wrestling predictions @ fourdown

Recent Blogs

More Updates, Mainly for League Administrators, Some Small UI Improvements for All Users
Posted by cletus42o

New Average Scores per League, per PPV, Many Other New Features
Posted by cletus42o

Thoughts on WrestleMania 25 Main Events
Posted by cletus42o

Drunkcast 27
Posted by peachmachi..

Genesis (2009) Predictions from January 2nd
Posted by cletus42o

frequently asked questions & user guides

FAQ
General
Sharing Data
Facebook
Leagues

If your question isn't answered below, make sure to browse the user guides provided. Those are the tabs above next to FAQ labeled General, Sharing Data, Facebook, and Leagues. If you still can't find the answer to your question, don't hesitate to contact us.

I'm using the Facebook application and some of the stuff in your FAQ and guides make no sense!

There are slight differences between using the site normally and using it through the Facebook application. If you're unable to figure something out, just follow the contact link above and let us know.

I didn't get to enter my predictions but want to send them to you after the PPV has started. Can I do this?

No, unfortunately we can't make exceptions. We advise all players to lock in predictions at least a day before the PPV is scheduled to happen, that way no matter where a problem occurs, it can get taken care of before the PPV begins. At times, PPVs have matches that occur before the scheduled start time of the PPV (possibly as an online-only exclusive), and we do adjust the cut-off point for predictions if that happens.

I entered predictions for a PPV but the site is saying I didn't. What's wrong?

There are a number of reasons why your predictions might not have been saved. If you skipped over any item when making your picks, the site will display a message at the top of the prediction game informing you of that and your previous picks will still be selected below. You need to find the item you missed and make your pick before resubmitting your predictions. Another common cause is that when you click the Clear Predictions button to make changes to your picks, you MUST resubmit your predictions even if no change is made.

How can I be sure my predictions for a PPV are entered?

There are a couple of things you can do to make sure your picks are saved and ready to go:

On the PPV prediction page (ie, http://www.fourdown.org/WWE_Survivor_Series_2008), you should not be able to make changes to your picks without first clicking the Clear Predictions button. If you're seeing drop-downs and checkboxes, that means your predictions aren't saved!
On your command page, PPVs, questions, and polls are listed in two ways. If the item in question falls under a heading that says "Enter.." as opposed to "Update..", that means your predictions aren't saved!
* On the PPVs page, there is a column labeled "Played" - if it doesn't say Yes, that means your predictions aren't saved! (to me this is the easiest way to make sure I've played)

But also make sure the PPV in question has been opened for predictions!

What does the score that I see represent? It's two numbers.

You'll see your score as one number followed by another in parentheses. The first number is the total number of points you earned, while the number in parentheses is the total number of base items you got correct. That takes into account only winners of matches (not the finish or interference) and the questions. The first tie-breaker utilized on the site is that number in parantheses, so a score of 125 (10) will be ranked higher than a score of 125 (9).

How can I get emails sent to me letting me know about new items on the site?

By going to your settings page, you can choose which type of emails you'd like to get sent by the site. If you choose not to receive the emails, you'll still get a message in your inbox at fourdown. If you're using the site through Facebook, you must have given the application access to email you before these features will work for you.

What prizes do you give out?

Certain PPVs have prizes given out to the winners. It is typically a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to the person who gets first place. We will likely begin offering additional prizes soon that may go to more than just the first place winner. If a prize is offered for a PPV, the PPV prediction game page will make a note of it.

175 point PPVs will always feature a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to the 1st place winner. For every PPV, both WWE & TNA, the top 3 winners will receive a Drunkcast Shout-Out. Certain PPVs will also feature free 1-month subscriptions to Wrestling Observer/Figure Four Online. (see further below for details on those prizes)

Season prizes are also given out at the end of each season. They are a $25 Amazon.com gift certificate to the WWE winner and to the TNA winner, and a $35 Amazon.com gift certificate to the overall winner. One prize per person. (if you win two categories, the next eligible person will be awarded the smaller of the prizes)

How are prizes for PPVs awarded in the event of a tie?

If two users get 1st place (which requires both their points and number of base items correct to be the same), the tie-breaker is done by going to the season rankings. If the PPV was a WWE PPV, then the person with the higher WWE rank on the site will be awarded the prize, and likewise for a TNA PPV.

The hard rule is: points -> number of base items -> rank in PPV's company -> rank in PPV's company, based on PPVs alone -> overall rank -> overall rank, based on PPV's alone

If it ties that far down, I'd likely award the prize to both people.

How are prizes for seasons awarded in the event of a tie?

It works similarly to PPVs. If it's a tie in the overall rank, the tie-breaker will be the rank from the last PPV from either company. If it's a tie in rank specific to a company, the tie-breaker will be the rank from that company's last PPV.

How do I get my prize?

As long as you signed up to the site without using Facebook, I already have your email address and your prize will be delivered to that email address. If you're a Facebook user, I will have to get in touch with you directly so that I can get an email address to send the prizes to. Certain prizes require your response within 48 hours or you will automatically be awarded the default prize.

I see there is a prize available that is a subscription to another site. How will this work?

I will first have to contact you by email (so if you're a Facebook user, make sure I can do that!). Some sites have recurring subscription packages and the prize offered may not be of any use to you. In that case, an alternate prize will be available.

But please, make sure to respond to us when we contact you for delivery of the prize! If I haven't heard from you within 48 hours, you will be awarded the primary prize by default.

I see there is a prize available that is a "shout-out". What is this and what do I do if I win this prize?

Shout-outs are short messages that you create that will be read on the air on a wrestling radio program. You can take the opportunity to gloat about your win, lay out a challenge to another league, or say hey to your family and friends.

We offer shout-outs at two different wrestling radio shows currently.

Drunkcast - Drunkcast Shout-Outs are awarded to the top 3 winners at every PPV. Your shout-out must be 100 words or less. There are no rules on the content of your shout-out, however the hosts have the right to edit your shout-out on the fly and comment on your shout-out in any way they feel necessary.
The Bryan and Vinny Show - If a 1-month subscription to F4W is being awarded as a prize, a shout-out on the B&V Show is offered as an alternate prize. Your shout-out must be 75 words or less. It will be made as high-priority as possible, but no guarantees can be made on a timeframe of when it will air.

Make sure to send us valid content for your shout-out in a timely fashion! If I haven't heard from you within 48 hours, your shout-out will be defaulted to a generic shout-out that includes your name and score only.

Most of the following will explain many features to users of the Facebook application, but if you are using the application, check out the Facebook tab for information specific to the application.

Signing Up

To start playing, you need to register. All that is required outside of your desired username and password is a valid email address and your year of birth. After successfully creating an account, an email will be sent to the email address you entered. You must follow the link in the email in order to activate your account. If you haven't received the email after 30 minutes, please contact us.

Predictions and Voting

There are two main components to the site. The primary component is predictions - that's what helps you earn points in order to increase in rank. You can predict the results of each WWE and TNA PPV, and also standalone questions that allow you to predict anything from storyline conclusions to who the next champion will be. Voting includes polls, which let you share your opinion and see if the rest of the players agree with you, and wrestler & show reviews, allowing you to choose your favorite wrestlers for the week and rate each weekly TV show. Note that all of these features are available for you to participate in at one consolidated page - your command page.

Predicting PPVs

To enter your predictions for a PPV, there are three easy ways to find the game page. First, your command page, which displays any open PPV prediction games directly under your current standings. Second, the home page, which lists any open prediction games directly underneath the featured blogs. Third, the PPVs page, which lists all current and past PPV prediction games. Note that there will be times when there are no open PPV prediction games - they are typically opened when at least four matches have been announced for the card.

The process of predicting a PPV is simple - once you've followed the link to the prediction game, you'll see a series of matches and questions. You must select your pick for every item on the page before submitting your predictions. The points that each match and question is worth will be displayed directly under the match name or question.

Matches will be listed first - you will always be given the choice of the winner of the match. Optionally, a match may ask for your prediction on how the match will end and if there will be interference. As stated at the bottom of every prediction game, the rules followed to determine if interference occured are as follows:

If a match has the optional interference question attached to it, interference is defined as the appearance of anyone not wrestling in the match AFTER the bell has rung (they do not have to physically get involved), or in the case of a manager/valet or anyone who enters ringside prior to the bell, the person must physically get involved with one of the competitors in the match (which includes the wrestler they accompanied to the ring, in the case of a wrestler ducking a shot from a megaphone or bag of salt).

Questions are listed after the matches. Questions will vary from PPV to PPV. They may ask anything from which member of a team will score the pinfall in a match to if an unscheduled appearance of a wrestler occurs.

Predicting Questions

To enter your predictions for a question, there are three easy ways to find the question in order to cast your pick. First, your command page, which displays any open questions directly under your current standings - and following any open PPV prediction games. Second, the home page, which will display one of the open questions (but it chooses which to display randomly, so depending on the homepage for question predictions is not advised). Third, the questions page, which lists all current and past questions. Note that there will be times when there are no open questions.

The amount of points a question is worth is always listed directly under the question. Some questions may not be answered for months, so the points you earn will be applied for the season in which the question's answer was made known. If a question is multiple-choice, there will be details on how many points each correct answer is worth. There may also be a loss of points for incorrect answers and a bonus amount of points when guessing only all of the correct answers. You can never lose points, though, so if you make too many wrong choices, your score will stop at zero for the question.

Voting in Polls

To enter your choice for a poll question, there are two easy ways to find any active polls. First, your command page, which displays any open polls directly under your current standings - and following any open PPV prediction games and questions. Second, the voting page, which will display all active polls at the top of the page. Note that there will be times when there are no open polls.

Wrestler & Show Reviews

To submit your reviews for wrestlers or shows, again the first place available is your command page, which displays the review section at the bottom (with a tab for each type of review). Second, the voting page, which will also display the review section at the bottom of the page. When you are picking your top 5 wrestlers or rating each show, it is for the current week. It runs from Sunday until Saturday, so you may prefer to wait until Saturday to take into account the entire week.

You can see the latest results from the reviews on the home page and the voting page. To see wrestler reviews across a timeframe, for instance to see who is leading in the voting for the entire year, you will need to visit the the reviews page. As of this time, only wrestler reviews are consolidated in such a manner in that section.

Your Command Page vs Individual Sections

The command page is primarily meant to have one easy place to see your current standings and to participate in any active items. You will still want to visit the individual sections to see the breakdowns on what other players chose for each item. For instance, you can participate in a poll through the command page, but you cannot see what the current results are without visiting the voting page of the site. The same goes for reviews for wrestlers or shows - to see what the past week's results were, you will need to visit the voting page.

If you are accessing the site using the Facebook application, the following will not apply. You must access the site directly to have access to the following features.

Sharing Data from the Site

In order to take data from this site and post it in another place, we provide multiple places where you can accomplish this easily. Of course, you're not required to use the options we provide - you can copy & paste right from the pages or take screenshots if that's more your style.

The easiest way is to visit the command page and you'll find the options right above your current standings on the left. Find the drop-down menu underneath the text "Want to post any of the data from this site elsewhere, in either HTML, BBCode, or plain-text format?" and choose which type of data you want to post. The full range of data you can share exists here and some of the options are only available by using this drop-down menu.

When you've chosen which type of data to display, a pop-up window will be opened with options. The first option, "Post to My Blog", will redirect your main browser window to your blog entry screen with the title and content filled out with the data you've generated in the pop-up window. After that, there is a group of options that controls what data is actually displayed. Most should be self-explanatory, but you can experiment with the options and click the "Update Text" button to see how the text will look before you either copy it to another site or post it to your blog. (scroll down below the three text boxes to simply see the HTML version of your data) Depending on what type of data you're sharing, you may also have options to choose a particular item (whether it's a PPV, a group of questions, or a group of polls) and also to filter by league. If the league drop-down menu is present, you are only able to choose between your own league or to have it display data from the entire group of players at the site.

Underneath the options is the "Update Text" button - you will need to click that button in order for your options to be applied (and for the data to be posted to your blog, if you have made that choice).

Below the button, you will find three text boxes, and underneath that, a standard HTML display of the data so you can easily review it first.

The first box contains the data with HTML formatting - this would be most useful for posting on your own website, or posting a blog at a site that accepts HTML.
The second box contains the data with BBCode formatting - this would be most useful for posting on a message board or forums that allow BBCode formatting. Note that one of the options always available is to swap [link] for [url], as certain sites use that tag for links.
The third box contains the data with no formatting at all - you can use this formatting anywhere.

PPV Predictions/Results

You can access this data either on the page for a particular PPV or through the command page.

If the PPV chosen has not happened yet, you will only be able to share the details of the game itself and your own predictions. In most cases, when you only wish to share your choices, you would only need to choose "My Prediction" as the option to display in the data.

If the PPV has happened and has been scored and ranked, you will now be able to share the percentages of what every other user at the site chose for each match and question. If you belong to a league, you'll also be able to display the percentages that only take into account the choices of your league's members.

Polls

You can access this data either on the poll history page or through the command page.

The polls work almost exactly like the questions, except you always have access to post the current percentages for either the entire group of players or only members of your league.

Wrestler Reviews

You can access this data either on the reviews page or through the command page.

You can filter the results to a specific month or year and to only include your league if desired. The options allow you to display either more or less data and you can choose which sort method you'd like to use.

PPV Rankings & Season Rankings

You can only access this data through the command page.

These two allow you to share the rankings for either a particular PPV or a particular season. You can choose to have it include the entire group of players or only members of your league. These have a unique option - "Add PWI Rank" - which will assign each player to a wrestler from the PWI Top 500 for the year of your choosing. Note that the maximum players that will be returned is 300 when displaying rankings from the entire site.

You can choose to Swap League & Site Rank here as well. It defaults to displaying each user's rank at the site, but if you only want to show how people are ranked within your league, you'll want to swap them.

The following will explain the Facebook-specific options that are only available to those who are using the Facebook application.

But wait! You can access the site both ways using your one account! If you found us through the Facebook application and created your account through Facebook, you can simply access the site at www.fourdown.org and login using the username and password you created when you set up your account. If you started out as a member here at the website, and would like to have access to the Facebook options, add the wrestling predictions @ fourdown Facebook application and on the main page, enter only your username in the designated area. You'll receive an email that you'll have to follow a link from in order to confirm that it's really you, and once you've done that, all you need to do is re-access the Facebook application and you will automatically be logged into the site. The interface is streamlined more in the Facebook application, and certain features can't be used through the Facebook application - but if you're only interested in having access to the Facebook features while still using the website as your primary method of playing, you won't miss out on anything.

Signing Up

Signing up couldn't be easier using Facebook. Simply add the application to your Facebook account, and when you access it, you'll be prompted to do one of two things. You can enter your desired username (it will default to your first name + the first letter of your last name, and potentially a number if another user already exists with that username - but you can change your username to anything you like) and the password you would like your fourdown account to have (NOT your Facebook password). But if you already have an account at fourdown, you would instead find the part of the page that asks "Already have an account with fourdown.org?" and enter your username at the site and check off the box certifying that the username is your own. Linking an existing account will require you to follow a link in an email that will be sent to the email attached to your fourdown account.

Once you have either created a new account or linked an existing one (and confirmed your account by following the link in the email), all you need to do is re-access the application and you'll be treated to the interface to the application!

Using the Application

There will be tabs across the top of the application once you have your account set up. The first one is the meat of the application. A frame will load the website in which you can participate in all prediction games and voting items available. A menu will be at the top of the frame allowing you to easily navigate through the site. (note that you can modify the behavior of that menu in the Application Options tab)

All of the instructions from the General tab of this help guide will work from within Facebook, though there are various differences in the look-and-feel when using the Facebook application.

Receiving Automated Site Emails

If you created your account from Facebook, that means we have no access to your email address (this is a good thing for you!). However, we do offer automated emails that can let you know about new prediction games, remind you when a game is about to close, and more. You can give the application access to email you in the settings page - but realize that this still does not give us direct access to your email account. Facebook protects your privacy and only provides to us a proxied email address. Any emails we send to that proxied email address, as long as you have given us permission, get forwarded to your email address at Facebook, but we never have access to your true email.

The Other Tabs

Besides the main FOURDOWN tab, you'll see additional tabs and buttons that provide the Facebook-specific options to you.

Buttons & Links

Add to Profile: This will add a box to your Facebook profile which will show your current overall rank and your rank on the past 3 PPVs. It also assigns you a wrestler from the PWI 500 that represents your rank. If you are ranked #1, you will be assigned the #1 wrestler from the PWI listing for the latest year. If you're ranked #2, you will be assigned the #1 wrestler from the year before that. The process continues in that way for all rankings, unless you are ranked too low to be associated with any listing from the PWI 500 collection.
Invite Your Friends: This lets you send a request to your friends on Facebook to join up and play along. The more people playing, the more competitive the seasons will be, so please don't hesitate to invite your friends who enjoy wrestling!
Become a Fan: If you visit the Facebook page for the application (by either following the "Contact Us, Discuss the Application, or Become a Fan" link at the top of the "Become a Fan" link at the bottom), you can become a fan of the application. We'd appreciate all users who enjoy playing becoming fans, since hopefully it will bring in more players to make predicting more fun for everyone!

Tabs

Publish Your Picks: In here you can choose to publish many of your predictions and voting choices straight to your Facebook profile page. Let your friends know what you think will happen!
Your Friends: Here you'll see a list of all your Facebook friends who have added the application, along with their rank.
Application Options: You can control a few options in how the application works and also remove either your account or the link between your Facebook and fourdown accounts.
About the Application: Just some basic info about what the application is for, but the site's about page and this guide will likely serve you better.

If you need specific help, don't hesitate to contact us and we'll get back to you as quickly as possible!

If you're a league administrator and are looking for information on the options available to you, either scroll down the page or click here.

Why Join a League?

If you're not already part of a league, then you're not seeing everything that you would if you were in one. When you're in a league, any place that shows percentages or tallies of votes will show you the numbers for the overall group of players on the site along with those same numbers only taking into account members of your league. This allows you to compete within a smaller subset of players and also allows you to compete as a league against the other leagues on the site. There are two things to consider if you're looking for a league to join:

Do you already belong to an online wrestling community? If so, certainly what you'd like to do is join the league associated with that community! Then you can discuss your picks on your community's existing site and then come here to compete with other online wrestling communities! If the community you call home doesn't have a league here, suggest it to the person who runs the community and have them get in touch with us!
Don't belong to a community, but are looking for one? If so, you can browse the list of leagues and find one that looks like a good fit for you! Not every league represents a community, though, so you'll have to check out the league's official site (found on the league's page here, if they have an official site) to find out for sure.
Just looking for a small group of people to play with? If so, many of the leagues are simply dedicated to fans of a particular wrestler. You can communicate using the site and through posting blogs, or you can be as quiet as you'd like! Or if you have a close group of friends that would like to start up a league, let us know, because we'd be happy to set one up for you!

Joining and Leaving a League

To find a league to join, browse the list of leagues. You can apply directly from the league listing page or from the league's page at fourdown. This will send a notice to the league's administrator who will have to confirm your acceptance to the league. Some leagues may be based on a group of people who meet away from the online world, so don't feel bad if you get declined. If you've applied and want to cancel your application, you can do so from the league page. You can also leave a league at any time by visiting your league's page at fourdown and clicking the Leave League link.

League Rankings (by Total Score)

League scores are calculated using only the top 15 scoring members. This holds true for each type of ranking. League rank for a PPV takes into account the PPV scores for the top 15 members of that league for that PPV. The league's overall rank takes into account the overall scores for the top 15 members of the league at the current moment in the season. We limit the number to 15 members so that leagues of all sizes can compete. As long as your league has 15 participating members, you have the ability to win. Though your chances of having higher-scoring members increases with the size of your league, of course.

League Rankings (by Average Score)

For each PPV, leagues are ranked by the average score per player of the league that participated in the PPV. These average scores accumulate throughout the season, and season rankings are also provided based on the total average player score per PPV the league was eligible to have been included in the averaging rankings. Leagues must have 15 members play in a PPV to be included in this ranking.

League Administrators

If you're a league administrator, you will find League Administrator links in both your command page and the league page.

The administrator has many options, which are split into two sections, detailed below:

League Administrator

Welcome Message: The welcome message is displayed to all league members in the league page. It is not visible to anyone that is not a member of your league.
Community Website: This allows you to have your community's website linked here at fourdown.
RSS Feed: If you or your community features a wrestling-related RSS feed, enter it and choose how you want it displayed here at fourdown.
Applications: If anyone has applied to join your league, their usernames and current score will be displayed with the option to either accept or decline the application. This only appears if there are pending applications to the league.
User Management: This features a drop-down including all members of your league. You can either send a message, send a warning, kick the user from the league, or promote that user to administrator (there can be only one, so you will no longer have access to this section if you promote someone).

League Homepage

Content for Public Page: This content will be displayed on your league's public page at fourdown. Use it to help promote your community and entice users to apply!
Your League Images: These images will appear on your league's public page and potentially at times will be used by the site to help promote your league. Make note of the size restrictions or your image may not appear correctly.

We also allow league administrators to link to their community website from blog posts. However, you will still need to adhere to the rest of the rules on posting blogs. If the blog appears as spam or as simply an advertisement with no content, it will be removed. Please note that any abuse of the system done by an administrator can result in the termination of the league.

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