Option to be unrated

[nads]

Greetings, it's been a long time since you had to put up with my nonsensical ramblings on this forum. I've been extremely busy with real life and more or less abandoned TAO for about a year. But to be honest, I don't think I would have abandoned TAO if I had the option to be unrated. Remember back in the day when we all played turtles, and then the bomb came, and the rush, the anti, the modifieds, and everything else? The bomb ruined the gold game for me. At that time I had high stats and a reputation for being a good player. Every time I lost to a less skilled player with a well placed DSM who got the first move I felt so embarrassed. I toyed with the antis and the rushes for a time, but I found that so much of the game had turned to luck that I could no longer rely on skill alone to win. With every loss to a n00b I began to feel this pressure I don't know how to explain.

About this time, I went back to playing grey. With grey there was no shame in losing to a bomb, since you just use the excuse of being grey against gold. I found the grey game had more of my style of play, skill based, with luck as a secondary and sometimes frustrating factor. The only problem with playing grey is that I didn't have the gold units that I really wanted to play with. I was a gold at heart, and had been gold since a month after the game was released on FPS. But because of my fear of losing stats and losing to dumb luck, I felt I couldn't play my gold. I even went as far as creating a second gold noone knew me as, so I wouldn't have the pressure to win on me, but I never felt at home on an account that wasnt my real name, so I finally let my golds go and retreated into that place where former TAO players go.

Recently, I began playing again on a regular basis. I like the changes to blocking +/- and first move ranged unit restrictions, but I still have the same old pressure of being afraid to lose. I'm back to about 96 or 97% of my skill on grey game, but I feel like only a half of me is back. I want to get my gold back up and running, but there's that damn pressure again that I know will ruin it for me. If only there was a way to be completely unrated, then I could play whoever I wanted and not worry about what happened to my stats. I have tried before to just not care about those damn stats, but every month when the rankings come out I feel this unseen force rubbing my inadequecies in my face once again. There used to be a way to have private stats, yet you'd still be ranked even with private stats, and people could ballpark your rating with those.

Imagine if you could be completely and totally unrated. Any game you played would not change your opponents stats either. This would kill the "your stats are too low" excuse we see so often, and would take the pressure off of players like me, and allow the game to just be for fun again. I'm sure I'm not the only one who has ever felt this way and gotten to this point in their game. What are other's thoughts on this idea?

[AlabamaBoy]

It is a great idea. I love it.

I recently made the account "Azureous" because I did not want to lose my ranking on Alabama. Shortly after the rank on azureous was much higher than the rank on Alabama at first it wasnt bad and I was ok with losing a game every now and then. But then it happened, I lost a game and lost 30-35 stats against an extremly lucky player. The unseen force has returned.

[Cross Punisher]

you read my mind nads, you really do

[Mithrandir]

http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=24325

I agree nads.

[Morning Star]

I would be all over that feature. It truly is a great idea.

[Tugnus]

It is a great idea. I love it.

I recently made the account "Azureous" because I did not want to lose my ranking on Alabama. Shortly after the rank on azureous was much higher than the rank on Alabama at first it wasnt bad and I was ok with losing a game every now and then. But then it happened, I lost a game and lost 30-35 stats against an extremly lucky player. The unseen force has returned.

When your above 1400 you can only lose up to 16 stats.

[C4nt t0uch th1s]

Great idea nads.

[BrownGuy]

Good Idea:) I would love if there was no stat system! I totally agree with you.

[AlabamaBoy]

/unrated

This option is not available in-game. While you are unrated your stats apear as such :

***< The Arcadian Legends > AlabamaBoy Is not Rated***

When you leave this mode your stats are what they were when you first entered unrated mode.

[sythe]

time no be the ball buster......then wouldnt all the low stat people hide it...and the clan stat requirments...all i say is i would def change tao for good maybe a gold only feature i didnt really read your post just skimed

[AlabamaBoy]

There are always tests and a clan leader can just say show your stat or no entry.

[Cliche]

I love this idea.

Let's start a petition...

...

Nads! Write up a petition!

:cool:

[Abyssion]

I think people would abuse the feature.

[AlabamaBoy]

How?

[Abyssion]

Well would you have the option of your account being rated part of the time or all of the time?

Could you change if you are ranked or not in the settings?
Would 2 people have to be unranked to not get stats for winning?

These are all questions if somebody can change if they play ranked or not. If your account is forever unranked then I say go for it.

[Cuathon]

how about this, either you cant change from unrated to rated or vice versa in game or unrated players lose their stats and with both unrated players cant get ranked. if it was possible to change whenever, you woulda have people unrate themselves in game when they would lose, or rate themselves when they were gonna win. and also, if you go unrated you should not be ranked. because that woudl defeat the purpose of having the time cutoff. not playing for rank is the same as not playing ranking wise. people could just get unrated and play a losing game or have some random person get on and lose a game.

[Shiznit]

Nads, Your my god.

I'm a big fan of your LOS page. Thanks for everything. :bigsmile:

I'll rep you as soon as it stops saying that I have given out to much rep in the past 24 hours.

Sorry for the random post, just saying my love for you :lol:

[steve12]

I really respect you, Nads, but I don't find this to be a great idea. As Dres said, it would be abused without question... But, I mean, if you DO lose due to lucky blocks (the DSM thing can be prevented because of the first turn delay), you SHOULD be able to get all those stats back IF you deseve them. You can't just get to a certain level and think it's legit if you are nervous to play someone. You KNOW you don't deserve your stats when you are afraid to play someone (on their normal account, that is), because you fear you will lose. If the other guy's stats are lower than yours, and he beats you, you truely don't deserve those stats.

Look at Magician.. Dape.. Monkus.. Bullcat0.. All those guys. They lose sometimes, true. But they DO PLAY, and don't fear losing stats because they know if they do lose, they could always gain them back because they are good enough to do so. I'd say don't feel pressured about this reputation thing, it happens to me to.


What I am trying to say is, this idea WOULD eliminate the "stat requirement" annoyance for public affairs or just trying out for a clan. But it also may discourage people who hae legit stats from playing, because all the people who aren't playing them (who know they would lose) would be putting on this feature as an excuse for not losing stats. Stats are but a number, over long periods of time your luck will even out and you will achieve the rank you deserve. Come you are afraid to fight someone with lower stats than you, legitatmently, you do not deserve the stats you have.

I am not trying to burst anyone's bubble here, but let's not be stat whores. Truely, I think this idea would promote more negative actions than positive. Just play a while, don't look at your stats for a while, ignore the stat whores, and roll with it. It'll all even out.

[AlabamaBoy]

/unrated

This option is not available in-game. While you are unrated your stats apear as such :

***< The Arcadian Legends > AlabamaBoy Is not Rated***

When you leave this mode your stats are what they were when you first entered unrated mode.


I agree Cuathon.

That is why the option is not available in-game, though in the way I have it layed out the system reverts to your previous ranking when you enter a command. And the point was that if I am unranked and I play Mantis33 then stats are not applied for that game.

[SilentSniper160]

It is a great idea. I love it.

I recently made the account "Azureous" because I did not want to lose my ranking on Alabama. Shortly after the rank on azureous was much higher than the rank on Alabama at first it wasnt bad and I was ok with losing a game every now and then. But then it happened, I lost a game and lost 30-35 stats against an extremly lucky player. The unseen force has returned.


Was I that lucky person?

[AlabamaBoy]

No.

[Shiznit]

This thread should be in suggestions. :dry:

[AlabamaBoy]

Agreed, It should also be applied.

But just as this isnt in suggestions.

It wont be applied.

[steve12]

Will someone respond to my post before you go ahead and think this is the greatest suggestion known to man?

[sythe]

many great ideas like this wont be made....at least anytime soon

[Shiznit]

I really respect you, Nads, but I don't find this to be a great idea. As Dres said, it would be abused without question... But, I mean, if you DO lose due to lucky blocks (the DSM thing can be prevented because of the first turn delay), you SHOULD be able to get all those stats back IF you deseve them. You can't just get to a certain level and think it's legit if you are nervous to play someone. You KNOW you don't deserve your stats when you are afraid to play someone (on their normal account, that is), because you fear you will lose. If the other guy's stats are lower than yours, and he beats you, you truely don't deserve those stats.

Look at Magician.. Dape.. Monkus.. Bullcat0.. All those guys. They lose sometimes, true. But they DO PLAY, and don't fear losing stats because they know if they do lose, they could always gain them back because they are good enough to do so. I'd say don't feel pressured about this reputation thing, it happens to me to.


What I am trying to say is, this idea WOULD eliminate the "stat requirement" annoyance for public affairs or just trying out for a clan. But it also may discourage people who hae legit stats from playing, because all the people who aren't playing them (who know they would lose) would be putting on this feature as an excuse for not losing stats. Stats are but a number, over long periods of time your luck will even out and you will achieve the rank you deserve. Come you are afraid to fight someone with lower stats than you, legitatmently, you do not deserve the stats you have.

I am not trying to burst anyone's bubble here, but let's not be stat whores. Truely, I think this idea would promote more negative actions than positive. Just play a while, don't look at your stats for a while, ignore the stat whores, and roll with it. It'll all even out.

I agree. I would definently leave if there no longer were stats involved.;)

[Deepsea]

1) Wrong Catogory, it should be in (suggestions)
2) Only mods should have this feature to tell us there godly.
3) It will create alot of kaos

Not the best idea.

Don't take me in a offending way nads, you're a cool guy.

[Cliche]

1) Wrong Catogory, it should be in (suggestions)
2) Only mods should have this feature to tell us there godly.
3) It will create alot of kaos

Not the best idea.

Don't take me in a offending way nads, you're a cool guy.

Am I the only one that finds Deepsea's opinion complete useless and moronic? On every topic?

[VAMP7]

No. But after a while it's just sad to see the kid TRYING as hard as he can to be liked for oh god i dunno the 800th time? I say just neg him and be done with it.

[AlabamaBoy]

He spelled chaos wrong, not sure if that was intentional. Maybe it was a joke?

[Magician]

This should be in suggestions. That said, I like this idea. However, it shouldn't be allowed to be switched on and off like a lightbulb - massive corruption factor there.

This will probably go on the list of things we all would like but will never happen.

~Mag

[AlabamaBoy]

How could that function be corrupted if it wasnt available in game?

[nads]

Thanks to those well wishers I have ;)

Let me elaborate more upon the idea in general. I think this is an option you should be able to apply in the lobby, but not in the game. If I choose to play unrated, and Steve12 chooses to play rated, when we play there is simply no stat change for either of us regardless of the outcome. If Steve12 doesn't want to play unrated players, and I jump him he could simply surrender first turn and tell me he doesn't play chicken !@#$ unrated players like me, and go back to the lobby with no penalty. People who like stats could still be rated, and play only rated players. This feature could not be turned on in game, or the entire rating system would be lost.

Steve12, you have a valid logical point about just play and don't look at your stats. It makes perfect sense to me, but so does the physics behind a nuclear explosion, and I can't make a nuclear bomb. Sure, there are some people in the world who can, but I'm not one of them. If I were then I would have no need to write this thread!

[TeXaS LoNgHoRnS]

TAO used to be kinda like this....

Before stats all players had was a win/loss colum..

I liked that much better than stats

[AlabamaBoy]

I got one to 6 | 6 | 6 for the fun of it one time. :p

I dont think people would like it if we went back to win/draw/loss, alot of people play mostly for the ranking aspect.

[nads]

It was different, however there was no validity in the wins, you could n00b slay all day and get to the top of the rankings. Also, there was the /hide stat option, but you would still appear in the rankings even with <private> as your stats. You could get a reasonable estimate at the player's stats based upon their position on the list.

[C4nt t0uch th1s]

It was different, however there was no validity in the wins, you could n00b slay all day and get to the top of the rankings. Also, there was the /hide stat option, but you would still appear in the rankings even with <private> as your stats. You could get a reasonable estimate at the player's stats based upon their position on the list.

All I have to say is that you have some great ideas. Like shizzy said i'm also a big fan of you LOS page, when I first started playing TAO I looked over the thread and some of your sites. They rock man. I love your ideas. I think this can actually be used.

[Shiznit]

Nads has a nack for ideas. :bigsmile:

[stryker]

I love the unrated idea.

I'm like you nads, I can't help myself when it comes to stats.

[speaker4thedead]

Well just forget being ranked, forget about your stats, forget about your reputation and just play for the fun of the game!?!?

[AlabamaBoy]

Some people dont have that much will power, that is why he posted because he cant forget them.

[steve12]

Some people dont have that much will power, that is why he posted because he cant forget them.

Azureous, one that can not live up to their so-called reputation and/or stats are not deserving of them. Just because someone can out-do themselves over what they really are in this game, doesn't mean that they deserve the simple numbers. Who cares, just play the game for fun, it doesn't even make a difference if you just don't care and look at it.


Besides, Nads, if you lose a game, even unrated... Someone could post it in the Battle Reports, or people will just know they beat you. It will be the SAME thing. It doesn't matter, and shouldn't matter. Don't whore stats, just play and earn them on your own. If you can't earn what you think you should be earning, then you are thinking you are more than your truly are. Your previous posts made no sense to me, no offense.

[AlabamaBoy]

I can, it would just be nice not to have to think about it every now and then. For instance, you want to play a game with someone who is not in your clan but you dont want to take their stats and/or they dont want to take yours, simply use the unrated option and its not a problem.

[Cuathon]

why should you not take the stats? there is no reason.

[AlabamaBoy]

I would like to be completly unrated all the time, not because I am afraid of losing stats, but because no one would say "im not playing a ~1650" It would make things flow better, for me at least.

[steve12]

You obviously can't live up to what you have.

Whatever... It's not my problem, this probably won't happen anyway.

[AlabamaBoy]

I do, all the time. I am in The Arcadian Legends in GL, and would gladly prove you wrong.

[RAGING INFERNO]

what if a n00b tries to join my clan?

[nads]

what if a n00b tries to join my clan?

He'd fit right in! :p

[matt_s]

...this probably won't happen anyway.

Given that I suggested it over three years ago (http://www.tacticsarena.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2550), I'm inclined to agree. I'm glad a bunch of improvements have been made since I quit (e.g. - fixing the blocking system, the challenge feature), but TAO has a history of not making small but significant changes for a very long time, if the changes get made at all.

[Ernest the Eagl]

I think there should be ratings, so that people can strive to get to the top. And it also separates the n00bs from the pros

[steve12]

I think there should be ratings, so that people can strive to get to the top. And it also separates the n00bs from the pros

Isn't that what we have right now?

[The Red One]

unrated accounts are reserved for mods and/or admins and Seed...not the average player
if you don't care about stats, then play like you don't care - unrated is boring

[The Ass]

It would be a brilliant.

[FreddyAdu23]

u bumped this y?

[Soda]

Look at Magician.. Dape.. Monkus.. Bullcat0.. All those guys. They lose sometimes, true. But they DO PLAY, and don't fear losing stats because they know if they do lose, they could always gain them back because they are good enough to do so. I'd say don't feel pressured about this reputation thing, it happens to me to.
lol.

[steve12]

Did I really say that? Well... I was referring to when he got 1932 or something around there on Banff. I can't be sure if it was legit; I wasn't there, but from what I've heard, I guess it was.

[Silver Coast]

unrated accounts are reserved for mods and/or admins and Seed...not the average player
if you don't care about stats, then play like you don't care - unrated is boring

Lol I know I'm quoting on old post :p but a long while ago you had the option to hide your stat. They have removed this option now of course, but some people never turned them off. For example, stat the acount Raven and you will know what I mean.

[OpixMK]

I think you should examine your the relationship between your suggestion and your goal before you actually make a post.

Clearly your purpose is good, yet the suggestion may be far from that. You want games without the pressure. That's a good thing - the fact that you want games without pressure has no downside. But what about the suggestion? What about low stat people that don't wish to be in a clan that simply wish to hide their stats. Sure, they could use luck as an excuse but then where is the purpose itself in having stats or lack thereof?

And what about the people that forfeit against new players so that they don't waste 20+ minutes fighting a noob? Would they also use unrated stats?

At the very least block the use of unrated/rated while in a game. The simple concept of being rated when victory seems certain and unrated when otherwise is a pretty annoying one - to say the least.

Or you could think of it this way. Why do you think I haven't created a new forum name, to rid the -1539 rep I have?

[steve12]

Because you don't need to because I'm so fly?

[bloodreign]

Hey maybe to get more golds playing eachother you could do this

/challengeunrated BLOODREIGN (choose flr)unrated aka friendly game

instead of the regular

/challenge BLOODREIGN win or lose stats game?

I know it's not exactly what nad's asked for but i think it would be a neat option for golds not to get rusty on their gold account, and being afraid to lose.


But then again nads maybe you just have to BE AFRAID TO FAIL.

plunge your stats so low that you will have no reason to care.
Or make the people at FPS happy and get a 2nd gold account to play with.

[steve12]

That could work, but most people would make up excuses to only play nonranked people if they felt that they had outdown themselves regarding stat amounts. And I think you mean "don't be afraid to fail".