<SCL Venues and Rules
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Chapter 1 - League Organization and Conduct
1.00 - The SpyParty Competitive League, simply called "the league" elsewhere in these rules, is administered by the league administrator, and generally operates pursuant to these rules. However the league administrator is not strictly bound by these rules and may overrule them at any time if they believe doing so would be equitable.
1.01 - The league operates continuously, with breaks at regular intervals as determined by the league administrator.
1.02 - Seasons occur at the discretion of the league administrator.
1.03 - Players in the league are expected to fulfill high standards of conduct. They are to treat all members of the SpyParty community respectfully at all times and to generally conform their conduct within the community to its norms, as determined by the league administrator. Failure to do so may subject players to penalties at the discretion of the administrator, including removal from the league.
Chapter 2 - Regular Season Scoring and Tiebreaking
2.00 - In normal divisional play, winning a match awards 2 points. Drawing a match awards 1 point. Losing a match awards no points.
2.01 - A player finishes higher than another player in the regular season if they finish with more points.
2.02 - If any number of players finish the regular season with the same number of points, the finish will be determined using the following hierarchy:
- First, if any player in the tie has more points than all other tied players in matches where all the participants were part of the tie being broken, that player will be considered to have finished higher; if any players in the tie have fewer points in such matches than the player with the most, those players is eliminated from the tiebreaker;
- Second, if a tie still remains, if any player in the tie has more match wins than all other tied players, that player will be considered to have finished higher; if any players in the tie have fewer such match wins than the player with the most, those players are eliminated from the tiebreaker;
- Third, if a tie still remains, if any player in the tie finished higher in SCL in the previous season relative to any other tied player, that player will be considered to have finished higher; any players who finished lower than the player with the highest finish are eliminated from the tiebreaker;
- Participating in the SCL is considered a higher finish than not participating in SCL for the purpose of this rule.
- Ending a season in a higher division than another player did in the same season is considered a higher finish for the purpose of this rule.
- If two players ended a season in the same division, the player with the higher regular season finish is considered to have finished higher unless otherwise specified elsewhere in these rules.
- Fourth, If a tie still remains, the tied players will play a sudden death match against each other (see Chapter 7 of these rules) at a time determined by the league administrator to resolve the tie if the league administrator deems a tiebreak necessary.
2.03 - For the purpose of the preceding rule, any time a player is removed from a tie using one of the tiebreaking criteria, evaluation of all remaining tied players, if any, will begin anew from the top of the hierarchy.
Chapter 3 - League Structure
3.00 – The League consists of a number of divisions, ordered from highest to lowest. New divisions may be added and old divisions may be removed depending on the size of the league. Only some divisions play matches at any given time, these are the "active" divisions.
3.01 - Every division consists of three-to-five players. Under normal circumstances when inactive, a division has four players. When active, it has five. After a division is active, and before the division above has demoted a player down, a division will have three players.
3.02 - When a division becomes active, the league administrator will first ensure that the requisite five active players inhabit the division, using administrative promotions if necessary.
3.03 - An active division plays a single round robin lasting four rounds. Each match in these four rounds uses the regular season match format specified in chapter 4 of these rules. Each round lasts one week.
3.04 - At the conclusion of this round robin, the lowest-finishing player demotes to the division below.
3.05 - Except in the highest division, at the conclusion of the round robin, the highest-finishing player and the second-highest-finishing player play a match using the Divisional Championship match format specified in chapter 5 of these rules. The winner promotes to the next division above.
3.06 - In the highest division, at the conclusion of the round robin, the highest-finishing player and the second-highest-finishing player play a match using the League Championship format specified in chapter 6 of these rules. The winner is declared League Champion.
Chapter 4 - Regular Season Match Format
4.00 - A regular season match begins with a draft process. Players are strongly encouraged to use the drafting tool at https://draft.spypartyfans.com for this purpose. First the players use any random method to determine a draft winner. That winner determines either who picks and bans first, or who plays as spy first. Whichever choice this player does not make is then made by the other player.
4.01 - Once the players have determined the order in which they will pick and ban, the first player bans one venue. Then the other player bans one venue. Then the first player restricts one venue. Then the other player restricts one venue.
4.02 - Restricted venues may not be selected as doubled maps. Banned venues may not be selected at all. Venues may not be duplicatively selected to be banned, restricted, or played; venues may only be banned, restricted, or selected to be played once. This includes bans, restrictions, and selections as between both players - once one player bans a venue, the other player may not then ban the same venue. Once one player restricts a venue, the other player may not then restrict that venue. Once one player selects a venue for play, the other player may not then select that venue for play. Players may choose not to ban or restrict a venue when it is their turn to do so. Players MUST select a venue to play when it is their turn to do so.
4.03 - After the players have banned and restricted, the first player selects a doubled venue, which will be played twice. Then the other player selects a doubled venue to be played twice. Then the first player selects a venue to be played once. Then the other player selects a venue to be played once.
4.04 - After the draft is completed, the players play through the venues in the order they were selected. The players alternate between playing spy and sniper each game. On each doubled venue, the players will play through twice as spy and twice as sniper. On each non-doubled venue, the players will play through once as spy and once as sniper.
4.05 - Once a player wins 7 games, the set ends immediately and that player is the winner. If both players have won 6 games, the match is a draw.
4.06 - Summarized, the overall structure for venue selection is as follows:
- Player A bans.
- Player B bans.
- Player A restricts.
- Player B restricts.
- Player A picks a doubled venue.
- Player B picks a doubled venue.
- Player A picks a venue.
- Player B picks a venue.
Chapter 5 - Divisional Championship Format
5.00 - A divisional championship match uses the exact same format as a regular season match except as modified by the rules in this chapter.
5.01 - The higher-finishing regular season player decides both who picks and bans first, and who spies first, instead of the method used in a regular season match to determine order of draft and play.
5.02 - The draft method of a divisional championship match is identical to that of a regular season match, except each player must choose an additional venue that will be played once. This additional venue is selected at the end of the regular season draft process.
9.03 - The winner of a divisional championship match is the first player to win 9 games before the other player has won 8. If both players have won 8 games, the match proceeds to sudden death as described in chapter 7 of these rules and a winner is determined.
5.04 - Summarized, the overall structure for venue selection is as follows:
- Player A bans.
- Player B bans.
- Player A restricts.
- Player B restricts.
- Player A picks a doubled venue.
- Player B picks a doubled venue.
- Player A picks a venue.
- Player B picks a venue.
- Player A picks a venue.
- Player B picks a venue.
Chapter 6 - League Championship Match Format
6.00 - The League Championship match uses the same format as a divisional championship match, except as modified by the rules in this chapter.
6.01 - Instead of restricting a venue, the players ban a second venue.
6.02 - The players pick an additional venue to be doubled, just after picking the first doubled venue.
6.03 - The winner of the League Championship match is the first player to win 13 games before the other player has won 12. If both players have won 12 games, the match proceeds to sudden death as described in chapter 7 of these rules, and a winner is determined.
10.04 - Summarized, the overall structure for venue selection is as follows:
- Player A bans.
- Player B bans.
- Player A bans.
- Player B bans.
- Player A picks a doubled venue.
- Player B picks a doubled venue.
- Player A picks a doubled venue.
- Player B picks a doubled venue.
- Player A picks a venue.
- Player B picks a venue.
- Player A picks a venue.
- Player B picks a venue.
Chapter 7 - Sudden Death Format
7.00 - When sudden death is required, the players first randomly determine one player to pick venues first, and one player to spy first. This occurs again anew even if this choice was already made for a match which resulted in sudden death.
7.01 - The players alternate picking any one venue, for a total of two venues between the players. No venue may be selected which has already been selected.
7.02 - On each venue, the players will play once as spy, once as sniper, for a total of four games. Instead of the venue's usual layout.
7.03 - If, at any point during these four games, one player has won two more games than the other, the match is over and that player is the winner.
7.04 - If the score remains tied at the conclusion of the four games, the player who completed more total missions as spy over the course of the four games is the winner.
7.05 - If the score remains tied and the players completed the same number of missions as spy, the process repeats until a winner is determined.
Chapter 8 - Venue Pool
8.00 - The available venues are as follows. Players should use the SCL layouts in-game if available and accurate. The given layout must be used for each venue except during sudden death, for which see chapter 7 of these rules. The active missions are at the discretion of the player playing spy in each game, unless otherwise noted.
- Aquarium any 4/8, 19 guests, 4:00
- Balcony any 2/3, 7 guests, 2:00
- Ballroom any 4/8, 16 guests, 3:30
- Courtyard any 4/7, 16 guests, 3:15
- Gallery any 4/8, 21 guests, 4:00
- High-rise any 3/5, 12 guests, 3:30
- Library any 5/8, 21 guests, 4:45
- Moderne any 4/8, 21 guests, 4:15
- Pub any 3/7, 16 guests, 2:30
- Redwoods any 4/8, 15 guests, 3:30
- Teien any 4/8, 13 guests, 3:15
- Terrace any 3/6, 11 guests, 3:30
- Veranda any 5/8, 21 guests, 4:15
8.01 - If new venues are added to the game, they will be considered by the league administrator for addition to the venue pool after the current set of round robins in progress is concluded, or at any time thereafter at the discretion of the league administrator.
Chapter 9 - Scheduling Matches
9.00 - Weeks begin and end at midnight Pacific time at the end of Friday and beginning of Saturday. When players are scheduled to play a match, they should coordinate between themselves to play the match at some point during the scheduled period convenient to both players. If the players are having difficulty with scheduling, they should contact the league administrator.
9.01 - If a player is unable to contact their prospective opponent, they should contact the league administrator immediately. Players should allow a reasonable amount of time, usually at least 24 hours, for their opponents to respond.
9.02 - Once a match is played, it must be uploaded to the primary SCL website, scl.spypartyfans.com, to be considered completed. If the site is down or a player is otherwise having difficulty with uploading a match, they should contact the league administrator.
Chapter 10 - Absences, Drops, and Forfeits
10.00 - If a player will be unavailable to play matches and they know this in advance, they should contact the league administrator, who will arrange for alternative scheduling.
10.01 - If a match is not played by its scheduled time, it will generally be tolerated as a late submission at the discretion of the league administrator. Repeated delays or unavailability may result in forfeits, or being dropped or re-placed in the league at the discretion of the league administrator.
10.02 - When a player is dropped from the league or from a division while their division is active and before they have completed all their round robin matches, then all their unplayed matches are forfeited and counted as wins for their opponents. All their played matches are also retroactively forfeited and counted as wins for their opponents, even if the actual result was different.
Chapter 11 - Placing New Players
11.00 - New players who join the league are added to the lowest division after the conclusion of the highest division's round robin. If the lowest division is full, a new one is created below the previously lowest one, and the player is added to that division.
11.01 - When multiple new players join at once pursuant to rule 11.00, they are ranked in order of the number of total games played they have when they are added, and are considered to have joined the league in order of most games played to least.
Chapter 12 - Administrative Promotions
18.00 - If there would be a vacancy in one of the divisions when it becomes active, and that division is not the lowest division, the vacancy is filled according to the following hierarchy:
- First, fill the vacancy with the player with the highest finish who both began and ended the last season in the next-lowest division;
- Second, fill the vacancy with the player with the highest finish who began the last season in the division with the vacancy but ended the season in a lower division;
- Third, fill the vacancy with the player with the highest finish who ended the season in the next-lowest division, but began it in a lower division than that;
- Fourth, repeat the fourth through sixth methods as above, but proceeding downward through the divisions as necessary;
Chapter 13 - Match Format Errors, Technical Problems, and Disputes
13.00 - If a game is being played on the wrong venue, in the wrong order, or with the wrong settings, that game may be stopped and made void by either player at any time prior to the start of the next game, with no consequences, and restarted with the correct settings. If a game with incorrect settings is completed and the next game started, then the erroneous match becomes official. The last game of a match becomes official as soon as it is completed. A player who stops a game in progress pursuant to this rule which is actually using the correct settings forfeits that game.
13.01 - If a technical problem occurs during a game, and that problem has a potentially major effect on the result of the game in the judgment of one of the players, that player should immediately stop the game if it is in progress by exiting out of it and notify their opponent of the problem. If the game has already ended, the player must notify their opponent of the problem before the start of the next game, otherwise the problematic game will be made official. In either event, the players should then immediately play a replacement game if that can plausibly done without more technical problems. The players should then play the rest of the match, ignoring the problematic game and its replacement entirely, until one player has won enough games to win the match even without the problematic game, or until the players have played all other games in the match. The players should not play sudden death in a match where this procedure is invoked unless the problematic game was completed and the replacement game had the same result as the problematic game. In any event, after this procedure is invoked, both the prematurely terminated game and the replacement game should then be forwarded to the league administrator for judgment along with the rest of the match. If a match cannot be begun or continued due to a technical problem, the league administrator should be notified and all replays from the attempted match, if any, should be sent to the league administrator.
13.02 - If the outcome of the problematic game would have no effect on the match, then no ruling will be made and the replacement game will stand as the official result. If the result of the match depends on the outcome of the problematic game, the league administrator will rule on the outcome of the match in whatever way they deem to be equitable. Generally the league administrator will let the outcome of the replacement game stand unless they believe by clear and convincing evidence that one player would have won the original game but for the technical problem occurring.
13.03 - If the players have a dispute about these rules while a match is in progress, the league administrator should be contacted immediately for a ruling if available. If the league administrator is not available, the match should be adjourned until the league administrator can rule. If one of the players in the dispute is the league administrator, then the game's developer resolves the dispute.
Chapter 14 - Miscellaneous
14.00 - The game's placeholder art, commonly known as "old art," is banned from the league to the extent that is possible. Players may never use any setting or select any venue which would cause placeholder art to be used.
14.01 - If a setting is available to enforce spectation delay in-game, the players must activate this setting for all league games.
14.02 - All SCL matches are subject to broadcast and casting by the league. A player who wishes their matches not to be cast may notify the league administrator, but such requests are not guaranteed to be honored.