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F.A.Q.
How do I apply? Is it too late to do so?
Applying for participation in the tournament is as easy as sending a blank e-mail to PB2001app@pokebattles.com. At this point, there are no slots available using this method. However, we anticipate a high number of dropouts and extra positions opening up due to people qualifying through the PB Network. Therefore, sending an e-mail and getting on the waiting list is a very good idea. As of the time of this writing, there is still a reasonable chance of getting into the tournament using this method.
Webmasters who run any of the sites listed in the top 16 will automatically qualify for the competition, should they choose to accept the position. If a site has more than one Webmaster, only one of the Webmasters may be sent to represent his version in the competition. The rank of each person's site will reflect how many Pokémon may be used total (the greater the number of Pokémon, the greater the advantage in the tournament.
I've sent my application, but got no reply. Did I get in or what?
If you received no reply, that means you are on the waiting list. You will be contacted if and when a position opens up for you.
What are the battle rules?
We are assuming that you are familiar with the general format of Green Version live battles. If not, learn by reading chat transcripts for previous battles on the Green Version main page. Each match is a 2 vs. 2 Pokémon battle, regardless of how many Pokémon you have total. Any Pokémon that faints remains fainted for the entire tournament. If you withdraw a Pokémon (even in critical condition), it will be fully healed for the next match -- HOWEVER, you will not be able to send that Pokémon back into battle during that same match. Usually, withdrawing a Pokémon costs you at least one move that you would have otherwise had -- in short, you are in a better position in the long-run, but in a somewhat more perilous situation in the short-run. This is a single-elimination tournament - lose a single match, and you'll be out of the game for good. Players will be distributed into four teams of eight, much like in the original Green Version festival. Players will be distributed such that each team has an even distribution of total Pokémon available. Matches will proceed such that no player will ever fight against a member of her own team, until there is only one team remaining. At this time (unless there is only one player remaining on the team in question), the players will battle each other.
Okay, so we can only use two Pokémon per match… but how many Pokémon total do we get to use?
This is a question that will only be relevant for half of you--the sixteen players who win their first match. The number of Pokémon you'll get to use total will depend on your rank in the Network (if you qualified that way) or how quickly you sent in your application e-mail:
Sites ranked #1-4: Six Pokémon
Sites ranked #5-8: Five Pokémon
Sites ranked #9-12: Four Pokémon
Sites ranked #13-16: Three Pokémon
Applicants #1-4: Five Pokémon
Applicants #5-8: Four Pokémon
Applicants #9-12: Three Pokémon
Applicants #13-16: Two Pokémon
I am an owner of a Network site and I also applied through e-mail… if I qualify using both methods, how many Pokémon do I get?
If you qualify through e-mail, you'll be asked to send a reply that will include what Version color you own, if any. This will be checked against the July 1 Network rankings. You will be given as many Pokémon as possible. For example, if you run the #10 ranked Network site (4 PKMN) and qualified as applicant #12 (3 PKMN), you will be granted four Pokémon for the tournament.
I've already applied and been accepted for the tournament. When will I find out how many Pokémon I have total?
Nobody will be told their total number of Pokémon until the list of applicants has been finalized and we know for certain how many each person has. Even then, the number might fluctuate when there are dropouts. You will be notified of your Pokémon total once we are relatively certain that it won't change. You might not find out until a few days before your first battle.
Where will the battles take place?
The battles will take place on IRC, in the #pokebattles channel on irc.esper.net. All information regarding our IRC channel can be found at http://www.pokebattles.com/irc.
I qualified through e-mail, and was told to send my ICQ number or AIM screen name. What if I have neither of those services?
ICQ and AIM will be used to contact players for last-minute matches. If you have neither of those services, it shouldn't be a problem. Make sure to check your e-mail every day, though.
I applied for the tournament, but I've changed my mind and want to withdraw. How do I do that?
Simply send a blank e-mail to PB2001remove@pokebattles.com. Make sure that you are sending the e-mail from the same address that you used to apply with originally.
How do I know exactly when I'm supposed to battle?
This tournament is run on a flexible battle scheduling system that will distribute the early battles over one to two weeks. During this time, you will be able to simply show up during any of the pre-set times/dates (which have not yet been announced) and an opponent will be found for you. Later on in the tournament, e-mails will be used to coordinate times and dates that work for everyone. Using this method, we hope to have a full 32 contestants without any no-shows.
I don't understand the scheduling system.
You don't have to. Everything will be handled behind-the-scenes, and you need only pay attention to the simple instructions that will be sent to you by e-mail.
How will the tournament itself be set up?
Players will be distributed into four teams of eight, much like in the original Green Version festival. Players will be distributed such that each team has an even distribution of total Pokémon available. Matches will proceed such that no player will ever fight against a member of her own team, until there is only one team remaining. At this time (unless there is only one player remaining on the team in question), the players will battle each other.
What's the point of winning?
The top-ranking player from each team will win a prize - the #1 finishing player overall winning an anime tape of her choosing -- that's right - ANIME! How can you resist? Other prizes haven't been finalized yet, but will likely include a cameo of some sort on pokebattles.com, a link to the winner's site on the Pokebattles mainpage, etc.
What happens if a player wins his first match, but goes on a vacation or something and can't continue?
In the event that a player withdraws from the tournament after fighting his first battle, the opponent that he fought most recently (and was eliminated) will be invited back to finish the tournament as if he had won the battle to begin with. In this way, we hope to have a full 32-player tournament without any skipped matches.
Don't you know a lot of people playing in this tournament? Won't you be biased and unfair?
I'd love to say that I will be able to transform myself into an impartial narrator and that my personal contacts with members of the PB community will have no impact on the battles, but I am only human after all. Of course, every effort will be made on my part to divorce myself of biases during battles. But note that I will also make certain that I do not end up biasing myself against my would-be favorites in the tourney, as if in the back of my mind I were thinking that making them lose would be a way of proving that I was being unbiased. When all is said and done, each and every battle will be (as practicably as possible) unbiased and that the player who demonstrates quick thinking and creativity on the battlefield is awarded the win.
Are these battles going to be fair?
Live Battles never were, never will be, and were never claimed to be fair. However, the Narrator will make every attempt to be equally unfair toward all players.
WTF?
Exactly. Welcome to Poké Battles.
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