Ranks and Points Bother Me!

Status
Not open for further replies.
I play for fun and for points. I change to whatever class usely laking on the team. But the best classes i am at is Demo/sniper/medic/engi. Lol i don't care when i am demo cause some times i will go in kamakaze mode but i will take you down :). I don't play safe classes just to get points i play the class that i love and feel like playing. But i try to do my best every time.
 
I used to be all about points. Now i could really care less. I play the classes i want too, and the classes that the team needs.
 
I'd hate to see the stats system go away, simply because it provides a great way to track my overall stats. It help motivate me to play smarter... and I need that since I tend to be a bit of a kamikaze player sometimes. That said, lately I've been trying to play smarter (retreating to reload my rocket, etc.). The stats are very helpful in tracking my overall performance in that respect.
 
[quote1210499369=HoosTrax]
I think if you guys look at the top 50 players, you're going to see a lot of different "favorite classes" represented (with the exception of scout and spy).
[/quote1210499369]

Allow me to disagree.
 
As long as I always qualify to make the Who's The Best Event (Top 250) then I'm happy. :)
 
[quote1210510130=OSVG]
[quote1210386562=Drew The Pirate]
I'm glad I'm not the only one who dislikes the pressure the point system puts on me.
[/quote1210386562]

I couldn't...... disagree more.
I believe points motivate people to preform their best.
Points, minus those who stat pad with engineer buildings, are an ok indicator of oh how well a person functions as part of the team. Sure it can't factor distractions and blocking übers ; however, player who are more valuable assets will TEND to have higher scores, even new people can climb into the top 500 fairly easily. Points can be a good motivation to promote team work.
[/quote1210510130]
Wrong. The points motivate you to stay alive as opposed to winning. Cases in point:

1. Not blocking a capture/control point because you might die and lose points. Stats go off after you lost. No motivation to block capture. You here people complaining about this all the time - wonder why.
2. Not going after a dropped 2-fort flag because you might die and lose points. Scout/invisible spy rush does much to help capture the flag, but is penalized because they die trying. No motivation there.
3. Not rushing the capture/control point to win because you might die. Another common complaint often heard.

That's just a few examples. Look at how the point system biases certain classes that inherently stay alive. The points system is modeled for death-match style play. The motivation isn't to play smarter or to win, it's to play safer. Big difference.
 
I think some players tend to take their points way too seriously. I will often try to change to spy and pass behind the ennemy lines in warpath if everyone is stuck in a non-moving position. I will die a lot, but in the end, I'll help my team.

To the contrary belief, most of the top 100 players I've played with are team-players who sometimes try something strange to counter the opponent. The fact that they are WAY GOOD makes up for the lost points over a new attempt at winning. People who are good players AND that have fun playing populate the top 100.

If someone sees an engi building unuseful stuff and keeps destroying it to rebuild it, it will be called, and a polite admin will take care of it, kicking in the end if needed. Except for engis doing that, any other player not helping the team doesn't get points.

Sure, there are the 3 problems that bigwilly talked about, but a top100 player knows that the points lost in doing that will be taken back after they helped win with their suicide.

All that to say that people who farm points actually don't get as much as they think. People who help their team and kill lots of people while having fun are the top100, and I'm one of them ^_^
 
I totaly agree with Firethem because i don't care about dieing cayse u will in time but you have to work with your strategy to be able to win. Thats why i love warpath cause you need alot of team work to be able go all the ways and win.
To bigwilly: I disagree because in most cases players that are good they just try to win and don't care about dieing because you can always get the pints back that you lost. I for exsample died planty of times trying to get last point in warpath because there are sometimes 5 ppl guarding it. Its about playing smart and working your strategy with your team not by just trying to stay alive.
 
[quote1210536251=|DJ|]
To bigwilly: I disagree because in most cases players that are good they just try to win and don't care about dieing because you can always get the pints back that you lost. I for exsample died planty of times trying to get last point in warpath because there are sometimes 5 ppl guarding it. Its about playing smart and working your strategy with your team not by just trying to stay alive.
[/quote1210536251]
Your last sentence says it all - it's not just trying to stay alive. So why are you penalized for dying? Again, the ranking system misplaces motive. As for "most cases," I wouldn't know, I don't have the stats to base an opinion and I doubt you do either. Assuming most good players just try to win isn't enough. Additionally, what about the rest who don't? They are rewarded? Again, doesn't make sense.
 
[quote1210536537=Firethem]
I think some players tend to take their points way too seriously. I will often try to change to spy and pass behind the ennemy lines in warpath if everyone is stuck in a non-moving position. I will die a lot, but in the end, I'll help my team.

To the contrary belief, most of the top 100 players I've played with are team-players who sometimes try something strange to counter the opponent. The fact that they are WAY GOOD makes up for the lost points over a new attempt at winning. People who are good players AND that have fun playing populate the top 100.

If someone sees an engi building unuseful stuff and keeps destroying it to rebuild it, it will be called, and a polite admin will take care of it, kicking in the end if needed. Except for engis doing that, any other player not helping the team doesn't get points.

Sure, there are the 3 problems that bigwilly talked about, but a top100 player knows that the points lost in doing that will be taken back after they helped win with their suicide.

All that to say that people who farm points actually don't get as much as they think. People who help their team and kill lots of people while having fun are the top100, and I'm one of them ^_^
[/quote1210536537]
From your stats, you appear to play mostly sniper or soldier, and the rare occasion spy. Sounds about right. Snipers are behind the line of fire, and soldier are generally healed by medics - both classes inherently carry high k/d ratios. Problem is, as illustrated by your response, spy shouldn't be a second-tier class just because they die alot. When people see this, they avoid spy because they know they will probably lose points - a concern which originated this thread. Take two soldier, or any class, for example. Soldier1 achieves more in-game points and helps the most in taking the cp, but dies several times. Soldier2 plays more safely, and scores less, but doesn't die. Yet the ranking system rates Soldier2 as better, even though Soldier1 achieved, and scored, more. FYI, I have way more than the 3 problems noted above.

Change the ranking system to a rank-adjusted in-game points-per-minute scale and I think you'll see a more accurate system, and less concern about dying (which started this thread, so the problem is undeniably real). Why the ranking system uses a points system so different from in-game points is a mystery.
 
My rank is plummeting and worsening by the day, yet my skill level ascends, and I grow better and become more skillful by the day :)
 
Rank is irrelevant. The game is about fun.

I play whatever the team seems to need, except spy, at which I stink (I should practice, I know). If you enjoy playing engineer, play it. It's actually not an easy class to play really well, especially without any support. Granted in a game called Team Fortress, you should always have support, but anybody who plays engie knows how hard the class can be, and how necessary it can be.

Great discussion, and at 8 pages, I think the matter's very well discussed. Thank you, everyone.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Latest posts

Back
Top