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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.

Posted by: nickcarsrrrr
Clean organization, Straight forward communication, Reliable example(s) / Real life stories,

Professionally put well done!

If possible might I add,

If you, [or the wonderful force that drops highly treasured intel ;)] could report a more in depth explanation of relevance for Variable K , The appreciation would be immfathomable to myself and the Halo 3 / Bungie, production "follower", community.

-Great work.



Good luck with that considering the op (El Kafungus) is looooong gone lol.

I'm not 100% sure but K may be your opponents level.

  • 06.16.2010 2:51 PM PDT

If someone was doing really bad in a playlist and they got last like 7 times in a row in rumble pit and then they go into team doubles and win one would there skill go up more then if they didn't lose those 7 games? I'm asking this question because timber pit is a different playlist and in socail and team doubles is in ranked would the who sigma thing still effect eachother?

  • 06.23.2010 11:50 PM PDT

There is no connection between playlists.

  • 06.24.2010 12:50 AM PDT

I GET IT NOW YAY

  • 06.29.2010 9:01 PM PDT

Nice job man!

  • 07.04.2010 12:34 PM PDT

Posted by: Phoenix9508
When abe goes to a parties, all the chicks grind with him, easy.

If only those idiots who quit at the end of the game would read this. Or those baffoons who think quitting will save their rank...

  • 07.04.2010 12:56 PM PDT
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I don't think the ranks of the other players even matter, it's what their win/loss ratio is.

Eg. In team doubles

Your a 30 and have lost no games, your playing with a 30 who has also lost no games (both 100% chance of winning), you somehow are versing 2 50s, but their win/loss is 0.1 (10% chance of winning) so the system automatically predicts your going to win, and if you do win, you wont rank up or rank up that much. If you lose, you will probbaly rank down a fair bit.

  • 07.05.2010 9:38 PM PDT

Instead of coming up with a ridiculous explanation for the ranking system; just realize that Halo 3's ranking system is broken. Halo 2 had the right idea. Consistent winning meant leveling up while consistent losing meant leveling down. That is really as simple as it should be. The level 50 on Halo 3 now encompasses like 20 levels from Halo 2, namely the skill range from 30-50. There is not a large enough distinction in skill between high ranked players in Halo 3 as there was in Halo 2. Bottom line-- the ranking system needs to be fixed!

  • 07.05.2010 10:32 PM PDT

Halo 2

Levels 1-10 Just Learning Controls

Levels 11-20 Beginners (Know the maps)

Levels 21-25 Intermediate (Know the maps and can aim)

Levels 26-31 Skillful (Know the maps,can maneuver well, improved aiming)

Levels 32-35 Excellent (Know the maps, can maneuver insane and exceptional aiming)

Levels 36-40 Semi-Pro (Has all the aspects of the game down and has teammates who do as well)

Levels 40+ Pro (Top 1% of population, the cream of the cream of the crop)

Halo 3

1-40 (Mixture of people just learning controls, beginners, and intermediate players)

40+ Skillful players

Consistently playing on a 50 (Skillful to Pro)

  • 07.05.2010 10:54 PM PDT

Posted by: Mmmm Milk
I don't think the ranks of the other players even matter, it's what their win/loss ratio is.

Eg. In team doubles

Your a 30 and have lost no games, your playing with a 30 who has also lost no games (both 100% chance of winning), you somehow are versing 2 50s, but their win/loss is 0.1 (10% chance of winning) so the system automatically predicts your going to win, and if you do win, you wont rank up or rank up that much. If you lose, you will probbaly rank down a fair bit.


Your opponents win/loss ratio does not directly affect your rank.

The only way it does is by changing their sigma which changes your possible reward.

Also, their levels mean alot more then anything.

If you are level 30 and you beat level 40s (you cannot face 50s unless you are going in mixed parties) your reward for winning is alot more then beating levels 30s.

If you go against level 20s you will get practically nothing and you could beat them hundreds of times and go no where.

  • 07.07.2010 6:19 PM PDT

EgregiousQuacky

Very informative. Thanks

  • 07.12.2010 2:17 PM PDT

Posted by: SatansReverence
Your opponents win/loss ratio does not directly affect your rank.

The only way it does is by changing their sigma which changes your possible reward.
The hell are you talking about?

Posted by: Mmmm Milk
I don't think the ranks of the other players even matter, it's what their win/loss ratio is.
Win/loss ratio does nothing at all.


Your a 30 and have lost no games, your playing with a 30 who has also lost no games (both 100% chance of winning), you somehow are versing 2 50s, but their win/loss is 0.1 (10% chance of winning) so the system automatically predicts your going to win, and if you do win, you wont rank up or rank up that much. If you lose, you will probbaly rank down a fair bit.Regardless of the amount of losses, a 50 is a 50. A no-loss 30's mu is much higher than what a locked 30 has, maybe around a locked 40's, but it still isn't as high as a 50's. Thus the 50 team is the one expected to win.

Instead of coming up with a ridiculous explanation for the ranking system; just realize that Halo 3's ranking system is broken. Halo 2 had the right idea. Consistent winning meant leveling up while consistent losing meant leveling down. That is really as simple as it should be. At the basic level, Halo 3's is the same.

The level 50 on Halo 3 now encompasses like 20 levels from Halo 2, namely the skill range from 30-50. There is not a large enough distinction in skill between high ranked players in Halo 3 as there was in Halo 2. Bottom line-- the ranking system needs to be fixed! Level 50's don't contain 40% of the population. The Halo 2 system left no distinction between lower ranked players. Due to that and the influx of new players, the lower ranks were a total mess.

[Edited on 07.12.2010 2:26 PM PDT]

  • 07.12.2010 2:19 PM PDT

Posted by: Mutoid Log
Posted by: SatansReverence
Your opponents win/loss ratio does not directly affect your rank.

The only way it does is by changing their sigma which changes your possible reward.
The hell are you talking about?


Posted by: Mmmm Milk
I don't think the ranks of the other players even matter, it's what their win/loss ratio is.


I was responding to that.

And their sigma does affect you in a small way.

  • 07.12.2010 7:39 PM PDT

Great info and detailed!

  • 07.13.2010 1:34 AM PDT

dude i have 2 give a big thanks 2 u. i also wondered how bungie kept its l;eveling system i always thought it went by win loss ratio but this mu sigma stuff is kinda like it. thanks soo freakin much!!!!!

  • 07.13.2010 9:37 AM PDT

You say ( I think...) that, over the past 50 games, if you don't have atleast 65% wins, then you are just going to be stuck at that level, and are basically just going down.

My question, (mostly for SWAT, as there is no social SWAT I can practice), does that mean that it's impossible to improve if I am bad without rank-locking myself? I want to improve in SWAT badly, as I am only a 24, but I am almost worried because I don't want to lock myself and not be able to unlock myself.

  • 07.15.2010 7:32 PM PDT

What doesn't kill you, only makes you stranger

I won't lie I was confused at the beginning for a while.

Luckily I got with the program and now it all makes sense. Very insightful and Very helpful

  • 07.15.2010 9:30 PM PDT


Posted by: bk made of cheez
You say ( I think...) that, over the past 50 games, if you don't have atleast 65% wins, then you are just going to be stuck at that level, and are basically just going down.

My question, (mostly for SWAT, as there is no social SWAT I can practice), does that mean that it's impossible to improve if I am bad without rank-locking myself? I want to improve in SWAT badly, as I am only a 24, but I am almost worried because I don't want to lock myself and not be able to unlock myself.


There is no such thing as a rank lock.

That is a myth -_-

  • 07.16.2010 12:26 PM PDT

This might be one of the reasons im a 45..

  • 07.21.2010 9:37 PM PDT

in the summatation part of this post you mentioned if your win/loss percentage is 65% or more you wont rank up as fast or as much? so basically you need to lose some games aswell then you should rank up quicker and maybe in larger amounts each game?

  • 07.23.2010 3:21 PM PDT


Posted by: bk made of cheez
My question, (mostly for SWAT, as there is no social SWAT I can practice), does that mean that it's impossible to improve if I am bad without rank-locking myself? I want to improve in SWAT badly, as I am only a 24, but I am almost worried because I don't want to lock myself and not be able to unlock myself.


If you're decent with a BR, know where the other team will spawn, and can move around the map without getting killed instantly, you should be set.

  • 07.23.2010 3:25 PM PDT

Very very informative. Thank you.

  • 07.25.2010 6:53 PM PDT
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lol no

  • 07.28.2010 6:47 AM PDT