Upcoming Docs Improvements

It's been a bit since we've made any docs updates, but we have more to come! For now, however, you can see the main changes below, separated into Headline Changes, Smaller Changes and Miscellaneous Changes/Fixes. We're always looking to improve the docs, and we feel a big part of that is the integrity of them. In the spirit of this, we are looking into potential forms of Update Tracking or Version Control, allowing players to see what has changed with each update. We feel this will go a long way to give everyone peace of mind when it comes to the integrity of our rulesets.

Poll Results

If you have not already seen the poll results, we'll link both below. We urge you to give them a look and give this post a read as well as there are changes here that players have been asking for.

Headline Changes

• (Global) Forward/Backward and Resupply Binds are now fully legal within ozfortress.
  • This update was really a long time coming, as it was not consistently enforced in previous seasons. Whilst this only largely affects Sixes, this change is universal and under our Global Ruleset.
  • This change does not take into account the current state of whatever you are playing, meaning that if you have sticky traps set, any medigun charge, or engineer buildings placed, you can still use your bind.
• (Global) Remedied the Sticky Trap rule under 6.1.2. Game Mechanic Exploits to the following:
  • Hiding sticky grenades (AKA "stickies") or engineer buildings inside of props or geometry where they cannot be destroyed by normal means (any class, out of the map, etc.) due to differences in their visual and physical collisions is considered an exploit. - This now means that as long as the trap can be cleared by normal means, it is legal.
• (Global) Added 3.4.1. Team Starting Side rule dictates that in Regular Season matches the Away team will decide the team colour they want to play. In Playoffs matches, the team who did not pick the map will be able to pick their team colour to start on. This is in an attempt to make Playoff matches fairer by further eliminating any advantage in the Pick/Ban order.
• (Global) Added 1.7.1 Claiming a Forfeit rule (finally) which dictates the process to claim a forfeit when in an official match.
• (Sixes) The results of the Sixes Post-Season Poll indicated players wanted to see the 24-hour Playoffs Pick/Ban completion requirement. Since Highlander was already using the same rule, it has now been applied globally to seasonal leagues.
• (Sixes) Updated Sixes Pick/Bans for BO5 and corrected the unneeded ban mistake.
• (Highlander) Per the results of the Highlander Post-Season Poll, the Playable Match Days for Highlander have moved to Wednesday - Sunday, as opposed to the Tuesday - Saturday match days of the past. With this change, the Default Match Day that we may default matches to in the event of failure to schedule is now Saturday. Additionally, the deadline for scheduling is now Thursday 11:59PM AEST/AEDT. For Transfer dates, see the Transfer Windows linked on the league page.
  • Updated the Highlander scheduling everywhere.
  • 44.4% of people who voted in the poll favoured matches being played from Wednesday to Sunday with only 25% of participants wanting to keep matches being played from Tuesday to Saturday.
• (Highlander) Pick/Ban order in the ruleset is now properly updated to reflect what was run last season and will be run this season. Pick/Bans are remaining the same as last season as over 50% of players voted to keep it the same.
• (Highlander) Added Stopwatch ABBA to the rules under 1.4, along with which divisions are required to play ABBA by default. All divisions can opt into the opposite of their default if both teams agree.
  • We are aware that there was some confusion around playing matches with the ABBA rule in effect last season, so we want to make it as clear as possible to avoid any confusion this season.
    • Premier and Intermediate: For both Premier and Intermediate, the ABBA rule is on by default.
    • Main and Open: For both main and open the ABBA rule is off by default.

Smaller Changes

• New/updated docs.ozfortress.com pages:
  • Added a "Join Us!" staff recruitment page which details some of the base expectations for us and for you, what roles we're looking to fill and more.
  • LAN Downunder Ruleset is now visible and updated ready for LAN Downunder 2023. For those attending, we hope you have a great time!
  • Updated Transfers page for Highlander schedule changes.
  • Updated the Server Configs page to include BBall, and updated it to reference the Improved Round Timer plugin.
  • Updated the Self-Managed Servers guide to link to all of the required plugins.
• Infractions Changes:
  • Not necessarily a change, more of a clarification. Added a notice regarding when an Infraction becomes active, which is from when it is issued, not when a report against an offender was made.
  • Added two disclaimers regarding evidence for reports:
    1. Evidence in reports should be hosted on links or file-sharing services that will not expire. If you are concerned about storage on personal file-sharing services, reach out to the Head of the Behaviour Panel or the General Head Administrator to ask if you are safe to free up that space.
    2. Infraction Evidence Expiry Window - This is something we've always observed, but we're making it clear publicly on the ruleset page that we will only act on reports containing evidence within the last six months. This affords possible offenders an opportunity to change in the long run. Please note, we can make exceptions if need be, but exceptions in the past have been exceedingly rare.
  • Repeated delays in Match Organisation infraction has been updated to now include the 24-hour Playoffs Pick/Ban completion requirement which was in the Sixes Post-Season Poll and has already been in Highlander for some time now.
    • Failing to complete Playoff match Pick/Bans 24 hours prior to the scheduled match time/day
      • Please note: As per the stipulation of the base infraction, this infraction will only be used in repeated cases of this behaviour from teams.
• Other changes:
  • 3.2. Organisational Responsibilities updated:
    • All official matches from now on require either a captain or a player nominated to act in a captaincy capacity by a captain. We've done this to ensure all official matches have a point of contact and someone to take the lead and responsibility over the team that match night. Please note, this does not mean they are fully liable for their team in a match.
  • 2.3. Team Eligibility Requirements updated:
    • Minimum rostered players required in the server lowered from seven to six to reflect mercenary rules.
  • Added 1.14. Game Client Updates - This is just purely for peace of mind and provides some structure for what to do in the event of a game update affecting matchplay.
  • Added 4.1.1. POV Demo storage requirements - Players need to keep their personal POV Demo files for at minimum two seasons after their recorded date for the purpose of Demo Checking, outlined in 4.1.2. Demo Checking. Failure to do so will result in a Fail to provide POV Demo files penalty, incurring a 2-Round Match Ban.
  • Added 4.1.2. Demo Checking - Whilst the entire contents of this rule already existed, we just wanted to collate this into the same area.
  • Added disclaimer to Page Playoff section of the Global Ruleset to let players know that some teams do end up playing more matches in Page Playoffs (teams who do not win Upper Page for example), because of this the ladder isn't accurate in this situation. All match generation for Playoffs goes off the match order of Page Playoffs, rather than relying on the ladder. If you win Upper Page, you will always proceed to Grand Finals.
  • Removed the duplicate Spectators rule in the Global Ruleset, leaving only an updated 4.2. Spectators rule.
  • Updated 4.3. Pausing rule to properly reflect how we treat the Pausing rule, for example changing the wording to "Pauses during a match are allowed for any reason teams see fit excluding the following scenario", that scenario being pausing at the beginning of a match to get a player in after readying up without that player.
  • Added 2.2.1. Game Client Eligibility, which for now only contains the maximum client interp (interpolation) setting allowed on servers running the StAC/Steph's AntiCheat plugin. This maximum value is set at 0.100ms.
  • Updated the Mercenary Manipulation section of the Mercenary rules in the Global Ruleset to make our intentions when judging mercenary requests during disputes. All requests should be taken seriously, as such all requests will be taken seriously by administrators.
  • Updated Mercenary Validity & Requirements rule to stipulate that any mercenary requested to fill in for a player needs to be within 150 ping, same as any in-region ozfortress player.
  • Transfer Window Limits added to the Global Ruleset. Transfer Window Limits were trialled in past seasons and are now finally being added to the ruleset. There is no limit on transferring out players, nor will it count towards the limit of transferring in players, which is set at two for Sixes, and three for Highlander.
  • Updated 1.10. Out-of-Region Teams and Players to stipulate that out-of-region teams have to fall under the Ping Limit.
  • Added 4.1. Map Gamemode Standards to both the Sixes and Highlander rulesets, which lists the win conditions, requirements and what each gamemode is.
  • Updated the Class Limits for both the Sixes and Highlander rulesets to be clearer than they originally were.
• Updates to Game Modifications & Game Mechanic Exploits sections:
  • Updates regarding the Sticky Trap/Engineer buildings rule and Respawn-related scripts can be found under Headline Changes.
  • Added Removal/minimization of weapon sounds or particles (eg. transparent flame particles).

Miscellaneous Changes/Fixes

• Fixed broken Bans link on Community Guidelines page.
• Removed Discord reporting references on our Support page to remove any more confusion.
• Fixed the "Learn how to make a report" button on the Infractions ruleset page.
• Updated 2.8. Exclusions to the correct infractions ruleset link.
• Fixed list formatting throughout the docs website where it may have been broken previously (eg. the Game Modification & Game Exploits sections).

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