The match lifecycle

Rounds move through waiting, countdown, gameplay, and scoring before the next map is promoted.

A room moves through waiting, countdown, active gameplay, and completion/scoring. The bot reconciles the server playlist before starting so it operates on the correct map.

Ready up after downloading. Automatic starts consider the room's player and READY policy. A lone player must ready up for an automatic start. .start requests the normal countdown immediately for an active player.

.wait gives an eligible player a once-per-map allowance before the match starts. Download-related readiness loss can cancel a countdown while keeping the same map; the bot waits for a fresh READY signal before retrying.

After completion, the bot processes scores, accepts map feedback, and promotes the next playlist entry. A mid-match join message helps new arrivals understand the remaining wait. See countdown troubleshooting.

Ready up after downloading, then use .start as an active player to request the normal countdown. If a download cancels it, send a fresh READY signal; the same map can be retained.

Readiness and availability checks remain in force. Optional waits apply before match start; they do not extend active gameplay.

See a related guide and all features.