How does the bonus star system work? If you get, say, 11 bonus stars, does that mean that every win gets you 11 stars right until you reach legend again?
Based on your previous rank, you'll be given a Star Multiplier. Every win you give you stars equal to your multiplier. Whenever you hit a ranked floor, your Star Multiplier goes down by 1. So early on, you'll accelerate very quickly out of the low ranks and it will slow down as you approach your previous rank.
Okay, but why the reset to Bronze? What does that gain you other than making it possibly harder for players to reach higher ranks (and the respective rank rewards)?
The star multiplier exists, yes, but that doesn't mean that ranking will be as fast as it was before. (And it can be tweaked at any time to slow you down.)
One of the biggest benefits of the old system is that it provides a great progression system. You feel like you're working towards a goal - either meeting your previous rank, or moving up the the next floor, etc. We wanted to make sure you didn't lose that in the new system.
One of the biggest flaws of the old system is that you don't know how you rate against other players. With the new system, it's more familiar to players and it's easier to talk about your rank. It's easier to say "I'm a Gold level player" than it is to say "I'm Rank 15." The new system also helps when the new season rolls around and new players aren't getting stomped by more experienced players who may not play as often and will slowly move to the bottom of the ladder.
We wanted to make sure you got the progression of the old system with the benefits the new one.
For “skill rating” is there any differentiation between legend players? Like if I finish top 50 am I gonna rank up faster than someone who finished 2000?
Likely you will get 11 bonus stars for finishing top 50. Low rank Legend players might only get 10. Rating wise everyone has a personal value.
Does this go back multiple years? I used to play very infrequently and have quit altogether because it was boring having to beat up low ranks for ~30 games every month. If I came back to the game for this new ranking system will it still have some account of what my skill rating was or will it have decayed because I've been rank 20 for 2 years?
Not right now for your case, as current matchmaking is purely based on rank instead of skill for non-Legend ranks. In the new system yes there will be a rating decay based on how long you left the game (as matchmaking will be based on rating at the beginning)
Is there an actual hidden MMR system now? Or is it still "similar ranks fight similar ranks" with an added Heuristic of needed to match star multipliers now too?
Yes there is a system tracking MMRs now, but it never gets used until the player reaches Legend rank.
First, and most importantly, we are ALWAYS going to be matched with similarly skilled (not ranked) players. So they probably now have an hidden MMR system. Secondly, we are now getting reset to the bottom rank every month. Thirdly, depending on our previous rank, we now get a multiplier (that also gets doubled during streaks) that boosts the number of stars based on our previous rank. They mentioned that Legend players will have an 11x multiplier, but the way they talked about it gave off a "this is a totally random number" tone of voice. Going off of that number, a legend player will earn 11 stars for each win, 22 stars if they're on a streak, and will always be playing against other previously legend players. Finally, the multiplier will go down by 1 for each rank floor hit (which is rank 1 and 5 of each league). Oh and it takes 3 stars to progress one rank (so a total of 30 stars with each league).
we are ALWAYS going to be matched with similarly skilled (not ranked) players.
Technically players are only matched by skill when they still have bonus star (or Legend rank). When non-Legend players lose all the bonus star, they will be matched by their current rank first -- this allows players still being able to progress a bit after the bonus star gets depleted.
Liv
You'll be matched based on skill, so you'll have fair matches - even when the season resets.
Liv
Based on your previous rank, you'll be given a Star Multiplier. Every win you give you stars equal to your multiplier. Whenever you hit a ranked floor, your Star Multiplier goes down by 1. So early on, you'll accelerate very quickly out of the low ranks and it will slow down as you approach your previous rank.
Liv
Until you run out of Star Multiplier. Then you'll be matched based on Rank. That way, if your skill is higher than your Rank, you'll move up.
Liv
One of the biggest benefits of the old system is that it provides a great progression system. You feel like you're working towards a goal - either meeting your previous rank, or moving up the the next floor, etc. We wanted to make sure you didn't lose that in the new system.
One of the biggest flaws of the old system is that you don't know how you rate against other players. With the new system, it's more familiar to players and it's easier to talk about your rank. It's easier to say "I'm a Gold level player" than it is to say "I'm Rank 15." The new system also helps when the new season rolls around and new players aren't getting stomped by more experienced players who may not play as often and will slowly move to the bottom of the ladder.
We wanted to make sure you got the progression of the old system with the benefits the new one.
TDing_HS
Likely you will get 11 bonus stars for finishing top 50. Low rank Legend players might only get 10. Rating wise everyone has a personal value.
TDing_HS
Not right now for your case, as current matchmaking is purely based on rank instead of skill for non-Legend ranks. In the new system yes there will be a rating decay based on how long you left the game (as matchmaking will be based on rating at the beginning)
TDing_HS
At least 10 for Legend; could be 11 if the player is good.
TDing_HS
Yes there is a system tracking MMRs now, but it never gets used until the player reaches Legend rank.
TDing_HS
It will be a combination of calculations based on your rank and “skill rating”, whichever gives you a higher bonus star value.
TDing_HS
Technically players are only matched by skill when they still have bonus star (or Legend rank). When non-Legend players lose all the bonus star, they will be matched by their current rank first -- this allows players still being able to progress a bit after the bonus star gets depleted.
TDing_HS
Win streak ends at Diamond 5.