Bagball League/Rules
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Bagball Rules
The original rules read as follows:
Bagball Rule Book:
Bagball is a sport designed to be played by all classes within the realm of Britannia. It is a non-violent sport reliant on teamwork. The All Britannia Bagball League is sponsored by UO-Europe and details of the league may be found at:
RULES: Teams consist of four players of any class and ability. Teams wear recognizable uniforms at all times during the matches. No armour, magical devices mounts, pets, weapons, or additional equipment of any kind is permitted by either team. No magic of any kind is allowed either by players or spectators. No combat of any sort is allowed. No stealing skills may be used in game. No player at any time should be flagged a criminal for any reason. Bagball may be a competitive sport but it is based purely on playing skill alone.
Matches consist of two half periods of 20 minutes each, with a five minute break between halves during which teams switch sides of the playing field.
A Referee is on hand to officiate at all League matches. All decisions of the referee are final. Matches start with both teams lined up on the back line of their own half of the Bagball field. The Bagball itself is placed in the centre square of the field. The referee then counts one, two, three. On Three play begins and all players are free to go for the Bagball.
The Bagball itself is a bright yellow bag with a weight of 400 stones held within it, (Either logs of wood or any other material that provides the full weight). The Bagball is far too heavy to be carried and so may only be moved down the field towards the opposing goal by efficient passing between players. No passes may be made through trade windows, the Bagball must be placed on the ground to hand it on to another player. Opposing teams may try to grab it and pass it to their own side at any time during play. Any player may hold the Bagball for a maximum of five seconds. Any longer holding may bring a penalty from the referee. Also, covering the Bagball for extended periods of time is not allowed. Any player that is deemed to have stepped in front of the Bagball in order to cover it on purpose and remains covering it for a period of more than five seconds may also bring a penalty for their team. Any penalty called for these or other reasons by the referee will bring the game to a stop, and the referee will set up a re-start. For a re-start, the referee will return the Bagball to the centre box and order both teams back to their back line starting positions. The referee will then count one, two, three and play will begin again. Teams may introduce substitute players during any time play is stopped by the referee.
To score a goal, the Bagball must be placed first on the opposition’s goal line, and then behind it. It is a two-stage event, on the line, then past it into the goal itself. This allows the opposition a fair opportunity to clear is out and prevent the score. No goal will count as official until it is announced by the referee.
Because blocking and team formation passing are vital to a successful Bagball strategy, League games will be held only on the Felucca shard where the consequences of blocking are very real. Therefore, formation blocking is permitted anywhere on the Bagball field of play EXCEPT within the goals. Defenders may move to the goal line to try to intercept and clear the bagball, but may not remain stationary there for more than five seconds at a time. If they remain longer, they may be deemed to be blocking the goal by the referee who can stop the game. If at any time the referee chooses to stop play, he may set up a re-start either with both teams at their starting positions, or, in the case of a penalty re-start, the referee can allow one team to resume play half way to the bagball. The referee will only call for a penalty re-start if he or she feels that one team has purposefully tried to obstruct play.
No outside interference from non-team members will be allowed and any such interference may cause the referee to stop play.
Only League Sanctioned referees may oversee official league matches.
THE LEAGUE:
The All Britannia Bagball League will be based on a season lasting four months. At the start of the season, there will be a two-week period when teams wishing to register for the competition can sign up on the league site. Matches will then be set up through random draws by the league and playing times will be posted. Even numbers of participating teams will be allocated matches on a first come first serve basis. If there are 12 teams, all will play. If there are 11 or 13 teams, the last team to register will not be included unless a further team signs up and the over all numbers are again even. The regular season will see all teams play at least twice, and rankings will be based on both wins and numbers of goals scored. Post-season play will see the best teams in the league battling for a place in the finals and ultimately for the position of league champions.
Brief historical background
Bagball is an in-game sport, unique to UO, enjoyed by enthusiasts around the world. A number of leagues exist to organize and promote matches, track stats, and bring fans together with their favorite bagball teams. The Sosarian Bagball League on the Europa-shard is one of these.
Already several years old, bagball has its roots in the town of Spiritwood on the Europa shard, and its initial creation is attributed to a player named Shri of the Custodes Fati. The rules and the playing field have been slightly refined and customized since its inception, but although the elements and gameplay of bagball may vary from shard to shard and league to league, the core concepts of the sport remain faithful to those earliest games.
The game was invented as a means to encourage richer interactions between players from the different in-game communities. The first game played was between Spiritwood and Deepwater teams and was staged near the farms to the east of the old Spiritwood Tavern on a playing field shaped from carefully placed bushels of wheat. Shri hosted the match and acted as referee. This game within a game soon attracted the attention of the IGM, Talos, who in summer of 2002, devised a plan with Shri to develop a league on the Europa shard. A prototype field was created by Talos in the mythical GM-only game sector called “Green Acres”, and Shri had the rare privilege of a sneak preview there, where she was able to discuss the field design specifications with Talos before his final model was to appear in the fields outside of Britannia.
Numerous variations have developed around the globe. The shard, facet, and organizers can promote differences in game rules, field size and shape, and even the item used as the bagball. Although the information presented here may seem "official", bagball players should feel free to adapt the rules as they see fit to make their particular game more fun.
The following is an article originally posted on Friday, January 25, 2002, on the Stratics gaming site about an early match, one of many colourful accounts of the player community on Europa at that time.
Greetings Sports fans,
Last night saw the kick-off of the new Bagball league with the long awaited rematch between the Moonglow Mongbats and Spiritwood United. The town of Spiritwood was a buzz with anticipation when at the appointed hour the team from Moonglow finally arrived resplendent in their club colours of blue and white. After some difficulties finding their way to the field through a band of marauding hooligans, a few last minutes substitutes and the appointment of 8 year old Bob as an official Moonglow citizen-for -the-night, the whistle blew and the game was underway.
United came out strong and looked to dominate the match with their effortless teamwork when they easily scored in the opening minutes, but the Bats maintained their composure and fought back. Backwards and forwards the bag went as the fast opening pace soon slowed to a more evenly matched competition, and Spiritwood struggled to finally put another point on the board, as Moonglow was temporarily distracted by a streaker dashing across the field cheering the local team.
The Mongbats had found their form and the team from Spiritwood was not going to have the easy walkover they had first imagined. As half time approached, United had a point called back for a technicality and there was a bit of a misunderstanding regarding rules on substitutions when the Spiritwood team put a water elemental into their goal.
By the time the midpoint whistle had blown the mighty Mongbats gathered their energies and with some fancy footwork drew to within one point when they swept the bag past the unsuspecting Spiritwood defenders. The teams then switched sides and got themselves prepared for the second half. The crowd began to get restless. Soon the battle was joined once again, after yet another Spiritwood substitution following a player being knocked unconscious on the field. The Mongbats came out fighting and soon scored the equalizer.
Spiritwood United's slick team work and fancy passing soon began to unravel as the team from Moonglow's confidence grew in leaps and bounds. The local crowd groaned as the Bats pulled ahead with yet another score and finally put the match out of reach of Spiritwood United as the hourglass dripped down to the final whistle. It was a thrilling match, final score Spiritwood United 2 Moonglow Mongbats 4. I am sure the players from Spiritwood will be looking to patch up their bruised reputation, and that the Mighty Mongbats of Moonglow will be keen to build upon their record of success.
If you, your guild and or community have a team and would like to get involved in the noble sport of Bagball, go take a look here.
The site is a bit out of date but you will find the rules there as well as a forum. Post your interest in entering a team and leave your pigeon number there (ICQ) or other means to contact you, and we shall try to set up a match schedule.
Here's to Sosaria's hottest sport!
Shri Proconsul Custodes Fati Town of Spiritwood
The essence of bagball
Two teams are pitted against each other in sporting event not dissimilar from soccer, football, and basketball. The object of the game is move a "bagball" around the field and into your opponent's goal; the team that scores the most goals within two halves wins the match. In the event of a tie, the game is extended and the very next goal decides the winner. Optionally, the first team to score five points wins the match.
Preparations
Before jumping into a bagball game, you'll need to choose or set-up your playing field and create the "bagball". Many teams also decide upon a group name and official team uniform. Leagues will need to confirm which rules or rules variations they'll be asking participants to follow.
The Playing Field
Often, players will draw out their own bagball field using common everyday items like staves, logs, and the like. European-style fields are approximately 15 tiles by 23 tiles with a centerline one tile wide, and Asian-style fields are drawn diagonally, about 14 tiles x 8 tiles in size.
Some of the best places to draw out a bagball pitch are the planting fields southeast or northeast of Skara Brae's docks and west of the city of Britain. However, a number of permanent bagball fields already exist on some UO shards.
The Bagball
The bagball itself is a bright yellow bag, filled with an object or objects that weigh 400 stone — more than any character can carry. While impossible to store in one's backpack, it is still possible to drag and throw short distances.
Option: A popular variation on the bagball is to use a large yellow crate for the bag, improving one's chances of grabbing the "bagball" without it being inadvertently blocked. (Although a crate may sometimes be used instead of a bag, substitute names such as "boxball" are never used—the name always remains "bagball".)
Playing Bagball
Each game pits two teams of two to six members each against each other. Both teams start on opposite sides of the bagball field near their respective goals. The bagball is placed in the center of the field, and a referee stands nearby. The referee counts "one", "two", "three". On three play begins and all participants race toward the center in an attempt to be the first to control the bagball.
Players grab and drag the bagball around the field as they attempt to throw the bag into opposition's goal. The team that doesn't have control of the bagball may attempt to grab and gain control of it at any point.
The referee will signal goals, the end of the first half, and the end of the game. Most bagball games typically are split into two ten to twenty minute halves with a three to five minute interval at halftime. The referee will also signal the end of the game and declare the winning team.
At the end of the match, the team with the most goals wins the match. In the event of scores being tied at the end of the game, a Golden Goal situation will occur, resulting in the next team to score being named the winner.
Moving the bagball
The primary method is: stand next to it, lift it, drop it on the other side of you, and run past it to repeat the lift-drop-move process.
Trade windows
The bagball may not be passed to other players by using trade windows, and intentional use of this tactic may incur a penalty. The bagball should only be passed by placing it on the ground for another player (on either team) to grab.
Felucca
Most leagues hold their bagball games in Felucca, due to its stricter "push through"-rules. When playing in Felucca, it is considered a natural part of bagball for players to block other players during the game.
Scoring a goal
This is a two part process: The bagball must first be thrown onto the opposition's goal line and then into the goal itself. (Some Trammel games require the bagball to land before the goal line, and then into the goal in order to score.) This process allows players a fair opportunity to block the bagball before it lands in the goal and prevent the score. No goal will count as official until the referee announces it as such.
After each goal, the bagball is returned to the center of the field and each team moves to their own starting positions. (Some games may alternately allow the scoring team to begin at the centerline.) Play resumes at the signal of the referee. The team that scores the goal receives one point.
Winning
The team that scores the most points by the end of the game wins. Optionally, the team that first scores five points is declared the winner.
Penalties
The actions listed below will often incur a penalty on the player/team performing the action. When the referee declares a penalty the game will stop and both teams will move to their starting positions. The opposing team will be awarded control of the bagball, and the referee will signal the continuation of the game. Once the bagball begins moving again, all players may begin moving.
- Holding onto the bagball for more than five seconds without also visibly dragging it
- Using a trade window to pass the bagball
- Intentionally blocking the bagball with equipped items, text spam, or any other manner
- Having more than two teammates standing within the goal area
- Using spells or magic of any sort (other than Night Sight)
- Using purple potions (some leagues disallow use of any potions)
- Using weapons or attacking another player
- Using the Stealing skill
- Using the Hiding skill
- Using pets, including ethereal mounts
- Moving the bagball outside the field
- Dropping additional bagballs on the field
- Excessive unsportsmanlike behavior
All decisions of the referee are final.
Criminal behavior
No player at any time should be flagged a criminal for any reason. Bagball may be a competitive sport but it is based purely on playing skill alone.
Attacks
Any participant that attacks any opposing teammember or spectator will disqualify her whole team, and the opposing team will win the game by default.
Outside interference
Interference from spectators is not allowed, and any such interference may compel the referee to stop the game.
