First, your ranking doesn't address these issues either.
Correct. That is why I'm a big proponent of NO system. If one must be used, then it should be as simple as possible.
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Third, no ranking can possibly be perfectly predictive, if only because
the past does not force the future.Once again, your only point seems to be that rating are imperfect, and
therefore you want no risk of your 1 game/year being possibly marred.
That seems very short-sighted.
I'm in 2 games right now. In one of those games, I'm playing 2 nations. A 3rd game should be starting within a week.
The fact that the rankings will be anything but perfect is just the starting point for my opposition. Yes, the system will be imperfect. Those imperfections will result in ways of expoiting the system. Therefore, the highly ranked players will be those that exploit the system. Those that play for fun, choose challenging positions against equal or superior opponents, play neutral then pick sides for game balance or a challenge will have a fair to average ranking. They will then have a list of "cunning" players that play to expolit the flaws in the system, shoved in their face as the "best players".
Explain to me again what this ranking system is supposed to do? Something about bragging rights? The only people that will have any "bragging rights" are those that exploit the flaws in the system to pump up their rankings. Screw that.
Why not just go back to the old VPs? Answer, they were flawed, and the best players rarely "won". They created doubt and mistrust and infighting within teams. Why will the new system not do the same? Answer is that it will do the same. It will give motivation other than fun and winning, and that is bad.
> There are far too many variables in this game for any ranking system
> to be an accurate reflection of the player's skill. As a result, any
> system will have flaws that can be exploited by "cunning" players
> that want to have a high ranking to rub in the face of those that
> play for fun.Which is not a reason to completely abandon them.
Yes, it is. ANY system will have flaws. Flaws will be expolited by cunning players to increase their rankings. It will be un-fun to play in games containing these "scumbag", I mean "cunning", players. It only takes 10% or less "cunning" players to mess it up for the majority.
If players abuse the ratings, they can be changed. Throwing the baby out
with the bathwater is not a solution.
Incorrect anology. A baby has worth. I see no worth in a ranking system. I see no worth in encouraging people to exploit a system, then holding those people up as the best at exploiting the system.
Once imposed, a ranking system will be difficult to get rid of. Sure, we can plug holes, but the cunning players will just find new holes to abuse. The only good solution, is the current situation. No ranking system to be expolited. In every game you join, you can be reasonably sure there is no one in it to "exploit" the ranking system. Right now, people join for the right reasons: fun, challenge, thrill of winning. WHY would we want to screw that up by adding a flawed ranking system that will cause a few to join for the wrong reason. A chance to expolit the ranking system.
jason
Darrell Shimel
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