CEA Collegiate Series Handbook

About

The Corporate Esports Association (CEA) Collegiate Series is an avenue for students to connect with working professionals while competing for fun and/or scholarships

CEA leadership brings over a decade of combined experience organizing corporate esports.

 

Read This First

  • Join the Discord server
  • Matches are on Saturdays at 1PM Pacific each week. You can ask your opponent to reschedule, but they don't have to say yes.
  • The CEA utilizes a Swiss-system tournament structure, and then a single elimination playoffs. Gl hf.

Communication

All official CEA updates will be posted in our Discord server. If you have any questions, post in #help-and-feedback.

 

Collegiate Series Spring 2021 Season Calendar

The season calendar will be updated as we confirm the season format.

  • Feb 6: Last day to register
  • Feb 13: Game 1 and pre-season meeting
  • Feb 20: Game 2 and industry specific round tables with Corporate Series players
  • Feb 27: Game 3 and special game formats
  • March 6: Game 4 and esports-focused speakers from the Corporate Series
  • March 13: Game 5 and networking events TBD
  • March 20: Game 6 and networking events TBD
  • March 27: Playoffs Round of 16
  • April 3: Playoffs Round of 8
  • April 10: Playoffs Semi-finals
  • April 17: Grand Finals

Code of Conduct

The CEA community strives to be a fun environment for everyone inside and outside of the league. Please follow these simple guidelines:

  • Help anytime you can.

  • Have fun.
  • Be nice.
  • Respect all players and teams (both publicly and privately).
  • Keep interactions safe for work.

  • Do not disparage companies, their employees, or products.

  • Contact organizers privately if you have a complaint about other players or teams.

General Rules

The following rules apply to all games sanctioned by the CEA. Anytime you have a question about rules, or what you should do in a situation first make sure you're following Wheaton's Law - "Don't be a dick."

Player Eligibiliity

  1. Refer to the specific rulebook per Collegiate Series event for Eligiblibity

Streaming and Observing

Players may stream their matches or have others stream for them. Stream cheating is not allowed and using a stream delay is mandatory. Observers able to see both players' or teams' perspectives are discouraged and require the explicit approval of both players or their Game Lead. Observers who are limited by the game settings to view only one players' perspective only need the approval of the player or team that they observe. In the case of limited observing slots, slots must be shared equally between players or teams.

Communication

CEA official updates are conducted through email and Discord. Players must be available on the CEA Discord server, and match-related communication between players should also occur on that platform.

Discord should also be the primary method of contacting CEA administrators, using #help-and-feedback and tagging the appropriate administrator or player.

Match Rescheduling

Matches are scheduled at 1pm pacific every Saturday. The CEA observes Daylight Saving Time. We request that players generally keep the 1 - 2pm pacific window on Saturday open and attempt to accommodate reschedule requests within this window, as explained below. Reschedules should be used as a last resort when players are unable to make the default match time.

A reschedule request should be submitted by the player to the opposition in writing. Players are under no obligation to accommodate any request. If both players agree on a new time they must both notify the organizers via #reschedule-reporting in Discord no later than 1pm Pacific on the Thursday before the match and also notify organizers via Discord when they are ready to start the rescheduled match. CEA staff may not be available to assist with issues outside of the Saturday 1 - 2pm window.

After playing the match, post the match results to #reschedule-reporting on Discord and indicate that an organizer needs to enter the result.

No-shows and Forfeits

If a player is unable to play within 15 minutes of the scheduled time, that player automatically forfeits the match. The time period for no-shows may be extended by the opposing player in writing.

In the event both players have arrived to play, but one player fails to join the match lobby within the later of twenty (20) minutes after the scheduled match time and five (5) minutes after both players communicated being ready to play, the opposing player may submit documentation (screenshots and chat logs) to claim a victory by forfeit as follows:

      1. The opposing player should provide notice to their opponent that they are submitting documentation for a victory by forfeit.

Players may opt to forfeit a match at any time. In this case, please notify the organizers and opposing players in Discord using #forfeit-reporting.

Players which forfeit multiple consecutive weeks and do not respond to messages from the organizers may be removed from the season.

Match Reporting

Players must submit results to the tournament management platform no later than 4pm pacific time on Sunday. Failure to submit results will lead to a warning for the winning player and in some cases a double loss.

Scoring and Ranking

During Swiss, players will be ranked by W/L record. For games with a best of 2 format, players or teams will instead be ranked and paired by points as explained in tiebreakers below.

Ties are broken by these factors (in order):

1. Points: 3 per Win, 0 Per Loss, 1 Per Tie

2. Opponents Match Win Percentage

3. Game Win Percentage (only relevant to games with best of X formats, e.g. 2-1 is 66%)

4. Opponents Opponents Match Win Percentage

Players which achieve the number of wins listed for their individual game will automatically qualify for playoffs in the order in which they achieved this win count. They will be removed from regular Swiss pairings for the following weeks. If multiple players or teams achieve this final win in the same week, seeds will be determined by additional matches in the following weeks. If there are not enough weeks to play these matches, ties will be broken by Swiss tiebreakers at the end of the regular season.

Technical Issues

Players are responsible for their own technical issues including hardware and internet. Matches will not be rescheduled because of player side technical issues and will continue after pauses (as provided in game specific rules) are exhausted even if the issue is not yet resolved.

Pauses may not be used to grief opponents or to strategically provide an advantage. Remember to take screenshots and video if you believe pauses are being abused.

In the event of technical issues with the game servers an attempt will be made or reschedule and replay the match. The CEA organizers may assign a tie (half-win) if, at their sole discretion, the match cannot reasonably be rescheduled.

Questions and Disputes

We strongly encourage players to take videos or screenshots of gameplay, score screens, and chat logs with timestamps enabled as well as save replays to use in the event of a conflict.

Mention the game lead and/or admins with an @ on Discord in #help-and-feedback channel if you require assistance during the season.

A player may submit a dispute within 12 hours in the event that they believe their opponents broke any of the game rules, the referee unfairly awarded a win to their opponents upon an in-game disconnect, referee or opponents did anything that violates the spirit of the rules, or that the incorrect match result was submitted. CEA organizers will review any disputes.

All participants must adhere to the decisions and rules of the tournament organizers, admins, and referees. All decisions are final, except in cases where the option to appeal is clearly stated. Conversations, either verbal or written, between organizers, admins, or referees, and participants are confidential. Publicly posting or sharing these conversations with outside parties is strictly forbidden, unless permission is obtained.

If an agreement to change a rule is made between players, ensure the agreement is saved in writing in case a disagreement arises.

Unforeseen Circumstances

The CEA reserves the right to change these rules and to make additional decisions outside the defined rule set as necessary. Rule changes will be posted on the CEA Discord and all relevant parties notified.

Reporting Players for Cheating and Misdemeanors

If you, as a Player, sincerely believe that your opponent:

- cheated,

- exhibited behaviour that was hostile, toxic, vulgar or otherwise unacceptable,

- or infringed on either these rules, or rules in the CEA Handbook

Please follow this step by step process:

- Take screenshots or make a desktop recording the behaviour in question. Either through use of screenshot tools like Gyazo, or video encoders, such as OBS (both of which are free to use).

- Contact your Game Lead and present your evidence to them.

- The Game Lead and the CEA team will then decide what action needs to be taken, if any.

Finally, take a deep breath and take a step back. Many players in the CEA are filled with good will and a desire to have fun. Often an incident of cheating is an accident or an honest misunderstanding of the rules.

How Does the CEA Use school/company Names and Logos?

Recognizing the value institutions place on their logo and brand, the CEA strives to make only very light use of either.

The CEA will not use your logo without your written consent.

A school's name is used strictly to identify the players playing for that school, and is never used to imply the views or opinions of a school nor individual.

The CEA is very understanding and flexible regarding IP. For more information, or to request an exception to the rules above, please let us know through the Contact form above. We typically respond within 24 hours.