IF YOU FOLLOW THIS ORDER OF NEGOTIATIONS EVERY TIME, YOU
WON’T HAVE A PROBLEM. This order was specifically made to STOP disputes before
they start. When the match first begins
you have your chance to ask rank and experience; that is the time to decide to
play the match or back out.
That time has passed when both parties start declaring race
and discussing terms. The key to understand is BOTH parties. So if your
opponent starts spitting out terms right at the beginning, you still can ask
their rank and experience and based on their response decided to not play the
match.
ORDER OF PROPER NEGOTIATION:
Step one:
One party asks another party to play a SL match. This is the
beginning phase of the match negotiation process. During this time rank and
experience of all parties is declared. During this phase any party may decide
not to play the match because they do not wish to play a higher
experience/ranked player.
Step two:
After the rank and experience issues have been resolved we
then proceed to step two. Usually at this step race of both parties is
declared. This is optional, but it is in your best interest to state
races. Remember, you may only ask your
opponents race before any other terms are discussed. During this step the match
is locked in, meaning both parties have agreed to play the match. You may not
decide to leave the match during this step. Also keep in mind YOU MAY NOT
refuse to play the match because of what race your opponent chooses to fly.
Step three:
This stage begins when terms are discussed. Step three is
when BOTH parties begin discussing and responding to terms. Terms be definition
are the following:
Era
BPV
Terrain
Game Speed
Map Size
Step four:
Step four is when both parties have been discussing terms
for over 10 min and both parties cannot come to agreement. In this case either
side can declare a default match. A default match is 1000bpv late era using
tournament cruisers. A tournament cruiser has a "T" designation in
its name, and it is also described in the ship description title when you
select your ship. When you play a default match you may select ANY races
tournament cruisers, regardless of the race you declared at the beginning of
the match.
EXCEPTIONS TO ANY RULE:
Remember both parties can agree to go their separate ways if
they cant agree on terms. This is known as a "Gentlemen's Agreement,"
but keep in mind your opponent must agree to Part Company if you can't agree on
terms.
HANDSHAKES:
These terms, such as "No admin shuttles/no
fighters" are collectively known as handshake agreements. They are not
enforced by SL admins. So if someone breaks the "No admins"
agreement, there is no action you can take against that person except to never
play that person again.
EXAMPLES OF PROPER NEGOIATION:
Player1: Hi want a SL match?
Player2: Sure, what's your rank and exp?
(Player 2 has agreed to the match at this point, but keep in
mind he can still back out if the other player is a higher rank or experience)
Player1: I am rank 4 exp 1
Player2: I am rank 3 exp 1
(This is the moment of decision, both parties can decide to
continue the match or leave at this point)
Player1: Ok, I will be flying Romulan and you?
Player2: I will fly Klingon
(Player2 and Player1 BOTH have just agreed to the match.
Remember when you ask for race you obligate yourself into playing a match. If
player 2 had responded by saying "Your a higher rank then me, I think ill
go elsewhere" he has a legal right to do so, but player2 cannot respond
with terms or he obligates himself to playing that match)
Player1: That sounds good to me. How about 200 late?
Player2: Ok sounds good.
Player1: Ok to recap 200 late speed 7 large map open space.
(They both are in agreement, and then proceed to play the
match)
DISPUTES:
The key to resolving any dispute is having a chat log of
events. When negotiating with your opponent, don't use the microphone. TYPE
your terms suggestions, as it will provide a clear way to help your fleet
officers (rank 8 and above) or SL admins solve disputes. Remember EVIDENCE is
the key to solving any dispute.
If you have a dispute over an SL match and need mediation,
please contact one of your fleet officers.
If you have a dispute over an SL match and cannot come to terms with
your opponent, please contact one of your fleet officers. If you are unsure of the rules, please contact
a fleet officer BEFORE you file a forfeit against your opponent. Your fleet officers will be glad to handle
any dispute for you. If needed, they
will contact an SL admin to settle the dispute.
GOLDEN RULE:
This document was intended to inform players of their rights
and empower them to negotiate in good faith with their opponents. When dealing
with other SL members it is always in your best interest to give the other
player the benefit of the doubt. Unless the other player is being difficult, be
flexible. Be willing to compromise during negotiations, and most of all, be fair.
People remember acts of fair play and kindness. These actions always win the
respect of others.
1) If my opponent and myself cannot agree on terms for a
match can I simply leave?
No, You may not just up and leave. Remember, if terms cannot
be decided in 10 min then either player can call a default match. If you leave
then that constitutes a refusal to play and your opponent can log a forfeit
against you. Of course if you and your opponent agree to Part Company if you
cant agree on terms, then that’s ok. The key factor is your opponent must
agree.
2) What constitutes an agreement to play a match?
Example:
Player1: Do you want to play a SL match?
Player2: Sure
This is NOT a way of accepting a match. Remember until you
declare race or discuss terms a match is not accepted. While he did say he
wanted a match, he isn’t obligated to play until terms are discussed or race is
declared. BOTH parties must discuss terms before there is an obligation to
play.
Here is another example:
Player1: Do you want to play a SL match?
Player2: I’m looking for 200 late.
Player2 just accepted the match, even though he didn’t
specifically say yes. Remember, if someone asks you for a SL match and you
respond with terms you have just accepted that match and you cannot back out
without your opponent’s approval. Remember DON’T discuss terms unless you want
to play.
3) What is a default match?
A Default match is played when both parties cannot agree on
terms. A minimum time period of 10 min must pass before any side calls a
default match. Any side may call a default match after 10 min of negotiating.
Default matches are tournament cruisers played at 1000bpv late era. You may
select any tournament cruiser you desire, from any race. Remember that when a
match goes to default that means that you no longer have to fly the race you
declared. Meaning that if I declared I would fly Klingon in the beginning of
the match and the match goes to default I can now select ANY race tournament
cruiser I desire.
4) Is it illegal to push someone off the map during a game
with a tractor beam?
NO, and no plans are being made to make this tactic
illegal. Furthermore the tactic of
pushing someone into a planet or asteroid will remain LEGAL.
5) I don't like the ruling
an admin made in my case; can I go to another admin and get it appealed? (This
applies in disputes between members and such)
NO, another admin will not change a fellow admins decision. SL
is not a court system and you don't have an appeals right. Black knight of
course is the only exception, he has final say in any matter, but that doesn’t
mean that you have the right to appeal to him every decision. You must have
good cause to ask BK to repeal an admin decision.
6) Does declaring race
constitute a valid acceptance of a match?
Since race is a term by declaring what race you will play in
a battle, you have accepted a match with your opponent. You cannot refuse to
play a match with a player because of what race he wishes to fly. BOTH parties
must declare race in order for the match to be accepted. The same is true for
discussion of BPV.
But remember declaring race in a match negotiation setting
is what will obligate you to play the match. If you simply casually ask what
race the other person is he might think your asking what his fleet race is. YOU
ARE OBLIGATED TO PLAY A SL MATCH WHEN YOU DECLARE RACE ONLY IF YOU ARE IN THE
MATCH NEGOIATION PROCESS. Look at this example:
(Player 1 has started a room title in Mplayer called: SL
1v1)
Player2: enters the room.
Player2: What race are you?
(STOP!!!!! When you enter a room, DON’T just start spitting
out terms, say hello and ASK the other person if they are looking for a
Starlance match. Its considered rude behavior if you just start spitting out
terms. Player1 might think your asking what his fleet’s race is, I know because
I get asked this question all the time. Admins will not tolerate SL members
attempting to trick other SL members into a match. FOLLOW THE ORDER OF
NEGOIATIONS OUTLINED BELOW AND YOU WON’T HAVE THIS PROBLEM!!!!! If your
opponent is not following the proper order, REMIND HIM!)
7) Someone came into my
room and started throwing out terms; he said the rules say I have to play him
because he discussed terms, is this true?
NO, remember BOTH parties must be discussing terms before a
match is considered accepted. So if someone comes into your room and starts
throwing out a term that doesn’t mean you have to play him/her. Remember you only have to play him/her if
you are discussing terms as part of a match negotiation.
Example:
Player2: enters the room.
Player2: I want a 200 late sl battle.
(STOP! As long as you don’t start responding to his terms
you don’t have to play this person. If your not interested, say this:
Player1: Sorry I’m not interested in a SL battle right now
thanks. The rules state that I do not have to play you because you alone threw
out a term.
(There you go.
Problem solved! Likewise when you enter a room, DON’T start throwing out
terms right away! Follow the Order of negotiation process.
8) A player reported a
battle as a Ransom match, but I don’t remember him asking me. Is this legal?
NO, It most certainly is NOT LEGAL. Another player may not report
a battle as a ransom match UNLESS you agree to it and you negotiate the points
for the ransom. ANY player FALSLY reporting a ransom match against another will
be PUNISHED severely. MAKE SURE when you confirm a battle it is not a ransom.
Do this by carefully reading the battle report before you confirm it. If
someone reports a ransom match without your permission then REPORT that match
to SL admins right away. Also, DO NOT confirm it. As with any dispute, make
sure you take chat logs of the event.
9) When will the SL
campaign restart?
This is a touchy issue. The reason why we cannot give firm
estimates when the campaign will resume is because of the strained resources of
the Starlance development staff. Remember, our developers aren’t paid for what
they do, and as such they have real jobs. This means they cannot spend full
time with the development of our campaign. Also, our current developers also
work on the other campaigns of many Starlance leagues. We know you all have
been patient, and we thank you for your continuing support of Starlance.
10) Is sensor hit and
raiding illegal in a Starlance match?
No, however plans are being made to develop a script that
will detect when someone H&R’s your sensors. When this event happens a text
message will appear on the screen informing the player that his sensors were
hit and raided. Until the time this script is available for use, the tactic
will remain legal. At no time is it legal for any Starlance member to refuse to
confirm a match because your opponent used this tactic.
UPDATE: Plans are being made to make this tactic illegal
stay tuned for a league wide email explaining when and how this change will
happen.
12) Mplayer went down for
scheduled maintenance and my opponent filed a forfeit against me, is this
legal?
Yes, while it is legal according to the rules it is
considered very unsportsmanlike. Remember while Mplayer did drop you, it also
dropped your opponent as well. So if he files a forfeit against you, then you
can file a forfeit against him.
A suggestion (meaning this is not a rule): Keep in mind, if
for some reason you are dropped and can’t reconnect to Mplayer, DON’T file a
forfeit against your opponent. Simply email him with a suggested time where you
can play the match again. Don’t always immediately file a forfeit without
understanding the situation. Members who constantly file illegal forfeits can
be disciplined by SL admins. If you treat your opponent with respect you will
almost always be treated with respect in return.
THIS ONLY APPLIES IN SITUATIONS WHEN YOU ARE PLAYING A
BATTLE AND MPLAYER GOES OFFLINE FOR MAINTENANCE OR SOME OTHER NON-FORSEEN
REASON.
13) What exactly is a
drop?
A drop is defined as: When one or more players are
disconnected from the active game environment due to connection problems. Many
of you are aware of the 2-drop rule limit regarding Starlance matches. However,
many aren’t aware of what a drop is. Remember, it’s only a drop when it happens
from the actual game environment. It is not considered a drop when a player
disconnects from the ship selection screen, also known as Space dock. So you
cannot count a drop against a player that has disconnected or has failed to
connect to the ship selection screen.
14) When we negotiated a
match my opponent disconnected from Mplayer BEFORE we could start the game, can
I file a forfeit?
Yes, but follow this guideline:
A) When you agree
to a SL match and you drop BEFORE the battle is fought then you must email your
opponent within 24 hours explaining what happened, and a suggested time that
both of you may replay the battle. (Of course this rule only applies if you
reconnect and your opponent isn’t on Mplayer any longer. If he is online, then
go ahead and fight.
B) If you do not
email your opponent within 24 hours then a valid forfeit can be filed against
you. You may not send a telegram to your opponent; only an email will be
acceptable.
So if someone drops from Mplayer BEFORE you start the match
then you must wait 24 hours before filing a forfeit. If your opponent (the one
that dropped) does not contact you within 24 hours by email, then you are
within your right to file a forfeit against him.
NOTE: If you do file a forfeit against him, please be sure
to email your opponent and his rank 10 to make sure the battle is confirmed.
This only applies in a situation where ONE party has been
disconnected for a large sum of time. Remember, this rule ONLY applies in a
situation where the game has not yet been started and one party is disconnected
for Mplayer for a large amount of time.
15) I can’t seem to view
movie files in the game can you help me?
Yes, there is a bug in the game that prevents proper viewing
of the game movie files. Follow these steps to properly view the movie files:
1) Start up the
single-player version of SFC.
2) Select any
race, and then select Skirmish.
3) Set up a
skirmish, and then proceed to load the game.
4) As soon as the
game starts press the escape key, and then select Quit to main menu.
5) Now once again
select any race, and then select Film Room. Click on the proper film file and
then select Play.
The reason why you must do this process is because you must
first load the ship models in order to properly view game movie files. By
starting up a single-player game, you load those ship models into memory so you
can display them once you play the movie file. You only need to do this process
once, but if you quit SFC you have to do it over again. Also, be sure that the
Auto record option is selected in the Film Room selection screen. Be sure to
keep in mind that movie files must be in the SFC root directory in order to
view them, as the Film Room doesn’t allow you to browse other parts of your
hard drive.
16) If I play a rematch
with an opponent and I agree to the same terms, must I play the same race again
in the rematch?
This is a rather complex question, but I will clarify it
with an example:
(Player 1 and player 2 have just finished a SL match)
Player1: Hey that was a good match; wanna play another SL
match with the same terms?
Player2: Sure.
(GAME is launched and both players proceed to play)
In this situation you have to keep in mind that both players
aren’t obligated to play the same race as they did in the first match, even if
you agree to a rematch using the same terms. If you want to know your
opponent’s race you must first declare your race and then ask him to declare
his. Race isn’t a negotiated term, so you must follow the race declaration rule
every time, even if it’s a rematch using the same terms.
You must always recap terms before the start of any match.
The statement “Same terms” offers no protections under SL rules, as what is
played in one match has no bearing on another. BEFORE you launch the game you
must recap the terms, that way you will be afforded protection under the rules.
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