UAAP Esports: Game Rules and Settings

The University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) is stepping into the digital arena with its latest addition: esports. It features three popular titles: NBA2K, Mobile Legends: Bang Bang (MLBB), and Valorant.

ALL-STAR has gained access to mechanics, settings, and formats that will be used in the three titles during the inaugural UAAP Esports tilt, which will be held in Arete in the Ateneo. Here are the rules that players should follow for each of the games.

ALSO READ:

• Everything You Need to Know About UAAP Esports
• UAAP Esports: The Women in the War Rooms
• UAAP Esports: Team Struggles and Strategies
• Tech and Gear: The Gaming Tools Powering UAAP Esports

NBA2K

Roster

• 2 main players 
• 1 substitute player 
• 1 coach (optional; may be the same person as head manager)
• 1 student manager (optional; must be enrolled at the member school they represent for the school year 2023-2024)
• Must be at least 18 years old

Format

Group Stage 

• 16-player pool, drawn into 2 groups (8 players per group) 
• Single Round Robin, 1 match 
• The top 2 of each group advance to the semifinals 

Final Four 

• Top-ranked player of Group A faces second-ranked player of Group B and vice versa 
• The semifinals will be a best-of-3 series 
• Winners of both series advance to the Finals, Losers go to a Battle for Third
• Battle for Third will be a Best of 3 series

Settings

Game Settings

• Game Difficulty: Hall of Fame 
• Quarter Length:
  • Group Stage: 4 Minutes 
  • Final Four: 6 Minutes 
• Fatigue: On 
• Injuries: Off 
• Game Speed: 50 
• Shot Feedback: Off 
• Camera Shake: On 
• Gameplay Indicators: On 
• Perfect Release Animations: On 
• Player Indicators: On 
• Takeover Icon: On 
• Action Replays: Never 
• Highlight Play Camera Cuts: Off 
• After Basket Camera Cuts: Never 
• Arena Photo Strobe Flashes: Off 
• 2K Smart Play Overlay: Off 
• Audio Presentation: On Court 

Coach Settings

• Adaptive Coaching Engine: Off 
• Timeout: Manual 
• Player Minutes: Manual 
• Substitution: Manual 
• Offensive PlayVision: User Plays Only 
• PlayVision Display: Lite 
• PlayCalling Messages: User Plays Only 
• Offense Playcalling: Manual 
• Defense Playcalling: Manual 
• Late-Game Fouling: Manual 
• Team Communication: Off

Controller Settings

• Vibration Function: Off 
• Trigger Effect: Off 
• Shot Timing: Shots and Layups 
• Free Throw Timing: User Timing 
• All other settings can be changed to the player’s preference.

Camera Settings

• Mode: 2K 
• Zoom: 1 
• Height: 10 
• Key Zoom: Off 
• Rev Angle: Off 
• Auto Flip: On 
• Fix Height: On 
• Flip Style: Spin

NBA2K Team Selection Priority

Group Stage Best-of -1

• Coin toss determines HOME and AWAY designations and team selection priority.
• Coin toss WINNER gets priority in team selection
• Coin toss LOSER gets to choose HOME and AWAY

Semifinals Best-of-3

• The seeding determines HOME and AWAY designations and team selection priority.
• Higher seeded player gets priority in team selection in Game 1 
• Lower seeded player gets to choose HOME and AWAY in Game 1 
• Lower seeded player gets priority in team selection in Game 2 
• Higher seeded player gets to choose HOME and AWAY in Game 2 
• Coin toss determines HOME and AWAY designations and team selection priority for Game 3. 

Grand Finals Best-of-3

• The seeding determines HOME and AWAY designations and team selection priority.
• Higher seeded player gets priority in team selection in Game 1 
• Lower seeded player gets to choose HOME and AWAY in Game 1 
• Lower seeded player gets priority in team selection in Game 2 
• Higher seeded player gets to choose HOME and AWAY in Game 2

NBA2K Team Selection Pool

The Team Selection Pool will be assigned to the following games: 

• Game 1: Tier 3 Teams 
• Game 2: Tier 2 Teams 
• Game 3: Tier 1 Teams

 

Tier 1 Teams

• Boston Celtics 
• New York Knicks 
• Indiana Pacers 
• Dallas Mavericks 
• Phoenix Suns 
• Oklahoma City Thunder 
• Minnesota Timberwolves 
• Philadelphia 76ers 
• Los Angeles Lakers 
• Milwaukee Bucks

 

Tier 2 Teams

• Denver Nuggets 
• New Orleans Pelicans 
• Houston Rockets 
• Memphis Grizzlies 
• Miami Heat 
• Sacramento Kings 
• Orlando Magic 
• Cleveland Cavaliers 
• Golden State Warriors 
• Los Angeles Clippers

Tier 3 Teams

Portland Trail Blazers

• Toronto Raptors 
• Atlanta Hawks 
• San Antonio Spurs 
• Utah Jazz 
• Washington Wizards 
• Chicago Bulls 
• Detroit Pistons 
• Charlotte Hornets 
• Brooklyn Nets

Valorant

Roster

• 5 main players 
• 1 substitute player 
• 1 coach (optional; may be the same person as head manager)
• 1 student manager (optional; must be enrolled at the member school they represent for the school year 2023-2024)
• Must be at least 18 years old

Format

Group Stage

• 8-team pool, drawn into 2 groups (4 teams per group) 
• Single Round Robin, Best of 2 series 
• Point System will be in effect 
• A 2-0 series win is equivalent to 3 points 
• A 1-1 series win is equivalent to 1 point 
• A 0-2 series loss is equivalent to 0 points 
• The top 2 of each group advance to the Semifinals 

Final Four

• Top ranked team of Group A faces Second ranked team of Group B and vice versa 
• Semifinals will be a Best of 3 series 
• Winners of both series advance to the Finals, Losers go to a Battle for Third Battle for Third will be a Best of 3 series 
• Finals will be a Best of 3 series

Settings

Game Settings

• Settings for blood and bodies must be turned off. 
• FPS/Latency text, graphs, and trackers must be disabled.

Map Pool

• Abyss 
• Ascent 
• Bind 
• Haven 
• Icebox 
• Lotus
• Sunset

Map Selection Procedure

Group Series Best-of-2 Map Selection

The coin toss WINNER has the option to choose Side Selection priority or Map Selection Priority. The coin toss Winner is referred to as TEAM A, while the coin toss LOSER is referred to as TEAM B.

Coin toss WINNER chooses Side Selection Priority 

• TEAM A picks side for Game 1 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM A picks Map for Game 1 
• TEAM B picks Map for Game 2 
• TEAM A picks side for Game 2 

Coin toss WINNER chooses Map Selection Priority 

• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• TEAM A picks Map for Game 1 
• TEAM B picks side for Game 1 
• TEAM B picks Map for Game 2
• TEAM A picks side for Game 2

Semifinals Best-of-3 Series Map Selection 

The Team with the higher seed gains the choice between Side Selection Priority and Map Selection priority. By choosing to be TEAM A, they will be opting for Map Selection Priority. If the Team with the higher seed chooses to be TEAM B, they will be opting for Side Selection Priority. 

• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• TEAM A picks Map for Game 1 
• TEAM B picks side for Game 1 
• TEAM B picks Map for Game 2 
• TEAM A picks side for Game 2 
• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• Remaining Map gets picked for Game 3 
• TEAM B picks side for Game 3

Grand Finals Best of 3 Series Map Selection

The Team with the higher seed gains the choice between Side Selection Priority and Map Selection priority. By choosing to be TEAM A, they will be opting for Map Selection Priority. If the Team with the higher seed chooses to be TEAM B, they will be opting for Side Selection Priority.

• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• TEAM A picks Map for Game 1 
• TEAM B picks side for Game 1 
• TEAM B picks Map for Game 2 
• TEAM A picks side for Game 2 
• TEAM A bans one Map 
• TEAM B bans one Map 
• Remaining Map gets picked for Game 3 
• TEAM B picks side for Game 3

Mobile Legends: Bang Bang

Player Roster

• 5 main players 
• 1 substitute player 
• 1 coach (optional; may be the same person as head manager)
• 1 student manager (optional; must be enrolled at the member school they represent for the school year 2023-2024)
• Must be at least 18 years old

Format

Group Stage 

• 8 team pool, split into 2 groups (4 teams per group) 
• Single Round Robin, Best of 2 series 

Point System

• A 2-0 series win is equivalent to 3 points 
• A 1-1 series win is equivalent to 1 point 
• A 0-2 series loss is equivalent to 0 points 

The top 2 of each group advance to Final Four 

Final Four 

• The top-ranked team of Group A faces second-ranked team of Group B and vice versa 
• The Semifinals will be a Best-of-3 series 
• Winners of both series advance to the Finals, Losers go to a Battle for Third
• Battle for Third will be a Best-of-3 series 
• The Finals will be a Best-of-3 series 

Just like in the professional tournaments in the MPL, the UAAP Esports tournament for Mobile Legends: Bang Bang will implement a 10-hero ban, with the first banning team determined through a coin toss.