(Poll) - SE4 Ratings System

[Slynky]

There have been a few people who have expressed a concern that multi-player games involving rated players somehow detracts from the game. I'm posting this poll to see if the RATED players (can't see any reason why unrated players would bother to vote) would like to discontinue this option for Ratings and limit it to 1 x 1 games only.

[Captain Kwok]

I voted no because it is not a direct measure of the player's skill as there are too many factors beyond the player's direct control in a MP game that can result in a win or loss.

[Fyron]

Slynky said:
There have been a few people who have expressed a concern that multi-player games involving rated players somehow detracts from the game. I'm posting this poll to see if the RATED players (can't see any reason why unrated players would bother to vote) would like to discontinue this option for Ratings and limit it to 1 x 1 games only.

I can. It is the unrated players that are screwed over by the shinnanegans...

[Slynky]

Imperator Fyron said:

I can. It is the unrated players that are screwed over by the shinnanegans...

You make a good point, Fyron. Sorry I hadn't thought about that. Of course, one has to agree that there ARE shinnigans that go on in the first place. As I have stated before, in a multi-player game, I don't care if a person is rated or not in that particular game...if it is advantageous to make a treaty with them, I will. In the Anklebiter game, for instance, Atari-Eric wasn't rated and I was partnered with him before anyone else and I never neglected him or used him. He was, basically, my partner who I would never turn on. Rated or not. Deccan was also near me and we became partners. Then, Rex, after a bit of a ruffle, became partners. Joachim never got the chance because of an early scuffle where he lost a colony ship coming through a warp hole and demanded repayment. From that point on, we never treatied up...and he was a rated player. So, I can honestly say I choose my partners and enemies regardless of their rating status.

So, to summarize, one would need to believe there ARE shinnagans going on.

But to come back to your statement...you are right. Players NOT participating should have a say-so, so I urge them to vote.

Thanks, Fyron, for the comment.

[Slynky]

Captain Kwok said:
I voted no because it is not a direct measure of the player's skill as there are too many factors beyond the player's direct control in a MP game that can result in a win or loss.

Actually, there was a discussion about the relevance of adding multi-player games to the Ratings systems and several good points were made. For one thing, or the main thing, a lot of players agreed that diplomacy was ALSO part of the game and that an average/good player with expert diplomacy skills also deserved to be measured. I agree with that (and Geo proved that point in Anklebiters). 1 x 1 games never take diplomacy into account and in trying to simulate an empire at war, diplomacy is an important factor.

So, it was generally accepted that having multi-player games count as rated (for those enrolled) was a useful test of that additional skill.

[parabolize]

Imperator Fyron said:

I can. It is the unrated players that are screwed over by the shinnanegans...

True in some cases. But don't turn this into an on or off situation for all of pbw. At the start of a game the host should say if role playing is the goal.

[Fyron]

parabolize said:
True in some cases. But don't turn this into an on or off situation for all of pbw. At the start of a game the host should say if role playing is the goal.

Why would I ever do that? That would be silly... A game doesn't have to have roleplaying as its goal for it to possibly be ruined by Ratings shinnanegans, so a host should consider it for any game, not just roleplaying games.

[Slynky]

parabolize said:

True in some cases. But don't turn this into an on or off situation for all of pbw. At the start of a game the host should say if role playing is the goal.

Another good point! Perhaps, the game owner should just state ahead of time if it will be allowed or not. And, roleplaying games are a different genre...which should probably be excluded by virtue of the goal of the game.

Thanks, Parabolize!

[Slynky]

Imperator Fyron said:

Why would I ever do that? That would be silly... A game doesn't have to have roleplaying as its goal for it to possibly be ruined by Ratings shinnanegans, so a host should consider it for any game, not just roleplaying games.

I knew one day that we would agree on SOMETHING, Fyron, LOL.

[Nodachi]

I voted no but would add; unless all the players are rated.

Honestly, I wasn't aware of the problem (but I had been gone for quite some time) but I can see where some people might be concerned. I also think calling it "Ratings shinnanegans" gives an unwarrented negative impression of the rated players.