1. What is MotorStorm™ Tournament Challenge?
Hosted by GameSpot, MotorStorm™ Tournament Challenge is an online MotorStorm tournament for the PlayStation 3 platform. The tournament will feature 80 players competing for the top prize.

2. Who can sign up for MotorStorm™ Tournament Challenge?

The tournament is open to GameSpot Total Access subscribers. You must be 18 years of age or older and a resident of the United States or Canada (excluding Quebec) to participate. For further information about GameSpot's residency requirements for this tournament, please go to question 32 of this FAQ.

Because this game is played online on the PlayStation 3 platform, you are required to have your own PlayStation Network account and be ready to join the tournament with your race within the time limit given. If you do not have a PlayStation Network account or cannot confirm your PSN information upon sign-up, you will not be able to sign up for this tournament.

Game Server Note: Because this is played online via PlayStation Network game servers, there is no guarantee that each race will be able to start at the specific time they are listed. All rescheduled matches are at the discretion of the GameSpot Admins.

Summary of technical requirements to participate:
1. PlayStation 3
2. PlayStation 3 controller
3. PlayStation Network account
4. Internet connection
5. MotorStorm for the PlayStation 3

3. When is MotorStorm™ Tournament Challenge?
Below is the complete tournament schedule. If you have registered for the tournament, you can verify the date and time of your next race by visiting GameSpot's My Headquarters.

Day 1 - Monday, May 7th, 2007

Qualifiers. The top five players from each race move on to the Quarterfinal round.
Race 1 - 1:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 2 - 2:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 3 - 3:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 4 - 4:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 5 - 5:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 6 - 6:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 7 - 7:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 8 - 8:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)

Day 2 - Wednesday, May 9th, 2007

Quarterfinal Round. The top five players from each race move on to the Semifinal round.
Race 1 - 1:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 2 - 2:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 3 - 3:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 4 - 4:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)

Semifinal Round. The top five players from each race move on to the Finale.
Race 1 - 5:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)
Race 2 - 6:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)

Day 3 - Friday, May 18th, 2007

Race Finale - 4:00 p.m. PT - (10 players)

* For the finals, the four racers with the lowest cumulative race time in the Semifinal Round will be flow to the GameSpot studios in San Francisco to compete with the other six finalists 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 any of the top four racers from the Semifinal Round not be able to attend the live taping of Tournament TV, the player with the next best time will be chosen. The travel prize will be awarded to the players with the four lowest cumulative race times in the Semifinal Round available to attend.

4. What should I know before I sign-up?

Here is some helpful information you may want to consider prior to registration:

a. Each race will include ten players competing against each other. In the Qualifiers, Quarterfinal Round, and Semifinal Round, players will also be joined by a GameSpot Admin, who will be host the match and be present within the game in order to verify race results. This player will move out of the way as soon as possible to avoid collisions or any other disruptions. While every effort will be made to avoid disruption, minor contact between a player vehicle and the GameSpot Admin vehicle is not sufficient reason to replay the race. Disputes arising over minor contact between player vehicles and the GameSpot Admin vehicle within the Qualifying, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal rounds will be ignored. All racers should make every reasonable effort to avoid contact with the Admin vehicle. Replays based on any major disruption or for any other reason are purely at the discretion of the GameSpot Admin. Unless communicated otherwise by the Admin, race results are final.

b. To join a race, players must be added to the GameSpot Admin’s PSN friends list. Players should load up MotorStorm, be connected to the PlayStation Network, and be able to enter the race instance no later than 15 minutes before the race is scheduled to begin. In order for you to enter the race, the Admin must add you to his PSN 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 race.

c. There are no reserved sign-ups; it is a first-come, first-served situation. 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 GameSpot Admins at gameadmin@gamespot.com before relinquishing your spot.

d. If you do not show up to participate in any race for which you are scheduled, you forfeit your place within the tournament and cannot compete in any other races.

e. The four racers with the lowest cumulative race time in the Semifinal Round will be flown to the GameSpot studios in San Francisco to compete with the other six finalists live on air for the top prize.

5.. What is the race format?

Each match will consist of a total of five races on five different tracks. The GameSpot Admin will host each match and remain within the race instance to observe final times. Once all five races are complete, the times from each race will be added together. The five players with the lowest cumulative time will progress to the next round.

6. What are the tournament settings?
Race #1:
Game Name: GameSpot
Course: Raingod Mesa
Vehicle Selection: Bikes, Buggies, Rally Cars
Number of Laps: 5
Ambience: Afternoon
Catch-Up: Off
Friends Only: Yes

Race #2:
Game Name: GameSpot
Course: The Grizzly
Vehicle Selection: ATVs, Racing Trucks, Mud Pluggers, Big Rigs
Number of Laps: 5
Ambience: Morning
Catch-Up: Off
Friends Only: Yes

Race #3:
Game Name: GameSpot
Course: Rock Hopper
Vehicle Selection: Bikes, ATVs, Buggies, Racing Trucks
Number of Laps: 5
Ambience: Sunset
Catch-Up: Off
Friends Only: Yes

Race #4:
Game Name: GameSpot
Course: Tenderizer
Vehicle Selection: ATVs, Buggies, Mud Pluggers
Number of Laps: 5
Ambience: Misty
Catch-Up: Off
Friends Only: Yes

Race #5:
Game Name: GameSpot
Course: Dust Devil
Vehicle Selection: Bikes, ATVs, Buggies, Rally Cars, Racing Trucks, Mud Pluggers, Big Rigs
Number of Laps: 5
Ambience: Afternoon
Catch-Up: Off
Friends Only: Yes

7. Will there be a seeding process?

Yes. The seeding process will automatically assign racers to the next round based on their performance in the prior race.

8. How are you scoring the tournament?

The five players in each round with the lowest cumulative time will progress to the next round. If the race is finished before the game assigns you a finish time, you will be assigned a finish time by the GameSpot Admin. That finish time will be the time of the racer with the greatest finishing time assigned by the game, with one minute added to it.

9. What tracks will be played?
Race #1: Raingod Mesa
Race #2: The Grizzly
Race #3: Rock Hopper
Race #4: Tenderizer
Race #5: Dust Devil

10. What if there is a tie?

In the unlikely event of a tie that affects which players continue to the next round, or that affects prize winnings in the race finale, the players involved will race in a tiebreaker round with the following settings:

Game Name: GameSpot
Course: Dust Devil
Vehicle Selection: Bikes, ATVs, Buggies, Rally Cars, Racing Trucks, Mud Pluggers, Big Rigs
Number of Laps: 2
Ambience: Afternoon
Catch-Up: Off
Friends Only: Yes

The winner of this match will be the winner of the tiebreaker.

11. What other restrictions are there?

a. Any disorderly behavior, disputes, or harassment against any GameSpot Admins will disqualify a contestant 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 or changes to the rules as stated below in section f.

b. Please refrain from using harassing, negative, or profane language in either the Tournament Chat or the game instance.

c. 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.

d. Taking advantage of known exploits in the game is also considered cheating. Exploits in the game could be a variety of things. If GameSpot Admins find that you are cheating, you will be disqualified from the tournament immediately with no recourse for yourself.

e. These rules are subject to change at any time. If any changes to the rules occur, you will be notified through the Tournament news page and a Tournament forum post; a time stamp will be on any tournament Web pages that have been revised. It is required that all participants review either the GameSpot Tournament forum or Tournament announcement page for such notices. GameSpot will not be responsible for players who do not review and make themselves aware of updates that are posted publicly and related to any changes to the official rules. f. Tournament slots are limited to one slot per person. You may not sign up for more than one slot using separate GameSpot Total Access accounts.

12. What are the prizes for the winners?

1st Place - The 1st place winner from the Finale will receive a $1000 gift card to Best Buy (approximate retail value ("ARV") $1000).

In addition, the four players with the lowest cumulative race times from the Semifinal Round 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") $600), and one night single occupancy hotel accommodations (room rate and related taxes only) (ARV $250) (Total ARV of each travel prize = $850) (Total ARV of all prizes = $4400.00)

13. What do I need to do during roll call?

We have an automated roll-call system that will let you 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 to let us know you are available to participate immediately.

14. I've registered for the Tournament. What do I do next?

You will receive an e-mail message from us confirming your registration and time slot. It will also contain instructions for your next race. Note: You must check in to My Headquarters at least 15 minutes prior to scheduled time slot. Read on for more details about the check-in process.

15. How do I check in for my next race?

To participate, you must check in for roll call 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 room 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 with their name listed in green in Tournament Chat.

16. Will each player get a chance to warm up before their race?

No, it is recommended that you practice prior to your scheduled race. You must be in test-drive mode and prepared to join the race instance no sooner than 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start

17. What are the steps to join the race?

a. You will receive a friend invite (if this is your first race in the tournament) from gamespot1. Note that you may receive the friend invite up to a day in advance of the Qualifier race.

b. To accept the invite, access your messages from your PlayStation 3 message box. Here, you may accept the friend invite.

c. After accepting the friend invite, load up MotorStorm.

d. Select Online to enter the online portion of the game. Select Buddies, which will bring up a list of available games hosted by players on your friends list. Choose the game labeled "GameSpot" to enter the race instance.

e. After each race is completed, you will automatically drop back to the game lobby. The GameSpot Admin will change the setting and start the next race of the match. PlayStation Network Note: It is imperative that your friends list has at least one open slot before each race and that you accept the friend invite from the GameSpot Admin. Unless you follow these steps, you will not be able to enter the race.

18. What happens if drivers don't show up for the race?

No shows may be replaced by waitlisted players. In the event that fewer than ten players are available, the race will still continue as scheduled, and the top five players will advance. Should only five players be available to race, they will need to participate in the race for scoring purposes but they will automatically advance. In the unlikely occurrence that fewer than five racers are available for a race, they will automatically advance, and a waitlist player or player from another match with a low time score may be assigned a spot in the next round.

19. What is a waitlisted player or a substitute?

In this tournament, GameSpot is treating wait-listed players and substitutes as the same. At any time during the Qualifier through Semifinal races, a current player can be replaced with the one from the waitlist.

20. What if I get disconnected during my scheduled race?

If you are disconnected from the match due to technical difficulties on behalf of the GameSpot Admin, the race will be restarted without negative consequence for the players. If you are disconnected due to any other reason, such as internet difficulties or player-side technical problems, and can then not participate in the race, you will be disqualified from the tournament. You cannot rejoin a race if you are disconnected from it.

21. . What type of servers will I play on?

GameSpot will not provide any server functionality during this tournament, as it is played through the PlayStation Network online system. GameSpot is not responsible for lag, connectivity issues, or anything else related to your online experience during this tournament.

22. Can I use voice chat during the race?

As this is not a team event, voice chat is not a requirement. You may speak with the other racers using PSN voice chat, but all chat must meet the guidelines described in this FAQ. GameSpot Admins may not be available through voice chat through PSN; you MUST be in GameSpot’s chatroom to discuss any concerns to the Admin at any time.

23. 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 PlayStation Network username into your profile on the Tournament page. Your PSN username in MotorStorm must match the PSN username you registered with in the tournament, or you will be removed from the tournament.

24. 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 players may not show up for their races, 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 and players 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 and live players know you are there. There are situations when GameSpot Admins are looking for replacements who are in Tournament Chat but are AFK or unavailable. If you want to participate, the best thing for you to do is be available.

25. Do I have the option to choose my scheduled race for rounds after the Qualifier Race?

To keep the tournament process consistent, you will not be able to pick a time slot after your confirmed match in the Qualifier races.

26. What happens if I make it into the later rounds but don't show up on time?

No. If you can reconnect to the game instance before the match finishes, you can continue to play with your confirmed team. If a confirmed team has fewer than 2 players on their team available in the game, the team will have no more than 3 minutes to ensure that at least 2 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 fewer than 2 players are remain in the game on each opposing team due to disconnections, the match may be rescheduled based on the GameSpot admin’s discretion.

27. How are you preventing players from cheating?

Because this is a PlayStation 3 tournament, there is very little room for cheating from programs or 3rd-party helpers.

28. What if I have a dispute about the race?

Should you have any dispute with the results of the race, the way it was handled, or any administration issue with the method in which the race was carried out, the rules or the actual event itself, you have 48 hours from the end of the final race to submit your query. Your inquiry should include why you are disputing the race, other drivers 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 a final event has closed will be disregarded.

Disputes arising over minor contact between player vehicles and the GameSpot Admin vehicle within the Qualifying, Quarterfinal, and Semifinal rounds will be ignored. All racers should make every reasonable effort to avoid contact with the Admin vehicle. Replays based on any major disruption or for any other reason are purely at the discretion of the GameSpot Admin. Unless communicated otherwise by the Admin, race results are final.

29. How do I report someone breaking the rules?

You can send an e-mail to gameadmin@gamespot.com explaining your situation, the nature of your complaint, and any pertinent information that would help the GameSpot Admins of this tournament make a decision on your complaint.

30. . Will this tournament affect my online ranking?

Your races within the Tournament will be tracked for statistics as they would for any other race, and could potentially affect your placement on the MotorStorm leaderboards.

31. What if no one is available to attend the live taping of Tournament TV?

Should none of the final ten players be available for the live taping of tournament TV, they will instead be joined by two Admin racers, who will race alongside the others for purposes of viewer spectating in the Tournament TV broadcast. While these Admin players’ results will not be included in race time tallies, they will be a physical part of the race and consequently will affect the race as any other racer would. Disputes based on collisions or other standard events that occur in the Race Finale as a matter of course will be disregarded. Official race results are final.

32. Why is this tournament for U.S. 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 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