Rules of Castaway

***You're ready to play!*** Soon, you will be competing in *Castaway*, a one night adaptation of the CBS show *Survivor*, and we're excited to have you compete. But before the game starts we want you to have a good idea on what to expect, both from a player and hosts perspective and what to bring with you. If you have any questions please contact myself directly on Twitter @FrasyBaby

## Player requirements

### Video and Audio

Each player is required to have a working camera and microphone to compete. You're advised to play on a computer/laptop as opposed to a tablet device.

### Zoom

As expected, this game takes place on Zoom. As all players are familiar with this practice, it is not an issue. Please be familiar with the **share screen** and **annotation** features of Zoom as this may come into play based on the competition in any given round.

### Materials

Each player will need only a paper and a pen that when written is legible on camera. No additional materials are required for you to compete.

## Production

Your season has been planned prior to applications opening, this includes all challenges, twists and any additional information pertinent to the game commencing. The host, Robert, is the sole member of production.

### Player Liaisons

Some seasons may employ Player Liaisons. These liaisons are individuals that have no prior knowledge of the season and act as a first point of contact should any out-of-game issues occur that require the immediate attention of the host to action.

## Casting

All those competing in your upcoming season have completed the application process. No individual has been recruited nor has a guaranteed spot to compete regardless of any outside relationship with the Production. In the event of *Castaway: Redemption Island*, players are invited without going through the application process.

Seasons that incorporate the *Blood vs Water* format will have players competing with and/or against a "Loved One".

Every attempt has been made to create a unique game of *Castaway* and as such the selected cast may have a pre-existing relationship in some way. The host has attempted to balance this evenly across all tribes and to incorporate a fair balance of age, occupation, and location. Applicants who have outlined those individual(s) they are uncomfortable with are also safe in the knowledge that their wishes are respected.

The host will ensure any changes to casting will be made knowledge of in the days leading up to the start of your season. These will be announced on Twitter @FrasyBaby.

### Requirements

Each player is to adhere to the casting requirements.

1. All contestants are eighteen years old or over at the time of production.
2. All contestants have agreed to compete and have submitted a suitable cast picture.
3. All contestants have disclosed any/all individuals they do not wish to compete with/against in their initial application.
4. All contestants agree to participate with a working camera/microphone and have access to a Zoom account.
5. All contestants understand the rules and expectations (outlined below) which will also be explained at the start of production.

### Returning players

A returning player is an individual who has previously competed in a season of *Castaway*. Returning players may be subject to the same application process and have no prior information to an upcoming season. Returning players are also announced as part of the season prior to applications opening. In accordance with our casting policy, if there are any individual(s) a player is uncomfortable with will be upheld.

## Invitation and pre-game

The game will commence on **TBC** at **3pm (EST)**, please check local times if outside of this time zone. The host will provide your Zoom invitation up to 30 minutes (based on your preferred social media) prior for you to enter and setup any additional measures. Conversation between players is acceptable during this time. Direct Messaging in Zoom is restricted to the host only and you're encouraged to not type in the chat unless directed.

#### Declining invitation

If you are unable to attend and must decline, please inform the host as soon as possible to arrange for an alternate to take your position. Successful applicants who decline can still apply for future seasons and due to the volume of applications received, we do not reach out to individual players unless under exceptional circumstance to extend a further invitation.

## How the game operates

#### Basics

Each round is broken into three parts:

* **Camp:** Where each tribe will talk with their tribe mates for a finite period of time. Each tribe has four areas to converse (shelter, jungle, treemail and shore) and a limit of players per room to encourage moving around different areas of their camp.
* **Challenge:** Individuals/Tribes compete against one another to win Immunity from elimination. Challenges are held within their respective tribe areas or in view of all players.
* **Tribal Council:** Where either the losing tribe(s) or merged tribe convene to eliminate one player from competition. Votes are cast privately and read anonymously by the Host.

Additional events may occur throughout the game that are outside of the three-part cycle. These are planned events designed prior to the game commencing.

#### Game duration

Each game of *Castaway* is designed to last between five-to-seven hours.

#### Room limits

As of *Castaway: Micronesia*, tribes are given four areas (breakout rooms) each with the same restrictions of how many castaways are permitted entry. Castaways are to self-regulate their room limitations which are outlined when the game begins. The general rule for room limitations are a majority number of your tribe cannot be in the same room.

* Tribe of thirteen/twelve = six castaways per room.
* Tribe of eleven/ten = five castaways per room.
* Tribe of nine/eight = four castaways per room.
* Tribe of seven/six = three castaways per room.
* Tribe of five = two castaways per room.
* Tribe of four and under = no room limit in force.

The four breakout room names are denoted by your tribe name and an area of your camp:

* Shelter
* Shoreline
* Jungle
* Tree Mail

#### Cross-tribal communication

Communication between tribes is restricted unless permitted when a challenge is occurring. For that reason, Direct Messaging on Zoom is restricted to the Host. Players must also not 'visit' tribe rooms that aren't assigned to them. If a player is found doing so, the Host reserves the right to penalise those involved. Exceptions in the case of a twist being introduced will be announced for all competitors.

#### Twists

*Castaway* may implement a twist into the game, this is a pre-planned event devised to keep players alert and will be announced before/after a challenge or immediately following a Tribal Council.

#### Advantages

Introduced *Castaway: The Amazon*, advantages are available throughout the game at designated points. Details of how advantages can be found are announced at the start of the game to ensure a level playing field.

##### Hidden Immunity Idols

*Castaway* does employ the use of Hidden Immunity Idols, typically found at a separate area away from your respective campsite whilst under the watch of the host. If a player successfully locates a Hidden Immunity Idol, the following rules are observed.

* The Hidden Immunity Idol is non-transferable unless specified.
* If eliminated in possession of a Hidden Immunity Idol it cannot be willed to another.
* A Hidden Immunity Idol is valid for the Tribal Council in which it is played, it will then be discarded.
* The last opportunity to play a Hidden Immunity Idol is when there are five (5) players remaining in the game (unless otherwise stated)

Any player can announce the intention of playing a Hidden Immunity Idol whether they believe it is a physical object or confirmed by the host after the host states the following:

*"If anybody has a Hidden Immunity Idol or an Advantage and they want to play it, now would be the time to do so."*

If a Hidden Immunity Idol is played, the host states the following:

*"The rules of Castaway state that if a Hidden Immunity Idol is played, any votes cast against that person will not count and the person with the next highest number of votes will leave instead."*

The host will confirm/deny the validity of the Hidden Immunity Idol and continue with reading all votes cast.

If an Advantage is played, the host states the following (brackets denote context):

*"This is a/an [advantage], [short explanation of how the mechanism works]"*

The host will continue with reading all votes cast.

#### Tribal Council voting

Players will cast their vote through Zoom Direct Message when instructed where all players must not speak. Players cast their vote one at a time and once a name is given it is considered final. During this period, no communication is permitted between players, or sitting jury members. Once all the votes are collected, they are read out by the host and the eliminated player will be instructed on their next steps whether they are a pre-jury member or a jury member.

If a player has an advantage that they opt to use at Tribal Council, they must publicly announce their advantage which the Host will either confirm/deny the validity of.

#### Tie Break Rules & Resolution

In the event of two (or more) players in a tied vote, the remaining players with the exception of the two (or more) individuals in the tied vote will re vote for one of the eligible players. A season will follow the **Modern Rules** as set out on *Survivor*, but dependent on the theme of the season, a set of rules may be introduced at the start to allow competitors to make adjustments in the event of a further re-vote.

* **Classic Rules**: Those involved in the tie will have all previous votes counted against them. The player with the greater number of elimination votes is eliminated. In the event that a tie occurs with the countback, a challenge is given.
* **Modern Rules**: Those not involved in the tie will have an open forum to discuss who to eliminate from *Castaway*. If a unanimous decision is not made within sixty (60) seconds, those involved in the tie become immune (alongside any other player(s) with Individual Immunity/an exercised Hidden Immunity Idol) will participate in a random lottery ("drawing rocks")
* **Game-Changer Rules**: A modified version of the Modern Rules where a second vote is not called and an open forum occurs, failing to reach a unanimous decision results in a random lottery ("drawing rocks")
* **Redemption Rules**: A modified version of the Modern Rules with the exception that the player eliminated is not granted passage to Redemption Island and will exit the game permanently.

Regardless of the Tribal Council rule in force, when there are four players in a tribe at a stage in the game that is not when the tribe is merged, a tie vote will immediately activate a "fire-making" challenge.

Starting with *Castaway: Micronesia*, when four players remain overall an elimination competition will occur where the first person eliminated from the challenge will be eliminated permanently. Starting from *Battle Royale* two people are eliminated.

#### Final Tribal Council voting

On completion of (or during) the jury questioning, the determined jurors will then cast their vote to win *Castaway*. Similar to Tribal Council voting, the jury will be called one at a time to cast their vote through Zoom Direct Message. Once all the votes are collected, they are read out by the host. The winner will be the individual who has accumulated the greater number of votes.

## Challenges

Challenges will take place through the **screen share** feature of Zoom which will be controlled by the host. A description of each challenge will be given, then when all individuals/tribes are happy to proceed the challenge will begin. Each challenge is designed to be roughly 5-7 minutes. Some challenges may require all players participating or a select few, those who do not compete cannot assist whatsoever and must wait in their respective tribe chat or away from the breakout room to prevent interference.

#### Likeness

Some challenges may have the option of your likeness being used to show the current state of play.

#### Mobility, Hearing and other impairments

If you are cast to compete in a season of *Castaway* and have acknowledged on your application an impairment that may affect your mobility, hearing or any other impairment, the Production team will ensure all challenges meet all criteria regardless of your overall placement.

## Post-elimination

#### Pre-jury eliminations

Those voted out before the creation of the jury can continue to spectate the season but are restricted from conversing with those remaining in the game.

#### Post-jury eliminations

Those voted out once the jury is created are restricted from conversing/observing active rooms with those remaining in the game with the exception of challenges and Tribal Council and will remain in the main area with the host. The jury attend subsequent Tribal Councils and cast a final vote at the Final Tribal Council. If a jury member cannot attend the Final Tribal Council, they must provide a list of the remaining players on their preference to win the game. Failing to do so will revoke their juror privileges and a member of the pre-jury may replace them.

The jury is comprised of the seven (or more) previously eliminated players, leaving either a final two, or three, to face the Final Tribal Council.

#### Withdrawal

If a player opts to prematurely leave the game without the need of a vote, the planned Tribal Council for the episode is cancelled. In the event a player opts to depart during the jury phase of the game it will be at the discretion of the host to determine if they retain their status to cast a vote at the Final Tribal Council.

## Expectations

#### Behaviour

Under no circumstances are players to ever make an individual/group feel uncomfortable during their time competing. There is a zero tolerance policy on any act that is deemed inappropriate and any group/individual can and will be removed without warning. This is a game for entertainment purposes, keep your interactions in the spirit of the game and fair play. Please report any issues to the host immediately.

#### Adjudication

The host will be responsible for all final decisions made within the game, however, if you believe an unfair call was made or a piece of information was overlooked please let the host know. The host isn't immune to criticism and if there is an error we will take steps to ensure it will not be repeated.

#### Spectator/Audience viewing

Spectators are those who view the game but have no direct/indirect impact on the active season in production. Spectators who wish to join are held at the discretion of the host and current cast, any objections are made privately and all spectators are held in a waiting room until accepted. During some periods of the game, new audience members are held in a waiting room whilst an event occurs and will either be rejected/accepted on completion of the event.