:: ranking system help ::

  1. Introduction
    1.1 What is a ranking system?
    1.2 Why is there a ranking system?
  2. How does it work?
  3. Rank Table
  4. Formula
    4.1 Planetsserver Game Points
    4.2 Position Points
    4.3 Game Difficulty
    4.4 Player Rate
    4.5 Turn Factor
  5. Old Games
  6. FAQ
  7. How to report bugs/problems

1. Introduction

This help file explains how the ranking system on Planetsserver works.

1.1 What is the ranking system?

The ranking system divides all registered players into several pre definded ranks according to their acchieved Planetsserver Game Points (PGP).

1.2 Why is there a ranking system?

The first aim of the system is to make the strength of different players on Planetsserver comparable. Furthermore players can have a additional goal beside winning single games. Also people who like to join games can get more useful information to choose the right game for themselves.

2. How does it work?

Every registered player gets Planetsserver Game Points (PGP) for every game he plays on Planetsserver. The formula to calculate the PGPs is a very complex one and is described in this chapter. The sum of the acchieved PGPs, the sum of the played turns and the turn rate yield the rank a player has got. The rank table with the relevant values can be found in the next chapter.

3. Rank Table
rank PGP turn rate played
 turns		 rank
level
1. Admiral 50000 90 500 15
2. Vice Admiral 25000 90 400 14
3. Rear Admiral 16000 90 300 13
4. Captain 12000 80 300 12
5. Commander 9000 80 250 11
6. Lieutenant Commander 6500 80 200 10
7. Lieutenant 4000 70 200 9
8. Lieutenant Junior Grade 2500 70 150 8
9. Ensign 1750 70 100 7
10. Senior Chief Petty Officer 1200 60 100 6
11. Chief Petty Officer 800 60 80 5
12. Petty Officer 500 60 60 4
13. Spaceman 250 50 40 3
14. Spaceman Apprentice 100 50 20 2
15. Spaceman Recruit 0 0 0 1

4. Formula

PLANETSSERVER GAME POINTS = 100 * POSITION_POINTS * GAME_DIFFICULTY * PLAYER_RATE * RELIABITY_RATE * TURN_FACTOR

POSITION_POINTS = POINTS_FOR_ACHIEVED_RANK_POSITION * (NUM_PLAYERS / 11)

GAME_DIFFICULTY = (100 + [VARIOUS BONUSES]) / 100

PLAYER_RATE = (SUM(RANK_LEVEL_OF_BEATEN_OPPONENTS)+110)/(OWN_RANK_LEVEL * NO_OF_OPPONENTS +110)

RELIABILITY_RATE = (SUBMITTED_TURNS / TOTAL_TURNS)2

TURN_FACTOR = MIN(TOTAL_TURNS / 50, 1)

4.1 Planetsserver Game Points (PGP)

Once a game is finished, everyone still playing receives PGPs. By accumulating PGPs you rise in Rank. The number of PGPs you get depends on your position, the game difficulty, the ranks of your adversaries and your reliability. You will also get a fixed number of points for every turn you submitted.
If the game ends before turn 50 the number of PGPs will be reduced.

4.2 Position Points

These points are only used as a means to calculate your PGPs. They depend on your position - the winner gets most points, obviously - and the number of players initially - it's easier to win with less players, after all. The position points are:
1st 20 points
2nd 14 points
3rd 10 points
4th 8 points
5th 6 points
6th 4 points
7th 3 points
8th 2 points
9th 1 point
10th 1 point
11th 1 point

4.3 Game Difficulty

Another factor that influences the PGPs you get for a game is its difficulty. We believe that people who don't know the universe they play in beforehand (random map, exploremap) and who play with a difficult shiplist (i.e. Plist) deserve some reward, even more so if the universe is poor. You can see the difficulty level of each game on the game info page.

4.4 Player Rate

As mentioned above, you will get more points, the better and more your opponents are, f.e. a Recruit beating 10 Admirals will experience some drastic promotions . ;-)

4.5 Turn Factor

You can hardly call yourself a veteran, if you never saw a real battle. Since serious fighting rarely takes place early in a game, your reward will be diminished, if the game ends early - i.e. before turn 50.

5 Old Games

You didn't think we would introduce a ranking system and forget all your work back in the times when earth was young, did you? You'll get half the points described above for games already finished (if you registered). The reliabilty factor for games ended before August 16th 2003 is not mentioned for the calculation of the current reliability rate. We call it a "turn rate amnesty".
For all games you played with other email addresses check out the game search service.

6 Frequently Asked Questions

  1. Why do I have to register to get a rank?

    'Admiral member@planetsserver.com' would sound pretty stupid, wouldn't it ?

  2. Is there any downgrading?

    Only if we change the requirements. Currently you cannot lose points, so right now the answer is 'no'.

  3. When are the rank points measured?

    All calculations are done, when a game ends. The in-game psoitions of the last turn when at least four players submitted their turns are measured.

  4. Why is the formula so complicated?

    It isn't. Go and visit some quantum physics lectures if you don't believe me;-) . We're just trying to be as accurate and fair as possible and we think our formulas serve that end.

  5. What happened to old games?

    Some day their children didn't visit them anymore and they became quite lonely... Seriously, you didn't notice there is an 'Old Games' section above?

  6. Some guys already have thousends of points? Do I have any chance to come up to them?

    Yes, sure you have!
    The easiest way ist to play against them (and to beat them).
    e.g. If you as Spaceman Recruit win against 3 Commanders and 7 Spaceman in a game with normal difficulty (100%) in turn 100 and have submitted all turns, you get about 5000 points. If you play against 10 Spaceman Recruits you'd only get about 2000 points.

  7. What can I win?

    Checkout the post in the forum about our ranking contest.

7 How to report bugs/problems

Send an email to the .