The rules contained on this page only cover this specific game, please review the HSEL General Competition Rules for information covering all official tournaments.
Disclaimer: Deadlock is a closed early access title. To receive an invite and access to the game, users can click "Add to Wishlist" on Steam or request an invite from a Steam friend. Due to its early development stage, game settings, heroes, official rules, etc. are prone to significant alterations during the season.
1. Match Procedure
1.1 Supported Platforms
- PC (Steam Client only)
1.2. Series Lengths
- Best of 1 Preseason and Regular Season
- Best of 3 Playoffs
1.3. Game Lobby
The home team will create the lobby, with settings configured as follows:
- Region (see 1.5. Servers)
- No Bots
- Specify Lane Assignments
- Visible Only to Players
- Duplicate Heroes Disabled
- Experimental Heroes Disabled
- Cheats Disabled
1.4. Hero Bans
Teams will take turns banning heroes from the hero pool available in-game. In the playoffs, the "Home Team" is the higher seed.
- Home team bans 1 hero
- Away team bans 2 heroes
- Home team bans 2 heroes
- Away team bans 1 hero
In a Best of 3, repeat this process before each game. Hero bans do not carry over from previous games.
1.5. Servers
The following servers are permitted for use in official matches:
- US East
- US North Central
- US South East
- US South West
- US West
1.6. Ping Test
If both teams cannot agree on a server, a ping test will be used to determine which server will provide the most balanced ping.
- Both teams will select their specific servers.
- Starting with the Home team’s choice, a test game will be launched so that teams may grab screenshots of their ping once round 1 has started.
- The same step will then be repeated with the away team’s server of choice.
- After both servers have been tested, the teams will compare the ping results and the server that provides the more balanced ping difference will be the server used for the match series.
- If any issues or disagreements arise, the home team must contact an HSEL Administrator via the web widget in the lower right of our website.
- Refusal to abide by the ping test rule can result in disciplinary action being issued by HSEL Administrators.
2. Tournament Rules
2.1. Match Streaming
Schools wishing to use the spectator slot must receive explicit approval from HSEL, becoming a "Verified Broadcaster". Click here to apply for approval to be a "Verified Broadcaster".
If approved, all applicable personnel will receive the "Verified Broadcaster" trophy to feature on their Generation Esports profile. The following steps must be taken prior to the first stream by any verified broadcaster:
- The Organization admin/captain must add the verified broadcaster(s) to any VALORANT game roster that will have a match streamed by the verified broadcaster(s).
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Verified broadcasters must feature their trophy on their GenE profile page. This will ensure that it appears on a match page, for the opposing team's visibility.
- To feature a trophy, click your username in the top right --> "Profile" --> "Edit Profile" --> click on the "Verified Broadcaster" trophy and hit "Save".
Verified Broadcasters are permitted in the spectator slot for the sole purpose of streaming their team’s match to the School’s Twitch or Youtube channel or to record the match. Personnel in the spectator slot may not have any communication with team members while the game is currently being played and must not be a competitor in the match.
All spectator streams must be from their team's player point of view or a 3rd person chase cam. The use of the skybox camera, director camera, or the point of view of another team’s player is prohibited. At the end of the match, the stream vod or an unedited copy of the recording must be shared with the other team in the match chat on the match page.
If any spectator rules are broken, HSEL admins will remove all permissions for streaming. Further infractions will result in removal from the tournament entirely.
2.2. Disabled Heroes and Items
Any heroes or in-game items/actions that are currently disabled in the Normal or Ranked gameplay modes, are prohibited from use in official matches.
2.3. New Heroes
Any new Heroes added to the game are prohibited from use in official HSEL matches for 2 weeks (14 days). This includes Heroes coming from the experimental pool.
While Deadlock is in an early access stage, reworked Heroes are fairly common and will be available for use in official HSEL matches, regardless of the extend of their changes.
3. Stoppage of Play
3.1 Server Disconnects
Player disconnects that occur before the following instances will result in a game reset:
- 3 minutes of game time having passed
- The first lane tower falling
If a player disconnects from the server after the thresholds have been met, another player must pause the game for a minimum of 30 seconds. After 30 seconds, the other team who did not pause can call for an immediate resume of play. Play will resume when a member from both teams has signaled in the game chat they are ready. Live play will continue uninterrupted and the disconnected player may reconnect to the game. Reach out immediately to support via live chat if you suspect abuse of the pause feature.
At least 5 players need to remain and the map needs to be played until the game ends and a winner is decided. If this is not possible due to connection issues, it will be considered a forfeit in favor of the team who is able to have the required number of players in the server. If a team leaves the server during a game without informing their opponent, the team risks forfeiting the match.
3.2 Server Re-hosts
Each team can have the server re-hosted once per match, so long as it has not been longer than 3 minutes in-game time and/or the first lane tower has fallen. In the event that a match is rehosted, each player must select the same settings/heroes as they picked at the start of the original game. If problems persist with regards to a player disconnecting after the server has already been re-hosted, the match will play on.
For issues concerning player disconnections, please contact an HSEL Administrator via the web widget in the lower right of our website.
4. Organization Rosters
Deadlock rosters require a minimum of 6 players and are limited to a maximum of 12 players (6 starting players and 6 substitute players). Rosters that do not meet the minimum or exceed the maximum number of players will not be allowed to participate in official matches until their roster size meets the set requirements. Player substitutions may be made between maps.