This is a case study of designing and implementing an automated system for running recurring esports competitions, using the “XDefiant Weekly 8$” event as an example. The system leverages specialized tools like NeatQueue and MEE6 to efficiently manage player queues, enforce rules, handle payouts, and resolve disputes with minimal manual intervention.
Introduction
Esports competitions require robust systems to manage player participation, enforce rules, and handle rewards. Manual management of these aspects can be time-consuming and error-prone, especially for recurring events. Automating these processes using specialized tools can greatly improve efficiency and scalability.
System Design
The “XDefiant Weekly 8$” competition system was designed with the following key components:
- Scheduling: The competition queue opened every Friday at 9 PM ET and closed on Sunday at 11:59 PM ET. Leaderboards were reset every Thursday night. This regular schedule was enforced programmatically.
- Queue Management: The NeatQueue bot was used to create a role-locked Discord channel for holding queue messages and prompts. The queue automatically allocated and pinged the first 8 players to enter. Queue status was indicated using automatically updated icons: 🟢 for open, 🟡 for active, and 🔴 for locked.
- Rules Enforcement: Clear rules were established and enforced programmatically where possible, such as requiring a valid payment method, minimum age of 18, and adherence to the PUGs ruleset.
- Payout Handling: Automated systems were put in place to calculate and distribute payouts to the top 3 players at the end of each competition period. A management member would then reach out to players via Discord to send their share.
- Dispute Resolution: An automated ticket system using the MEE6 bot was implemented to handle player claims and disputes. Players could submit tickets with relevant proof in a dedicated Discord channel.
- Edge Case Handling: The system was designed to handle scenarios like refunding entries if the minimum player count wasn’t met, and automatically resetting leaderboards at the end of each competition period.
Results
The automated system successfully ran the “XDefiant Weekly 8$” competition for 3 weeks, engaging a consistent player base of at least 8 participants each weekend despite challenges posed by the game’s lack of custom game functionality.
Player feedback was positive, with many returning each week to compete. The system also generated organic social media engagement as players shared their experiences and winnings.
Conclusion
The “XDefiant Weekly 8$” case study demonstrates the effectiveness of designing automated systems for managing recurring esports competitions. By leveraging specialized tools and carefully crafting rulesets, it’s possible to create engaging, efficient competition formats that scale well and minimize manual overhead.
This approach opens up possibilities for future iterations and improvements, such as introducing entry fees to create larger prize pools, or expanding to other games and platforms.