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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.

Prompt A,B,C
(A+B+C) -> X
2X -> Y
-Y -> Z
1/(Z+A+B+C) = The World Explodes, simple math.

Does this mean that if I do really good consitantly, then lose a few, I will go down more then i went up?

  • 02.04.2008 8:20 PM PDT
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ok so after i read this i got lost a bit so how about u tell me how to rank up fast....sometimes i play 3 times to go one rank...i loose one so i go down...then i win only one and i rank up immediatly....so just give me the basic stuff.

  • 02.04.2008 8:26 PM PDT
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thank u so much 4 explaining this system. its so lame, why did bungie use such a bad system. My skill is 35, and i vs a team of people who are between 39 and 45, and my allies r all between 37 and 42. We get hammered and lose by loads, but, i got mvp cos i got most kills by about 6 or 7. Guess what? i go down 2 skills! Such a crap system, it doesnt matter if u win or lose its about ur kills/captures/etc

  • 02.04.2008 11:58 PM PDT

Posted by: AudibleAngel
ok so after i read this i got lost a bit so how about u tell me how to rank up fast....sometimes i play 3 times to go one rank...i loose one so i go down...then i win only one and i rank up immediatly....so just give me the basic stuff.
You can only rank up fast when you first start playing in a playlist. Then, once you start losing you slow down. Finally when you start winning and losing equally, it takes a significant amount of wins to then go up again.

  • 02.05.2008 12:11 PM PDT

Posted by: i 5aid GRRR
(snip)... it doesnt matter if u win or lose its about ur kills/captures/etc
This is incorrect. The only thing used to determine your skill level is whether you win or lose and the skill levels of your opponents.

  • 02.05.2008 12:13 PM PDT


thank u so much 4 explaining this system. its so lame, why did bungie use such a bad system. My skill is 35, and i vs a team of people who are between 39 and 45, and my allies r all between 37 and 42. We get hammered and lose by loads, but, i got mvp cos i got most kills by about 6 or 7. Guess what? i go down 2 skills! Such a crap system, it doesnt matter if u win or lose its about ur kills/captures/etc

I don't see this game you are referring to but from the look of Page 1 and 2, you lost more games than you won. My guess, one game you didn't go down at all and the next loss, in a row, most likely brought you down. Plus, your wins are against really low level teams. If I were you, I would get the level 9 out of the equation unless you plan on winning every game because you are losing to lower ranked teams than what you are ranked. It's a miracle you got it back up to 35.

  • 02.05.2008 1:49 PM PDT
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Nice post, i bet that will clear up all the noobs posting about their rank. I think you can has recon.

  • 02.05.2008 1:57 PM PDT
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Posted by: Ni8069
Nice post, i bet that will clear up all the noobs posting about their rank. I think you can has recon.

Gotta love people with less than a 1.00 K/D calling others newbs.

[Edited on 02.05.2008 2:01 PM PST]

  • 02.05.2008 2:01 PM PDT

lol i rember the super simple halo 2 ranking, you win 3 u go up u lose 3 u go down, until u get over lvl 30 when it goes to 5 wins.

  • 02.05.2008 4:18 PM PDT
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very well done.And also very helpfull

  • 02.05.2008 6:58 PM PDT
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Ok i dont want this to be considered wining but i won 9 games in a row as a level 47 and went postive every round and didnt rake up, makes no sence to me at all.

  • 02.05.2008 9:43 PM PDT
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The main problem with the system is that it does not reward you for getting better, and actually penalizes you for playing enough games to get better.

Case in point: my buddy and i played 21 doubles matches and went 18-3. he went from 7 to 30. I went from 30 to 33. we consistently played teams that had average ranks higher than us until he hit 24. now, i'm not saying i should have increased 23 levels like he did. half the team we are playing against is below me. that's the unfair leveling this system is trying to battle against. but when you win 6 matches in a row against even or superior combined opponents and your partner who is new increases 7 levels and you go up 1, there is a problem with the system.

basically, a caveat needs to be made that rewards you for streaks. if you win 3 in a row you should get a bonus to your Mu or whatever. something that increases your chances of leveling. i mean, i could start a new account and grab a friend and play myself up to the 30s, then have him get a new account and play myself into the 40s and maybe even 50. you can't stop cheaters from cheating. they will always find a way.

however, people who abide by the rules shouldn't be punished by the system trying to control cheaters. it's what causes otherwise honorable people to turn to cheating. i've played over 1,000 ranked matches. it takes an act of God for my rank to increase 1 level. nevermind if i've gotten better at the game. forget that i've turned my once -500 K/D to a +150 in the last 500 games. forget that i'm better with weapons i used to suck with. forget that i'm a better team player than i once was. i've already lost too many games. the only real way to find out what my new "true skill" is, is to start over and see how high it gets this time...

  • 02.06.2008 1:01 AM PDT
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MorDan Kin for president. Is it really that hard to change the system? I have no clue, but it seems the majority of players who play at even a semi-competitive level have real beef with it. >_>

[Edited on 02.06.2008 1:53 AM PST]

  • 02.06.2008 1:50 AM PDT

Posted by: MorDan Kin
(snip) ...the only real way to find out what my new "true skill" is, is to start over and see how high it gets this time...
Many people feel the way you do about the system. It does take the system a while to recognize a significant skill increase once you've played a lot of games. If you also factor in playing in a mixed party, like you did with your level 7 partner, it will do little for you to win and hurt more if you lose. When players level after every win, they expect that to happen every time. Then once they start losing a few, winning a few, etc. they get frustrated when it takes 6,7 or even 10 games to go up a level. It basically comes down to which system do you prefer. One that gets you up quickly and then makes you earn increases after you settle in to your level (H3) or a system that moves you up slowly where it takes 4-6 wins for each increase (H2).

Yes, a person starting a new account will go up faster than someone who has played 200 games. The thing is, I've seen people who create another account because they are frustrated and what usually happens is they end up within 1 or 2 skill levels of their main account. The system doesn't penalize you and hold you back. It just doesn't reward you for beating opponents you should beat. They get there faster but they don't go much higher.

  • 02.06.2008 6:11 AM PDT
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Very good explaination. Pretty much my questions are answered. Very indepth

  • 02.06.2008 12:39 PM PDT

So does the system take into account all your ranked wins and losses or just within the playlist?

  • 02.06.2008 12:49 PM PDT

Also, does Lone wolves count exp. AND skill for being within the top 3?

  • 02.06.2008 1:05 PM PDT
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I fully understand it now. Basically, beat those of a higher rank/skill with you and you'll rank up faster, lose to those lower than you and you'll rank down quicker. Beat those at the same level and you'll go up, slowly. Cheers. ^_^

  • 02.06.2008 3:47 PM PDT

Posted by: MiseryIchor
Also, does Lone wolves count exp. AND skill for being within the top 3?
Posted by: MiseryIchor
So does the system take into account all your ranked wins and losses or just within the playlist?
In LW, it really depends on the skill levels of your opponents if you gain skill for a 3rd place.

Each palylist is separate so your wins and losses are only counted in the playlist you are playing in.

  • 02.07.2008 6:31 AM PDT
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The ranking system sux, I won 15 games in a row and didnt go up

  • 02.07.2008 9:30 AM PDT
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At the moment I think thhe ranking sisthem is defect.
I won 15 games in a row. All with a positif k/d ratio and all aggainst people with an higher skill but my friend (pureWhit3) and I (pureBI4ck) stuck at skill 21.
We're unbeatable since 15 games and we had Medals like perfection and running riot.
If someone knows why we don't get higher, post me or pureWhit3.
If someone know how to help us, plz post me or pureWhit3.


  • 02.07.2008 9:36 AM PDT
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"Olly Olly Oxen Free"

Thanks for explaining how the system works, it has cleared many of my doubts

  • 02.07.2008 10:36 AM PDT

Posted by: PureBI4ck
At the moment I think thhe ranking sisthem is defect.
I won 15 games in a row. All with a positif k/d ratio and all aggainst people with an higher skill but my friend (pureWhit3) and I (pureBI4ck) stuck at skill 21.
We're unbeatable since 15 games and we had Medals like perfection and running riot.
If someone knows why we don't get higher, post me or pureWhit3.
If someone know how to help us, plz post me or pureWhit3.
This is a known issue with the skill system. If you 2 only play together you will get stuck at that level. So far, the only workaround is to play with different teammates for some games. Basically the system cannon gauge you individually when you only play with the same teammates.

  • 02.07.2008 11:56 AM PDT
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meh that -blam!-en skill system sux, we won like 20 games in a row , lost one time and lvld down , cmon what the heck is this ..

  • 02.07.2008 12:12 PM PDT

I don't think the skill system should count disconnects as quits. Giving you negative skill and Exp. for something that is out of your control.

  • 02.07.2008 1:28 PM PDT