Old SC player, new FAF player, some questions.

[tufkal]

Hello all!

Old friend of mine and I got the itch to start playing SC:FA about a month ago, and as I looked at VPN options and other ways we could play over the Internet I stumbled upon FAF. What I initially thought was a replacement for GPG, providing a front-end lobby system has become so much more.

It's so much more in fact, I'm kinda lost on a couple of things. I'm hoping I can ask a few simple questions and get some support from what I have seen to be a great community.

I have played about 10 games in 1v1 quick matchup, lost em all, but I'm too used to playing against AI. I need to be faster, to understand my key bindings better, and not screw my economy so bad. Practice will probably fix this, but I just hope my rating doesn't get too negative that I can't recover.

1) I noticed my rating lists a number, and also a division. I assume each new player gets put in their own "bracket" or division. What is the purpose of that? How does it work?

2) Along with the above question, what is the green unit icon displayed in the chat lobby signify? I see the medals, awards, mods, etc but I'm not sure about why I have a green scout icon by my name?

3) I have looked around, but I can't find any information about the 'Sorian' AI that was added. I noticed playing against it that it tends to bunch up units less, uses transports more, and a few other things, but I would like to know exactly what each Sorian AI brings to the table. Are they harder than their regular counterparts, or just more versatile? Is the coop AI (following your commands, etc) the big draw for them (i.e. they are for your team, not to fight against)? What is the deal with Sorian?

4) I love that I can launch FA offline with the FAF patch applied (from ProgramData) so I can do FAF skirmishes without having to make games in the lobby. I tried a coop mission from the FAF launcher for the original game campaign and loved it, and would like to run the original campaign with FAF updates; but again I don't want to just make random games for myself in the lobby. Can the original SC be launched with FAF patch like SC:FA can? (Or can the offline FAF loud original SC campaigns?)

5) How does the auto-match algorithm work? I have a negative rating, and I keep getting matches with 400-800 rating people. Is it because of a lack of people in my range, or is the formula that wide?

Thanks in advance for any help understanding this great addition to one of my favorite games.

Tufkal~

[drdeath]

Hi, great to see even more new players!

Don't give up one 1v1, no matter how bad your rating gets, the moment you improve gameplay wise your rating will improve as well. So don't worry if you somehow find yourself in the negatives. Getting out is easy with some pointers from here in the help me i'm a newbie part of the forum.

1) I noticed my rating lists a number, and also a division. I assume each new player gets put in their own "bracket" or division. What is the purpose of that? How does it work?

The number you see while in chat is your global ranking, there is a separate ranking for 1v1. These all relate to winning more and losing less. The division part is based on experience, playing and winning 1v1 ranked games nets you points, regardless from if you lose some games. So here you are rewarded for playing a lot of 1v1. After a couple of months the winner of each division has a vote in deciding the new map pool.

2) Along with the above question, what is the green unit icon displayed in the chat lobby signify? I see the medals, awards, mods, etc but I'm not sure about why I have a green scout icon by my name?

The green icon is your current division, with the logo and name based on in-game units etc. As a new player this is probably a scout, i.e. the cybran mole land scout. Play a lot of games and in a couple of months you could become an experimental.

3) I have looked around, but I can't find any information about the 'Sorian' AI that was added. I noticed playing against it that it tends to bunch up units less, uses transports more, and a few other things, but I would like to know exactly what each Sorian AI brings to the table. Are they harder than their regular counterparts, or just more versatile? Is the coop AI (following your commands, etc) the big draw for them (i.e. they are for your team, not to fight against)? What is the deal with Sorian?

Simply put, they are harder, better programmed and use up less CPU resources. You can play with and against them as you see fit, but even though they are a lot better then the stock AI, they are never going to match a human opponent.

4) I love that I can launch FA offline with the FAF patch applied (from ProgramData) so I can do FAF skirmishes without having to make games in the lobby. I tried a coop mission from the FAF launcher for the original game campaign and loved it, and would like to run the original campaign with FAF updates; but again I don't want to just make random games for myself in the lobby. Can the original SC be launched with FAF patch like SC:FA can? (Or can the offline FAF loud original SC campaigns?)

Sorry, don't know much about that.

5) How does the auto-match algorithm work? I have a negative rating, and I keep getting matches with 400-800 rating people. Is it because of a lack of people in my range, or is the formula that wide?

It is probably due to the low amount of games you have played. After approximately 50 games the system will have you pegged and you will be getting better matched games. Also, the difference between negative rated players and 400 rated players is in my opinion very narrow. Check out one of the trainers mentioned in this thread : viewtopic.php?f=40&t=1614 and you'll be a 1000 rated player in no time.

[Gorton]

Since the rest were answered, I will answer 4. : You cannot.... yet

[tufkal]

Thanks for the quick replies! That covers all my questions. I just want to clarify one part.

Based on how you described it, there are 3 things that are kept track of.

-1v1 (Ladder) Rank
-Global Rank
-Division

I can get my ladder rank up by winning in 1v1 matches (need practice here). I can get my global rank up by being on the winning team in any games in the 'find games' menu. Finally, depending in my global rank and my ladder rank, I may be placed in a higher division eventually. If I am top of my division I get perks deciding on the quickmatch maps used in my division.

...is that right?

[Gorton]

1v1 ladder affects your ladder and global. Ranked games in the find games tab will affect your global rating. You'll find that 1v1 will change your global rating more than ranked teamgames, and this is because of how the rating system works (I will let someone else explain since i'm not exactly sure either but it's to do with averaging)
Divisions are determined depending on your 1v1 ladder rank when you enter a season. I only recently started 1v1 ladder, and it placed me in a t1 division (in the t1 league)
However, now my 1v1 ladder rating is well into the t3 league, and when the new ladder season begins and I play some 1v1 ladder in that season I will be placed in the t3 league.
Global ranking has no effect on your division.

[ColonelSheppard]

to be honest ladder doesnt tell anything: the 1v1 Leaderboards is the reference that matters for 1v1, wellcome to FAF, check this also: (you maybe did already)
viewtopic.php?f=40&t=3058&p=30316#p30314

[tufkal]

Been watching your replays ComShep, some good info for being quicker (build range) and other little tips.

I'm going to ignore the ratings, divisions, and seasons for now until I can win a few games and it would matter. It's still a bit confusing.

Just wanted to thank everyone again for the info, as I said I'm pleasantly surprised to find this community and that one of my favorite games has lived on. A lobby system, user patches, better AI, replays online, tournaments, and I could go on and on ..... bravo!