====== A map will not start ======

Download and import the map, then ready up. If you are the only gameplay player, READY is required for an automatic start; you may explicitly request [[commands:start_match|.start]].

===== Another player is AFK or still downloading =====
From **v6.7.18**, rooms with at least **two gameplay players** can start with **one ready player**. Automatic starts and [[commands:start_match|.start]] leave unready/AFK players out; if nobody is ready, the room waits. Spectators and referees do not count toward this two-player rule.

Newly unready players receive **one shared extra five seconds** on their first countdown during their stay. Several newly unready players add five seconds total, not five each. The same players receive no further extensions on later maps; leaving and rejoining gives a fresh allowance. The extension adds to the configured countdown and any existing chat extension.

If your room still runs an earlier version, it may be waiting for its empty-room update. Check the room title and [[status:start|Live lobbies]]. See [[wiki:unready_start|the full readiness guide]].

===== The countdown stopped =====
Readiness loss in a solo automatic start can cancel the countdown while retaining the map; send a fresh READY signal before automatic retry. Player departures and minimum-player checks can also stop a start. An accepted [[commands:wait|.wait]] can cancel an in-progress countdown and add ten seconds before the same map retries. A successful ''.start'' disables optional waits for that map.

Repeated ''.start'' messages do not bypass availability or referee checks. If the bot says the map is unavailable, let its recovery path work and report persistent failures through [[commands:discord|Discord]]. See [[wiki:match_lifecycle|the lifecycle]].

===== A verified-mod or rating check is holding start =====
For mixed Standard DT or converted Mania entries, the bot verifies the returned playlist settings and difficulty before start. An unsafe key mode, star rating or speed transition can hold start and rebuild the upcoming entry. Repeated ''.start'' commands do not bypass those checks. A DT opt-out during gameplay allows the current match to finish. See [[wiki:mixed_dt|DT safety]], [[wiki:converts|conversion safety]] and [[commands:time|remaining-map time]].

===== Results-screen intermission: v6.7.23 =====
**Rolling out:** v6.7.23 was verified live in Rooms 1–3 on October 5, 2026, at 18:38 PDT; Room 4 was still waiting empty on v6.7.22. In a room running v6.7.23, automatic timing pauses while its lone player, or every active gameplay player, remains post-game viewing results. When anyone returns to Idle or Ready, the ordinary pre-countdown wait starts fresh. Spectators and the referee do not count.

Existing readiness requirements and Ready-based early starts remain: returning to Idle does not automatically make you Ready. Explicit ''.start'', ''.wait'', score-fetch delay and the numeric countdown retain their existing behavior. The bot uses already-received referee status events, with no additional API polling. [[updates:v6_7_23|Release notes and protocol details]].