Emerald City Pinball League Rules
2023 Changes:
- All ties that impact qualifying for A or B division are played off with a 1-game tiebreaker.
- Playing an extra ball (your own or another player's) is no longer an automatic DQ for the offending player if it was unintentional. Both the player playing the EB and the player who left the machine while they had an EB will receive a warning. A 2nd infraction in a single night is an automatic 4th place for that game for either player. (Note: Intent is to be determined ONLY by league officials or tournament directors)
- Games played during a meeting increased from five to six.
- Machine selection now standardized; lowest score no longer forced to pick a 2nd or 3rd game. Player 1 always picks, and machine selection always rotates each game.
- Player limit of 52 per meeting. Guests only allowed if less than 52 members are in attendance by 7 pm.
- C Division added for #25 - #32 ranked players; no impact on final standings.
- Repeated instances of leaving before your games are done is now considered player misconduct and are subject to warnings and/or suspensions of at least one meeting.
Regular Season Format
We meet 6 times during the regular season. At each meeting, players will be placed into groups of 4 (or 3, when necessary) and play 6 games. Matchmaking is balanced across all league meets, meaning it is highly unlikely you will play in the same group as another player more than once during the 6 league meetings.
Each player will choose at least one machine per meeting. Machine selection and play order rotate after each game; whoever is listed as player one for a given game selects the machine. For four-player groups, this means two players will each get to select two machines a meeting, and two players will get to select one. For three-player groups, each player will select two machines. The same machine may not be played twice within a group, unless all other machines are taken.
You earn league points each meeting and we combine your scores from the best five meets for your total score at the end of the regular season. (Each player's lowest meet score is dropped.)
One person per group will be designated scorekeeper and be responsible for their group's result in Match Play. They will record places (1st through 4th) and which machine was played after every game. The scorekeeper will then suggest results via Match Play, to be approved by the tournament director. It is the responsibility of the entire group that the submitted results are accurate.
Members need to attend three or more of our regular season meetings to count in our final standings. If attendance must be limited for any reason (COVID-19 restrictions, venue capacity, etc.) priority will be given to players who have paid full dues and have good attendance records. Players must attend three meetings or more to be included in the final IFPA results.
Scoring
The winner of each machine gets 7 points, second place gets 5 points, third place gets 3 points and fourth place gets 1 point. For example, if Mira wins on Ghostbusters and Attack From Mars, gets second place on Genie, third place on Doctor Who & Cheetah, and last on Whirlwind, she will earn (7+7+5+3+3+1) 26 points for the evening.
If the number of participants are not evenly divided by 4, some groups will consist of 3 players. The winner of each game in this smaller group gets 7 points, second place gets 4 points and third place gets 1 point. In the very rare instance of a 2-player group, the winner will receive 7 points and the loser will receive 1.
The maximum score for a league night is 42 points. The minimum score for playing all six games is 6 points.
Tardy players
If you are going to be late to a meeting, that's okay, just let a friend know and have them alert league officials about it. (Please don't do this unless you're only going to miss 1-2 games.) The deadline to get registered is when we launch the event in Matchplay. If your name was not registered at that time, you are ineligible to play that meeting.
Once a late player arrives, they will enter their drawn group. Should the late player arrive when the other 3 players have already begun play on a machine, he/she will receive a zero for that machine. The other 3 players will receive points as if they had been a 3-player group for each such occasion. For example: Should the tardy player arrive in time only to play 2 games, only those two games will be scored as 4-player groups. The previous 3 games will be scored as 3-player groups.
If a player is not present for any of their games once groups have been drawn, they will receive a score of zero; the other 3 players will receive points as if they had been a 3-player group in this occasion as well. For example: a group of four plays two games, but then a player leaves and does not return. This player receives a zero for the remaining three games, and the other three players play their remaining games as a 3-player group in terms of scoring.
Disqualifications
A player who plays out of turn, or does something else to earn a disqualification will receive last place and 1 point for that machine. For more details, see the ‘’Player Conduct’’ section below.
Postseason Format
There are two different playoff divisions. In theory, the top 24 players at the end of the regular season make up the two different divisions. However, to be eligible for the B or C-Division playoffs, you must attend at least 4 of our regular season meetings. This is to help ensure that highly-ranked players don’t take up spots in this division simply by not showing up at meetings, colloquially referred to as the Jeff Monroe Sandbag Rule. (Please note that the B-division playoffs will only take place if there are at least 30 eligible postseason players.)
- The top 12 players are qualified for the A-division playoffs.
- Players ranked 13-24 qualify for the B-division playoffs. (If player has attended 4 or more regular season meets.)
- All players in each division are assigned a ‘’seed’’, based on their regular-season standing. For example, the 3rd-highest league point total overall is the #3 seed in the A-division playoffs. The 23rd-highest league point total overall is the #11 seed in the B-division playoffs.
- If two or more players have identical season scores at the end of the season, and that tie impacts who advances to the A or B-Division playoffs, all impacted players must play a one-game tiebreaker. If one or more players impacted are not in attendance during the 6th league meeting, the player(s) in attendance will be given the higher seed.
For A-Division
- There will be 3 different rounds: Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals.
- Scoring will be 7/5/3/1 or 7/4/1 in the rare case of a 3-player group.
- Players are not allowed to pick the same machine more than once during the entire playoffs unless they have already chosen all available machines. Choose wisely!
- Players may pick a machine that is being used only if the current match is on their last ball, just like the regular season.
Quarterfinals
- Seeds 1-4 receive a 1st-round bye into the semifinals.
- Seeds 5-12 will be divided into 2 groups of 4 players:
Group A: Seeds 5, 8, 9, 12
Group B: Seeds 6, 7, 10, 11
- Each group will play 3 games, with the top-3 seeds each having the option to select one machine. The highest seed can opt to select the machine for game 1, 2, or 3, or choose not to select a machine. The 2nd & 3rd-highest seeds each get a choice as well (game or defer, if possible). Play order will follow a similar pattern to regular league play: if you pick the machine, you go first. For example: #5 seed selects the machine and is player one. #8 seed is then player two, #9 is player three, etc.
- The top 2 players from each group will move on to the Semifinals.
- The bottom 2 players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere between 9th - 12th place in the league's final standings based on their point total.
- Ties that impact whether or not the involved players will make it to the semifinals will be settled by a 1 game tiebreaker. The higher-seeded player will get the choice of machine or playing order. (Note: A game selected in a tiebreaker scenario cannot be selected by that player again, and cannot be a game they have previously selected.)
Semifinals (Elite Eight)
- The semifinals groups are as follows:
1. #1 seed, #4 seed, Highest-seeded QF, Lowest-seeded QF
2. #2 seed, #3 seed, 2nd-seeded QF, 3rd-seeded QF
- The same rules apply during this round: each group plays three games, with machines selected by the top 3 seeds in each group, unless one defers.
- The top 2 players from each group move on to the finals.
- The bottom 2 players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere from 5th - 8th place in the league's final standings based on their point total.
- Ties that impact whether or not the involved players will make it to the finals will be settled by a 1 game tiebreaker. The higher-seeded player will get the choice of machine or playing order.
Finals (Final Four)
The 4 remaining players will play three more games, with the top 3 seeds again each selecting a machine, unless one defers. Each players score after three games determines places 1st - 4th, with any tiebreakers being determined by one game, selected by the higher seed.
For B-Division
B-Division is very similar to A-Division in almost every regard. Seeds 17-24 will be divided into the two groups of four players, with seeds 13-16 receiving a 1st-round bye into the B-Division semifinals:
Group A: Seeds 17, 20, 21, 24
Group B: Seeds 18, 19, 22, 23
3 games are played in each group as described above in the quarterfinals section. The bottom two players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere from 21st - 24th in the league's final standings. The top two players from each group reach the B-Division semifinals, where seeds 13-16 enter the field. The B-Division semis are played in the following groups:
Group #1: #13 seed, #16 seed, Highest-seeded QF, Lowest-seeded QF
Group #2: #14 seed, #15 seed, 2nd-seeded QF, 3rd-seeded QF
- The same rules apply during this round: each group plays three games, with machines selected by the top 3 seeds in each group.
- The top 2 players from each group move on to the finals.
- The bottom 2 players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere from 17th - 20th place in the league's final standings based on their point total.
The 4 remaining players will play three more games, with the top 3 seeds again each selecting a machine. Each players score after three games determines places 13th - 16th, with any tiebreakers being determined by one game, selected by the higher seed.
General Rules & Regulations
Extra Balls
- We do not play extra balls as a time saving mechanism. A player cannot press any buttons once an extra ball is in play. This includes flipper buttons, action buttons, plunger buttons, and any other button. Nudging IS permitted, but a player does so at their own risk; even an inadvertent button press may result in a warning for that game, subject to league officials' discretion. Here is what you can do pre and post-launch during an extra ball:
Pre-launch: Unlimited lane changing is fine, as well as multiple plunge attempts, unless the plunger is a button. If the ball has not qualified the playfield, plunge attempts are still permitted. Should the ball return to the plunger lane, you are now free to perform normal pre-launch actions. Same thing if you lock a ball with a skillful plunge and a new ball appears in the plunger lane. This does not apply when the ball returns during an automatic ball save.
Post-launch: A player may nudge the machine while the ball is in play. No button can be pressed for any reason once a ball is in play. This does apply to video modes, so while a video mode may start, you can’t navigate your way through a maze.
Please help each other out by reminding the player who is about to launch the extra ball of this rule. While some places may consider this "tampering", we feel that is absolute nonsense and runs counter to the spirit of community we try to foster in our league. Holding your tongue as a fellow league member is about to play an extra ball inadvertently is conduct not befitting a member of Emerald City Pinball League.
Beneficial Malfunctions
Any beneficial malfunction which results in a player being able to continue play of a ball that normally should have ended is normally, or score points in a manner they should not have been able to, is allowed once per game. Examples of this would include an unexpected software ball save, a ball that bounces back into play without player action, or a ball that comes to rest on an unlit kickback in the outlane (which will lead to a ball search, kicking the ball back into play).
Any such occurrence shall not be allowed if it repeats, meaning that league officials may require players to start a new game on a new machine, at league officials' discretion.
Stuck balls
A stuck ball is an unmovable ball that is trapped by any object in the machine that isn’t in control by a player. If the stuck ball has not been freed after three ball searches, or if the machine is not performing searches for some reason, the player must alert a league official. The player must remain alert and at the machine, as he or she is responsible for the ball if it becomes freed at any point.
In situations where a ball is trapped in a way that it can be released through player action other than shaking or bumping – for example, a ball at rest underneath a flipper which the player controls – this is generally not deemed to be a stuck ball, but part of skillful play.
If a ball becomes stuck during a multiball mode, the player must attempt to trap the other ball(s) in play and request assistance. A stuck ball during multiball often represents a significant beneficial malfunction, and intentionally taking advantage may result in a penalty.
A league official may initially choose to try to free the stuck ball through judicious nudging, tapping, etc. The player must remain ready to resume play at the machine during this attempt. If actions by the official result in a Tilt, this will be treated as a major malfunction and a compensation ball may be awarded. If the official frees the ball but the player does not successfully continue play, this is normal play (the fault of the player). Loss of Tilt warnings due to league official nudging is considered normal play.
If the league official is unable to free the stuck ball, the machine will be opened if possible, and the stuck ball removed and placed on either upraised flipper, with the flipper button held by the player. If this is not possible, it will be placed in the shooter lane.
Any player who chooses to shake or bump the machine in order to free a stuck ball does so at his or her own risk. No allowance will be made for a player who tilts while attempting to free a stuck ball, whether or not league officials are present.
Any ball that comes to rest in an outlane, where any portion of the ball is below the outlane post, is not deemed a stuck ball.
Since it is impossible to cover every situation that may occur in competitive pinball, it is at the discretion of the commissioner, tournament director, and officials to make rulings to the best of their ability if a situation is not covered by these rules.
Final authority for any ruling, including rulings that contradict or vacate anything written in this document, rests with the commissioner of the ECPL or any of his/her agents. Further rules may be needed regarding malfunctions. In this case, our league goes by the IFPA/PAPA Tournament Rules, which can be found at https://www.ifpapinball.com/menu/rules/
Player Conduct
The purpose of this section is to help players better understand certain rules and the rulings made by officials during the tournament, as well as help officials penalize poor player conduct and breaking of rules. Player conduct has to be sportsmanlike and if it isn’t, it will be acknowledged and penalized.
All players are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner. Loud outbursts, especially those including curse words, are not something we want in this league. Conduct including but not limited to: distracting other players by yelling, slamming and/or moving the machine will not be tolerated. Think of how distracting it is when this happens on a game next to you. People react to the intensity of playing in different ways but need to be considerate of the other participants.
Any player who behaves rudely or in an inappropriate manner towards any player, scorekeeper, or tournament official may be warned, disqualified, and/or ejected from the facility.
Should a player not adhere to these guidelines, they may be warned, disqualified, or banned from participating in future events.
Be ready to play
Whenever a match starts, the players are expected to be in the vicinity of the machine that is being played. It creates unnecessary delays and irritation when players leave their match to attend to personal business. Should this happen, it is the responsibility of the other players in the match to notify tournament officials, who will then take action. The official may plunge the offender’s ball, give a warning, or disqualify the player from the match/tournament for repeated offenses. Any player who has an emergency should notify a tournament official, so that accommodations may be made.
Leaving before your group is finished with its games (without a compelling reason) constitutes a warning. A second offense results in a final warning. A third offense will see a player suspended for the following league meeting. Subsequent offenses may result in a season-long suspension or permanent ban.
Abuse of Machines
Tilt sensors are employed to determine what constitutes rough handling of each machine within the parameters of normal play. Abusive handling such as punching, kicking, lifting, tipping, or rocking a machine, or hitting the glass in any way, is grounds for a warning and possible disqualification of game or ejection from the tournament, at the discretion of tournament officials or location employees.
Interference, Collusion, and Cheating
Any player who knowingly interferes with tournament play or otherwise disrupts the tournament setting will be warned and/or ejected from the meeting, at the discretion of tournament officials.
Any form of cheating, including game restarts, tampering with games, tampering with recorded results, scorekeeper intimidation or collusion, or anything else not covered here, will be addressed by tournament officials as needed, including disqualification and/or ejection from the meeting.
Death Saves & Bangbacks
Techniques known as “Death Saves” and “Bangbacks” are sometimes employed by players. These techniques are banned from tournament play. In the event that a drained ball bounces back into play without deliberate or significant player action, the ball may be played. This may require a ruling from tournament officials if there appears to be abusive force employed by the player.
Description of Levels of Misconduct/Offenses
Please note that league officials will keep track of player offenses throughout each season to the best of their abilities. By playing in any Emerald City Pinball League event, you agree that league officials and representatives or location employees reserve the right to disqualify, eject, suspend, or ban players at any time for any reasons that may or may not be listed below.
Warning: This is given for minor offenses, accidents, and misunderstandings. Accidental interference with a player, a first-offense outburst, delay of game, or other offenses as determined by series officials. Inadvertently playing an extra ball is a warning during the first offense. Warnings can be fairly common. Multiple warnings at a single event or over the course of a season may lead to an ejection.
Disqualification: A disqualification automatically ensures the guilty party scores a ‘1’ on the current game. Any form of cheating, deliberate interference with a player, abuse of machines (including death saves / bangbacks) intentionally playing an extra ball, tilting another player’s game in any way, and playing out of turn are examples of action typically warranting disqualification.
Ejection: An ejection bars a player from further competition during that league meeting or tournament. It also ensures that the offending player not only is disqualified from their current game, but receives the lowest score or placement possible in the current round. Players with multiple warnings and/or disqualifications, misconduct such as harassment, fighting, violence, extreme disturbances, or other actions as determined by league officials or location employees or management.
Suspension: A suspension bars a player from participating in a set number of league meetings, as determined by league officials and/or venue staff. This is used in the case of chronic disregard for the rules and/or disdain for one's fellow players. A player with their second ejection of a season is automatically suspended for the next league meeting.
Ban: If a player is banned, they are no longer permitted to participate in any league meetings, events, or gatherings for the duration of the current season. In extreme cases, an individual may receive a permanent ban, which extends to all future league events and meetings. Please note that venue management obviously reserves the right to suspend or ban players from their location, and that decision is outside the scope of our league.
Questions or comments? Email us at [email protected].
2023 Changes:
- All ties that impact qualifying for A or B division are played off with a 1-game tiebreaker.
- Playing an extra ball (your own or another player's) is no longer an automatic DQ for the offending player if it was unintentional. Both the player playing the EB and the player who left the machine while they had an EB will receive a warning. A 2nd infraction in a single night is an automatic 4th place for that game for either player. (Note: Intent is to be determined ONLY by league officials or tournament directors)
- Games played during a meeting increased from five to six.
- Machine selection now standardized; lowest score no longer forced to pick a 2nd or 3rd game. Player 1 always picks, and machine selection always rotates each game.
- Player limit of 52 per meeting. Guests only allowed if less than 52 members are in attendance by 7 pm.
- C Division added for #25 - #32 ranked players; no impact on final standings.
- Repeated instances of leaving before your games are done is now considered player misconduct and are subject to warnings and/or suspensions of at least one meeting.
Regular Season Format
We meet 6 times during the regular season. At each meeting, players will be placed into groups of 4 (or 3, when necessary) and play 6 games. Matchmaking is balanced across all league meets, meaning it is highly unlikely you will play in the same group as another player more than once during the 6 league meetings.
Each player will choose at least one machine per meeting. Machine selection and play order rotate after each game; whoever is listed as player one for a given game selects the machine. For four-player groups, this means two players will each get to select two machines a meeting, and two players will get to select one. For three-player groups, each player will select two machines. The same machine may not be played twice within a group, unless all other machines are taken.
You earn league points each meeting and we combine your scores from the best five meets for your total score at the end of the regular season. (Each player's lowest meet score is dropped.)
One person per group will be designated scorekeeper and be responsible for their group's result in Match Play. They will record places (1st through 4th) and which machine was played after every game. The scorekeeper will then suggest results via Match Play, to be approved by the tournament director. It is the responsibility of the entire group that the submitted results are accurate.
Members need to attend three or more of our regular season meetings to count in our final standings. If attendance must be limited for any reason (COVID-19 restrictions, venue capacity, etc.) priority will be given to players who have paid full dues and have good attendance records. Players must attend three meetings or more to be included in the final IFPA results.
Scoring
The winner of each machine gets 7 points, second place gets 5 points, third place gets 3 points and fourth place gets 1 point. For example, if Mira wins on Ghostbusters and Attack From Mars, gets second place on Genie, third place on Doctor Who & Cheetah, and last on Whirlwind, she will earn (7+7+5+3+3+1) 26 points for the evening.
If the number of participants are not evenly divided by 4, some groups will consist of 3 players. The winner of each game in this smaller group gets 7 points, second place gets 4 points and third place gets 1 point. In the very rare instance of a 2-player group, the winner will receive 7 points and the loser will receive 1.
The maximum score for a league night is 42 points. The minimum score for playing all six games is 6 points.
Tardy players
If you are going to be late to a meeting, that's okay, just let a friend know and have them alert league officials about it. (Please don't do this unless you're only going to miss 1-2 games.) The deadline to get registered is when we launch the event in Matchplay. If your name was not registered at that time, you are ineligible to play that meeting.
Once a late player arrives, they will enter their drawn group. Should the late player arrive when the other 3 players have already begun play on a machine, he/she will receive a zero for that machine. The other 3 players will receive points as if they had been a 3-player group for each such occasion. For example: Should the tardy player arrive in time only to play 2 games, only those two games will be scored as 4-player groups. The previous 3 games will be scored as 3-player groups.
If a player is not present for any of their games once groups have been drawn, they will receive a score of zero; the other 3 players will receive points as if they had been a 3-player group in this occasion as well. For example: a group of four plays two games, but then a player leaves and does not return. This player receives a zero for the remaining three games, and the other three players play their remaining games as a 3-player group in terms of scoring.
Disqualifications
A player who plays out of turn, or does something else to earn a disqualification will receive last place and 1 point for that machine. For more details, see the ‘’Player Conduct’’ section below.
Postseason Format
There are two different playoff divisions. In theory, the top 24 players at the end of the regular season make up the two different divisions. However, to be eligible for the B or C-Division playoffs, you must attend at least 4 of our regular season meetings. This is to help ensure that highly-ranked players don’t take up spots in this division simply by not showing up at meetings, colloquially referred to as the Jeff Monroe Sandbag Rule. (Please note that the B-division playoffs will only take place if there are at least 30 eligible postseason players.)
- The top 12 players are qualified for the A-division playoffs.
- Players ranked 13-24 qualify for the B-division playoffs. (If player has attended 4 or more regular season meets.)
- All players in each division are assigned a ‘’seed’’, based on their regular-season standing. For example, the 3rd-highest league point total overall is the #3 seed in the A-division playoffs. The 23rd-highest league point total overall is the #11 seed in the B-division playoffs.
- If two or more players have identical season scores at the end of the season, and that tie impacts who advances to the A or B-Division playoffs, all impacted players must play a one-game tiebreaker. If one or more players impacted are not in attendance during the 6th league meeting, the player(s) in attendance will be given the higher seed.
For A-Division
- There will be 3 different rounds: Quarterfinals, Semifinals, and Finals.
- Scoring will be 7/5/3/1 or 7/4/1 in the rare case of a 3-player group.
- Players are not allowed to pick the same machine more than once during the entire playoffs unless they have already chosen all available machines. Choose wisely!
- Players may pick a machine that is being used only if the current match is on their last ball, just like the regular season.
Quarterfinals
- Seeds 1-4 receive a 1st-round bye into the semifinals.
- Seeds 5-12 will be divided into 2 groups of 4 players:
Group A: Seeds 5, 8, 9, 12
Group B: Seeds 6, 7, 10, 11
- Each group will play 3 games, with the top-3 seeds each having the option to select one machine. The highest seed can opt to select the machine for game 1, 2, or 3, or choose not to select a machine. The 2nd & 3rd-highest seeds each get a choice as well (game or defer, if possible). Play order will follow a similar pattern to regular league play: if you pick the machine, you go first. For example: #5 seed selects the machine and is player one. #8 seed is then player two, #9 is player three, etc.
- The top 2 players from each group will move on to the Semifinals.
- The bottom 2 players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere between 9th - 12th place in the league's final standings based on their point total.
- Ties that impact whether or not the involved players will make it to the semifinals will be settled by a 1 game tiebreaker. The higher-seeded player will get the choice of machine or playing order. (Note: A game selected in a tiebreaker scenario cannot be selected by that player again, and cannot be a game they have previously selected.)
Semifinals (Elite Eight)
- The semifinals groups are as follows:
1. #1 seed, #4 seed, Highest-seeded QF, Lowest-seeded QF
2. #2 seed, #3 seed, 2nd-seeded QF, 3rd-seeded QF
- The same rules apply during this round: each group plays three games, with machines selected by the top 3 seeds in each group, unless one defers.
- The top 2 players from each group move on to the finals.
- The bottom 2 players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere from 5th - 8th place in the league's final standings based on their point total.
- Ties that impact whether or not the involved players will make it to the finals will be settled by a 1 game tiebreaker. The higher-seeded player will get the choice of machine or playing order.
Finals (Final Four)
The 4 remaining players will play three more games, with the top 3 seeds again each selecting a machine, unless one defers. Each players score after three games determines places 1st - 4th, with any tiebreakers being determined by one game, selected by the higher seed.
For B-Division
B-Division is very similar to A-Division in almost every regard. Seeds 17-24 will be divided into the two groups of four players, with seeds 13-16 receiving a 1st-round bye into the B-Division semifinals:
Group A: Seeds 17, 20, 21, 24
Group B: Seeds 18, 19, 22, 23
3 games are played in each group as described above in the quarterfinals section. The bottom two players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere from 21st - 24th in the league's final standings. The top two players from each group reach the B-Division semifinals, where seeds 13-16 enter the field. The B-Division semis are played in the following groups:
Group #1: #13 seed, #16 seed, Highest-seeded QF, Lowest-seeded QF
Group #2: #14 seed, #15 seed, 2nd-seeded QF, 3rd-seeded QF
- The same rules apply during this round: each group plays three games, with machines selected by the top 3 seeds in each group.
- The top 2 players from each group move on to the finals.
- The bottom 2 players from each group are eliminated, and will get placed anywhere from 17th - 20th place in the league's final standings based on their point total.
The 4 remaining players will play three more games, with the top 3 seeds again each selecting a machine. Each players score after three games determines places 13th - 16th, with any tiebreakers being determined by one game, selected by the higher seed.
General Rules & Regulations
Extra Balls
- We do not play extra balls as a time saving mechanism. A player cannot press any buttons once an extra ball is in play. This includes flipper buttons, action buttons, plunger buttons, and any other button. Nudging IS permitted, but a player does so at their own risk; even an inadvertent button press may result in a warning for that game, subject to league officials' discretion. Here is what you can do pre and post-launch during an extra ball:
Pre-launch: Unlimited lane changing is fine, as well as multiple plunge attempts, unless the plunger is a button. If the ball has not qualified the playfield, plunge attempts are still permitted. Should the ball return to the plunger lane, you are now free to perform normal pre-launch actions. Same thing if you lock a ball with a skillful plunge and a new ball appears in the plunger lane. This does not apply when the ball returns during an automatic ball save.
Post-launch: A player may nudge the machine while the ball is in play. No button can be pressed for any reason once a ball is in play. This does apply to video modes, so while a video mode may start, you can’t navigate your way through a maze.
Please help each other out by reminding the player who is about to launch the extra ball of this rule. While some places may consider this "tampering", we feel that is absolute nonsense and runs counter to the spirit of community we try to foster in our league. Holding your tongue as a fellow league member is about to play an extra ball inadvertently is conduct not befitting a member of Emerald City Pinball League.
Beneficial Malfunctions
Any beneficial malfunction which results in a player being able to continue play of a ball that normally should have ended is normally, or score points in a manner they should not have been able to, is allowed once per game. Examples of this would include an unexpected software ball save, a ball that bounces back into play without player action, or a ball that comes to rest on an unlit kickback in the outlane (which will lead to a ball search, kicking the ball back into play).
Any such occurrence shall not be allowed if it repeats, meaning that league officials may require players to start a new game on a new machine, at league officials' discretion.
Stuck balls
A stuck ball is an unmovable ball that is trapped by any object in the machine that isn’t in control by a player. If the stuck ball has not been freed after three ball searches, or if the machine is not performing searches for some reason, the player must alert a league official. The player must remain alert and at the machine, as he or she is responsible for the ball if it becomes freed at any point.
In situations where a ball is trapped in a way that it can be released through player action other than shaking or bumping – for example, a ball at rest underneath a flipper which the player controls – this is generally not deemed to be a stuck ball, but part of skillful play.
If a ball becomes stuck during a multiball mode, the player must attempt to trap the other ball(s) in play and request assistance. A stuck ball during multiball often represents a significant beneficial malfunction, and intentionally taking advantage may result in a penalty.
A league official may initially choose to try to free the stuck ball through judicious nudging, tapping, etc. The player must remain ready to resume play at the machine during this attempt. If actions by the official result in a Tilt, this will be treated as a major malfunction and a compensation ball may be awarded. If the official frees the ball but the player does not successfully continue play, this is normal play (the fault of the player). Loss of Tilt warnings due to league official nudging is considered normal play.
If the league official is unable to free the stuck ball, the machine will be opened if possible, and the stuck ball removed and placed on either upraised flipper, with the flipper button held by the player. If this is not possible, it will be placed in the shooter lane.
Any player who chooses to shake or bump the machine in order to free a stuck ball does so at his or her own risk. No allowance will be made for a player who tilts while attempting to free a stuck ball, whether or not league officials are present.
Any ball that comes to rest in an outlane, where any portion of the ball is below the outlane post, is not deemed a stuck ball.
Since it is impossible to cover every situation that may occur in competitive pinball, it is at the discretion of the commissioner, tournament director, and officials to make rulings to the best of their ability if a situation is not covered by these rules.
Final authority for any ruling, including rulings that contradict or vacate anything written in this document, rests with the commissioner of the ECPL or any of his/her agents. Further rules may be needed regarding malfunctions. In this case, our league goes by the IFPA/PAPA Tournament Rules, which can be found at https://www.ifpapinball.com/menu/rules/
Player Conduct
The purpose of this section is to help players better understand certain rules and the rulings made by officials during the tournament, as well as help officials penalize poor player conduct and breaking of rules. Player conduct has to be sportsmanlike and if it isn’t, it will be acknowledged and penalized.
All players are expected to conduct themselves in a sportsmanlike manner. Loud outbursts, especially those including curse words, are not something we want in this league. Conduct including but not limited to: distracting other players by yelling, slamming and/or moving the machine will not be tolerated. Think of how distracting it is when this happens on a game next to you. People react to the intensity of playing in different ways but need to be considerate of the other participants.
Any player who behaves rudely or in an inappropriate manner towards any player, scorekeeper, or tournament official may be warned, disqualified, and/or ejected from the facility.
Should a player not adhere to these guidelines, they may be warned, disqualified, or banned from participating in future events.
Be ready to play
Whenever a match starts, the players are expected to be in the vicinity of the machine that is being played. It creates unnecessary delays and irritation when players leave their match to attend to personal business. Should this happen, it is the responsibility of the other players in the match to notify tournament officials, who will then take action. The official may plunge the offender’s ball, give a warning, or disqualify the player from the match/tournament for repeated offenses. Any player who has an emergency should notify a tournament official, so that accommodations may be made.
Leaving before your group is finished with its games (without a compelling reason) constitutes a warning. A second offense results in a final warning. A third offense will see a player suspended for the following league meeting. Subsequent offenses may result in a season-long suspension or permanent ban.
Abuse of Machines
Tilt sensors are employed to determine what constitutes rough handling of each machine within the parameters of normal play. Abusive handling such as punching, kicking, lifting, tipping, or rocking a machine, or hitting the glass in any way, is grounds for a warning and possible disqualification of game or ejection from the tournament, at the discretion of tournament officials or location employees.
Interference, Collusion, and Cheating
Any player who knowingly interferes with tournament play or otherwise disrupts the tournament setting will be warned and/or ejected from the meeting, at the discretion of tournament officials.
Any form of cheating, including game restarts, tampering with games, tampering with recorded results, scorekeeper intimidation or collusion, or anything else not covered here, will be addressed by tournament officials as needed, including disqualification and/or ejection from the meeting.
Death Saves & Bangbacks
Techniques known as “Death Saves” and “Bangbacks” are sometimes employed by players. These techniques are banned from tournament play. In the event that a drained ball bounces back into play without deliberate or significant player action, the ball may be played. This may require a ruling from tournament officials if there appears to be abusive force employed by the player.
Description of Levels of Misconduct/Offenses
Please note that league officials will keep track of player offenses throughout each season to the best of their abilities. By playing in any Emerald City Pinball League event, you agree that league officials and representatives or location employees reserve the right to disqualify, eject, suspend, or ban players at any time for any reasons that may or may not be listed below.
Warning: This is given for minor offenses, accidents, and misunderstandings. Accidental interference with a player, a first-offense outburst, delay of game, or other offenses as determined by series officials. Inadvertently playing an extra ball is a warning during the first offense. Warnings can be fairly common. Multiple warnings at a single event or over the course of a season may lead to an ejection.
Disqualification: A disqualification automatically ensures the guilty party scores a ‘1’ on the current game. Any form of cheating, deliberate interference with a player, abuse of machines (including death saves / bangbacks) intentionally playing an extra ball, tilting another player’s game in any way, and playing out of turn are examples of action typically warranting disqualification.
Ejection: An ejection bars a player from further competition during that league meeting or tournament. It also ensures that the offending player not only is disqualified from their current game, but receives the lowest score or placement possible in the current round. Players with multiple warnings and/or disqualifications, misconduct such as harassment, fighting, violence, extreme disturbances, or other actions as determined by league officials or location employees or management.
Suspension: A suspension bars a player from participating in a set number of league meetings, as determined by league officials and/or venue staff. This is used in the case of chronic disregard for the rules and/or disdain for one's fellow players. A player with their second ejection of a season is automatically suspended for the next league meeting.
Ban: If a player is banned, they are no longer permitted to participate in any league meetings, events, or gatherings for the duration of the current season. In extreme cases, an individual may receive a permanent ban, which extends to all future league events and meetings. Please note that venue management obviously reserves the right to suspend or ban players from their location, and that decision is outside the scope of our league.
Questions or comments? Email us at [email protected].