I've looked at the link ref Cases ladder and agree that it's a relatively simple system. However, a few observations.
1. Getting started
By this, if I read it literally, the first player to get a positive result goes to top of ladder and positions below get filled in by subsequent winners?Everyone starts as unranked. The first player to win goes to the top, and the ladder begins from there.
Ist step in my proposal either takes a known quantity (previous tournament results) or it pairs all players against each other in a series of rounds, just like a knock out tournament, to establish an initial pecking order.
With the case system the ladder will either be very random in terms of ability, at the initial phase, or once the first player wins his game everyone will want to challenge him rather than play any other game.
2. Progressing in rank
In the Case system if you play a player immediately above you and win, you simply swap positions anyway, which was what I was proposing. If they get lucky, they get lucky, it's the same in both systems.If you look at the ranking system it explains how it was played. If the person at #1 is beaten by the person at #10, then the person at #10 moves up half way to position #5. If the person at #1 is beaten by the person at #2, then they swap positions.
This takes into account all games played. Whereas If you played on the basis of simply swapping positions with your defeated opponent, it is not an accurate reflection on the players ability (they could get lucky for example).
Difference/benefit with my proposal is that you can only be challenged by someone in the rank below you, which means a loss is far less likely due to luck as your opponent should be of a similar skill level.
3. Choice of Mod
Just to be clear, I am proposing multiple pyramids(Mods) running side by side.I also suggest this is done with vanilla 102 only. Reason being that mods are often changed and therfore would not be a good reflection on the ladder. Vanilla never changes, therefore is very good for this sort of league.
This would be self regulating. I proposed a minimum of 8 entrants to make any Mod worth running, so if people don't want to play any particular Mod, they won't. Also, as I completely accept you assertion that Mods are developing all of the time, with this in mind I would propose a 12 month freeze on any Mods used in these competitions (and most definitely in my view Vanilla 1.02 should be included/but again, the demand has to be there).
4. Star Trek Flavour and Fun Factor
Are you honestly saying that it's more fun to say woopie-doo, I'm up to 8th on the ladder or wouldn't you prefer to say I've achieved rank of Lieutenant Commander, or ulimately Mod Captain!As this is a tried and tested model, I suggest this is the way we go forward. Keeping track of player positions is much easier than keeping track of accumulated points, and with the way the ladder is structured, people will still get credit from winning games by their position on the ladder.
Also, the points system I propose is very simple and will probably reward the players who are prepared to get their hands dirty and play all Mods that are running, as the Fleet Captain is the player with the most ranking points across all Mods in play.
I'm not dismissing your suggestion by any means, I just think mine's more fun and more or less guarantees that most matches will end up being played by players of similar ability. (Not too many easy wins).
Unfortunately, the reality is that demand may not be there as the last 2 tournaments have involved only 16 players in each and mostly duplicates, out of a 7000+ strong community.
SO COME ON EVERYONE, TELL US WHAT YOU WANT!!
Regards
Pigman
