The rules of Thunderdome are simple.
1) It takes two ships to form a TD.
(Neither pilot can be under an active War Dec at the time of TD formation.)
2) Only TD qualified ships can form a TD.
(Thunderdome qualified ships are combat ships from frigate to battleship sized classes.)
3) Both pilots must agree on the TD options before a TD can be formed.
(Options include podding rules, etc.)
4) Once agreed upon, a Thunderdome countdown begins that will last for two minutes.
5) At the end of two minutes anyone in system can warp to the Thunderdome beacon, but only the two TD pilots can enter the TD.
6) A TD (essentially a 200k diameter POS shield anchored around a TD beacon) will last in space for 5m.
7) Once the two TD duelers enter the TD the countdown begins.
8) Two may enter. But only one ship can leave.
9) At the end of the 5m cycle anyone remaining within the TD will be destroyed along with the TD.
10) Inside the TD all normal space combat rules apply.
(Cyno fields do not function inside the TD. In effect the combatants have removed themselves from outside influence during the duel.)
• When Incarna is released TD formations will be announced in surrounding system stations, players will have 2 minutes to place wagers on the duelists and bet on the outcome of fights.
• Regular 1v1 combat will continue, TD is only an option when forming a fleet and operates the same way forming a fleet does currently except that it can only contain two pilots and must be mutually agreed upon.
• Those that travel to the TD beacon can watch the match, but normal rules still apply outside the TD.
• It should also be possible to include pilot vs pilot agreed upon content up for "stakes" such as contracts. To the victor go the spoils!
• TD beacons are announced on the overview like Cyno fields are currently and they form in the same system as the two pilots, both pilots must be in the same system for the TD to form, in deadspace.
• TD combat could form the foundation for organized tournaments and/or dispute resolutions.
"Listen all! This is the truth of it. Fighting leads to killing, and killing gets to warring. And that was damn near the death of us all. Look at us now! Busted up, and everyone talking about hard rain! But we've learned, by the dust of them all... Bartertown learned. Now, when men get to fighting, it happens here! And it finishes here! Two men enter; one man leaves."