes! Here is how it's done:



After you have joined a scrim channel, you will be either looking to find a scrim or proposing one to others or in most cases doing both. To do this, you will need to post your scrim line. There are various ways to do that but the most common is as follows:

Number of players || Who's server? || Which map? || What level of play? || Way to contact you || Extra
More precisely:

Number of players: This depends of the game you are playing, some games play 4 versus 4, some play 5 versus 5. But sometimes people offer 2 versus 2 scrims or 3 versus 3 and so on...


Whose Server?: If you have a server you may advertise, OURS, if you do not have a server you will say YOURS, if you have one but do not mind where your playing, you may advertise OURS/YOURS.

Which map?: Once again, this depends of the game you play, but for America's Army, an example would be Pipeline, or Pipe (MOUT, Insurgent Camp, SF CSAR, SF Hospital)

What level of play?: Here you will state what kind of caliber teams you wish to play. Examples: Cal-o, Cal-im, Cal-m, Cal-p, Cal-i etc.

Way to contact you?: Just say "Pm me". The person will then private message you through IRC and ask you if you want to scrim with his team.

Extra: Some teams add extra info here, like No pugs, Have 4 ready etc.

Examples of scrim lines:

4v4 / Yours / MOUT / cal-o / pm me

2v2 | Y/ours | Pipeline | cal-m/i | pm me

4v4 - Ours - SF CSAR - cal-m - pm me - NO PUGS/Be good.

When you pm someone or someone pm's you to scrim, exchange your server information (ip/password) and then pass the information to your team and join the server.

Pick Up Games:

IRC is a good place to also to play PUGs is short for pick-up game. Basically, a PUG where a number of players from different teams get together and play. It's like a scrim with teams constructed of various different players. Why is this fun? Well you team up with other players that you can trust to be somewhat coordinated with and get some good challenging games going. And if you don't think you have what it takes, fear not, playing PUGs will only make you better.

Ringers/Ringing:

A ringer is someone who will play for another team as their 4th player for example. If you need a ringer for your team, you can find one in these channels: #aaringer, #findringer

If you are looking in #findringer, make sure you specify what game you want the ringer for.

Also, you can ring yourself when your team is not playing. Ringing for other teams can make you learn some new things and improve your game, especially when you happen to ring for the good teams.





source

Sunday, March 16, 2008

AK / Colt Video tips



ak /colt tips by HaZ

The ak.

it one of the hardest weapons to handle
but with the right techniques and practice
you'll make the hard shots look easy

i click slower or fast depending on the distance.

its hard to get a decent shot with the ak but if you
concentrate on where the bullets are going you can
adjust and hit your targets much easier

the colt is the most versatile weapon
in the game the recoil is fairly easy
to control and the damage is quite high

i often spray on short to mid range

a question i get allot is if i use the silencer.
it depends entirely on the situation
if you are hiding in a spot its a god idea to use it

its also a good idea if you're in smoke




source

Friday, March 14, 2008

easy way to make strats for counter strike source and 1.6





Here is a brief description of what CSStrat does.

You can create animated strats for CS 1.6 and CS:S by placing player objects (CT or T), nades, bombs, etc on a map overview and give them a path to move. Setup timing for the movements and nades then you play it back like a movie. There are also options to export the strat as a video file using the video export option. The best part is the program is FREE.


you can find more info about what CSStrat is and download it here

Saturday, March 8, 2008

gaming computer building guide with parts list and links

Part One: Initial Build
~$600 Budget
Cooler Master Centurion 5
ASUS M2N-E nForce 570 Ultra
eVGA 8600GTS 256MB GDDR3
SeaSonic 400W (34A Combined 12v)
AMD X2 5000+ 2.6Ghz Black Edition
G.Skill 2x1GB DDR2 800 (5-5-5-15)
Hitachi Deskstar 160GB SATAII
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $565.92

Cooler Master Centurion 5
Gigabyte P35 DS3L
MSI 8600GT 256MB GDDR3
SeaSonic 400W (34A Combined 12v)
Intel C2D E6550 2.33GHz
G.Skill 2x1GB DDR2 800 (5-5-5-15)
Hitachi Deskstar 160GB SATAII
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $572.92

~$800 Budget
Cooler Master Centurion 5
ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe nForce 570 SLI
eVGA 9600GT 512MB GDDR3
SilverStone 500W (36A Combined 12v)
AMD X2 6400+ 3.2GHz Black Edition
G.Skill 2x1GB DDR2 800 (5-5-5-15)
Seagate Barracuda 250GB SATAII
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $772.92

Lian-Li PC-7B Plus II
Gigabyte P35 DS3L
eVGA 9600GT 512MB GDDR3
SilverStone 500W (36A Combined 12v)
Intel C2D E6750 2.66GHz
G.Skill 2x1GB DDR2 800 (5-5-5-15)
Seagate Barracuda 250GB SATAII
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $771.92

~$1,000 Budget
Lian-Li PC-7B Plus II
ASUS M2N-SLI Deluxe nForce 570 SLI
eVGA 8800GTS 512MB GDDR3 (G92 Core)
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W (49A 12v)
AMD X2 6400+ 3.2GHz Black Edition
Crucial Ballistix DDR2 800 (4-4-4-12)
Seagate Barracuda 250GB SATAII
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $977.92

Cooler Master Centurion 5
Gigabyte P35 DS3R
eVGA 8800GTS 512MB GDDR3 (G92 Core)
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W (49A 12v)
Intel C2D E6750 2.66GHz
Crucial Ballistix DDR2 800 (4-4-4-12)
Seagate Barracuda 250GB SATAII
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $961.92

~$1,200 Budget
Lian-Li PC-7B Plus II
DFI LanParty AMD 790FX
eVGA 8800GTS 512MB GDDR3 (G92 Core)
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W (49A 12v)
AMD X2 6400+ 3.2GHz Black Edition
Crucial Ballistix DDR2 1066 (5-5-5-15)
Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATAII (32MB Cache)
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $1,167.92

Lian-Li PC-7B Plus II
Gigabyte X38 DS4
eVGA 8800GTS 512MB GDDR3 (G92 Core)
PC Power & Cooling Silencer 610W (49A 12v)
Intel C2D E8400 3.0GHz
Crucial Ballistix DDR2 1066 (5-5-5-15)
Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATAII (32MB Cache)
Lite-On 20X DVD±R
LINK @ $1,186.92

Home Theater PC
Lian-Li PC-A05B (Only 15" tall!)
Biostar TForce nForce 520
MSI 8600GTS 256MB GDDR3 (Native HDMI)
Hauppauge PVR-350 TV Tuner
SeaSonic S12 II 380W (34a combined 12v)
AMD X2 5400+ 2.8GHz
Crucial 2x1GB DDR2 533 (4-4-4-12)
Seagate Barracuda 500GB SATAII (32MB Cache)
HT Omega Striker Sound Card
Link Depot HDMI to HDMI 10ft Cable
LINK @ $826.41
LCD TV Choices
Olevia 37" 720p @ $749.99
Philips 42" 1080p @ $1,099.99
Westinghouse 47" 1080p @ $1,299.99
Passive Cooling Options
Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 @ $27.99
Thermalright Ultra-120A @ $39.99
Thermalright HR-05 @ $23.99
Thermalright HR-07 @ $34.99
Active Cooling Options
Scythe S-Flex 120mm 49CFM/20.1dBA @ $14.99
Globalwin 120mm 41CFM/19dBA @ $5.99


Part Two: Peripherals
~Monitors
17"
Hanns-G 17" DVI 8ms 500:1 Widescreen @ $149.99
19"
Hanns-G 19" DVI 5ms 700:1 Widescreen @ $169.99
Samsung 940BX 19" DVI 5ms 1000:1 @ $249.99
22"
Samsung 226BW 22" DVI 2ms 3000:1(DCR) Widescreen @ $319.99
24"
Westinghouse 24" HDMI 8ms 1000:1 Widescreen @ $409.99
Allthough these are my recommendations, I cannot be as indepth as the comprehensive LCD buyer's guide over at AnandTech.

~Keyboards
Logitech Standard Internet 350 @ $8.25
It can't be any simpler. Anything more than $15 on a keyboard is a complete waste of money.

~Mouses
Optical
Microsoft Intellimouse 1.1a @ $20.99
Microsoft Explorer 3.0 @ $31.99
Logitech MX518 @ $39.99
Laser
Logitech G5 @ $49.99
Razer Copperhead @ $55.99

~Headphones/Headsets
Sennheiser PC151 @ $39.99
SteelSeries 5H v2 @ $84.99
Audio-Technica ATH-AD700 @ $103.99
Sennheiser HD555 @ $149.99
Audio-Technica ATH-A900 @ $199.99

~Cooling
-Air
CPU
Thermalright Ultima-90 @ $43.99
**ZEROtherm Nirvana @ $45.99
Scythe Ninja With S-Flex 120mm @ $47.99
Sunbeam Tuniq Tower @ $49.99
Thermalright Ultra-120 Extreme @ $57.99
Zalman CNPS9700 @ $57.99
**(Note: Numerous reviews have pointed out that metal shavings from installing the ZEROtherm Nirvana have gotten into hardware parts and have caused shorting.)
GPU
Arctic Cooling Accelero S1 Rev2 @ $27.99
Zalman VF900CU LED @ $43.99
Thermalright HR-03 GT @ $47.99
Chipset
Thermalright HR-05 @ $23.99
Thermalright HR-05-SLI @ 24.99
Fans
-120mm
GlobalWin 41CFM/19dBA @ $5.99
Yate Loon 47CFM/28dBA @ $5.99
**Yate Loon 88CFM/40dBA @ $5.99
Yate Loon Blue LED 47CFM/28dBA @ 6.99
**Panaflo 86.5CFM/36.5dBA @ $9.99 (38mm Width)
Scythe S-Flex 49CFM/20.1dBA @ $14.99
Cooler Master 4 Pack 44.73CFM/19.3dBA @ $19.99
**Recommended use with fan controller only.
-92mm
GlobalWin 34CFM/19dBA @ $4.99
Panaflo 42.7CFM/27dBA @ $9.99
-80mm
Cooler Master 28.89CFM/20.9dBA @ $1.99
Arctic Cooling 28CFM/20dBA @ $3.99
GlobalWin 27.33CFM/18dBA @ $4.99
Fan Controllers
Sunbeam Rheobus 5.25" 4 Channels @ $12.99
Logisys 3.5" 4 Channels @ $15.99
Zalman MFC1 Plus-B 6 Channels @ $31.99
-Water
Swiftech H2O-120 Compact @ $139.95
Corsair Nautilus 500 @ $149.99
Swiftech H2O-220 Compact @ $169.95
Other than the kits, I am not experienced enough in H2O to recommend a good loop. The advantage of creating your own loop, whether it be for your CPU or GPU or both, is the scaling of cooling. It might be on par with air coolers at idle but at full load or overclocked the difference will show. If you're interested in making your own loop then I recommend going over to the dangerden forums. The owner and mods are very friendly and will help with your every H2O need.
TIM
Arctic Silver 5 @ $6.99 (recommended for CPU use)
Arctic Silver Ceramique @ $4.99 (recommended for GPU and Chipset use)
Arctic Silver ArctiClean @ $5.95
Lapping
East PC Kits has the best selection around for all of your lapping needs.

Part Three: Useful Information
~Software
CPU-z
GPU-z
CoreTemp
SpeedFan
Everest
Prime95
Orthos
Memtest86+
~Guides
Corsair's building guide Made in Feb. of '07. Very indepth and one of the more up-to-date guides.
[H]ardforum's Intel OC'ing guide is like no other. Goes through each BIOS option you'd need to know about and walks you through each process.
DIY-Street's AMD overclocking guide helped me when I first started to overclock. It gives very useful information about each step of the overclocking process. Though it was created for S939, it can be used for AM2.
XP/Vista/Linux Why choose between them when you can dual-boot your favorite OS's.
BIOS Beep Error codes As long as your motherboard speaker is pluged in you'll be able to help yourself diagnose almost any hardware problem that presents itself.
~E-Tailers
Newegg
Silicon Valley Compucycle
FrozenCPU
Petra's Tech Shop
Performance-PCs
Jab Tech
ZipZoomFly
Amazon
MNPC Tech Shop
Xoxide
A.C.Ryan
This list of e-tailers is who I personally buy from and publically recommend. These are not the only e-tailers out there, just the ones that I trust.

Friday, March 7, 2008

CAL-Legal Source Tweaks (Casey's Config v2)

CAL-Legal Source Tweaks
(Casey's Config v2)


The following is an updated version of Casey's Source tweaks. Problems with the previous config were automatically corrected by zBlock; however, as there currently is no zBlock available, an update to the config was necessary. The new version can be found below; it's entirely CAL-legal and we recommend you try it out, especially if you use any previous versions of Casey's config.

Launch Options

Source has many performance-friendly launch options built-in that you may find give you a significant performance gain.

Launch properties can be added by right-clicking Counter-Strike: Source in Steam's My Games menu, clicking Properties, then Launch Options.

-dxlevel: Sets the DirectX level Source runs in.

You may find that setting this value lower to than what your card can actually support yields a performance increase. For example, a DirectX 9 card may run significantly faster in DirectX 8.1. Again, it is best to test various settings to find out what is right for you. Use the following:
  • -dxlevel 95 for DirectX 9c
  • -dxlevel 90 for DirectX 9
  • -dxlevel 81 for DirectX 8.1

-heapsize: Dedicates a specific amount of memory to Source.

Increasing the allotted memory can yield substantial performance gains. However, it is important that you dedicate the right amount of memory. Dedicating too much or too little could actually cause a performance decrease.

It is recommended you dedicate half of your system memory. Below is the recommended usage:
  • 512MB System Memory: -heapsize 262144
  • 1GB System Memory: -heapsize 524288
  • 2GB System Memory: -heapsize 1048576

CVARs

The following is an updated version of Casey's original Source config. It contains most of the original CVAR settings, only a few have been altered to increase performance and to bring it in line with new rules. Some comments have also been changed to correctly reflect what the CVAR does. All the below tweaks are CAL compliant.

To install the config you must first delete "config.cfg" in "Steam\SteamApps\your@email.com\counter-strike source\cstrike\cfg" folder, making sure to back up information such as key bindings and sensitivity settings. Then simply paste the following into Notepad, and save the file as autoexec.cfg in your Steam\SteamApps\your@email.com\counter-strike source\cstrike\cfg folder.

or download it here



// Casey's Config v2 (CAL compliant)
// Updated for new season by CAL|Stone
// Updated 01/23/07 - Added misc settings section

//_Set Netcode vars_
cl_cmdrate "101"
cl_interp "0.01"
cl_interpolate "1"
cl_lagcomp_errorcheck "0" // Disables lagcompensation error checking, only needed if you're having any registration/loss/choke problems.
cl_lagcompensation "1"
cl_smooth "1"
cl_updaterate "101"
rate "25000"

//_Set MP vars_
mp_decals "0" // How many player sprays will be shown.

//_Set Client vars_
cl_drawmonitors "0" // Disables the rendering of ingame "monitors" which contain 3d rendered images.
cl_ejectbrass "0" // Disables brass ejection
cl_forcepreload "1" // Forces the game to load all texture and model information into memory on map load.
cl_phys_props_enable "1" // Enables phsyics props.
cl_phys_props_max "50" // Maximum amount of physics props allowed.
cl_ragdoll_physics_enable "0" // Disables ragdoll.
cl_restrict_server_commands "0" // Compatible/needed with serverplugins
cl_show_splashes "0" // Disables water splashes.

//_Set Render vars_
r_3dsky "0" // Disables the rendering of 3d sky boxes.
r_decal_cullsize "9999" // Any decals under this size are not rendered.
r_decals "0" // Disables decals.
r_drawbatchdecals "1" // Enables the rendering of decals in batch.
r_drawdetailprops "1" // Enables the rendering of detail props.
r_drawflecks "0" // Disables the sparks and dirt from bullet impacts.
r_drawmodeldecals "0" // Models decals (i.e. blood).
r_eyes "0" // Disables eyes in models.
r_lod "-1" // Different level of details on models. -1 = Variable at distance. 0 = None. 1 = Minor. 2 = Less minor.
r_modellodscale "1.0" // The transitioning power of LOD.
r_occlusion "0" // Enables the Model Occlusion system.
r_propsmaxdist "100" // Max distance at which props are rendered.
r_renderoverlayfragment "0"
r_rootlod "2" // Base lod of the model in the memory.
r_shadowmaxrendered "32" // Max shadows the game will render.
r_shadowrendertotexture "1" // Rendered the shadow texture causing it to match the player model.
r_shadows "1" // Enables shadows (Change be disabled for additional performance.)
r_teeth "0" // Disables teeth in models.
r_waterdrawreflection "0" // Disables the rendering of water reflections.
r_waterforceexpensive "0" // Forces cheap water.
gl_clear "1"
props_break_max_pieces "0" // Disables prop fragmenting

//_Set Materials vars_
mat_antialias "0" // Disables the use of multisampling to smooth out edges.
mat_bumpmap "0" // Disables bump mapping.
mat_clipz "0" // Disables optimized Z-Buffer rendering.
mat_compressedtextures "1" // Disables texture compression. Users with low amounts of system memory should turn this on.
mat_disable_bloom "1" // Disables bloom effects.
mat_hdr_enabled "0" // Disables HDR.
mat_hdr_level "0" // Double Disables HDR.
mat_mipmaptextures "1" // Enables the use of mipmapping to make textures look smooth.
mat_monitorgamma "1.6" // Lower the number the brighter the screen. Only works in fullscreen.
mat_picmip "2" // Changes the resolutions of textures when they're loaded into memory. May improve FPS on graphics cards with low memory sizes.
mat_reducefillrate "1" // Reduces the fillrate when the game is run in DXLevel 8.
mat_specular "0" // Disables Specularity on objects.
mat_trilinear "0" // Disables the use of Trilinear mipmapping.
mat_wateroverlaysize "8" // Sets the resolution of water distortion. Must be multiple of 8.

//_Set Violence vars_
violence_ablood "1"
violence_agibs "1"
violence_hblood "1"
violence_hgibs "1"

//_Set HUD vars_
hud_centerid "1" // Centers player IDs
net_graph "3" // Enables net_graph (Required in SS round)
net_graphpos "2" // Adjusts netgraph position-set between 1 and 3.

//_Set Misc settings_
cl_downloadfilter "nosounds" // Disables annoying pub sound downloads
fps_max "101" // Caps framerate. Set to max monitor refresh rate + 1.
jpeg_quality "100" // High quality screenshots

clear
echo _Casey's Config v2 (CAL compliant) loaded




Thursday, March 6, 2008

the problem with professional esports

The following article was not made in specificity towards any specific teams or players. They are the result of looking at the problem logically and factually and bear no ill-intent. Enjoy.

In response to Singlecoil's article ("So you want to be a Pro?"), I can see no doubt that almost every fan will agree with the assessment. There is a problem inherent in amateur eSports, and "professional" eSports, but as to what it specifically is, is anyone's opinion. Whether one wants to term the problem life, or lack of professionalism, it will ultimately come down to something that I'm not sure we can overcome anytime soon.

When I took the reins of CEVO-P near the end of season 2, there was little to differentiate it from CAL-I, their deteriorating scheduling woes, and their philosophy of "invite" which was starting to lose its luster. To combat this, I approached my first full season as head in season 3 with the idea for the placement tournament, match schedules in advance, and attempting to hound teams into doing the "simple" task of scheduling their matches on time.

However, the broadcasting and publishing of news with the dates and times was an extremely frustrating ordeal. Having Gotfrag's staff asking for times and server information also added to the aspect of frustration. The players and management of teams, in most cases, had an almost apathetic attitude towards their season and involvement in the league. When asking what time they'd be playing, you wouldn't be surprised how many players had no idea they had matches that night, even with the schedules having been done weeks in advance.

Outside of that occurrence, teams that had scheduled matches didn't think to notify CEVO as to any problems they had with not being able to make their match. It took personal contact by an admin, usually myself, right before a match only to find out it wasn't happening. Soon, it became evident that the majority of teams seemed to think that ignorance was a justification for reschedules.

Now as per policy at the time, forfeits were avoided in CEVO. All matches were to be played by the final week so that everyone seemed to have a fair shot, and bang for their buck. However, when we saw that this was not viable for us as an organization and for the community as a spectators, we knew something had to change. This brought us to our inclusion of the rules stipulating much like what Singlecoil proposed; all teams were to have at least seven players on their roster and matches were to be scheduled at least 24-hours in advance, no exceptions. If you didn't schedule in advance, the opposing team's proposed time was set and you had to show up, or forfeit.

While in theory, it looked good and it started out well, it didn't last. Soon, the excuses started piling up again. Teams were collectively getting lazy, not scheduling, or having "issues" pop up at the last minute, etc... We (CEVO and spectators alike) were thrown back into the same problem that had been rearing its head for quite some time. Fans were left with teams that still didn't care and forfeits/reschedules were becoming common. Even with upping the rules and pushing for a more professional atmosphere, the players were not along for the ride. Enter: money-per-match.

The money-per-match took a new spin on the scheduling and professionalism conflict and addressed it head on. Teams that won a match earned $100. A forfeit resulted in a loss of $100 from your team's pool at the end of season. It started out well; teams were communicating with each other, with us and matches were being scheduled and played...for the most part. But again, it didn't last.

The downside to utilizing a monetary reward in this way was that teams now set out to gain any little advantage that they could. Disputes during that season were plentiful. Arguments over who wasn't in CMN on time vs. who scheduled what, and who was one minute late, etc... also plagued the CEVO vent server on a consistent. It turned into a large immature debate almost every match night.

Now after all that experimentation, how does one really fix the problem with the "lack of professionalism" in online leagues? Going through what has happened specifically in regards to CEVO, I can tell you that Singlecoil's proposition will not work alone, as it has already been tried. Taking into account all the variables, the age and maturity of players stands as the single factor inhibiting progression in my mind. If you enforce harsh rules, forfeits will increase as was witnessed, due to sheer nonchalance and other life priorities. Countering that with a monetary value will make your league open to attack in regards to rules, and in the end, you'll still end up with apathetic teams, forfeits, a hard to manage product, and leave spectators with something left to be desired. Increasing the monetary value and adding contracts is an option, but for an online league and the brief history of eSports contracts and their outcomes, it seems rather fruitless.

It would seem the only fix to such a problem, is not having an online league at all.




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