Need some braniac input here!

[TimUSA]

I run a gaming site for a yacht racing simulator. http://vsk-ayc.totalh.com We use a unique scoring system we call a Bonus High Point System to generate the base points for our individual races and series results. it looks something like this:

 

Base Points = [bS]

1st = 50pts

2nd = 47pts

3rd = 44.3pts

4th = 42pts

5th = 40pts

6th = 38pts

7th = (50 - finish position - 6) or 37

*each position after is calculated the same way.

 

These base points are then used to calculate ladder points which I accomplish by using a factor for each race type.

 

Ad Hoc Race

Ladder Points = [bS]*1

 

Match Race

Ladder Points = [bS]*2

 

Club Fleet Race

Ladder Points = [bS]*6

 

Championship Race

Ladder Points = [bS]*8

 

The problem with this system is that it does not reward the best sailor, it rewards the most active player. I need to be able to reward a combination of both! I have tried just averaging the points, but this allows someone who say has only raced 3 races to be ranked higher then someone who has raced 200.

 

So my question is this. Given the know factors that i have [bS], the race type multiplier, ladder points, and number of races, what are your thoughts on how I could best achieve my goal of rewarding the best sailor. btw here is the code i use to generate the ladder results:

 

global $settings;

$query = 	"SELECT pts_table.skipperName, sum(pts_table.fleetPoints) as SumfleetPoints, smf_members.ID_MEMBER, thm.value AS country
		FROM pts_table
		LEFT JOIN smf_members ON pts_table.skipperName = smf_members.realName
		LEFT JOIN smf_themes AS thm ON (thm.ID_MEMBER = smf_members.ID_MEMBER AND thm.ID_THEME = 1 AND thm.variable = 'country')
		WHERE pts_table.fleetPoints> 0 
		GROUP BY pts_table.skipperName 
		ORDER BY SumfleetPoints DESC;";
$result = mysql_query($query);
if(mysql_num_rows($result))
{
echo'
  <table class = "bordercolor" cellSpacing="1" cellPadding="1" width="100%" border="0">
    <tr class ="catbg">
      <td width = "100%">Fleet Race Ladder:</td>
    <tr>
  </table><br>
  <table class = "bordercolor" cellSpacing="1" cellPadding="1" width="100%" border="0">
    <tr class ="catbg4">
    	<td width = "5%"></td>
      	<td width = "70%">Skipper Name:</td>
      	<td width = "25%">Ladder Points:</td>
    </tr>
  </table>';
$x = 1;
  while($row = mysql_fetch_row($result))
  {
  echo'
  <table class = "bordercolor" cellSpacing="1" cellPadding="1" width="100%" border="0">
    <tr>
    	<td width = "5%" class = "catbg2"><img src="' . $settings['default_images_url'] . '/flags/' . $row[3] . '.png" /></td>
      	<td width = "70%" class = "titlebg">' . $x++ . ': ' . $row[0] . '</td><br>
      	<td width = "25%" class = "catbg2">' . $row[1] . '</td><br>
    </tr>
  </table>';
  }
}

[discomatt]

Calculate the difference between ranks in percentage...

 

The difference in points between 1st and 2nd is 6%. 2nd and 3rd is ~6%. In most point-type situations, the difference is much greater, sometimes exponential between placements.

 

The difference in points between 1st and 7th is 26%. This is not very rewarding for the first place finisher.

 

Perhaps a better point algorithm could be based on time completed to time expected for given course. This would reward a racer more on individual performance than placement.

 

I could come up with an algorithm for you to try out, but i really don't know enough about the game to help beyond this.

[mb81]

TimUSA,

 

You might try some sort of percentage combo made up of your total score and your average score, where your average score makes up 80% and your total score makes up 20% of the overall score.

 

Otherwise, you might try something using a standard deviation of the number of races participated in or something along those lines.