FAQ

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These are the answers to some Frequently Asked Questions about the 4chan Cups.

What... is this?

Put simply, a simulation of Pro Evolution Soccer being competed between teams which are embodiments of boards of the 4chan imageboard. The players represent facets of each board's culture.

Who's playing?

All of the matches are AI versus AI. However, humans "manage" each team, creating their tactics and giving input during games as they happen to make substitutions and tactical changes as they see fit.

Okay, but it seems like the level of participation is a little limited...

There are a range of ways to get involved beyond direct management. People are needed to design the kits, design players, assist the managers by testing tactics, and contribute to the wiki. Regardless of which board you come from, there is probably a role you can take on to help out.

Who runs all of this?

No single individual keeps the whole thing running. However, "official" tournament and friendly streams are operated by DrBorisG, on the official streaming channel http://twitch.tv/the4chancup.

Then who is in charge?

DrBorisG !!9Egy5BjxCD is the commissioner and figurehead of the cup, to stop him from going power crazy he has a council of 5 to help him make important decisions on the cup. He also takes advice from managers and the viewers to help make the cup experience as good as possible.

How did the cup start and who started it?

A German-Canadian guy from /v/ called Germanbro came up with the idea to have an Entertainment System World Cup between gaming devices, with the players being the best video games of each. A friend of his from /sp/ called HungryWalrus suggested that he instead make the cup about 4chan boards. The first 4chan World Cup occurred in August 2011 and initially each team was created by Germanbro and Walrus and there were no managers involved. Only once boards started to gain an interest did the teams become board created.

Is there a meeting place to discuss all of this?

There is always a discussion thread on /vg/ which serves as a hub for all boards and general discussion of friendlies, tournaments and the intricacies of the game. There is also the IRC.

During cups, there will often be threads on boards that are participating in it. However, they are quickly deleted on some boards, as it is considered to be off-topic. See Status of legally hosting threads by boards for more information.

How do the teams and players work?

Every player is 77 (out of 99) in every attribute, except for what is known as the medal players. The medal players are the star players of the team, with each team having two golds (99 in every attribute)and two silvers (88 in every attribute). Goalkeepers must be 77. This system is known as the GGSS system.

Tell me more about the matches.

Matches are twenty minutes long, ten minutes each half. As in most competitive association football, teams are allowed to make three substitutions during a match.

When are they played?

There are four official cups held each year, starting with the Winter Cup at the beginning of the year. Spring, Summer, and Autumn follow in roughly 3 months intervals, respectively. The Spring and Autumn Cup are called Babby Cups, which also serve as a qualifier for the Elite Cups in Summer and Winter. Occasionally, there are also unofficial invitationals or friendly matches. These might or might not be streamed through the official channel. If you wish to follow those events as well, make sure to keep a close eye on all communication platforms related to the cup, as they might not be announced everywhere.

>Why PEZ not Feefur?

The most important thing for the 4chan Cup is customization. FIFA is extremely limited in that regard, while PES has countless options. FIFA AI is also clearly not capable of playing with itself.

Why "Babby Cup"?

We currently have more than 32 teams at competitive level. Anything beyond 32 is a far too great number to have in a single tournament, so the Babby Cup is a qualification tournament. 32 teams compete for 16 qualification spots in the Summer and Winter Cups, which also contain 32 teams. Corollary, the worst-faring 16 teams in the Elite cups are relegated to Babby Cup level to keep numbers even. For more information, consult the 4chan Champion's Cup article.

What teams are "good"?

We have a fairly complex ranking system, based on its FIFA counterpart, which does its best to show how "strong" each team is, though it shouldn't be treated as gospel. Check out the Rankings page for more information.

What are those coloured arrows on the formation setup screen?

The arrows indicate a player's (normally) randomly-generated conditioning, also known as "form." The 'lower' an arrow is pointing, the worse their form is, which will have an impact on their performance in the coming game. For more information, see the Conditioning page.

I think I want to manage. Wat do?

If you're serious about this then there are a number of things you'll need to undertake/consider:

• Does "your" board currently have a manager?

If so, then you're out of luck. Unless the board's manager is due for the sack imminently then it may be worth putting yourself forward for a testing role.

• Have you consulted "your" board and received their blessing to become manager?

It's considered good manners to go to your board and announce your intention to manage the team. It's probable you'll have a limited, negative or non-existent response (prompted by a swift 404) but at least make the effort to introduce yourself. If you do gain a response then consider it an opportunity to go into greater detail and discuss possible roster/squad changes.

• Are you able to drop your schedule and make yourself available for important matches?

This is an important factor. Too many times have managers fallen victim to having to miss an important match due to IRL commitments and fallen foul. While it's impossible to keep a schedule totally clean, it's recommended to make the effort to stay free on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays during tournament time to ensure you're around for your team's big game.

• Are you willing to dedicate time to testing?

If you're starting from scratch then your team (and yourself) will need a lot of work to become proficient.

"My" board has a manager. Can't I just manage the team of some other board?

This is currently a difficult subject in the community. Some feel it's important for boards to have an "organic" interest and put forward their own manager and team. Others feel it helps to 'kick-start' a team by bringing in a manager from elsewhere and bringing the board success which in turn may generate enough interest for a board 'native' to take the reins. Either way, it's recommended to contribute in some way to the efforts of your own board.

Is there anything I need to do to manage?

Because we want to make sure everything is as fair as possible in the cup you will need to be verified via the IRC. This process would just be DrBorisG !!9Egy5BjxCD or Sexcopter !!DmLjci16Djv making sure you're not anybody else - give them a shout in the thread if you want to be verified.

Is there anything I can do for my board except manage?

Certainly. Managers are understandably busy and are always on the lookout for testers to test formations for them, scouts to scout how the opposition play and general intel. There is also kits, faces, stadiums and 3D Models that would help give your team a new look. Just seek out your boards manager on the thread or their Contact.