Add average server hive skill back to the Server Browser
skav2
Join Date: 2007-05-28 Member: 61037Members, Reinforced - Gold
Hey all,
In a previous thread we have been talking about how to better separate low skilled players from higher skilled players so that everyone has a better time. One point that came up was in previous builds the server browser had an average Hive Score section. I believe this section should be added back but not in its last form. It was in a weird arrow format that was confusing and did not work the way it was intended. On higher and low ends of the player spectrum this skill would either always be 2 green arrows or 2 red arrows. This didnt give a good idea of the skill of the server. Hive Score isnt a perfect system but it gives a good idea of how a player is expected to perform. Ie 4k + will most likely be very good, <1k probably not very skilled or new.
That is why I suggest going back to the old system that was in place before the arrow system that @Nordic said had existed that listed the score as a numerical value like 1636 for example. However this will not be enough. Change will be needed for it to work. A colored number system would fit the bill so players who have no idea what Hive score is could visibly see if a server is right for them. The proposed system would look like what @Handschuh had proposed but with slight modifications. The column would be called "Average Skill" / AVG skill - Skill level? Column name WIP.
We all know getting stomped by high skilled players is super demoralizing and causes newer players to end up leaving because "this game is too hard". The opposite is also true, Higher skilled players get bored with easy games. I believe this change will help both player groups play games in their respective skill groups more often leading to funner more fair games. Any changes that reduces the amount of unfair games is a plus in my book.
What do you all think?
Edit: couldnt see text colors. Fixed
In a previous thread we have been talking about how to better separate low skilled players from higher skilled players so that everyone has a better time. One point that came up was in previous builds the server browser had an average Hive Score section. I believe this section should be added back but not in its last form. It was in a weird arrow format that was confusing and did not work the way it was intended. On higher and low ends of the player spectrum this skill would either always be 2 green arrows or 2 red arrows. This didnt give a good idea of the skill of the server. Hive Score isnt a perfect system but it gives a good idea of how a player is expected to perform. Ie 4k + will most likely be very good, <1k probably not very skilled or new.
That is why I suggest going back to the old system that was in place before the arrow system that @Nordic said had existed that listed the score as a numerical value like 1636 for example. However this will not be enough. Change will be needed for it to work. A colored number system would fit the bill so players who have no idea what Hive score is could visibly see if a server is right for them. The proposed system would look like what @Handschuh had proposed but with slight modifications. The column would be called "Average Skill" / AVG skill - Skill level? Column name WIP.
Player: Bimbo
Hiveskill: 1000 (Your own Hiveskill needs to be available in the browser/menu)
Name | Hive Avg Diff | Hiveskill Avg (doesnt need to be shownshow)
TTO | 2000 | 3000
IBIS | 250 | 1250
TA | 750 | 1750
Rookie| -600 | 400
Orange for "higher hiveskill" and Yellow for "lower", Orange for "higher" (diff <= 500), because most players are lowerskilled, so they need to be warned if they join into a higherskilled server<br> Red for above 1k Difference
We all know getting stomped by high skilled players is super demoralizing and causes newer players to end up leaving because "this game is too hard". The opposite is also true, Higher skilled players get bored with easy games. I believe this change will help both player groups play games in their respective skill groups more often leading to funner more fair games. Any changes that reduces the amount of unfair games is a plus in my book.
What do you all think?
Edit: couldnt see text colors. Fixed
Comments
Yesterday, I wanted to play...
Join Server 1 Avg 1k
Join Server 2 Avg 1,3k
Join Server 3 Avg 0,9k
Join Server 4 Avg 1,5k
Join Server 5 Avg 1,3k
Join Server 6 Avg 2,4-2,9k
So it took me 5 Servers which I easily could've stomped by for example going lerk without knowing if there was a higher skilled Server worth waiting for..
For Higher Hiveskilled players above 3k the colours could change like this for the same servers
Coloringexample to keep the same colorsystem:
Starting with 3000 Hiveskill the values change:
Green = -500 to +500
Red = below 1500
yellow = -1500 to -500
orange >= +500)
Values could be tweaked, but for those times that there is no server inside the range between -1500 and +9999 every highskilled players above 4000 Hiveskill needs to be able to see the numbers instantly!
-Red | Too low for you
-Orange
-Yellow
-Green | Just right
-Yellow
-Orange
-Red | Too high rank
After looking at this, what about a different color scheme for lower skilled servers compared to your own? For example you are 3k HS. The one server is Average 1k hive score. Red would normally indicate it would be too high skilled for you as these have double meanings. This is obviously not the case. What could we do to make it easier to understand without adding too many colors? I suppose this system could work as it could just indicate a difference in skill. I was thinking maybe White for servers that are > -1500 lower than you.
I was thinking each color difference would be 500 skill points
like-a so
Based on this:
Your current hive score: 3000
Ibis | AVG Skill 1100
DMD | AVG Skill 2545
TA | AVG Skill 2161
SubAmerica | AVG Skill 1833
Captains Night | AVG Skill 3678
Example If your Hive skill was 1400
Ibis | AVG Skill 1100
DMD | AVG Skill 2545
TA | AVG Skill 2161
SubAmerica | AVG Skill 1833
Captains Night | AVG Skill 3678
Ibis | AVG Skill 1100
DMD | AVG Skill 2545
TA | AVG Skill 2161
SubAmerica | AVG Skill 1833
Captains Night | AVG Skill 3678
Except the average server hive skill would be far lower, making most servers red all the time. 3000+ skill games are very rare events. So the server browser would probably look more like the following more often for a very high skill player. Look, the captains game stands out because it isn't red.
Ibis | AVG Skill 800
DMD | AVG Skill 545
TA | AVG Skill 2161
SubAmerica | AVG Skill 1833
Captains Night | AVG Skill 2678
Even though the majority of the servers would be red, the feature would be useful to the players that use it.
Make the color not red.
Build a larger player base.
Reduce the skill ceiling.
Raise the skill floor.
Force skill segregation.
Make the top and bottom 5% not play anymore.
Get the United States and EU to make NS2 a legally required activity for at least one hour each day.
Obtain world peace.