During a match, more than one playlist in your Automated Game Plan can want the screen at the same time. Priority decides which one wins, and guards decide whether a playlist is allowed to run at all. This article explains how both work and gives you a simple priority ladder to start from.
What priority does
Every playlist has a priority from 1 to 4:
1 is the highest priority.
2 is the default for a new playlist.
4 is the lowest priority.
You set it in the playlist's Configure window, under Show Advanced Options. For step-by-step instructions, see Configure a playlist: name, priority and guards.
When playlists compete for the screen
Two playlists trigger together
If two playlists trigger at the same moment, the one with the higher priority plays. For example, if a sponsor playlist on a time trigger is due at the same second Harbour City (HCF) score against Ridgeview (RVR), the goal playlist wins.
A playlist is already running
A higher priority playlist can take over one that is already running. Say a priority 4 sponsor playlist is on screen at LIGR Demo Stadium and Ridgeview pick up a red card. The card playlist has a higher priority, so it takes over and the card graphics play straight away.
This works the other way too. A lower priority playlist doesn't push a higher priority one off screen, and it may not play at all. That's why it pays to think about which moments matter most.
When nothing else is running
The Default playlist in In Game (Live), nearly always the scorebug, has no trigger. It stays on during live play whenever no other playlist is running, and other playlists hand back to it when they finish. Learn more in In Game playlists: the default scorebug and live event playlists.
A recommended priority ladder
Here is a typical setup for live play in the LIGR Demo League. Adjust it to suit your broadcast.
Priority 1: Goals. Nothing should ever stop a goal graphic. Put your Goal, Own Goal and Penalty Goal playlists here.
Priority 2: Cards. Red Card, Second Yellow Card and Yellow Card playlists sit just below goals.
Priority 3: Milestones and stats. For example, a team stats lower third every three corners or every five shots on target. These are nice to have, so they give way to goals and cards.
Priority 4: Time-triggered sponsor playlists. A sponsor every 5 minutes should never block a goal or a card.
Other event playlists, such as substitutions, are your call. Place them where they make sense against goals, cards and sponsors.
Pre-game is a little different
Before kick-off, playlists often fire from buttons the scorer presses in LiveScore, such as Players Entering and About To Start. If you also have a time-triggered playlist close to kick-off, set it to a higher priority than the button-triggered ones. That way it isn't skipped if the scorer presses a button around the same time.
Playlist guards
Guards are conditions that must be true for a playlist to run. If a guard isn't met, the playlist doesn't play, even when its trigger fires. You add guards in the same place as priority, under Configure > Show Advanced Options.
Two guards you'll use often:
isLive: the playlist only runs while the match is live.
isNotPenaltyShootout: the playlist doesn't run during a penalty shootout.
Together they're ideal for sponsor playlists during play. The sponsor only shows while the match is live and never interrupts a shootout.
Time triggers and their defaults
When you add a Time trigger (Time elapsed) to a playlist, a yellow note explains that this trigger defaults to priority 4 with the guards isLive and isNotPenaltyShootout. Attaching the trigger doesn't change the playlist's own priority or guards. If you want the playlist itself to run at priority 4 with those guards, set them in Configure > Advanced options. For more on time triggers, see Live triggers: events, milestones and time.
Item Transition Guards
Playlist guards decide whether the whole playlist runs. Transition Guards work one level down, on a single overlay graphic item inside a playlist. You'll find them on the item's Advanced tab.
An item with Transition Guards only plays when every condition passes. The rest of the playlist still runs as normal. Use them when one step in a playlist should only appear in certain situations, without building a separate playlist. See Set graphic variables, update type and transition guards for how to set them.
Tips and common mistakes
Don't leave everything on the default. If every playlist is priority 2, nothing stands out. Give goals priority 1 and drop sponsors to 4.
Remember the trigger note. A time trigger's defaults don't set the playlist's priority or guards. Check Advanced options yourself.
Guard your sponsor playlists. Without isLive and isNotPenaltyShootout, a sponsor playlist could appear at moments you don't want it.
End live playlists on the scorebug. When a higher priority playlist finishes, make sure it finishes with Show scorebug or Hide all except scorebug so the scorebug comes back.
Test it. Use Review Match to replay a real match through your game plan. It shows what's playing now and which trigger fired, so you can see which playlist won each moment.