Dominions 3 Ladder

[Zapmeister]

Dominions players seem to be a competitive bunch, and there's nothing competitors like more than clawing their way over each other on a ladder. So I thought I'd initiate a ladder system without any expectations around how popular or unpopular it may prove to be.

Simply put, anyone may start a ladder game under this system by declaring it as such at startup, and conforming to the few simple rules set out below. When the game is completed, the game administrator should forward the results to the Ladder Administrator (initially me) who shall score them according to the ladder scoring schema set out below and update the ladder accordingly. The current state of the ladder shall be maintained and displayed here.


Ladder Game Rules

1. All games should run on the llamaserver, organized in the normal way by calling for players in this forum. For clarity, the name of the game should be "Ladder EA-1" or similar, identifying the age and sequence number of the game. The Ladder Administrator shall keep track of the next available sequence number for each age in this post.

2. To prevent experts in obscure mods and/or settings gaining an advantage, all ladder games should be run with default settings (except renaming on, of course) and the latest version of the CBM mod (only) enabled.

3. Certain nations commonly regarded as overpowered (e.g. MA Ashdod, LA R'lyeh, LA Ermor) may need to be banned. I'll take the forum's advice on whether this is necessary, and (if it is) what the exact list of banned nations should be.

4. Consecutive stales or going AWOL without notice is severely punished. It's left to the game administrator to grant turn extensions when they are requested, but if a nation stales twice in succession, that nation will be set to AI before the next turn runs and the offending player will receive no credit for the game. Substitutes may not be used in a ladder game. A second double-staling offense will result in the offender being removed and banned from the ladder altogether.


Ladder Scoring Schema

The scoring system is designed to reward a player for beating higher rated players, and to punish him/her for losing to lower rated players. Simply playing a lot more games than anyone else will not automatically move you up the ladder. Finally, the schema ignores the fact that, regardless of how good you are, you're gonna die if all your neighbours gang up and dump on you from turn 1.

Two points are awarded to you for each player with an equal or greater number of ladder points than yourself that is eliminated before you in a ladder game. One point is subtracted (but you cannot go below zero ladder points) for each player with fewer ladder points that is eliminated after you. No points are awarded or subtracted for players eliminated on the same turn as you. Finally, five(5) ladder points are awarded to the winner.

The turn of elimination is the turn after your last (if you are actually eliminated) or the first turn played by the AI (if you go AI). No points are awarded (although they may be subtracted) if you are eliminated or go AI in the first year (12 turns).


Next Available Ladder Game Names

Ladder EA-1
Ladder MA-1
Ladder LA-1


Current Ladder

(empty)