STREET FIGHTER III: 3rd Strike –  TOURNAMENT RULES AND REGULATIONS

Definitions

1. Bracket: flowchart of who plays whom in a tournament.
2. Game:  single match between two players in a bracket.
3. Round: unit of measurement used to decide a game.
4. Set: number of games to advance in a bracket.

General Rules

1. Title: Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike
2. Platform: Arcade (CP System III hardware on cabinet)
3. Format: Double-elimination
4. Sets: 2 out of 3 games (Winners, Losers, and Grand Finals are 3 out of 5 games)
5. No game-breaking glitches or bugs that cause the game to freeze, reset, or make the game unplayable for both players
6. Gill is banned
7. Judgement in effect

Set Procedure

Each set prior to Winners Finals, Losers Finals, and Grand Finals shall be two (2) out of three (3) games (first player to record 2 wins shall be declared the winner). Sets for Winners, Losers, and Grand Finals shall be three (3) out of five (5) games.

Choosing Sides

Both players must agree on which side of the setup they wish to play on (either 1p or 2p) prior to the start of their set. If an agreement cannot be reached, a coin toss by a bracket manager or tournament organizer shall decide which player plays on which side.

Choosing Characters

Once the Character Select screen appears, both players may choose their character whenever they wish. This is known in the Fighting Game Community as “standard selection.” However, a player may request “double-blind selection,” which means that the player and their opponent must disclose their picks in secret to a bracket manager or tournament organizer.

Both players must agree to double-blind selection. If an agreement cannot be reached, a coin toss by a bracket manager or tournament organizer shall decide which method shall be used, either standard or double-blind, for choosing characters.

Playing the Set

Once players have selected their sides and characters, their set shall be contested under the following rules:

1. The set is over when either player wins the required number of games.
2. Once a player has won the required number of games, the winner of the set should report their score to a bracket manager or tournament organizer. 
3. A player who loses a game may switch sides, but the player who wins the game must stay on the same side if the losing player does not wish to switch.
4. A player who loses a game may switch characters and/or supers, but the player who wins the game must keep the same character. The winning player must also keep the same Super Art unless the losing player switches characters and/or supers.

Game Settings

Every setup must run 3rd Strike on default damage level and timer speed (the value for both settings is set to 2 by default), and each game should be set to best two (2) out of three (3) rounds.

Arcade

Setups with CP System III (CPS-3) hardware must run the Revision 990512 (any region) version of 3rd Strike with NO hacks, mods, or changes to the ROM. Such hacks, mods, or changes may include unlocking secret modes or unplayable characters, palette swaps, or anything else that alters the default mechanics or presentation of the game.

CPS-3 setups must also set 3rd Strike to Event Mode during tournament play.

Controllers

Players must use the built-in arcade (joystick and button) controls.

Violations

It is the responsibility of the players to detect all rule violations and equipment malfunctions and report them to a bracket manager or tournament organizer. When a player suspects that such a violation or malfunction has occurred, the player should stop playing immediately, put aside their controller (if any) without unplugging it, move away from the setup, and call for a stoppage in play to report the issue.

Rule violations and equipment malfunctions must be reported at the time they occur, or they will be ignored, and under no circumstances may a player pause, reset, or freeze the game in the middle of a set to report a violation or malfunction. Players who mis-report an issue shall forfeit the game.

Bracket managers and tournament organizers may also report rule violations and equipment malfunctions on behalf of the players and may stop play at any point during a set in order to address such issues. If a bracket manager or tournament organizer mis-reports a violation or malfunction in the middle of a round, that round will be replayed under conditions similar to when the round started.

Stoppages

If, at any point during a round, a stoppage occurs due to a legitimate equipment malfunction, that round must be replayed under conditions similar to when the round started unless both players agree to restart the game. In PS4 tournaments, the player who pauses the game during a round shall forfeit the game regardless of whether the pause was intentional or not.

One exception to this rule is when a stoppage occurs during a move or animation that, if left uninterrupted, results in the end of the round. This condition is known in the Fighting Game Community as “Inevitable Defeat.” When this condition is met, neither player gets penalized and the set resumes as normal.

Disqualifications

Players may be disqualified for violating overall TooManyGames Rules. A player who gets disqualified is marked as having lost their next set by DQ and is eliminated from the tournament while their opponent advances in the bracket.

Actions that may also result in a disqualification include, but are not limited to:

1. Failing to check in or to show up ready to play when the set is called.
2. Tampering with tournament equipment.
3. Colluding with others to manipulate the outcome of the tournament.