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This topic has moved here: Subject: In depth explanation of the Halo 3 skill ranking system.
  • Subject: In depth explanation of the Halo 3 skill ranking system.
Subject: In depth explanation of the Halo 3 skill ranking system.
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thanks for the info

  • 11.27.2007 3:27 PM PDT

Posted by: z0su
I was a level 21 undefeated in about 15 games... I played with my friend who was a level 35. I got to level 43 by the time he got to 37. I went undefeated with him for another 15 games or so in less than 2 hours; I understand how trueskill works but it seems slightly unfair that it started giving me 3 levels a game and he only leveled twice after I more than doubled my level! Currently this name is probably just a couple away from 50.
I wouldn't say it's really unfair. Two things about that situation. You had gotten to your level with a great winning record so the system was ready and willing to move you. By pairing with your friend of higher rank you were able to take on people of higher rank and when you won the system was smart enough to regonize you should be moving up because you were beating people higher then you. That's why you got to jump ranks.

Your friend on the other hand was actually playing 1 person at his level and 1 person below it just about every game. When he wins that doesn't really prove he should go anywhere because the system expects him to win. If a 45 played 20's all day you would expect him to win so he's really not proving he should move up. Really your friend ended up taking on a roll that wasn't going to allow him to move very much.

It looks like after you got up to his level your record was around 10-5 and your friend ended up moving 2 more levels. I think had you continued to win your friend would finally start moving because only after you caught up to him did he really have a chance to prove himself. I think this makes a lot of sense the way it worked. What might be unfair is that becaues the system is trying to make it fair and you guys had a lower rank in your party the higher rank really never gets the opportunity to prove they should move up.

  • 11.27.2007 5:23 PM PDT
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so i have a 2v2 team we are mario and luigi2v2.....
we have done like 80 something social and 42 doubles. we were doing 80 social doubles till it ended now we do multi to warm up.

http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Halo3/Default.aspx?player=Luigi2v 2

our record.

ok so my question is from our record its not bad...for little games only lost 6 times. 3 times outa the ranked doubles.

so while we are ranking its going slow....we rank every 5-6 games but we rank 2-3 times which is good. but in our 1 outa 3 loses we derank 2 times...ok
just means dont lose right haha. well takes us again 5 games to rank up just once. then we lose again and derank 3 times. but we ranked 2 times after the 3rd match. after that we play once and win... then we lsoe cause we got frustrated bad move but we lost and we deranked twice again....whats up with that...cause we dont paly much need more sigma or somthin im sure u said it some were in here my apologies for being anoying but im a little confused on that so we made it to 24 then down to 21 and stoped for the day....any ideas why we got screwed over? just play more or what? thx

  • 11.27.2007 5:26 PM PDT

Posted by: Redpwranger
so i have a 2v2 team we are mario and luigi2v2.....
we have done like 80 something social and 42 doubles. we were doing 80 social doubles till it ended now we do multi to warm up.

http://www.bungie.net/Stats/Halo3/Default.aspx?player=Luigi2v 2

our record.

ok so my question is from our record its not bad...for little games only lost 6 times. 3 times outa the ranked doubles.

so while we are ranking its going slow....we rank every 5-6 games but we rank 2-3 times which is good. but in our 1 outa 3 loses we derank 2 times...ok
just means dont lose right haha. well takes us again 5 games to rank up just once. then we lose again and derank 3 times. but we ranked 2 times after the 3rd match. after that we play once and win... then we lsoe cause we got frustrated bad move but we lost and we deranked twice again....whats up with that...cause we dont paly much need more sigma or somthin im sure u said it some were in here my apologies for being anoying but im a little confused on that so we made it to 24 then down to 21 and stoped for the day....any ideas why we got screwed over? just play more or what? thx
It looked like you two were going up on average 1 level every 2 games which isn't bad. At this stage the system is a bit uncertain where you belong. That works in two directions. It's more willing to jump you a couple levels but it's also more willing to knock you down a knotch. As far as the last drop it appears that you lost to an 18 that last match so the system counted that against you more then someone of equal skill. You also beat a few people lower then you just before you moved up and that generally doesn't count for you as much. So that's probably why it kicked you down after the loss. At this stage it's definitly not a big deal. Just keep playing and winning and the system will jump you up again in no time.

[Edited on 11.27.2007 5:50 PM PST]

  • 11.27.2007 5:48 PM PDT
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yea if figured we just needed to play more. thx for clearing that up.

  • 11.27.2007 5:52 PM PDT
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no one answered my question.. bottom of previous page

  • 11.27.2007 7:28 PM PDT
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The ranking system is so annoying, why should I be penalized for being consistently good?

  • 11.27.2007 7:45 PM PDT

Posted by: My Own Religion
no one answered my question.. bottom of previous page


Playing consistantly better (i.e winning 3 games per losing 1 game) is better then playing streakily (i.e winning 10 games, losing 5 winning 3 losing 7 etc)

  • 11.27.2007 7:59 PM PDT

Posted by: SheeZy_II
The ranking system is so annoying, why should I be penalized for being consistently good?


well, I cant tell what your're referring to, so I will explain to 2 reason's I think this is happening

1) You are always being the highest in kills and lowest in deaths in a game but your team is always crap and you lose, this is simply because you lose because your team loses. If you start helping your team mates then you will start winning and eventually start ranking up.

2) You are winning too much and thus your progress is slowed. The reason for this is to prevent boosting and people cheating to win more then they should be. while it may be hard for you you have to start losing more games.

  • 11.27.2007 8:04 PM PDT
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After reading this I still don't know how the ranking system works. To many Mu's and Sigma's(To confusing) but now I officially say screw it, I'll play my games and if I go up well thats good and if I go down then I can just blame it on myself.....

  • 11.27.2007 9:05 PM PDT
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what i hate is that when u have a day like ur the MJ of halo 3 u might only go up one level after winning a shhit load of games, but when u have a terrible day as i am having today you go down at leas two levels... this is frustratiiinnnnngggg

  • 11.27.2007 9:20 PM PDT
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very detailed and now i understand but im still gonna -blam!- and complain because i didnt go up after i won 4 games in a row

  • 11.28.2007 5:43 AM PDT
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Thanks for that, very informative.

  • 11.28.2007 5:59 AM PDT
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I havent nescisarily found this to be true, I've won 4 or 5 games in a row when I've finished 1st or 2nd in the game or got MVP a few times, then won a 5th or 6th time and finished 4th on my time going -3 or -4, then going up a level after that game.

[Edited on 11.28.2007 6:18 AM PST]

  • 11.28.2007 6:17 AM PDT

Posted by: Caps28
I havent nescisarily found this to be true, I've won 4 or 5 games in a row when I've finished 1st or 2nd in the game or got MVP a few times, then won a 5th or 6th time and finished 4th on my time going -3 or -4, then going up a level after that game.


That is the conservative system making you rank up when you lose.

And for the umpteenth time the game could not give a flying -blam!- if you got MVP or went negative twenty five billion kills.

  • 11.28.2007 9:10 AM PDT

i had a question near the bottom of p.13 could sum almighty being answer me?

  • 11.28.2007 12:18 PM PDT

Posted by: Dont Be Fat x
i have a Q. lets say i raise my level up to 40 for just a game or 2 and then i go down to 39 for the rest of eternity. once i gain the EXP to become a colonel will my highest level reached (40) allow me to be promoted?

in laimens terms... is the true skill part of rank based on highest level achieved or current level?

thank you very much in advance.
(im sure this question has been asked b4 but i never use the forums and am not sure how to find my answer in any other way other than asking it myself)


Your highest skill is the highest you've achieved. so if you get to 40 then go down to 15 you can still become a Colonel.

I cant be certain if this applies to rank resets however.

p.s sorry for the slow reply, pg.13 go filled with alot of useless crap.

  • 11.28.2007 12:51 PM PDT

rescently ive been playing rumble pit. i havent gotting less then secound.(which i have ranked up with secound) i was going up every game till i got to 33. got 1st or 2nd all of the games and havent ranked up in 4 games. if i keep on winning or doing good. i should keep on going up. can you explain?

  • 11.28.2007 6:45 PM PDT

Posted by: ExplosiveEgg
rescently ive been playing rumble pit. i havent gotting less then secound.(which i have ranked up with secound) i was going up every game till i got to 33. got 1st or 2nd all of the games and havent ranked up in 4 games. if i keep on winning or doing good. i should keep on going up. can you explain?


Looking at your last 7 games your skill levels are as follows: 30, 31, 32, 32, 33, 34, 35
Looks like you are going up just about every game and even if it takes a couple games to move up from one rank to the next don't worry about it. Your not necessarily going to move up every game even if you keep winning.


[Edited on 11.28.2007 7:12 PM PST]

  • 11.28.2007 7:11 PM PDT
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I don't understand the sigma and mu stuff but what i dont understand is how me and my friend GGL Baculum can go on a 27 game win streak in team slayer and not level up past 31. any explanation will be useful.

  • 11.28.2007 8:24 PM PDT

Posted by: GGL BLiNDSiDE
I don't understand the sigma and mu stuff but what i dont understand is how me and my friend GGL Baculum can go on a 27 game win streak in team slayer and not level up past 31. any explanation will be useful.


Simple, His sigma is low.

In other words he wont rank up or down as fast as when he has a high sigma.

Also, he may be playing against lower levels all the time (Being the highest level in a mixed party)

  • 11.28.2007 8:31 PM PDT
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Nope, we are normally the lowest in the party. me and him made these accounts we are 101 wins and 3 losses at level 33 now. we have the exact same record. we go in as 2 and get 2 more team members. so they are still around level 32. we are playing people our level or higher and winning but not going up.

  • 11.28.2007 9:44 PM PDT

Posted by: GGL BLiNDSiDE
Nope, we are normally the lowest in the party. me and him made these accounts we are 101 wins and 3 losses at level 33 now. we have the exact same record. we go in as 2 and get 2 more team members. so they are still around level 32. we are playing people our level or higher and winning but not going up.

Well there could be a few things happening to you. First off, 33 seems about right based on the amount of games you've played. I didn't check out all of your games but in a few of the sessions I looked at you were partied up with a person 7 or 8 levels above you. There is a know issue with mixed skilled parties leveling up slower than parties of equal or close skill. Whether this applies to you or not I don't know but it could be affecting the speed which you are going up. Also, you haven't been stuck at a certain level, you seem to be going up gradually.

  • 11.29.2007 7:06 AM PDT
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All right, 1 question.

What determines Sigma?

  • 11.29.2007 10:41 AM PDT

Posted by: schmalls
All right, 1 question.

What determines Sigma?

Quote from the OP on Page 1:
Sigma is the numerical representation of the range in which your true skill could lie. Play really consistently, and you have a low Sigma. Play streakily, and you have a higher Sigma.

  • 11.29.2007 12:24 PM PDT