TF2 Jailbreak Rules

Last updated: February 2022
Applies to TF2 Jailbreak

What is Jailbreak?​

Jailbreak is a custom gamemode where the Red team are "Prisoners", while the Blu team are "Guards". One guard plays the role of the "Warden" and his/her goal is to order the Red team to compete in various minigames. Prisoners who fail the minigames are eliminated, until only one remains to participate a in a last request. Alternatively, Red players may choose to rebel and eliminate the Blu team for a red victory.

Latest changes​

For your convenience, here are the latest changes:

• Added Red-occupied area clarifications

​

Glossary​

To ensure everyone uses the same language, these are how we define them for gameplay purposes

• Prisoner / Red - A player on the red team
• Guard / Blu - A player on the blue team
• Warden - A designated blu player who will be putting the prisoners through minigames
• Rebel - players that are KoS: (See Kill on sight)
  • using lethal taunts (unless necessary in LR or otherwise)
  • disobeying Warden order; including delaying needlessly
  • attacked a Blu or building owned by a player (see Baiting)
  • shooting or possessing ammunition (they may be asked to waste all the ammo on the ground and, if they comply, pardoned. You must directly see the RED fire the ammo.)
  • seen opening and/or entering restricted areas such as secrets, armory or security gates
  • aiding another rebel; includes healing a rebel
• Baiting - If outside a Red-occupied area, Blu players or building within melee range of a red player may be attacked (or sapped) without consequences provided the red player does not chase an escaping Blu. If inside a Red-occupied area, red players may chase and attack within the Red-occupied area
• Red-occupied area - is an area intended for and occupied by red players such as the red side of a minigame or medic/infirmary
  For example, if REDs are to be playing Fall game then the RED area with the falling
• Freekill, Mass freekill - Killing a red without a valid reason, killing numerous reds without a valid reason
• Freehit, Mass freehit - Damage a red without a valid reason, damaging numerous reds without a valid reason
• Kill on sight / KoS - A rebel that should be shot on sight
• AFK / Freeze - You cannot move, swing, shoot, jump or crouch. However, you may freelook around or taunt provided the taunt is non-lethal and does not make you move (Taunts such as Conga that force you to move is not frozen). Cannot be called while a minigame is active. Weapon switching is considered frozen.
• Pardon - The act of forgiving a rebel, thus unmarking them as KoS. Cannot be used on players that:
  • skipped a minigame the other reds have played
  • when another red has already been killed for the same reason
  • exploited to avoid a minigame death
• Crouch walking - You walk while crouching. Nothing else is crouch walking.
• Freeday - A day where red are free to do whatever they please provided they do not turn into rebels
• First day freeday - Same as a freeday reds are rebel once there is one guard remaining
• Last request / LR - the last remaining red shall pick an activity in which to compete against or play with the remaining blu players
• Double last request / Double LR - Same as Last request, but with the last 2 remaining reds
• Medic / Infirmary - The room on each map where health is regained unless a player of the medic class is named
• In-cell command - A command that are given while reds are still in their cells and have not exited; See In-cell commands in general gameplay mechanics
• 'Here' waypoint - a waypoint that the warden can place on your screen
• Stacking - where you occupy the same space as another player
• (Bomb)rushing / go to - going a location in the most reasonable quickest and shortest way (generally direct path, running)

Gameplay rules​

Both Teams​

• No talking over Warden - Interrupting or otherwise rendering gameplay impossible
• Medical Pyros - Pyros who have stolen a medigun are always allowed to heal
• No griefing
• Ghosting - You may not reveal the locations or status of other players unless it meets the criteria as stated on the general server rules
• Exploiting / Unintended manner - In addition to the general exploiting rules, Jailbreak defines the following as exploiting:
  • playing a minigame in an unintended manner (such as walking to the finish line without completing the actual game)
  • surviving a minigame where you should not have (such as clipping in 9 squares)
• Red item restrictions - Red players may have any melee weapon, food, buff items (Concheror/Buff banner) sappers, and the jetpack out at any time. The use of any of these items (except the Jetpack if rushing according to orders) can mark a prisoner as a rebel. During a minigame (such as VS Sentry), the action of sapping and the use of the jetpack may be restricted by the Warden. Obviously, having something like a gun out would mark a red as a rebel.
• Renaming - This was causing more issues than it brought value in gameplay, so it is not allowed.
• Only warden commands are valid - Commands not given by the Warden may be safely ignored. Killing based on non-warden commands are considered freekilling.
• In-cell commands - Valid in-cell commands examples are "Freeze on your bed", "Stay at the far back of your cells".
• "45 second rule" - A command to exit the cells must be given withing 45 seconds of the round starting or it becomes a freeday.
• Sprays cannot be used for any gameplay purposes (because they may be disabled by the player)
• Communication restriction - No team shall be restricted from using voice or text chat for the purpose of the gameplay provided they are not breaking the other rules such as talking over warden, spamming, etc
• Purposely breaking map minigames - includes but not limited to shooting boxes out of the box game area, bringing the soccer ball out of the soccer area

Red / Prisoner Team​

• If rebelling, actively rebel - you should be actively rebelling without delaying the round needlessly.
• Only the Blu team should be giving commands. Reds should not actively trying to mislead players.

Blu / Guard Team​

• In additional to the normal griefing rules, the following are defined as griefing for the Blu team
  • Activating buttons for no reason or against Warden command (Blu)
  • Declaring freedays (Blu)
  • Keeping cells closed (Blu)
  • Entering or opening secret passage ways unless it is to chase a rebel (Blu)
  • Assisting a rebel (Blu)
  • Interfering with a minigame (Blu)
  • Freekilling and freehitting (includes splash damage)
  • Favoring certain Red players
  • Entering and staying in areas that are inaccessible to Red players causing prolonged delaying
• Functional and willing to use microphone as you may need to be making the calls as Warden.
• Be comprehensibly - You must speak in a manner that is easily understandable and without excessive background noise.
• English language - Red players are allowed to ignore any commands not given in English.
• All Blu players must participate in the the Red's last request unless it is invalid.
• Explanation of modified non-map minigames - If you choose not to follow the standard rules outlined for non-map minigames outlined in non-map minigames, or play a custom non-map game, you must clearly explain how it is played and make a reasonably attempt to fairness.
• Wandering - Leaving the general area where gameplay is taking place. You are not to wander without valid reason (ex. hunting for rebels).
• Minigame frequency - A minigame can only be played ideally only once (with twice being allowed if general consensus in favor) per round.
• Reasonable time limits & compliance time - Time limits instated should be reasonable given the task. Players should have at least 3 seconds to start complying with an order.
• No misleading commands - Only the Warden should be giving commands. Other blues are not to mislead reds by false commands or other means.

Gameplay mechanics​

General explanation of some things you may encounter during gameplay

• Last request - LR must be done in the same round. Red may freely modify their LR before it begins. The LR can be any minigame or custom activity explained by the last Red. Singing is a valid LR but blue may refuse and Red is to choose another one. If the Red is to rebel at anytime during the LR stage, they are marked as a rebel. Baiting does not apply during LR. Should an LR involve the respawn of another RED, if any REDs are to rebel, all remaining REDs are KoS. If the stated LR can be repeated, the BLUs must repeat until all are dead.
• Double last request - A two-player varient of the normal last request except: both players share must agree to share the same LR and both are rebel even if one rebels.
• 'Here' waypoint - Explicit command must be given to the REDs for them to go to the set waypoints.

Invalid Last Requests / LRs
While players have the freedom to explain a custom activity for their LR, the following LRs are not allowed:

• Directly kill the remaining Blu player; Set up your rules to fight against the Blus instead or play a minigame
• Freeday for the remainder of the round

Additional note

• Admin command involvement in last requests
  • Admins may decline for any reason
  • "Admin abuse" requests are not allowed
  • No server-wide changes (such as a map change)
• LR duration
  • Last requests should not be delaying the round needlessly. Remember that Jailbreak rules apply in addition to the standard server ruleset.
  • Last requests end if:
    • it has been six (6) or more minutes from the beginning of the LR phase
    • if everyone blue team successfully completes the chosen LR minigame twice where applicable (ex. run sweeper twice).
  • On the conditions above, the RED must accept a melee duel to the death. It is up to the RED to choose if they'd like to face all blues at once or a series of 1v1s. If the duels are refused, the RED is KoS.

Map game rules
Some map games have specific rules tied to them. These may not be overridden by the Warden.

• Trivia / Jeopardy
  Questions asked must be
  • Common knowledge or TF2 related
    • exceptions: patch notes, changes of stats, other names of the updates, name of skins/war paints
  • Non-opinionated
• True or False
  Questions asked must be
  • Common knowledge or TF2 related
    • exceptions: patch notes, changes of stats, other names of the updates, name of skins/war paints
  • Non-opinionated

Non-map game rules
The following games have default rules as outlined below and thus Warden is not required to explain thsese rules if they are not changed. These can be changed by the Warden, however if they are not explained, the minigames will follow these rules:

• A minigame that is not tied to a game (such as Red vs. Red (aka Arena)) should be played in the most reasonable location such as a knife pit, designated arena or reasonably sized space.
• First Reaction/Last Reaction (FRLR)
  First Reaction - First person to do the action is KoS
  Last Reaction - Last person to do the action is KoS
  May only be played when there are 3 or less reds*
• Trivia/Jeopardy & True and False
  Getting a question correct will allow the RED to kill either one of his/her teammates or themselves
  Getting a question incorrect will result in the RED being KoS and can not be pardoned
• Simon Says
  If "Simon says" is not said before a command, then it is invalid and RED's are not to follow it, if they do they are KoS.
  "Simon says" can be changed to anything by the Warden as long as it is appropriate
• Hunger Games (requires Admin presence; up to admin discretion)
  Free-for-all between the REDs until last one standing or stopped
  Admins can deny HG*

* cannot be changed by Warden

Banned games
Blu team cannot make the red team play the following games. These may be played as part of a red's last request at their own risk.

• (Casuarina) Shock, Drop, and Roll - Extremely difficult, very hard to leave once started.
• "Hunter” games - Game where the blu team seek out to kill red. Toxic on Chretien is allowed.
• Cell Wars
• (Jailfort) Steady Pace - Generally glitchy
• (Casuarina) Jumprope - Very hard to leave once started
• (8-Bit) Frogger - randomly kills players for no discernable reason

Common commands clarification

• Out of cell, rebel - If you go outside your cell, you are a rebel
• Shoulder-to-shoulder (with the largest biggest group) - Be beside someone else close enough that someone cannot fit in between you two (with the group with majority)
• Medics, no healing - Red medic cannot heal other players
• Go to X minigame - Implies RED side door
• Go to yellow line - Implies main (typically yellow) line closest to cells
• Go to every even /odd waypoint, Go to every waypoint except X waypoints - Count starts after the command is given

Invalid Commands
This list is non-exhaustive but the following have been encountered and have been deemed invalid for the gameplay:

• Telling people to type in their game console
• Telling people to "kill themselves" by jumping into death pits, lava, blenders, etc.

Scenarios​

In a few cases, a certain event will lead to a certain outcome. They are as follows:

Events that lead to a freeday

• First round after a map change
• Cell doors are opened with no valid Warden commands
• The "45 second rule" not being followed

Warden is killed or disconnects

• An automatic AFK freeze command is issued
• If a warden is appointed within 15 seconds:
  • The AFK freeze command continues until new command is given
• If a warden is not appointed within 15 seconds:
  • A freeday begins

Last non-rebel red is to receive last request however there are still rebel reds alive

• All rebels are to be found and killed before last request can be given

Last non-rebel red in a minigame

• The prisoner should be let out with as little risk of death as possible but must complete the minigame. The prisoner can only be teleported out if the minigame has a 100% death rate such as the "Sacrifice Door".
  In the absence of a staff member to teleport the remaining RED, members of the BLU team must attempt to reach the end of the course to sacrifice themselves. The baiting rule continues to apply here.

Command contradicting or conflict with previous command

• If a new command conflicts with the previous one, the newest valid command is the one that applies.
  For example, "Go to A minigame" was called. While in transit, a new command "Go to B minigame". The result is that the Reds are to go to the minigame B and cancel going to minigame A.

Bans will be extended to other platforms (such as Discord).