Tournament Rules
Learn more about who makes the tournament rules, how the competition operates, and find answers to the questions most frequently asked by participants in the Altador Cup.The Committee
Have you ever wondered who is behind the workings of the Altador Cup? Who decides which Yooyus to use or which team should play against which? Wonder no more -- it's the Altador Cup Rules Committee, a highly respected group of officials that carefully examines all game play to make sure the rules are being properly applied. The Rules Committee's oversight ensures that the Altador Cup is fun and fair for all the teams involved, and they take their responsibilities in reviewing petitions and disputes very seriously! While some might feel that they are too strict, the committee's decisions play a vital role in maintaining the integrity of the tournament. Though there have been times when popular opinion has been against the committee or one of its decisions, nobody doubts that the committee members' actions are always motivated by a desire to protect the best interests of the Altador Cup. |
Altador Cup XVII
What is the Altador Cup?
Since making its triumphant return in Y8 after a 1,000-year hiatus, the Altador Cup has become a cornerstone of Neopian sporting culture. The tournament is held each year at the famed Colosseum in Altador, where teams take the field to play Altador's traditional game, Yooyuball. Each Altador Cup commences with a sign-up period and practice session, in which participants can choose a team and brush up on their skills. This year, team sign-ups and practice starts on May 26th. The team sign-ups will last until end of day June 6th. This session is then followed by a two round tournament schedule that runs until July 3rd. The schedule consists of 2 game rounds with four practice days included. In this year's tournament, 18 teams hailing from the lands of Neopia will once again gather in Altador to compete in Yooyuball, along with three side games, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown.
The celebrated centrepiece of the Altador Cup is Yooyuball, which has been played in Altador for centuries. In Yooyuball, the object is to throw the ball into the opposing team's goal. Slings are used to carry and throw the ball, which is a curled-up Petpet called a Yooyu. Yooyus are native to Altador, and the strongest Yooyus are rigorously trained to participate in this prestigious tournament. Seven different types of Yooyu are used in the game, each of which has its own special attributes. Players never know which type of Yooyu will appear during the match, giving Yooyuball an element of unpredictability. Teams must be able to adjust their strategy and play depending on the type of Yooyu currently being used if they hope to be competitive in the Altador Cup.
To learn more about the history of the modern Altador Cup, please read the Neopedia entry.
The Rules Committee
The three highly respected Altadorians who make up the Altador Cup Rules Committee have been entrusted with the duty of ensuring that the rules of Yooyuball are being followed properly. Though their decisions have occasionally been unpopular, everyone can agree that the Rules Committee's dedication to their task makes the Altador Cup more fun and fairer for all those who participate. It is due to their hard work that the Altador Cup runs smoothly year after year and remains Neopia's most celebrated sporting event.
How do I participate?
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*NST = Neopian Standard Time, equal to U.S. Pacific Time
Need more help? Check out the FAQ!
Altador Cup FAQ
1) Will I get a prize for all of my efforts?
If you participate in the Altador Cup in any way, then you will receive points that you can exchange for prizes in the Prize Shop. Of course, the more you participate, the more points you'll earn! 2) Am I able to earn Altador Cup Prize Shop points and Neopoints while contributing to my team's scores at the same time? Yes. By playing any of the four games (Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger or Shootout Showdown), you'll be able to earn Neopoints while simultaneously helping your team and storing Prize Shop points for later. The only exception is during the tournament's practice days; on these days, you'll continue to earn Neopoints. However, your performance on these days will not count toward your team's performance, and Prize Shop points will not get added. 3) Can I change teams after I join? Once you've joined a team, you will play for that team through the rest of the tourney. You will not be able to switch to another team, so choose carefully. 4) Can I earn Neopoints from playing the games in the Altador Cup? Yes, you will be awarded Neopoints for the first three scores you send per game each day. After you've maxed out Neopoints in each game for the day during the tournament, you should still continue to submit your scores, because all the scores you send will count toward your Prize Shop points (except on off-days) and your team's total! 5) Can I participate in the Altador Cup on my side accounts? No, because the Altador Cup involves playing games and earning Neopoints and hence you can only play on your main account. Side accounts participating in the Altador Cup will be considered multiple account abuse and can result in the account(s) being frozen. 6) Can you explain the Schedules & Results page? Like previous years, teams are NOT divided in Round 1 into Alabriss, Minitheus and Vaeolus brackets. All teams are within a single bracket in Round 1 and will play against every other team exactly once in this round. In Round 2, based on the overall performance, each team will be divided into 1 of 3 brackets and each team will play against every other team within its respective bracket. When viewing a single team: When looking at just the results of one team for a day (or all days), the format is as follows: the team icon in the first column is always the opposing team, regardless of whether they were the home or away team. The scores are preceded by a W, L, or D (for win, loss, or draw). Regardless of who won, the team whose results are being viewed are listed first. For example, if you are looking at Shenkuu's page and the result for their Yooyuball match is W (6 - 5), that means they won by a score of 6 to 5. If they lost 8 to 2, the result would be shown as L (2 - 8). When viewing multiple teams: If you view the results for multiple teams on one day (or all days), the format is as follows: the first team icon in the 1st column is always the home team, and the second team icon in the 1st column is always the away team. The scores are presented in the same format, with the home team given first regardless of whether they won or lost, and the road team listed second. For example, if the home team won 10-4, it will be shown as home team icon (10 - 4). However, if the home team lost, it'll be shown as road team icon (4 - 10). 7) Do I have to play all four games (Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown)? It isn't required, but it's important for your team to win the matchups across all four games, as all four games contribute to your team's standing in the tournament. If you only choose to play one or two games, you can still earn Prize Shop points and show off your personal stats. 8) How can I tell how my team is performing? We will post daily results for the Yooyuball, Make Some Noise, Slushie Slinger, and Shootout Showdown matchups, including the number of wins, losses, and draws. The results for the previous day will be put up at the end of the current day. 9) How do I join a team? It's easy. Visit the team page nd simply click on any team icon on the map to see details for that team. Once you see a team you like, click "Join Team" and start playing games to support your team's chances at Altador Cup gold. 10) How does the Rank System work? What is the Rank Badge? The Rank System is a way to acknowledge the incredible efforts of each player. Beginning on Tuesday, June 7th, your rank will increase depending on the number of games you have played and points you have scored across each of the Altador Cup games. There are 21 levels to reach, from Beginner all the way up to All-Star. Each time you level up, your Rank Badge will change to notify you that you have advanced in your rank. If you have joined a team, you will find your Rank Badge in the Altador Cup Games Room. Every player starts with a Rank Badge labelled Beginner. Score enough points, and you could be an All-Star! Moving past your Beginner status is attainable but reaching All Star will still be quite the impressive feat! Be sure to keep an eye on the Rank Calculator to see what is next! 11) How long do I have to redeem my points in this year's Prize Shop? You have until before the Press Tour of next year's Altador Cup to redeem your points for prizes. Be sure to keep an eye out for news warnings about last year's Altador Cup Prize Shop closing. Or spend your points soon after earning them so you don't have to worry about losing them! 12) How long is the Altador Cup and what is the new structure? If you have any questions about the length, structure, or general rules of the Altador Cup, then you should check out the Altador Cup Rules page. 13) How many scores can I submit? You may submit up to 3 scores in a day to earn Neopoints and to be listed on the high score table. This is called maxing out for a day. Even after maxing out, you can continue to play multiple times and submit scores till you reach a certain cap limit. This cap limit is in proportion to the points you will need to achieve the next ranking for you to reach All-Star. This will also add to your team's performance in the tournament and earn you Prize Shop credits as well. However, after maxing out, you cannot earn Neopoints. Once you reach the cap limit, take a break for the day, and return the next day to get back on your journey to make your team victorious! 14) Should I still submit my scores when I lose? Definitely! Every score counts and can earn you Neopoints (if you haven't maxed out for the day) as well as Prize Shop credits. Additionally, you will be supporting your team's overall performance. 15) What are practice rounds? Do practice scores count? Practice rounds are held in the days leading up to the tournament when you can practice playing all of the Altador Cup games. Since these are practice rounds, the scores will not support your team, and you will not start earning any credits to use in the Altador Cup Prize Shop. You can, however, earn Neopoints for playing during the practice rounds. 16) When will I get my prizes? The Prize Shop will go up after the final team standings and individual participation has been tallied. 17) Why is my team losing in the tournament, even though I win all of my games? Each team's participation in the Altador Cup is a group effort. You may feel like you are winning lots of games, but others on your team may not be playing as much, or users on another team may be playing even more. So, get on the Neoboards and cheer your other teammates on to victory! 18) Will I be able to use unused points from previous Altador Cups in this year's Prize Shop? No. Unfortunately, it is too late to redeem old points from previous Altador Cups now. 19) I just got an Altador Cup team avatar! Will this add to my permanent avatar count? No, these team avatars are just so you can show your support for your team on the Neoboards. They will disappear at the end of the tournament. |