Links & Info
Online Qualifier Rules
Parental Consent Forms
Downloadable FAQs
Stoneleigh Map
Local Bus Timetable
What will I need?
What is PC Gamer Showdown?
A large-scale LAN gaming tournament hosted by PC Gamer. The event boasts 500 BYOC LAN with multiple tournaments, major prizes and exclusive hands-on play. Two months of pre-qualifying online tournaments take place throughout July and August 2008, so don’t miss the chance to claim your rightful place in the competition. The event will provide the first major public showcase of the latest in video game hardware and software, as well as the premiere of major upcoming PC and console titles.
When?
The main event kicks off at 9am on Saturday 27th through to Sunday 28th September 2008, however early-arrival passes allow entrance from Friday 26th September to set up your PC between 6pm and 10pm. Why not make a weekend of it and join us to settle in early on the Friday night. Those arriving on Friday will miss the queues and ensure that no precious gaming time is wasted on the following day. Don’t miss being part of the opening night celebrations (starting at approximately 10.30pm onwards).
How much does it cost?
Tickets cost £60 for the LAN event for the weekend, early-arrival passes cost £10 on top of the usual rate to arrive on the Friday night. Day tickets are available for £7.50 on the Saturday and Sunday. For £20 you can access the event on both days including camping on the Saturday night.
Where is the event held?
PC Gamer Showdown takes place at Stoneleigh Park, (B4113, Stoneleigh Road), Warwickshire, CV8 2LZ.
What sort of accommodation is on offer?
Stay for the weekend and soak up the ultimate gaming experience. Camping (at Stoneleigh Park) will be available at £16 per person. Hostel accommodation is also available, with single or twin-bedded rooms, communal lounge and kitchen access.
Can anyone come along and watch the tournaments?
Get your mate / mum / girlfriend / grandma along to see you wipe the floor with your opponents. Spectators are able to visit the event at £20 per person for Saturday and Sunday including camping on Saturday evening. Day passes (between 9am and 6pm) are also available for just £7.50.
What are the prizes?
You know you’re going to win, right? So now you just need to know what’s on offer! The total prize fund for the Team Fortress 2 tournament is £15,000 (approximately €18,500) and CS:S winners can grab a piece of £10,000 (approximately €12,500). A £5,000 (approximately €6,000) prize can be claimed by winners of COD4 and another £5,000 (€6,000) for World in Conflict. Get your ticket for PC Gamer Showdown now for your chance to get your hands on these amazing prizes.
How are the prizes split?
Team Fortress 2: 1st £7,500, 2nd £3,300, 3rd £2,100, 4th £900 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £300!
Counter Strike Source: 1st £5,000, 2nd £2,200, 3rd £1,400, 4th £600 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £200
Call of Duty 4: 1st £2,500, 2nd £1,100, 3rd £700, 4th £300 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £100. World in Conflict: 1st £2,500, 2nd £1,100, 3rd £700, 4th £300 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £100
Are there any age restrictions?
LAN attendees must be at least 14 and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. 16 to 18-year-olds need to provide a parent-signed consent form. Everyone must bring photo ID to the event if they wish to drink at the Showdown Saloon Bar.
When will the “Finals” take place?
On the Sunday.
I want to attend the tournament but it all seems a little "competitive". What can I do?
Other games will be showcased, including footie game FIFA 09, the fun, face-pummelling arcade boxer Facebreaker and world-action game Mercs 2 amongst many more yet to be announced (you know PC Gamer brings you the best games first, trust us – its going to be huge!). You’ll also be able to "free play" on the other games including FIFA, Unreal Tournament III and War Craft 3 as well as the other “prize” money games (TF2, CS:S, COD4 and WiC).
What is “Showdown Village”?
Showdown Village boasts a bar, 24-hour tuck shop and the industry’s top companies showcasing latest gear and software including the biggest and most anticipated releases of the year!
What happens if my clan / team win the Online Tournaments that are running in July and August?
If you win you’ll be granted free entry to the event (or a refund if you’ve already signed up), plus you’ll enter the competition straight into the elimination rounds (you’ll skip the group stages). After all – it is extra training for the event!
Do the camping facilities include showers and toilets?
Yes. They’re clean too.
Why do we need to bring photo ID?
Proof of age is important because there is a bar in the Showdown village.
Is my computer going to be safe?
We will have a stringent check in and check out system that will ensure the safety of your computer. 24-hour security will also be implemented in Showdown Village.
What should I bring to the event?
It’s a good idea to bring the camping essentials such as tent, sleeping bag, pillows, plastic sheeting for your tent floor, air mattress or pad for under sleeping bag, toilet roll, wet wipes, toiletries and towel. Do not bring a kettle, toaster or anything that is likely to overload the event power. It’ll only ruin everyone’s fun!
Is there parking available?
Yes, free parking is available at Stoneleigh Park.
What is the format of the finals?
Double elimination. (if you lose once, at least you get another chance!)
How do I know that the LAN event is going to be fair?
With such high prize money at stake and the competitive nature that hand in hand with gaming, we’ve ensured that the LAN tournament is run by only the best: Multiplay, with their years of experience.
What are the tournament rules?
Warmup / Readyup mode:
When players first join the server in preparation for a match, they should enter in a state where they can warm up, have some friendly shots at the enemy, and generally prepare for the match. Players are given the facility to ready up. When all players are marked as ready, the map should restart, reset individual scores, dump everyone back to spawn positions and let the match start. During “match time”, players should not be permitted to switch teams or become spectators.
At the end of the round, the scores should persist, teams should swap and the ready-up procedure should begin again for the second round.
At any point an admin command may be issued to force all players ready or not ready. There should also be a command to hard-reset back to warm-up, including resetting all scores.
Voting:
Maps should be votable. This will allow for completely unattended matches where teams join the server without an admin, vote the map that is to be used, and then all ready up and commence the match
Voting options should be granular. The server admin should be able to disallow kick/ban voting, but allow map and restart voting only.
Admin interface:
Administering the server should be allowed via ingame rcon, a client side utility (e.g. www.hlsw.net) with an open and published protocol, and if possible a Web interface. A facility to capture all in-game chat should be made available via an admin interface. This allows triggers such as !admin to alert a game admin to any difficulties via an Instant Message.
Query Protocol:
The query protocol should list the scores for each player. It should also make available the time left in the map (most likely as a gamespy-esque Rule setting) and the score for each team. This allows admins to oversee many games at once via a GUI tool or website.
Logging:
Logging of all relevant game events such as joins, kills, objective captures, deaths, round ends etc is a necessity. If possible there should be an option to log these over UDP to a listening port which would allow for automation of score entry into tournament systems.
GUIDs:
Each player should have some Globally Unique Identifier, common examples of this are Punkbuster GUIDs in Call of Duty 4 and Battlefield 2142, or Steam Ids in CSS, TF2 etc. These allow admins to ensure Mercenaries aren’t recruited to play for teams, and ensure that substitutions aren’t made mid-game.
GUIDs further allow in-game admin features for clans. In a config file, the GUIDs of server admins could be specified so that they don’t need a password to control the server.
Online Qualifier Rules
Parental Consent Forms
Downloadable FAQs
Stoneleigh Map
Local Bus Timetable
What will I need?
What is PC Gamer Showdown?
A large-scale LAN gaming tournament hosted by PC Gamer. The event boasts 500 BYOC LAN with multiple tournaments, major prizes and exclusive hands-on play. Two months of pre-qualifying online tournaments take place throughout July and August 2008, so don’t miss the chance to claim your rightful place in the competition. The event will provide the first major public showcase of the latest in video game hardware and software, as well as the premiere of major upcoming PC and console titles.
When?
The main event kicks off at 9am on Saturday 27th through to Sunday 28th September 2008, however early-arrival passes allow entrance from Friday 26th September to set up your PC between 6pm and 10pm. Why not make a weekend of it and join us to settle in early on the Friday night. Those arriving on Friday will miss the queues and ensure that no precious gaming time is wasted on the following day. Don’t miss being part of the opening night celebrations (starting at approximately 10.30pm onwards).
How much does it cost?
Tickets cost £60 for the LAN event for the weekend, early-arrival passes cost £10 on top of the usual rate to arrive on the Friday night. Day tickets are available for £7.50 on the Saturday and Sunday. For £20 you can access the event on both days including camping on the Saturday night.
Where is the event held?
PC Gamer Showdown takes place at Stoneleigh Park, (B4113, Stoneleigh Road), Warwickshire, CV8 2LZ.
What sort of accommodation is on offer?
Stay for the weekend and soak up the ultimate gaming experience. Camping (at Stoneleigh Park) will be available at £16 per person. Hostel accommodation is also available, with single or twin-bedded rooms, communal lounge and kitchen access.
Can anyone come along and watch the tournaments?
Get your mate / mum / girlfriend / grandma along to see you wipe the floor with your opponents. Spectators are able to visit the event at £20 per person for Saturday and Sunday including camping on Saturday evening. Day passes (between 9am and 6pm) are also available for just £7.50.
What are the prizes?
You know you’re going to win, right? So now you just need to know what’s on offer! The total prize fund for the Team Fortress 2 tournament is £15,000 (approximately €18,500) and CS:S winners can grab a piece of £10,000 (approximately €12,500). A £5,000 (approximately €6,000) prize can be claimed by winners of COD4 and another £5,000 (€6,000) for World in Conflict. Get your ticket for PC Gamer Showdown now for your chance to get your hands on these amazing prizes.
How are the prizes split?
Team Fortress 2: 1st £7,500, 2nd £3,300, 3rd £2,100, 4th £900 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £300!
Counter Strike Source: 1st £5,000, 2nd £2,200, 3rd £1,400, 4th £600 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £200
Call of Duty 4: 1st £2,500, 2nd £1,100, 3rd £700, 4th £300 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £100. World in Conflict: 1st £2,500, 2nd £1,100, 3rd £700, 4th £300 and 5th to 8th placed will receive £100
Are there any age restrictions?
LAN attendees must be at least 14 and under 16s must be accompanied by an adult. 16 to 18-year-olds need to provide a parent-signed consent form. Everyone must bring photo ID to the event if they wish to drink at the Showdown Saloon Bar.
When will the “Finals” take place?
On the Sunday.
I want to attend the tournament but it all seems a little "competitive". What can I do?
Other games will be showcased, including footie game FIFA 09, the fun, face-pummelling arcade boxer Facebreaker and world-action game Mercs 2 amongst many more yet to be announced (you know PC Gamer brings you the best games first, trust us – its going to be huge!). You’ll also be able to "free play" on the other games including FIFA, Unreal Tournament III and War Craft 3 as well as the other “prize” money games (TF2, CS:S, COD4 and WiC).
What is “Showdown Village”?
Showdown Village boasts a bar, 24-hour tuck shop and the industry’s top companies showcasing latest gear and software including the biggest and most anticipated releases of the year!
What happens if my clan / team win the Online Tournaments that are running in July and August?
If you win you’ll be granted free entry to the event (or a refund if you’ve already signed up), plus you’ll enter the competition straight into the elimination rounds (you’ll skip the group stages). After all – it is extra training for the event!
Do the camping facilities include showers and toilets?
Yes. They’re clean too.
Why do we need to bring photo ID?
Proof of age is important because there is a bar in the Showdown village.
Is my computer going to be safe?
We will have a stringent check in and check out system that will ensure the safety of your computer. 24-hour security will also be implemented in Showdown Village.
What should I bring to the event?
It’s a good idea to bring the camping essentials such as tent, sleeping bag, pillows, plastic sheeting for your tent floor, air mattress or pad for under sleeping bag, toilet roll, wet wipes, toiletries and towel. Do not bring a kettle, toaster or anything that is likely to overload the event power. It’ll only ruin everyone’s fun!
Is there parking available?
Yes, free parking is available at Stoneleigh Park.
What is the format of the finals?
Double elimination. (if you lose once, at least you get another chance!)
How do I know that the LAN event is going to be fair?
With such high prize money at stake and the competitive nature that hand in hand with gaming, we’ve ensured that the LAN tournament is run by only the best: Multiplay, with their years of experience.
What are the tournament rules?
Warmup / Readyup mode:
When players first join the server in preparation for a match, they should enter in a state where they can warm up, have some friendly shots at the enemy, and generally prepare for the match. Players are given the facility to ready up. When all players are marked as ready, the map should restart, reset individual scores, dump everyone back to spawn positions and let the match start. During “match time”, players should not be permitted to switch teams or become spectators.
At the end of the round, the scores should persist, teams should swap and the ready-up procedure should begin again for the second round.
At any point an admin command may be issued to force all players ready or not ready. There should also be a command to hard-reset back to warm-up, including resetting all scores.
Voting:
Maps should be votable. This will allow for completely unattended matches where teams join the server without an admin, vote the map that is to be used, and then all ready up and commence the match
Voting options should be granular. The server admin should be able to disallow kick/ban voting, but allow map and restart voting only.
Admin interface:
Administering the server should be allowed via ingame rcon, a client side utility (e.g. www.hlsw.net) with an open and published protocol, and if possible a Web interface. A facility to capture all in-game chat should be made available via an admin interface. This allows triggers such as !admin to alert a game admin to any difficulties via an Instant Message.
Query Protocol:
The query protocol should list the scores for each player. It should also make available the time left in the map (most likely as a gamespy-esque Rule setting) and the score for each team. This allows admins to oversee many games at once via a GUI tool or website.
Logging:
Logging of all relevant game events such as joins, kills, objective captures, deaths, round ends etc is a necessity. If possible there should be an option to log these over UDP to a listening port which would allow for automation of score entry into tournament systems.
GUIDs:
Each player should have some Globally Unique Identifier, common examples of this are Punkbuster GUIDs in Call of Duty 4 and Battlefield 2142, or Steam Ids in CSS, TF2 etc. These allow admins to ensure Mercenaries aren’t recruited to play for teams, and ensure that substitutions aren’t made mid-game.
GUIDs further allow in-game admin features for clans. In a config file, the GUIDs of server admins could be specified so that they don’t need a password to control the server.