31 December 2014 Rule Updates
– Rule 6(a). A positive net point total is no longer needed to qualify for the elimination round.
– Rule 6(b). SFBOL match results from other tournaments (RAT, Platinum Hat, World League, Masters, NK Elimination Round, etc.) will be included in the update to each player’s rating at the end of each quarter, and in the Ladder results. These matches still do not count toward the NetKill tournament standings.
Main Rules
1. There is no need to sign up for this tournament. You may start participating at any time. The tournament runs every quarter (3 months).
2. During the 3-month tournament period, you may play as many SFBOL tournament games for NetKill credit as you wish. This is the Patrol phase of the tournament. Individual games are played under the standard SFB tournament rules, as per Module T2000.
(a) You may play against anyone who is interested in a NetKill game, and you may play a given opponent multiple times.
(b) You may use different ships in different games.
(i) Either player may insist on secret and simultaneous ship selection for a match.
(ii) Selection of option mounts is part of the secret and simultaneous ship selection. An Orion player may list two option packages, and then select one of them after the opposing ship is revealed. If both ships are Orion, each player secretly selects one of their two packages after both players see both possible packages of the opposing ship (as per Module T2000).
(c) You are responsible for finding opponents and scheduling games. Any interested SFBOL subscriber is a valid opponent. You can also look at the standings to find likely opponents among the currently active NetKill players.
(d) A game counts for the quarter in which it was completed and reported. Exception: 4(c) below.
3. The loser of each game reports the result through the SFBOL NetKill website located here.
4. You gain points for each victory, and lose points for each defeat. The exact number of points will range from 10 to 40 depending on the difference between your rating and that of your opponent. The defeated player loses the same number of points that the winner gains.
(a) You can find your rating, if you have one, on the NetKill Rated Player List, which lists all the rated players.
(i) Your rating is a number that reflects your skill, as computed from your tournament record on SFBOL. Details available from judge via email upon request (and to be posted to web at future date).
(ii) If you have not played many SFBOL tournament matches, you may not have a rating yet, in which case see 4(c) and 4(d) below.
(b) Click here to see a table that shows the points awarded for games at various rating differences. Basically, if you defeat an opponent of equal rating, you get 25 points. If you defeat a lower-rated opponent, you get fewer points, down to a minimum of 10 for someone rated far below you. If you defeat a higher-rated opponent, you get more than 25 points, up to a maximum of 40 for someone rated far above you.
(c) If you do not have a rating already, you can get one by finishing 4 or more NetKill tournament matches against players who already have ratings over a period of no more than 4 quarters. See the NetKill Rated Player List for the callsigns of all the rated players.
(i) When your 4th game result is reported, you will be awarded a rating, and points will be awarded to you and your opponent for all of your games based on your new rating.
(ii) Only matches from the three quarters preceding the current quarter, plus the current quarter, count toward getting your rating and for points in the current standings under this method 4(c).
(d) Alternately, if you accumulate 4 or more matches in any and all SFBOL tournaments against players who already have ratings, over any period of time, then at the start of the next quarter you will be given a rating for NetKill. Points will be awarded in the new quarter for NetKill matches (only) played in the three preceding quarters under this method 4(d).
5. Your standing in the NetKill tournament is based on your net point total from all of your games to-date during the quarter. The higher your net points, the higher in the standings you will be. The current standings are here.
6. What can you win?
(a) Become the CyberKnight or CyberSquire: At the end of the quarter, the top 3 players in net point total who have played at least 6 total Patrol games will compete in an 2-round elimination tournament to earn the title of CyberKnight. This is the Elimination Round phase of the tournament.
(i) The competition is single elimination. The top net point earner gets a bye in the first round (see [iv] below for ties).
(ii) If the winner of the Elimination Round played 12 or more Patrol games, and won 60% or more of them, then the winner is dubbed CyberKnight and gets Sir_ prepended to their SFBOL nickname.
(iii) If the winner does not meet the CyberKnight criteria in (ii), then the winner is dubbed CyberSquire and gets Squire_ prepended to their SFBOL nickname.
(iv) If players tie for the top 3 positions, byes and/or additional elimination games will be assigned to narrow the field down to 2 final contestants. Tiebreakers for those with equal net points are, in order: (1) a player with more total games ranks above a player with fewer total games; (2) a player with a higher win percentage ranks above a player with a lower win percentage; and (3) if still tied under (1) and (2), random selection determines who ranks higher. Once the players are ranked, they are paired off in best to worst fashion for the Elimination Round games (highest ranked vs. lowest ranked, next highest ranked vs. next lowest ranked, etc.). In the event of an odd number of players, a bye is given to the highest ranked player who has not yet had a bye, starting with the highest ranked player.
(v) If fewer than 3 players reach 6 games with positive net point totals, no elimination tournament will be held and no title will be awarded.
(vi) For Elimination Round games, players secretly and simultaneously select their ships for each round, via the tournament judge.
(vii) In the event that an Elimination Round player is unable or unwilling to complete their assigned Elimination matches, they may be replaced at the Judge’s discretion with the next-most qualified player from the Patrol phase (e.g., the 4th place Patrol finisher would be the first replacement player in line). Players should keep the Judge informed of their attempts to schedule Elimination matches.
(b) Move Up the NetKill Ladder: The NetKill Ladder ranks all active NetKill players by their skill rating. It shows their cumulative wins, losses, and rating points gained/lost over all previous quarters. The Ladder allows you to keep track of how you have done in the past, and where you stand relative to other NetKill participants in SFB skill and cunning.
(i) At the end of each quarter, your new rating for the next quarter will be your current rating, plus the number of net points you accumulated from your matches this quarter, with two wrinkles. The first wrinkle is that, for purposes of your new rating, each match is worth 0 to 50 points rather than 10 to 40 points. The match point breakdown file will show both tallies for you. Thus, as you crush your enemies and make them cry, you can watch yourself climb toward the top of the Ladder, and you gain bragging rights along the way. Of course, you can move down the ladder too... The second wrinkle is that, for purposes of computing your new rating and cumulative wins and losses, your match results from other SFBOL tournaments (RATs, etc.) will also be included in the tally.
(ii) Only players who have played a NetKill game for credit within the previous year appear on the Ladder.
7. Miscellaneous Issues
(a) Elimination games for CyberKnight / CyberSquire do not count toward your NetKill Standing but do count for the Ladder per 6(b)(i).
(b) The goal is to update the standings webpage several times a week.
8. Procedural Issues
(a) There are several steps you must follow if someone fails to report a match result. Remember the LOSER reports the game results through the NetKill report page.
(i) First you need to be sure that you give your opponent enough time to report the match. You must wait at least 24 hours before you can file an unreported match complaint.
(ii) If after that time the match has not been reported you should send the user a friendly reminder to post the match. Everyone forgets to report a match now and then. You can find someone's mail address using our Subscriber Search form. Give them 24 hours to respond to your mail.
(iii) If they STILL haven't reported or replied to your E-mail you should let the NetKill Desk know the steps you have taken to contact the user and when the match was played. If you don't do this we can't process your request and you won't get your win. Be SURE to do this!
(iv) Unreported Matches typically take two to four days to resolve as we attempt to contact the user ourselves. We also dig out records of that user and investigate any other claims against them.
9. Contact Information
Robert W. Schirmer (Judge)