I feel like there is a fundamental problem with the ranking system. Players are rewarded based on number of wins, regardless if they are in the 800 bracket or the 1500 one. So if someone wants to log in and get a quick win or three, or if they want to sit down and invest three or four hours into earning an epic chest, they are much better serviced by playing against weaker players and avoiding cardotron. If there was some incentive other than status for being ranked high, players wouldn't artificially tank their rating
One detail: Cardotron can be avoided by turning off "Allow GM opponents". No need to tank your rating for that. I realize this is not at all the main point of your post and my comment is not meant as an argument against your message. You'll find many in agreement with you, similar points have been raised several times on this forum in the last few months alone. It's a problematic property of the ranking system all right.
So the whole point of MP rating is NOT to satisfy one's ego, erm- I mean elo? 8^P But seriously,what is your "problem" with players tanking their ratings to get easy loot? 1) If you're worried about "loot-inflation", that's something you'll never see/experienced unless and until these players actually start USING their loot to play for ego/elo-- in which case, they will eventually be matched up with other players of similar ego/elo and be playing "competitively" anyway.... Not to mention that "loot-inflation" is relative-- such that if uber items/cards become more common, then they wouldn't really that "uber" as more people will be playing them or playing around them. 2) If you're worried about "rating/ranking-distortion", the big-fat middle of the bell-curve is not where people should be concerned about their ego/elo-- I mean, there are players of all ilk (e.g. SP fans who merely see MP maps as another module to have fun with)-- so you are talking at "cross-purposes" with the (cross-section of) Card Hunter players who are NOT playing MP for ego/elo, since they are not really interested in being "competitive"... 3) If you're worried about Blue Manchu losing revenue from club memberships due to easy loot from MP, I'd say that people who want club memberships will still get them since it guarantees even EASIER loot for players who tank their ratings in MP-- I mean, who's to say (other than Blue Manchu) that avid "collector-players" (who might exist in greater numbers) will spend less than "competitive players"... the min-maxers may be most active in these forums (as with the forums of all online games), but MOBA/E-Sports ethusiasts are not sole target audience for Card Hunter. Now do you see why, in most online games, devs usually have no issue with including a "concede/resign" button (& letting the meta-game/elo-ratings sort themselves out)? TL;DR: if you are playing competitively, you will eventually be matched up with people playing compeitively-- if you are still frequently being matched up with auto-conceding players, then you probably haven't reached that rating/ranking where players get deathly serious about MP. 8^)
Forestal, the devs actually DON'T want players to tank, because it leads to experienced players preying on noobs and makes the game less fun. You lose player retention when inexperienced players lose every game to strong veterans ...
I mean, I am a 1550 player who is currently signed up for the card hunter club. It is so much less fun than playing at 800, testing weird builds, goofing around for easy loot. I would like playing at my skill cap to not feel punishing compared to preying on new players
I went for rating a while back and hit rank 2. At that time I realized rating in this game is based solely on your ability to execute and utilize cheap strategies that the devs have been unwilling to balance. Nothing has changed since then. Until they eliminate the mechanisms in multiplayer that detract from skillful gameplay, there's not point to the rating system in my eyes. Just my opinion but people will be better served just shooting for loot acquisition and 'fun' that doesn't revolve around rating. The MP portion is not competitively balanced.
