Let me quote
Pat from Pgtour.net.Ok, after few months of crazy work, we are finally ready We are really sorry that it took so long but this was really some insane work. Anyway, we will release the website on Thursday evening at 7pm east - 1am CET. The Ladder (1v1 and 2v2) will officially start on Saturday 1pm east - 7pm CET though. Nevertheless, you will be encouraged to test the anti-Hack Launcher and play on the server to test it and report any bugs you may find (if there is some).
We really hope that you will enjoy it as much as we did by making it =]
Lag / disc shouldn't be a problem 99% of the time because the server is really stable But if it ever has to be moved, we will move it to a faster one (but I doubt it will ever be needed).Here are some more details about their ladder system (yes its a copy/paste from TL.net with authorization from Pat)
The Season
The Season last 2 months (well, 8 weeks exactly). It gets reseted the friday night on the last week and restart over the day after (Saturday).
MOTW
A Ladder Season last exactly 8 weeks (near 2 months) and we are having 8 maps per season. So each map, except for Lost Temple which is already played a lot, will be MOTW, which means 7 maps for 7 weeks. Then for the last week (8th week), the 7 maps that were previously MOTW in the past 7 weeks will all become MOTW all at once.
That way, everyone gets an equal chance to play/practice on all maps and also, it will make things a lot easier for players to find opponents ready to play the same map as them.
For the last week (8th week), players can rush and play/practice on any maps to reach top 96 to be allowed to enter for the ISL qualifications.
People are welcome to play on any maps at any time and win 100% of their points though.
MOTW Bonus System
If you play a MOTW and win, you get 135% of your points but if you lose, you only loose 100% of them. We made it that way because we want to give a bonus to those who play on the MOTW, not to punish those who lose a game on it.
Example
Normal points for a first game on the server are +25pts (for facing someone having the same rating as you).
With MOTW:
Winner = +34pts
Loser = -25pts
International Starcraft League: To ENTER the ISL
Right after the Season ends, the qualification for the League Starts:
To enter the League (Last 4 weeks)
1) The Gate (week 1)
At the end of the PGTour 1v1 Ladder season, the top 96 players are invited to a one day tournament named The Gate. The players that make it to the top twenty four, are automatically invited to the Bloody Mary
2) Bloody Mary (week 2)
After qualifying for the Bloody Mary, players need to qualify for the Portal Mess. For this, 6 groups of 4 players are randomly made. In each group, each player plays each other (in BO3 series). The top 2 players from each group (12 players in total) then qualify for the Portal Mess.
(week 3) However, the #1 players from each group (6 players in total) play each other to determine the final winner of the Bloody Mary. This winner skips the Portal Mess and goes directly to the ISL.
3) Portal Mess (week 4)
The 11 players left from the Bloody Mary and the 13 other players from the last ISL (the players who didn't place in the top 3, so that would be #4-16), are seeded into this Portal Mess.
Like in the Bloody Mary, the players are put into 6 groups of 4 where they get to play each other. Here, the top 2 players from each group (which means 12 players) advance into the ISL.
So, the players who make it into the ISL are:
- Top 3 players from the previous ISL (3)
- Winner of the Bloody Mary (1)
- Top 2 players from 6 groups from the Portal Mess (12)
Playing in ISL (Last 3 weeks)
Round 1 (week 1)
The 16 players of the ISL are randomly divided into 4 groups of 4 players (Section A, B, C and D). Then each player in each group plays each other in BO3 series. Then the top 2 players from each group advance (which means 8 players: A1, A2 B1, B2, C1, C2, D1, and D2).
Round 2 (week 2)
Here the #1 player in one group plays the #2 player in another group according to this pattern in BO3 series:
A1 vs B2 - Results: A1 > B2
B1 vs C2 - Results: B1 < C2
C1 vs D2 - Results: C1 < D2
D1 vs A2 - Results: D1 > A2
The winners (4players: A1, C2, D2 and D1) advance and the losers are out of the tournament.
Round 3 – Semi-Final (week 3)
Then those 4 players play another player in BO5 series.
Example:
A1 vs D1 - Results: A1 > D1
C2 vs D2 - Results: C2 < D2
Round 4 – Finals (week 3 again)
Then the winners of the previous games play each other for First place. The losers of these games play each other for 3rd place. This is also in BO5 series.
A1 vs D2 for #1 and #2 placement
D1 vs C2 for #3 and #4 placement
3rd place matters a lot in this tournament because #1, 2 and 3 are free seeds (spot) in the next season of the ISL.
#4 to #16 have to play again in the next Final Pool so they can enter the next season of the ISL.
NOTE: This system is based on the very well known StarLeague System from OGN
So the whole thing last 7 weeks and it restarts the next week (when the current Ladder Season ends.) It will be non stop action. If BWTV is finished, it should be available and people would be able to watch finals games through it.
Links
Pgtour.net - Best Ladder System?
TL.net - Source
