Editing Cup of the Day

The **Cup of the Day (COTD)** is a daily competition within the [Trackmania](https://trackmania.com/) community, utilizing the Knockout game mode on the current [Track of the Day](#Track_of_the_Day). COTD offers players multiple opportunities each day to compete, earn trophies, and showcase their racing skills on the featured track.

== What is the Cup of the Day? ==

Cup of the Day is a structured daily tournament that takes place in the Knockout game mode, centered around the current Track of the Day. The competition occurs three times daily at the following times (all in CE(S)T):

* **19:00** – Coincides with the release of a new Track of the Day.
* **03:00**
* **11:00**

Each COTD session allows players to compete against others on the featured track, striving to achieve the best times and earn trophies based on their performance.

== How to Participate ==

To take part in the Cup of the Day, players must:

1. **Access the Track of the Day Arcade Room**: Ensure you are in the Arcade Room featuring the current Track of the Day before the competition begins.
2. **Be Ready Before Start Time**: Join and start playing on the Track of the Day Arcade Room by the scheduled start time of the COTD session you wish to participate in.

== Qualification Phase ==

Once a COTD session begins, the server transitions into the **Qualification Phase**, which consists of two segments:

1. **Initial Ten Minutes**: Players have ten minutes to complete the map. Successfully finishing within this time is mandatory to advance.
2. **Additional Five Minutes**: After the initial ten minutes, players receive an extra five minutes to improve their completion times.

**Key Points:**

* Failure to finish the map within the initial ten minutes results in disqualification from the Knockout Phase.
* Players' best times within the 15-minute window determine their **Qualification Rank**.
* Based on Qualification Rank, players are grouped into divisions with a maximum of 64 players per division.
* Higher Qualification Ranks yield more trophies.

== Knockout Phase ==

Following the Qualification Phase and a brief waiting period, players are automatically connected to their division's match server to enter the **Knockout Phase**.

=== Knockout Format Explained ===

The Knockout Phase follows Trackmania's Knockout format:

* **Simultaneous Starts**: All players begin the round at the same time.
* **Elimination Criteria**: Players who finish in the last positions or fail to finish are eliminated.
* **Warm-Up Round**: The first round serves as a warm-up with no eliminations.
* **Final Standings**: The last remaining player after all eliminations is declared the division's winner.

**Elimination Rates per Round:**

| Players Remaining | Knockouts per Round |
|-------------------|----------------------|
| 17 to 64          | 4                    |
| 9 to 16           | 2                    |
| 2 to 8            | 1                    |

== Trophies Earned from COTD ==

Players can earn trophies in two main stages of COTD:

=== Qualification Phase ===

* **Performance-Based Rewards**: Higher Qualification Ranks grant more trophies.
  
=== Knockout Phase ===

* **Server Level and Rank**: Trophy rewards depend on the server level, which is determined by the player's Qualification Rank.
* **Server Types**:
  * **Type 1**: Top 64 in Qualification → Standard rewards.
  * **Type 2**: Top 10% in Time Attack → Enhanced rewards.
  * *Additional server types may exist based on further Qualification criteria.*

**Summary Table:**

| Server Type | Trophy Rewards                |
|-------------|--------------------------------|
| Type 1      | Standard trophies based on rank|
| Type 2      | Enhanced trophies based on rank|
| *...*       | *...*                          |

== Track of the Day ==

The **Track of the Day** is a daily selection of community-created maps, curated by [Ubisoft Nadeo](https://www.nadeo.com/). A new Track of the Day is released every day at **19:00 CE(S)T** and serves as the centerpiece for the day's COTD competitions.

**Highlights of Track of the Day:**

* **Beautiful Scenery**: Showcases visually appealing environments.
* **Creative Routes**: Features innovative and engaging track designs.
* **Unique Features**: Incorporates standout elements that distinguish each map.
* **Community Projects and Events**: Highlights collaborative efforts and special events within the community.

Additionally, each Track of the Day includes a fresh **Records Leaderboard**, where players have 24 hours to set the best times and compete for the title of Track of the Day winner.

== How to Get Your Map Selected as Track of the Day ==

Aspiring map authors aiming for their creations to be featured as Track of the Day should adhere to the following guidelines:

* **Fully Respawnable Routes**: Ensure that the track can be fully respawned from every checkpoint.
* **Balanced Difficulty**: Avoid unnecessarily difficult speed checks or sections that may be too challenging for Beginner and Intermediate players.
* **Clear Signage**: Implement good signage to make the track easy to understand and navigate.

**Feedback from Tona**: Tracks must be easy to comprehend for Beginner and Intermediate players, with clear signage to facilitate consistent completion.

For more details or to view the current Track of the Day, visit the [Track of the Day](#Track_of_the_Day) section.

== References ==
* [Trackmania Official Website](https://trackmania.com/)
* [Ubisoft Nadeo](https://www.nadeo.com/)