This summary of the video was created by an AI. It might contain some inaccuracies.
00:00:00 – 00:08:56
The video critiques the inadequacies of the current rating and matchmaking systems in World of Warcraft (WoW). The speaker highlights inconsistencies in the Current Rating (CR) system, noting how external factors such as variations in player activity and artificial inflation by Blizzard lead to significant fluctuations in player ratings across different seasons. This makes CR an unreliable metric for measuring player skill. Additionally, the video points out how the existing Matchmaking Rating (MMR) system causes confusion, with players misjudging their progress due to differing top-tier ratings each season, which skews perceptions at lower levels. The speaker proposes a switch to percentile-based rewards to create a more accurate reflection of player performance. They also suggest periodic updates to percentile cutoffs throughout the season to provide more consistent rewards and emphasize the need for a comprehensive overhaul of the rating system to offer a clearer measure of skill progression for all players.
00:00:00
In this segment of the video, the speaker discusses the flaws in the rating system of World of Warcraft (WoW), arguing that it is outdated and inconsistent. They explain that the system is based on Current Rating (CR), which is used to measure player skill but varies significantly each season due to external factors such as player activity and artificial inflation by Blizzard. For instance, in Season 2 of Shadowlands, high player activity and artificial inflation led to record-high CRs. Conversely, Season 3 of Dragonflight saw much lower CRs due to no artificial inflation and low player activity. This variability makes CR an unreliable measure of player skill across different seasons.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the speaker criticizes the inconsistencies within the MMR system in WoW, explaining how it causes confusion among players about their progress. They argue that the differing highest player ratings between seasons trickle down and skew perceptions at lower levels. For example, players like “Jimmy” might mistakenly think they have worsened based on current ratings, despite performing at a similar percentile as before. The speaker suggests Blizzard needs to rework the entire ranking system as static ratings fail to account for variables like player activity. They propose reverting to percentile-based rewards, which are more accurate and reflective of true player performance.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the pros and cons of the current percentile-based system for gaming rewards. The main issue is the inability to receive rewards midseason, as players must wait until the end of the season. The proposed solution is to update percentile cutoffs periodically (such as weekly or bi-weekly) based on a snapshot of the ladder. This would adjust rewards dynamically and offer consistency across the season, making early achievements more meaningful. The speaker also mentions that while this would improve the system, a comprehensive rework is needed to address underlying issues, as the current CR (Combat Rating) system is confusing for new players and doesn’t provide a true measure of skill progression.