Forum

3.12 Playoff matches must have maps chosen before matches are about to be played

If one of the 2 teams avoids or doesn’t respond to map picks 36 hours before the match is scheduled. The opposing team will get a map picking advantage. If one of the 2 teams keeps being uncooperative up until 4 hours before the match is scheduled, the other team will get to choose all the maps for the relevant match.

If there is any issues, contact an admin as soon as possible. Use the match comments for any official agreements.

So I am sure that you people have seen this VERY questionable rule and it makes zero sense.

Now the reasoning provided for this is:

While this kind of scenario isn’t commonly seen as a problem in the league, we still do not want to halt players from knowing which maps they would play during any playoff matches.

If it’s not seen as a problem why is a rule needed? This sense of uncertainty makes things more interesting if one of the teams wants to withhold from doing picks/bans. All this rule really does is make teams focus on the playoff maps rather than be ready for a wide variety of maps, showing their depth of Team Fortress 2 skill!

This is not a change anyone asked for (except the baddies who don’t want to be prepared!!)

i honestly think 36 hours would be too much. can they maybe make it shorter to give the teams more time to talk about it and decide?

Quoted from Bloodis

[…]

With Season 27 the Playoff post was done on 8th of July and most first round matches were played on 12th – 13th of July, I don’t see how 3-4 days are not enough to decide what 3 maps you would play in a playoff match.

the point is that you shouldnt be forced to choose maps in advance if you don’t want to

Quoted from DCS

We feel like the team that has the advantage of picking two maps in a BO3 already has the huge benefit of picking 2 maps that they are strong on / they figured their opponents struggle on. The higher seated team, before, could literally pick two maps 30 minutes before the match, abusing and frankly multiplying their already powerful position.

Giving (both teams) 36 hours to prepare should ensure a higher quality of games on average.

I am struggling to see how that is a bad thing.

If a team is weak on a certain map and they did not ban it – they deserve to lose it, no?

This is a reasonable rule. People will be more prepared and higher seed won’t abuse the map pick advantage in the last moment.

It is quite important in highlander where you have a pool of 6 maps that are very different to play.

From my experience, it is hard to get quality pcw’s during playoffs in highlander, and it will feel like a waste if you practice a map and then don’t play it.