Systems — MC Tier System

// Queue & Testing Flow

Queue System

Testing Flow

Player joins queue→ Min 4 queued→ Tester assigned→ Conflict check→ Test conducted→ Result submitted→ 14-day cooldown

The queue processor runs every 30 seconds, checking each category for available matches. A minimum of 4 players must be queued in a category before matching begins.

30s

Queue Cycle

Min Players to Match

Daily Test Cap / Tester

14d

Retest Cooldown

Wait Time Estimation

The bot uses a self-training algorithm to estimate wait times. It records actual wait durations as samples and computes an exponentially weighted moving average (EWMA) of the last 50 samples per category. Newer samples are weighted more heavily (decay factor 0.9).

Wait time = EWMA_avg × ceil(queue_position / num_open_testers)

If no samples exist yet, it falls back to a 5-minute baseline.

Conflict of Interest

When matched, the tester receives a DM with Accept/Recuse buttons:

No Conflict — Accept: Test proceeds. Player is DMed. Tester channel is notified.
I Have a Conflict — Recuse: 1 free recusal per month. Subsequent recusals require a written reason (logged to staff channel). Session is voided and player is requeued.

Tester Requirements

To open a queue for a category, a tester must: (1) be registered in that category, (2) be at least LT3 in that category, (3) not be on probation, and (4) not have reached their daily test cap (5 tests/day). The system also avoids pairing the same tester-player combination consecutively.

// PvP

Challenge System

How Challenges Work

Players can challenge each other directly in any category they share. Challenges are expedited tests with both players submitting results.

Challenge is created with 48-hour expiry
Both challenger and opponent submit their result (who they think won)
If results conflict, the challenge is flagged as disputed for staff review
Both players can upload recordings as evidence
Winner is recorded in the ladder system

Disputes

If both players submit conflicting results (each claims they won), the challenge is flagged for staff review. Staff will review recordings and manually resolve the dispute.

// Rankings

Ladder System

Ranked Ladder

Every player who participates in challenges gets a ladder entry per category, tracking:

Wins and Losses
Current tier (updates with each match result)
Last active timestamp

Standings can be viewed per category, showing the top 30 players sorted by tier (descending) then wins (descending). The full ladder across all categories is also queryable.

// Advancement

Bridge System

Tier Bridging

Players can request a bridge match to advance from their current tier to a target tier. The system finds an opponent at the target tier and creates a challenge-style match.

Player specifies their current tier and target tier
System finds a suitable opponent at the target tier
If the first opponent is unavailable, a second opponent can be matched
Winner advances or remains at their tier

Bridge matches function like challenges but are specifically designed for tier advancement.

// Oversight

Appeals & Probation

Appeal Process

Players have 24 hours from test completion to file an appeal
Appeals are sent to the panel channel with Uphold/Deny buttons
Senior panel reviews the recording and responds within 48 hours
Upheld: Player moves up one sub-tier (e.g., LT3 → MT3). Tester gets a mark.
Denied: Original placement stands. No penalty to tester.
Players can only appeal each session once

Tester Probation

Testers are held accountable through a strike system:

Each upheld appeal counts as a mark against the tester
2 upheld appeals within a 30-day window → tester is placed on 30-day probation
While on probation, the tester cannot accept new tests
Probation expires automatically after 30 days
Probation status is visible in /tester mystats and /tester roster

24h

Appeal Window

48h

Panel Response Time

30d

Mark Tracking Window

30d

Probation Duration

// Ethics

Recusal System

Conflict of Interest Handling

1 free recusal per month — no questions asked
Subsequent recusals in the same month require a written reason via modal
All recusal reasons are logged to the staff channel for transparency
Recused sessions are voided and the player is automatically requeued
Recusal count resets at the start of each calendar month

// Limits

Cooldowns & Caps

Retest Cooldown	14 days before a player can retest in the same category
Daily Tester Cap	5 tests per day per tester (resets at midnight)
Challenge Expiry	48 hours before a pending challenge auto-expires
Probation Duration	30 days before probation auto-lifts
Appeal Window	24 hours from test completion
Min Queue Size	4 players must be queued before matching begins
Queue Cycle	30 seconds between queue processing checks

// Scheduling

Announcement System

Scheduled Message Reposting

Staff and testers can schedule messages to be reposted from one channel to another at a specific future time:

Time format: MM/DD/YYYY HH:MM in CST/CDT (America/Chicago) timezone
The bot checks every 60 seconds for due announcements
All message content, embeds, and file attachments are preserved

Missed Announcement Recovery

If the bot was offline when an announcement was due:

On startup, the bot checks for past-due announcements
The user who scheduled it receives a DM with buttons:
Post Now — immediately posts the announcement
Skip — removes the announcement without posting
If the DM fails, the announcement is automatically removed to prevent dead entries

Internal Fights

The bot also tracks internal fights between testers (tester vs tester matches). These are recorded per month and contribute to tester activity metrics. Winners are tracked per category per month in the internal_fights table.