FAQ
1. What is Normandy Breakout?
Hosted by GameSpot, this is an online Call of Duty 3 Tournament for the Xbox 360. The Tournament will have 8 teams consisting of 8 players each playing in War mode. The leaders of the two final teams will be flown to GameSpot’s studios in San Francisco for the finals, and the teams will compete live on GameSpot Tournament TV for over $1000 worth of prizes.
2. Who can sign up for Normandy Breakout?
The Tournament is open to GameSpot Total Access subscribers. You must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the 50 United States (including the District of Columbia). For further information about GameSpot's residency requirements for this Tournament, please go to question 39 of this FAQ.
Because this game is played online on the Xbox 360 platform, you are required to have your own Xbox Live account and must be ready to join your match within the time limit given. If you do not have an Xbox Live account or cannot confirm your XBL information upon sign-up, you will not be able to sign up for this Tournament.
Game Server Note: Because this is played online via Xbox Live matchmaking, there is no guarantee that each match will be able to start at the specific time scheduled. All rescheduled matches are at the discretion of the GameSpot admins.
Summary of technical requirements to participate:
1. Xbox 360 with hard drive
2. Call of Duty 3 for the Xbox 360.
3. Stable Internet connection
4. Active Xbox Live Account.
5. At least one available slot on your Xbox Live friends list
3. When is Normandy Breakout?
Registration for Normandy Breakout begins February 7, 2007 and closes on February 12, 2006. All participants must sign up for a player slot during the sign-up period. Participants cannot not be added at any time outside of the registration window.
Below is the complete Tournament schedule. If you have registered for the Tournament, you can verify the date and time of your next match by visiting My Headquarters.
Quarterfinal Round
Monday - February 12, 2007
Match 1 - 2:00 p.m. PT
Match 2 - 4:00 p.m. PT
Match 3 - 6:00 p.m. PT
Match 4 - 8:00 p.m. PT
Semifinal Round
Tuesday - February 13, 2007
Match 1 - 4:00 p.m. PT
Match 2 - 8:00 p.m. PT
Finals
Friday, February 23, 2007
Match starts at 4:00 p.m. PT (TBD*)
*For the finals, the leaders of the two competing teams will be flown to the GameSpot studios in San Francisco to compete with their teams live on air for the top prize. During the final match, we plan to start promptly at 4:00 p.m. PT, and we expect the match to be played within a reasonable schedule. However, exact start times may vary based on the needs of the live GameSpot Tournament TV broadcast.
Should the designated team leader of each finalist team not be able to attend the live taping of Tournament TV, players on the team will have the opportunity to vote for one of the remaining players. The travel prize will be awarded to the first elected team leader available to attend.
4. What should I know before I sign-up?
a) When registration opens, sign up on the GameSpot website for a team. There will be 8 team rosters to choose from, and 64 total player slots. Wait-list slots are also available at the time of registration.
b) The match will be a 20-minute War. Players will also be joined by two GameSpot admins, one on each side. These players will immediately commit suicide and enter the scoring menu so they can view the results of the match without respawning. Please note that these admin players will show within the game. Those players should not be revived, as that would force them to commit suicide once more. Because doing so could potentially affect the score of the game, players should under no circumstance revive a fallen admin player. These players are easy to identify by the “GSadmin” portion of their usernames.
c) To join a match, players will receive a game invite from a GameSpot admin. Players should be connected to Xbox Live and be available to accept the game invite no later than 15 minutes before the match is scheduled to begin. In order for the GameSpot admin to invite you to the match, the admin must add you to his XBL friends list, and you must accept the friend invitation. Be sure you have at least one available slot on your friends list prior to the match.
d) Each team will play a round as Axis and a round as Allied. Odd-numbered teams will play the first round as Allies, and the even-numbered team will play as Axis; for the second round, the factions will be reversed. The score limit will be set to 200, and the timer will be set to 20 minutes. If a team wins both rounds, it will be declared the winner. If each team should win a round, a 5-minute tie-breaking War will be played, with a score limit set at 50. Sides in the tiebreaker will be chosen by a coin toss.
e) Each team is restricted to a maximum 2 players sharing the same kit. Teams should organize themselves in advance to decide who will be playing with which kit.
f) The team leaders of each team will be flown to the GameSpot offices in San Francisco for the live Tournament TV broadcast on February 23.
g) There are no "group signups"; it is a first-come, first-served situation. If you would like to get all of your friends on the same team as you, we advise that you plan ahead and sign up together when registration opens.
h) Tournament registration will require that you use your GameSpot username. Here are some helpful suggestions to consider prior to registration:
- Decide the team you want to join
- Discuss with potential teammates the time you want to play in your preliminary match
- Plan ahead with your potential teammates to sign up together when registration opens
- Choose a particular team name or preferred individual number and provide it to the GameSpot admins (more details follow under "team names")
i) GameSpot will not be involved with any movement of players after they have signed up for a particular spot. If you want to switch places with another player, you will need to do so at your own risk. GameSpot cannot guarantee you a position in an official team roster if you decide to utilize the "withdraw" button. GameSpot will not be responsible for players who give up their spots voluntarily, due to promises made by other non-GameSpot admins. If you have questions about losing your spot in the Tournament, please contact the GameSpot admins at gameadmin@gamespot.com before relinquishing your spot.
j) Sign-ups are limited to one slot per person. You may not use multiple GameSpot usernames and/or Xbox Live gamertags to enroll yourself in more than one slot within a Tournament. Players found to be disrupting the Tournament format in this manner will be immediately disqualified with no recourse for themselves.
k)In the event that the leader of either team is unable to attend the live taping of Tournament TV, an alternate format for choosing the winning team will be utilized as follows:
- The finals will be held prior to the scheduled Tournament TV episode on Wednesday, February 21, at 6PM PT, utilizing the same game settings as the Quarterfinal and Semifinal rounds.
- The Tournament winner will play a special GameSpot team in a bonus match for the taping of Tournament TV. The format for this bonus match will be the same as in the Quarterfinal and Semifinal rounds.
5. What are the Tournament settings?
Match Type: Unranked
Game Type: War
Score Limit: 200
Time Limit: 20
Team Damage: Enable
Auto Team Balance: Disable
Punish System: Disable
6. What maps will be played?
Poisson
a) Once you have registered for a timeslot, use the "vote for leader" option in GameSpot My Headquarters. Your designated leader will continue to set up your team structure and be the single point of contact for GameSpot to communicate with your team. Note: It is not required that all players choose a leader, but the ones who do are more likely to get a leader they desire.
Should the designated team leader of each finalist team not be able to attend the live taping of Tournament TV, players on the team will have the opportunity to vote for one of the remaining players. The travel prize will be awarded to the first elected team leader available to attend.
b) Team Names will initially be called "Team 1, Team 2, etc..." until the team leaders have contacted the GameSpot admins with their preferred team name that we will utilize as their team name for this Tournament. If a team fails to provide the GameSpot admins with a team name by the start of competition, the GameSpot admin has the right to name the team whatever is fitting or appropriate.
c) Keep an eye on your Team roster. If anyone withdraws from your timeslot, make sure you have waitlisted players before registration closes. Post a message in the GameSpot Tournaments forum for other players to join your timeslot. Wait-listed players are also considered substitutes and will be allowed to replace players during the Tournament, provided that a rostered player is not able to compete in a match or round. Please note: When a substitute replaces a player on the roster, this removes the rostered player's rights to the confirmed roster.
8. What is the format and guidelines for a given match?
a) The designated team leader of your match MUST join the GameSpot Tournament chat at least 15 minutes before your match is to begin. If the designated team leader of your team does not appear for roll call at LEAST 15 minutes BEFORE your scheduled match time, your team may be disqualified with no recourse for yourself or your teammates. Disqualification for being late is at the sole discretion of the GameSpot admins.
b) Call of Duty 3 does not feature a pre-game lobby. Once the game is created, invited players may freely enter the in-progress game. Once both teams are assembled and have entered the game, the GameSpot admin will announce via Xbox Live voice chat and in the tournament players chat that the game is about to begin. At this time, the map will be restarted, and the match will begin.
c) It is important that all members of a team be ready and prepared before their match begins. GameSpot cannot make exceptions for participants who are unprepared.
d) GameSpot recommends that each team determines a communication method to discuss strategies, work out team roster details, etc.
Note for designated team leaders: Once you have joined the GameSpot Tournament chat, you will receive additional instructions from the GameSpot admins. After the Tournament has concluded, all team communications and functions will rest solely on the designated team leader and players. GameSpot assumes no responsibility for any actions or situations that arise within the team after the Tournament has ended.
In this tournament, the team leaders of the two final teams will be flown to the GameSpot studios in San Francisco to play the final match. The final match will be broadcast live on GameSpot Tournament TV on Friday, February 23. Team leaders should prepare to be available for travel that day, as well as Thursday, February 22 and Saturday, February 24. If you are unable to travel to San Francisco and participate in the live broadcast, you should inform your teammates prior to team leader elections if at all possible. If you are elected team leader and are unable to participate in the live event, you should inform GameSpot immediately via email at gameadmin@gamespot.com.
Should you be unable to attend the live taping of Tournament TV, players on the team will have the opportunity to vote for one of the remaining players. The travel prize will be awarded to the first elected team leader available to attend.
e) Getting into the game: When it is time for your match, you will check in through GameSpot’s My Headquarters, log into chat, and simply wait for a GameSpot admin to tell you when you can join the game. The GameSpot admins may assist you in assuring you are on the correct team. Make sure you know the GameSpot username for all of your teammates so that you can easily place yourself on the appropriate team and save the GameSpot admins time preparing the match.
9. What other restrictions are there?
a. Any disorderly behavior disqualifies contestants from participation, finals, or prizes. GameSpot admins are the final arbiters in all situations, and they have the final say in every situation; this includes Tournament chat. Please refrain from using harassing, negative, or profane language in either the Tournament chat or the game instance.
b. No cheats or hacks of any kind are to be used. Players will be disqualified if they are caught using any cheat or 3rd party "helper" applications.
c. c. Taking advantage of known exploits in the game is also considered cheating. Exploits in the game could be a variety of things, such as bugs that allow you to hide under obstacles or objects in the game to gain invulnerability. If a GameSpot admin finds that you are cheating, you will be disqualified from the Tournament immediately with no recourse for yourself.
d. Each team is restricted to a maximum 2 players sharing the same kit. Teams should organize themselves in advance to decide who will be playing with which kit.
e. These rules are subject to change at any time. If any changes to the rules occur, you will be notified through email, there will be a post in the Tournament news page, and a Tournament forum post. Depending on the circumstance, a time stamp will be also be on any Web pages that have been revised.
10. . What are the prizes for the winners?
1st Place: Each member of the 1st place team will receive a $120 gift card for Best Buy (approximate retail value (“ARV”) $960). In addition, the designated team leader of each finalist team will receive one travel package to San Francisco, California to participate in the live taping of the Tournament TV finals. Package will include one roundtrip economy class plane ticket (from the nearest major continental U.S. city to the San Francisco International Airport) (approximate retail value (“ARV”) $450), and two night single occupancy hotel accommodations (room rate and related taxes only) (ARV $400) (Total ARV of each travel prize = $850) (Total ARV of all prizes = $2660.00)
11. I've registered for the Tournament. What do I do next?
You will receive an e-mail confirming your registration and time slot. It will also contain instructions for your next match. You must check in on the Tournament site before your time slot. Read on for more details about the check-in process.
12. Do I have to be in a Call of Duty 3 clan to sign up in this Tournament?
Every Total Access subscriber has a chance to sign up for the Tournament and to create or be part of his or her own team. You are not required to know everyone on the team you choose; however, we do feel it is in your best interest to find people whom you know fairly well for the best competitive experience. For more information about how teams are formed, read question 16 below.
13. Will there be a seeding process?
No, the Tournament will not have a seeding method. Scheduled matches will be automatically determined as current matches are played.
14. How are you scoring the Tournament?
The match is a 20-minute War. The game assigns a winner at the end of each round based on score. Each team will play a round as Axis and a round as Allied. If a team wins both rounds, it will be declared the winner. If each team should win a round, a 5-minute tie-breaking War will be played, with a score limit set at 50. Sides will be chosen by a coin toss.
Scoring note: Please note that two admin players will show within the game, one on each team. Those players should not be revived, as that would force them to commit suicide once more. Because doing so could potentially affect the score of the game, players should under no circumstance revive a fallen admin player. These players are easy to identify by the “GSadmin” portion of their usernames.
15. What if there is a tie?
In the unlikely event of a tie for a particular round, a replacement round will be immediately played with the same settings as the one that resulted in a tie. If each team should win a round, a 5-minute tie-breaking War will be played, with a score limit set at 50. Sides will be chosen by a coin toss.
16. What is a roster?
A roster is formed when a group of individuals register and fill up a time slot in a GameSpot Tournament. Members of the team may or may not already know each other. A person who is on the waiting list for a team has the opportunity to join if someone from the team does not show up for or cannot attend a particular match. To practice or discuss strategies, the team has the capability of communicating through GameSpot's My Headquarters. Wait-listers can be called upon by the team leader at any time during the event as substitutes.
17. What is the difference between a wait-lister and a substitute?
In this Tournament, GameSpot is treating wait-listed players and substitutes as the same. Substitutes will be allowed to replace players during the Tournament, provided that a rostered player is not able to compete in a match or round.
18. Can our team freely swap out players with substitute players?
When a substitute replaces a player on the roster, this removes the rostered player's rights to the team. A substitute who is added to the roster is then considered a confirmed teammate. This means that the new replacement has all rights to continue the Tournament, and the teammate removed no longer has these rights. If a player is removed from a roster, the player can join another team as a substitute. However, a player from a team that is eliminated in the Tournament is not allowed to join another team as a substitute thereafter. If any teammate harasses a new replacement from the roster, Tournament staff must be involved and notified by the new replacement. However, freely swapping out players isn't beneficial for a team. If your team wins the final match, only the players on the current roster will be able to receive a prize. No substitutes/wait-listers or former confirmed players will be eligible for any prizes, even if they played all matches during the Tournament but did not participate in the final match.
19. Will each team get a chance to warm up before their match?
No. The private match will be created 15 minutes before each match. At this time, the GameSpot admins will have roll call. There is no warm-up time, so practice plenty before you accept the game invite.
20. What are the steps to join the match?
a. Load up Call of Duty 3.
b. You will receive a friend invite (if this is your first match in the Tournament) and a game invite from GSAdmin1. Note that you may receive the friend invite up to a day in advance of the Quarterfinal match.
To accept the invites, access your messages by pressing the center controller button and selecting the messages button. Here, you may accept the friend and game invites.
c. After accepting the game invite, you will enter the game. Call of Duty 3 does not feature a pre-game lobby. Once the game is created, invited players may freely enter the game in progress. Once both teams are assembled and have entered the game, the GameSpot admin will announce via Xbox Live voice chat and in the tournament players chat that the game is about to begin. At this time, the map will be restarted, and the match will begin.
Xbox Live Note: Please ensure that your friends list (which will hold a maximum of 100 Gamertags) has at least one open slot before each match, as the GameSpot admin will need to add you as a "friend". This will avoid possible delays in the start time for each match.
21. I am in a clan, but none of my clan mates are GameSpot Total Access subscribers. What can I do?
There is one GameSpot subscription per individual. Therefore, each clan mate who wishes to participate in this Tournament (or any subsequent Tournaments) must already have a monthly or annual Total Access [link to http://www.gamespot.com/signup/index.php?case=ta] subscription.
22. What happens if some of my teammates don't show up for a match?
If your team does not consist of at least 4 players for any given match, and there are no substitutes available, you and your team will be disqualified from the Tournament. Therefore, it is extremely important that you communicate and practice with your team and ensure you are communicating with all substitutes in case anything should come up for a teammate.
23. Are no-shows during the final match still eligible for the prize?
Even if you are on the confirmed team roster, if you do not show up and participate in the final match, you will not be eligible for the prize.
24. If I do not show up for a match, can I still play in the finals if my team is still competing?
We encourage all players to play during their assigned matches. However, when a substitute replaces a player on the roster, this removes the rostered player's rights to the roster.
25.If I get disconnected, may a substitute take my place?
No. If you can reconnect to the game instance before the match finishes, you can continue to play on with your confirmed team. If a confirmed team has fewer than 4 players on their team available in the game, the team will have no more than 5 minutes to ensure that at least 4 confirmed players for their team are in the game. No substitutes from outside the confirmed team will be accepted after a match has begun. If more than 4 players are disconnected from the game on each opposing team, the match may be rescheduled based on the GameSpot admin’s discretion.
26. What type of servers will I play on?
GameSpot will not provide any server functionality during this Tournament, as it is played through the Xbox Live matchmaking system. GameSpot is not responsible for lag, connectivity issues, or anything else related to your online experience during this Tournament.
27. Can I use voice or text chat during the match?
Yes, you may use Xbox Live’s built-in voice functionality. However, it should only be used during the match to communicate to your teammates. Any misuse of XBL voice chat as described elsewhere in this FAQ, such as using profane language or communicating gameplay information to members of the opposing team, will result in the offending player’s disqualification.
28. How do I check in for my next match?
To participate, you must check in at least 15 minutes before your assigned time slot. To check in, make sure you are logged in to GameSpot.com, then simply visit the My Headquarters page in the Tournament area and click on the "Check in" button to let us know that you're ready to play. You'll then see instructions on how to enter the GameSpot chat channel for roll call. Late arrivals and no-shows will give up their time slots to those on the waiting list. NO EXCEPTIONS! Official GameSpot admins will be identified by their green font to their name in Tournament chat.
29. Can I use a name other than my GameSpot profile user name?
The name you register under on the Tournament page is your GameSpot user name. This is tied to your GameSpot Total Access subscription and you must have this to register. Once you register, you will have a chance to insert your Xbox Live gamertag on the Tournament page.
30.If I am put on the waiting list, how will I know if I am able to get in the Tournament?
You will receive an e-mail stating that you are able to participate. Because many Tournament players do not show up for their matches, you should always show up and sign in during roll call for the time slot requested, even if you are only on the waiting list. This will ensure you maximum visibility to GameSpot admins who may be seeking a replacement for your time slot. NOTE: When you check in, make sure to join chat and let the GameSpot admins know you are there. There are situations when GameSpot admins are looking for replacements who are in Tournament chat, but they are AFK or unavailable. If you want to participate, the best thing for you to do is be available.
31. What do I need to do during roll call?
We have an automated roll call system that will allow you to sign in to notify us of your arrival. The earliest you can check in is 60 minutes before your time slot. If you are on the waiting list, you will also need to sign in through My Headquarters to let us know you are available.
32. Do I have the option to choose my time slot for the Semifinals or Finals?
In order to keep the Tournament process consistent, you will not be able to pick a time slot after your confirmed team plays in the Quarterfinal round.
33. Is there a loser's bracket?
There will not be a loser's bracket in this Tournament.
34. What happens if I make it into the later rounds, but don't show up on time?
If you want to be a part of this competition, attendance and timeliness are required. If you do not show up on time for a scheduled match, you will be disqualified and ineligible to win any prizes. An opponent scheduled to face a disqualified contestant (one who did not show up or was somehow otherwise disqualified) will be granted a win for the match.
35. How are you preventing players from cheating?
As the game is for the Xbox 360 platform and played via Xbox Live, it would be very difficult to cheat. Players are expected to play and communicate with honor.
36. How do I report someone breaking the rules?
Should you have any dispute with the results of the match, the way it was handled, or any administration issue with the method in which the match was carried out, the rules or the actual event itself, you have 48 hours from the end of the Finals to submit your query. Your inquiry should include why you are disputing the match, other players involved in the dispute, the performance you have a problem with and any accompanying video or demo recording, and any other pertinent data or proof to corroborate your claim. Any dispute requests must be sent to gameadmin@gamespot.com. Dispute requests received 48 hours or more after the Finals has closed will be disregarded.
37. Will this Tournament affect my online ranking?
No. The match is unranked and will therefore not affect your status on the Call of Duty 3 leaderboard.
38. Can I get a copy of the video GameSpot records of my match?
No. GameSpot cannot make available match footage for any events other than the Finals, which are always archived on the site for users to download after the event has concluded. Please do not ask GameSpot admins for copies of the video footage from your match, as it is not possible for them to make this available to you at this time.
39. Why is this Tournament for U.S. and Canadian residents only?
Because each country has its own laws regarding sweepstakes, Tournaments and contests, we're only able to include U.S. and Canadian residents (other than residents of Quebec) for this specific event. Regarding Quebec residents in particular, this province has very stringent rules governing the types of Tournaments, contests and sweepstakes that occur in Quebec (or which residents of Quebec can participate). These include required filing fees, French-translated documents and certain documentation, which would be overly burdensome for CNET Networks to provide for our events. However, we're always looking for new benefits that all of our subscribers can enjoy. Each Tournament may have different requirements so stay tuned for future events.
- Activision
- Treyarch
- Historic First-Person...
- Release: Nov 7, 2006 »
- ESRB: Teen
