Multiplayer Strength Rating

from Elemental Forums

Hello everyone,

 

since this is my second post and I somehow skipped properly saying Hi the first time around, a very short THANK you to Stardock for creating great games (loved GalCiv2) and costumer support. Nice to see that there is a game company that thinks of the players first, and creates fun and intersting games to boot ! And a game influenced by one of my favourites, MoM !

So, onward to my request/idea. While I love singleplayer games (mainly due to the fact that I hate the interaction with anonymous players online, which is mostly unsatisfactory), a multiplayer component of course adds the possibility to play against a more entertaining and challenging enemy. But usually, after the game is out a while, most online players are the hardcore-play-this-game-like-breathing variety. Which is not so fun for more casual players like me. So, I see two ways to even the playing field - handicaps (not so fun, feels like cheating) and player ratings (similar to Go or Chess). Is any of this planned ? Personally, I'd prefer player ratings - if you beat enough players of sufficient experience/rank you rise yourself. Opened games can then be limited to ranges of ratings or even combined rating for 'teams' (5 casual players rank 5 against one giant of 25). If you do not play a while, rank slowly decreases (1 level a month or so).

Of course, if there are simply no players of low rank available anymore, a handicap for the one weak player around might be the only option.

 

What do you guys think ?

 

E

4,919 views 4 replies
Reply #1 from Elemental Forums Top

I dunno, I mean, agreeably most of the time I play multiplayer its for competition, but sometimes I just play multiplayer with one or two people to test a new feature, game mechanic, or strategy vs strategy to see if one is some-how superior.

Its not because im a hard-core gamer, I just really like the game. What I am trying to say is that if there is a rating sytem, I think there should be areas for un-ranked games, so we don't get critizized for "abusing the system" when one of us happens to beat the other during a play-test, which would increase one of our ranks.

Reply #2 from Elemental Forums Top

Oops, I didn't make myself very clear. IMO, a ranking system would not necessarily play a part in a game setup. Make it optional, so that 'any rank' games exist, but also games for low rank or only high ranking players. More or less just as an optional feature. But even if there is no button in the game setup to limit ranks, a little info besides the server about the ranks of already participating players would make things a little less frustrating for newcomers.

Edit: Idiot that I am I misunderstood you. Of course, you are right. There should be an option to have a game not influence the ranking. Sure. My guess is that most players would just let ranking happen, and actually turn it of when fooling around. And if someone doesn't like it at all, why not have an option in the players option screen ? Just list him as not having a score in the game tab.

My idea is really just to give new players/casual players a good idea of what kind of enemy they are encountering in multiplayer. Ranking seems good for that, but other options sure might work as well. It might even be a good idea to just have a flag set in the server options 'Careful, not exactly new player friendly game...'. Or have an option 'advanced player' in the option screen on the client side, so that players can give others a rough idea about thir own skill. Actually, might even be the easier option. Perhaps just have the game ask after a few dozen games if the player would like to set the option now or not, and then do not ask again (in case the player only sees it as nagging).

Cheers,

E.

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Reply #3 from Elemental Forums Top

I see no probs with having a ranking system. :)

Reply #4 from Elemental Forums Top

yea, a ranking system would be nice ^_^

im not so sure about 5 players of rank 5 vs 1 player of rank 25, but it could serve to help balance team vs team games ;)