Huge drop in number of high ranked players playing games

**Padawan Pete** · 04-01-2011, 09:57 AM

I rowed with Kyle about customer service as well. I think we just have to get used to it.

**Calmdown** · 04-01-2011, 09:59 AM

Originally Posted by Laura

Remind me what do you get for being ranked high?

Is there a prize or something? if not, then if you're good you would eventually reach higher ranks. What's the problem here again? I don't understand it.

The problem is people with (artificial) high ranking are now not playing because they cheated to get there, meaning the people with reasonable ranking that didn't cheat to get there can't raise their ranking due to a combination of lack of opposition, the way the ranking system works, and a huge matchmaking range (150?) that means you fight massively downranked more often than upranked.

**Phoenix81** · 04-01-2011, 10:01 AM

I'm still playing. Just because you didn't see me doesn't mean I've never played. Got one rating up from 534 to 535 today after more than 10 winnings. I can't say for others as I almost haven't been matched with the 450+ for a long time as well. Not just started yesterday.

I also don't mind stat wiping as at this point, it's almost impossible to me to get through to the top 3 as well.

**Shadow Era** · 04-01-2011, 10:03 AM

Originally Posted by Calmdown

Is posting an article on the game's frontpage hard?

Is an auto responder to emails including the word 'rating' difficult?

You know we love you (and SE) but jesus, that's an unusual approach to customer service.

I have to choose the solution that will be best for all customers, and wiping ratings a few days after a huge data loss would just be an exceedingly dumb move.

**Ice** · 04-01-2011, 10:07 AM

Originally Posted by Kyle

I have to choose the solution that will be best for all customers, and wiping ratings a few days after a huge data loss would just be an exceedingly dumb move.

No, this situation is actually perfect! You could pin the blame on a huge data loss (since it has happened before, it is easier to believe), and claim that you can't restore ratings!

**Phoenix81** · 04-01-2011, 10:12 AM

Originally Posted by Kyle

I have to choose the solution that will be best for all customers, and wiping ratings a few days after a huge data loss would just be an exceedingly dumb move.

Rating decay might be a solution here, Kyle. You may have an average stat about how much people can up rank per day. I suggest to implement it as a decay per week though because of the face that not every people can play everyday. And don't decay too much to make it humanly impossible to catch up. You need to do something to make mr CALMDOWN to calm down.

**patricia** · 04-01-2011, 10:25 AM

Originally Posted by Ice

No, this situation is actually perfect! You could pin the blame on a huge data loss (since it has happened before, it is easier to believe), and claim that you can't restore ratings!

LOL thats funny.

**Calmdown** · 04-01-2011, 10:30 AM

Originally Posted by Kyle

I have to choose the solution that will be best for all customers, and wiping ratings a few days after a huge data loss would just be an exceedingly dumb move.

Not doing something that is right just because some people will get upset over it doesn't make it less right. Gaming PR history is littered with incidents of companies making mistake after mistake and not fixing them because they were too scared to after the previous mistake. It's also full of examples where they stuck to their guns, and their fanbase loved them all the more for it.

Make the right decision based on what's right for the game, not on what will give you less grief personally.

While I'm at it, let me also say thank you for the fixes to multiplayer disconnects etc. It's in our nature to whine about the next thing and not thank for what we *do* have, and I've just realised that's exactly what I've done. My apologies for that.

**patricia** · 04-01-2011, 10:34 AM

Originally Posted by Phoenix81

Rating decay might be a solution here, Kyle. You may have an average stat about how much people can up rank per day. I suggest to implement it as a decay per week though because of the face that not every people can play everyday. And don't decay too much to make it humanly impossible to catch up. You need to do something to make mr CALMDOWN to calm down.

A decay will keep the community active too. hehe