Ladder Rating Seasons (reset)

[Blodir]

Note: All references to rating in this post refer to Ladder Rating. I'm not proposing any changes to Global Rating in this post

Proposal:
- Run a soft rating reset every year

Spoiler: show

Example
mu = 1500 + (mu - 1500)/2
sigma = 1.5*sigma

- Give players recognition for success during a season
--- Abolish nonfunctional league system for now, replace the ladder icons with a graphic representing your rank in the last season

Spoiler: show

Example
Experimental: 1800+
T3: 1500+
T2: 1200+
T1: 800+
Scout: <800
Avatars based on amount of games played? (this could be reversed with the league icons too so avatar for rating and icon for games played...)

Pros:
- Easy to implement
- Inactive players are dropped from highest leaderboards ranks
- Increase in activity (fighting for rewards & leaderboard ranks)
- Returning players are able to find games corresponding to their current skill level much quicker than before
- Momentarily easier to get games for everyone

Cons:
- For majority of active playerbase matches will momentarily be significantly less balanced
- "Morax_irc: you are going to see how little people are playing, correct? xD"

Quick strawpoll:
http://www.strawpoll.me/10577321

[BushMaster]

I mostly agree with this, but why only every year? Seems to defeat the purpose of encouraging people to play if a season lasts for so long. Why not something closer to, say, every 3 months?

[Morax]

Keep a "lifetime" record so those who are not as active don't lose their recognition and implement this as a "seasonal" one that awards active players.

[Grothe]

After breaking (aka "out of order") the ladder rating system with the new server, we now should just forget it? I was promised that the missing data would be updated, once they came around to get it working again... well, has that ship sailed?

That said, I'm for showing only active players (without inactive for - lets say - 1 year) and a check option for 'include all time'. A season system could be setup on top.

[Morax]

You know what.... just do it. I'm bored and this will drive people away from the game (likely the inactive ones) and motivate those who want it.

Whatever... we need something

[Zoram]

I'm not sure what purpose it would serve ?
I thought rating was there to allow matching people of comparable skill levels ? If inactivity is the issue, rating decay would be the logical road imo.

A full reset would mean that occasional players would take a litle while to get back to their natural rating and "enjoy" totally random matchmaking in the meantime.

Maybe I missed something