WvW Rating Reset Coming Soon

[shawn]

In the run up to the end of free world transfers we saw large population changes as people settled in to their home servers. This means that the WvW teams being fielded by many of the worlds are now dramatically different. In recognition of this fact, and in light of the increased population stability that comes with paid transfers, we feel that this would be a good time to reset the ratings of all the servers. A reset at this point will allow the rating & ranking system to more quickly and correctly rate these (effectively) new WvW teams.
Here’s how the reset will work:

1) We’ll let the current matchup play out. Since free transfers were available during the first part of this matchup we don’t want it to count towards the new ratings.
2) When the matchup rolls over on Friday, February 1st we’ll post the final ratings & rankings. The new ordering will determine the groupings for the next matchup as usual.
3) After the new matchup has started on February 1st we’ll reset all the ratings (and deviation & volatility) behind the scenes.

Because every world will have reset ratings the system will treat the February 1st matchup as the first matchup and will calculate the ratings accordingly. The new ratings will then be calculated normally in the way that you’re already familiar with. We expect several weeks of volatility while the ratings settle down but we believe that it will ultimately yield a more correct result more quickly than letting the current ratings persist. That also means that the coming month or two will be a fantastic time to fight for your world’s place in the rankings!

Additionally, we’re taking advantage of the reset to revisit some of the math behind the ratings. I’ll have more to post on that once we’ve crunched some numbers and made some decisions.

-Habib Loew

[Lensor]

Well, not too surprising I guess, but it would have been nice for ANet to give a heads up a bit earlier, preferably at the same time as when they announced the end of free transfers. Could have dampened the volatility a bit. (We would probably still have moved due to having a rather sizable group of members heavily into WvW, but I imagine a lot of more casual guilds would have stayed wherever they were if knowing that everything would be reset anyway).

[Raye]

I actually think this is the best thing, because everyone was jumping around to servers in the higher tiers. ArenaNet is basically insuring that people will be appropriately matched in their new forever-homes. Even though it took me by surprise, I can see why they kept that hidden.

[Lensor]

Yea I guess. Athough had they told, the jumping around might have been mitigated, leading to the possibility of a more fluent ranking overall. Due to the moving frenzy, some servers are absolutely packed, whereas others are practically empty of WvW-ers. There is now no chance whatsoever that the low-pop servers will ever be able to get into T1/T2, unless ANet does some kind of temporary "free to move to low-pop" drive. Because even if they train and become the most skilled WvW-ers in the world, they wont have the numbers (especially off-peak) to make a dent on T1/T2. Which is a little sad really.

One big upside is that it will be way faster for the ladder to stabilize. SBI will not have to make that looooong fall down, being stomped week after week to finally even out. And Kaineng will not see many weeks of almost no contest, but rather be properly matched after just a couple. Although I do think this could have been achieved also with a heads up.

I.e. reset good, secret bad. IMO of course.

[GWO NewsBot]

A quick update on WvW. Looks like all pairings are going to be reset now that free transfers are done. Little surprising, but makes sense. Full post is below.

More...

By: RDarken

[Alaris]

If we trust their words, I get the impression that this was not planned, rather it was a reaction to so many people moving. Had people stayed put, we probably would not have gotten a reset.

[Lensor]

Of course mass movement, especially with no word of a reset, was a pretty obvious result of announcing the end of free transfers. Musical Chairs anyone? I really do not see how that could have come as a surprise to anyone. Ah well. Not like it is the end of the world or anything, just a bit...lacking in foresight.

[Alaris]

I lack the foresight to have predicted it... but I'll grant you that perhaps a big company like ANet should have seen it coming.

[Fae]

Thing will be unstable for a while. Servers who have been PVDooring for a while and lording it over dead servers will zoom ahead in the ratings, and it will take a few weeks for the real active servers to be back to where they're meant to be.

It's also a great time to rally up your server and start a push from fresh.

Should be fun!

[Lensor]

Of that, I agree!

Also, anyone on a server steamrolling their current opposition (*cough*Kaineng*cough*), make sure to get your mapping done before the reset.

Because come Friday, we will need all hands on deck actually fighting!