This article explains the ins and outs of various competitive structures currently able to be run on the Generation Esports platform, along with tiebreaker logic used to determine leaderboard standing.
Modified Swiss
- Pre-scheduled matches, typically created each week.
- Matches up players/teams by similar skill, using MMR (Matchmaking Rating).
- Matches can be found on the Generation Esports dashboard under the following:
- Today's Play Times
- Future Play Times
- Match History (completed matches)
Queue System
- Players/Teams enter into a matchmaking pool within a designated window of time.
- The matchmaking window is typically 10 minutes.
- Matchmaking factors in relative "skill" (MMR) of the currently active matchmaking pool of players/teams that have entered.
- Matchups are created in real-time at the end of a 10-minute matchmaking window.
- Read more about the queue system HERE.
- Matchmaking window(s) can be found on the Generation Esports dashboard under the following:
- Today's Play Times
Round Robin
- Registered players/teams are put into groups.
- Matches are pre-scheduled. Competitors will have their entire season scheduled in advance.
- Competitors will play each person in their group once at a minimum.
- Could play more if deemed necessary (i.e.) tiebreakers, double/triple round robin.
- Matches can be found on the Generation Esports dashboard under the following:
- Today's Play Times
- Future Play Times
- Match History (for completed matches)
Single Elimination (Knockout)
- Generally used for playoffs/post-season stages.
- Competitors are put into a bracket with predetermined round times.
- Lose once, and that player/team will be eliminated.
- Upcoming rounds and respective matchups can be viewed on the game's tournament page under the playoff bracket or "Matches" tab.
GSL Groups
- Generally used at the beginning of a playoffs/postseason stage.
- Competitors are put into a 2-sided bracket with a Group "A" and "B".
- Round days & times are predetermined.
- Lose once, and that player/team will be put into a "lower bracket".
- Losing in the lower bracket results in elimination from the tournament.
- GSL acts as a feeder bracket into (most commonly) a single elimination knockout stage.
- (eg.) An 8-team GSL Group bracket would involve 2 groups of 4, playing through a double elimination bracket. Instead of playing a "Grand Finals" match, the winners of both Groups' Upper & Lower Finals move on to the next stage of postseason play.
- GSL has an advantage over straight single elimination due to granting teams "2 lives" in the bracket. The advantage against a straight double-elimination format is that GSL takes less time to complete.
Double Elimination
- Generally used for playoffs/post-season stages.
- Competitors are put into a bracket with predetermined round times.
- Lose once, and that player/team will be put into a "lower bracket".
- Losing in the lower bracket results in elimination from the tournament.
- Upcoming rounds for upper/lower brackets and respective matchups can be viewed on the game's tournament page under the playoff bracket or "Matches" tab.
- Grand Finals (the last match) will be between the Upper Bracket and Lower Bracket finalists.
What is a bracket reset?
- In the grand finals of a double-elimination tournament, one of the two teams/players competing (the one coming from the upper bracket) has not yet lost a match. A “bracket reset” occurs when the result of the grand finals match is a loss for the previously-undefeated team, and another series is played (since in the case of double elimination, teams are not fully eliminated until they have lost twice).
Example of a double-elimination bracket:
Tiebreaker Logic for Leaderboards
- The tiebreaker system is run as a tiered protocol whenever a head-to-head match result is submitted. The tiers are as follows:
- Wins. (Forfeit wins and bye wins are scored as a 0-0 win)
- Head-to-head record. (If exactly 2 participants are tied and have played each other, their head-to-head result(s) against each other will be considered)
- Overall game win percentage. (e.g., winning a match 3-0 is better than 3-2)
- (Applicable games only): round differential. (Example: A team with 15 rounds won, and 10 rounds lost will have a round differential of +5. A higher positive value is better)
- Higher opponents’ game win percentage. (e.g., it is better to beat an opponent who consistently won 3-0 than 3-2)
- Fewer forfeit losses.
- Fewer bye wins.
- The team which had a higher number of wins before their first loss.
- If the first loss is received after the same number of wins, then the team which lost to the stronger opponent (as defined by game win percentage) will be ranked higher.