Development Cycle Archive
Thread: SWG Forum Ranking Changes...
Hmm.... It seems the ranking list has changed since last I read this.
This looks much better than before.
Now rather than star ranks it seems it is mainly determined by time subscribed. Up to rank 16 if you make a certain number of posts your rank can increase by one level but no further. Thus, for most with under a years time you will have an odd number rank if you don't post often and a one point higher even rank if you do. The post count numbers even seem reasonable for a causual but regular poster. Roughly one post per day.
After a year things get a little more interesting since now both post counts and star ratings factor in. Quality posts will be rewarded with gold insignia. Right now it looks like no one is going to rank past Pilot (21) for another few months. Even GarVa wouldn't be 16 months old until the end of October.
It does seem strange that only rank 19 (Crewman) is listed to receive the Officer Insignia. Is the officer insignia intended for all ranks past 19 or just 19? It looks like all of the titles past there would be officer material.
What I'm really looking forward to is the "edit" feature, but will accept whatever title is bestowed.
Because I just can't help myself.... 
First, let mesay again that I totally approve ofgroovysplat101's concept of just a single star meaning "great post!" -- thatcures the main problem with the currentstar ratingsystem.
Second, here's myupdated list of suggestions for what kinds of forum member attributes we could someday base a ranking system on, ranging from easiest to implement to hardest:
- number of posts (higher is better)
- length of forummembership (longer is better)
- star rating (higher is better)
- number of posts receiving an Official "Good Contribution"Accolade (higher is better)
- average number of views of all posts (higher is better)
- number of logins (higher is better)
- number of minutes online (higher is better)
- number of new threads started (higher is better)
- number of forums posted in (higher is better)
- number of forums regularly posted in (higher is better)
- average length of posts (higher is better)
- number of posts linked to by other posts (higher is better)
- number of messages read (higher is better)
- averagehelpfulness of post content(subjective -- more is better)
- average friendliness and courtesy (subjective -- more is better)
Finally(because I just can't leavewell enough alone),here's my latesttake onwhat I'dlike to see ina newforum ranking systembased on the existing three attributes:
Required for rank 1 (New Member same as current) no requirements
Required for rank2 (Community Member same as current) 1 month minimum 50 post (Edit Granted)
Required for rank3 (Sr.Member)2 month minimum(Edit Granted)
Required for rank4 (Sr. Community Member)2 month minimum100 post
Required for rank5 (Contributor)4 month minimum
Required for rank6 (Community Contributor)4 month minimum200 post
Required for rank7 (Veteran) 6 month minimum
Required for rank8 (Community Veteran same as current) 6 month minimum300 post
Required for rank9 (Guide)8 month minimum
Required for rank10 (Community Guide)8 month minimum500 post
Required for rank11 (Elder same as current) 9 month minimum
Required for rank 12 (Community Elder same as current) 9 month minimum600 post
Required for rank13 (Advisor)10 month minimum
Required for rank 14 (Community Advisor)10 month minimum700 post
Required for rank15 (Leader)12 month minimum
Required for rank16 (Community Leader same as current)12 month minimum800 post
Required for rank17 (Advocate) 14 month minimum
Required for rank18 (Community Advocate) 12 month minimum 2.7 star rating 1000 post
Required for rank 19 SWGPetty Officer16 month minimum (Bronze Officer insignia)
Required for rank20 SWG Chief Petty Officer 18 month minimum (Bronze Officer insignia)
Required for rank21 (Diplomat)12 month minimum3.0 average rating50 post (Bronze Diplomat insignia)
Required for rank22 SWGWarrant Officer 24 month minimum (Bronze Officer insignia)
Required for rank23 SWG Ensign 28 month minimum (Silver Officer insignia)
Required for rank24 (Ambassador)16 month minimum3.1 average100 post (Silver Diplomat insignia)
Required for rank25 SWG Lieutenant 32 month minimum (Silver Officer insignia)
Required for rank26 SWGCommander 36 month minimum (Gold Officer insignia)
Required for rank27 (Senator)20 month minimum3.2 average rating250 post (Gold Diplomat insignia)
Required for rank28 SWGCaptain 40 month minimum (Gold Officer insignia)
Required for rank29 (Jedi)24 month minimum3.3 average rating 500 post (GoldDiplomat insignia with crossed lightsabers)
Required for rank30 SWGGeneral 48 month minimum (Gold Officer insignia with star cluster)
Required for rank31 (Jedi Knight)36 month minimum3.5 average rating 1000 post (GoldDiplomat insignia with crossed lightsabers)
Required for rank 32 (Jedi Master) 48 month minimum 3.8 average rating 2000 post (GoldDiplomat insignia with crossed lightsabers and star cluster)
The latesttweaks:
- changedsome of the requirementsnumbers for balance
- modified some star rating requirements to fit new membership time requirements
- rationalizedthe color scheme to better indicate advanced rank
- changed some of the rank names for a better blending of Ground/Naval/Air/Jedi ranks
- restored some of the "Galactic Diplomat" rank titles (which were pretty cool)
- changed the insignia scheme to betterreflect advanced rank
- based Jedi rank insignia off the basic Diplomat insignia
- added a 32nd-degree Master Mas-- er, Jedi Master
Comments?
--Flatfingers
Previous edits:08-26-2004 03:41 PM, 08-26-2004 03:47 PM
Message Edited by Flatfingers on 08-26-2004 03:49 PM
Kaessa wrote:
CommanderKendall wrote:
Jedi2k wrote:
It looks fine but at the current way it will be roughly three years before we see a SWG Captain since the earlist i have seen is people who have registered in June of 2003
Jedi2k, the pre-release forums which started several years before launch, were deleted and all accounts removed. That was prior to the lithium forum system as well, such that it was all plain text, no signatures, no edit functions, no titles, ect. There were many accounts which had been around for several years by launch since the early development contributors were around for most of 2 years by the time the game launched. Thus with launch being at the end of June 2003, most forum accounts were not registered untill July although you cansee a few with 6-29-03 and 6-30-03 registrations.
I think 6-26-03 is the earliest.. launch day.
That's correct...(although the 6-26 folks were lucky to get online at all! Damn database issues!)
I managed to make it the first day.. required most of the day trying, and finally downloading Mozilla to get the registration to work, but I made it!
y2kcbr wrote:
Kaessa wrote:
CommanderKendall wrote:
Jedi2k wrote:
It looks fine but at the current way it will be roughly three years before we see a SWG Captain since the earlist i have seen is people who have registered in June of 2003
Jedi2k, the pre-release forums which started several years before launch, were deleted and all accounts removed. That was prior to the lithium forum system as well, such that it was all plain text, no signatures, no edit functions, no titles, ect. There were many accounts which had been around for several years by launch since the early development contributors were around for most of 2 years by the time the game launched. Thus with launch being at the end of June 2003, most forum accounts were not registered untill July although you cansee a few with 6-29-03 and 6-30-03 registrations.
I think 6-26-03 is the earliest.. launch day.
That's correct...(although the 6-26 folks were lucky to get online at all! Damn database issues!)
yobip wrote:ok i dont mean to b rude here but id rather have the game have bug and patches fixed then the forums. so i just hope this is seperate people doing this. im not sure if someone asked cuz i wasnt in the mude or have time to look thru 9 pgs+ of forums now
yeah the forum administrators arent devs so its fine
GarVa wrote:
We are currently in the process of revamping the Forum Ranking System, and wanted to fill you in on how it will work. We are changing it for two reasons. First to add diversity and fun to the ranking system (its pretty slim currently), and to encourage better use of the star ranking system. You can reply to this thread with your thoughts on this system. Please also make sure to read the questions at the bottom to ensure it that I did not already answer it, I will update that part of the thread as the replies come in.
Forum Ranking System
2 Ranking Trees
a Star Ranked tree
a Non star ranked tree
All users under 1 month "New Member"
There are 18 ranks after new member, in the two trees, 9 star ranked and 9 normal ranks.
Posters willget the normal rank -or- if their star ratingis high enough they will get the star rank, star ranks will override any normal ranks. So if you qualified for normal rank 6, but had the appropriate star weight you will have the star rank 6 (Galactic Ambassador). Additionally in the coming weeks we will be adding more avatars and other forum abilities that will be distributed throughout the ranks.
The colors that the line is written in below willbe the "name" color for each rank
Required for rank 1 (Member same as current) 1 month minimum
Required for rank2 (Community Member same as current) 1 month minimum 50 post (Edit Granted)
Required for rank3 (Sr.Member)2 month minimum(Edit Granted)
Required for rank4 (Sr. Community Member)2 month minimum75 post
Required for rank5 (Contributor)4 month minimum
Required for rank6 (Community Contributor)4 month minimum100 post
Required for rank7 (Veteran) 6 month minimum
Required for rank8 (Community Veteran same as current) 6 month minimum125 post
Required for rank9 (Guide)8 month minimum
Required for rank10 (Community Guide)8 month minimum175 post
Required for rank11 (Elder same as current) 9 month minimum
Required for rank 12 (Community Elder same as current) 9 month minimum250 post
Required for rank13 (Advisor)10 month minimum
Required for rank 14 (Community Advisor)10 month minimum300 post
Required for rank15 (Leader)12 month minimum
Required for rank16 (Community Leader same as current)12 month minimum325 post
Required for rank17 (Advocate) 14 month minimum
Required for rank18 (Community Advocate) 12 month minimum 2.7 starrating350 post
Required for rank 19 SWG Crewman 16 month minimum (Officer insignia appears)
Required for rank20 SWG Petty Officer 18 month minimum
Required for rank21 (Pilot)12 month minimum3.0 average rating400 post (Gold Officer insignia appears)
Required for rank22 SWGChiefPetty Officer 24 month minimum
Required for rank23 SWG Ensign 28 month minimum
Required for rank24 (Squadron Leader)16 month minimum3.1 average425 post (Gold Officer insignia appears)
Required for rank25 SWG Second Lieutenant 30 month minimum
Required for rank26 SWG Lieutenant 36 month minimum
Required for rank27 (Wing Commander)20 month minimum3.2 average rating450 post (Gold Officer insignia appears)
Required for rank28 SWG Commander 40 month minimum
Required for rank29 (Jedi)24 month minimum3.5 average rating 500 post (Gold Officer insignia appears)
Required for rank30 SWG Captain 48 month minimum
Required for rank31 (Master Jedi)48 month minimum4.0 average rating 1000 post (Gold Officer insignia appears)
Questions I'm sure will be asked, and Answers.....
1. What If I just have my buddies go through and 5 star all my post wont that get me higher up pretty fast?
A: It may help in the short term but the more post ratings you have the less it has an effect on your ranking and will actually hurt you at the Higher post ratings. So the system naturally discourages this type of behavior.
2. What about one star bandits (eq: those that go through one starring every post)
A: Contrary to popular belief, these are 1. rare and 2. have very little effect on the rating or ranking systems. The only thing it hurts is the bandits wrist. It takes 20 1 star ratings to cause a post to be hidden by the default system. Additionally we are putting measures in to be able to track and even "title" these posters so everyone will know who they are. When we findsomeone who abuses the rating systemwe do lower their "rating" weight to prevent abuse.
3. Why are you doing this?
A: We want to encourage to post more responsibly and using the time/post count along with the rating system we can do this. We will also be granting icons, titles and even some privileges based on the new rankings.
4. Can I choose to stay at my current rank?
A: Sorry but the answer is no, if you qualify for a higher rank you will get it, unless you stop posting
5. What privileges come with my current rank?
A: We will have this list as well as the associated privileges posted when we convert to the new system.
Message Edited by GarVa on 08-24-2004 06:43 AM
I think you should concentrate on revamping some of the in-game systems before doing a forum revamp. Some of the games professions need some major overhauls. The GCW is really in bad shape. Well, you get the picture.
Actually at the very least, you should make our faction ranks mean something. Put an option in to let us display that rank that we spent alot of time working on. Not too many people care what your rank on the forums is. I don't post countless posts just to gain a title. I'd rather play the game and gain a title that I can display in the game that I pay for each month.