Fairness and Balance - A Myth?

[Kev367th]

Hope this doesn't constitute a duplicate thread of any kind, if so, apologies.

Anyway onto the gist -

Going to use two countries as it makes things easier - the "Pink Tutus" (PTT) v the "Sheepskin Thongs" (SST)

Each side has 100 players, but one side is comprised of vets the other newbs (extreme I know, but the best way of showing what I'm getting at)

So
PTT - vets
SST - newbs

Thats fair and balanced? Obviously not.

You would have to give the newbs a 3x or higher advantage in numbers to stand a reasonable chance.

How does this apply to AH?
How do you tell what each country is comprised of in the way of vets/newbs?

So the next obvious move is to assign each player a skill tag. (based on who knows what, maybe number of ferrets you can get down your trousers?)
You are limited not only by country numbers, but by your skill level also.

Hopefully you all see the point I am trying to make -
Equal numbers does not mean "fair and balanced", but is more an illusion of it.

[NoBaddy]

Kev...

I don't remember HT ever talking about "fair". When asked about balance, he will tell you that he is more interested in LONG TERM imbalance than in balance.

BTW, got 3 ferrets in before the ecstasy became too much.

[Simaril]

You're overlooking an important factor -- random distributions.

Unless there's a confounding factor that skews experienced players to one side, when you get above a few hundred enrolees there shouldnt be any meaningful difference between the countries' members - in quality, in personality, in years played, or even in eye color. That's what "random distribution" MEANS, and that's the basis for all the population based scientific studies you hear about on CNN or whatever.

That being so, let me ask you a question:

What's a more effective approximation of "equal sides" -- 40:10:10, or 20:20:20?

Neither will be completely even, due to their randomness, but which one is the BETTER GOAL?

[SlapShot]

Originally posted by Kev367th
Hope this doesn't constitute a duplicate thread of any kind, if so, apologies.

Anyway onto the gist -

Going to use two countries as it makes things easier - the "Pink Tutus" (PTT) v the "Sheepskin Thongs" (SST)

Each side has 100 players, but one side is comprised of vets the other newbs (extreme I know, but the best way of showing what I'm getting at)

So
PTT - vets
SST - newbs

Thats fair and balanced? Obviously not.

You would have to give the newbs a 3x or higher advantage in numbers to stand a reasonable chance.

How does this apply to AH?
How do you tell what each country is comprised of in the way of vets/newbs?

So the next obvious move is to assign each player a skill tag. (based on who knows what, maybe number of ferrets you can get down your trousers?)
You are limited not only by country numbers, but by your skill level also.

Hopefully you all see the point I am trying to make -
Equal numbers does not mean "fair and balanced", but is more an illusion of it.

Boy ... you are really reaching here.

[Grits]

Originally posted by Kev367th
So the next obvious move is to assign each player a skill tag. (based on who knows what, maybe number of ferrets you can get down your trousers?)

If this is used SuperDud will be the best guy in the arena.

Although...Super doesnt wear trousers he wears pantaloons.

[hubsonfire]

Pantaloons he stole from MC Hammer's house, I might add.

[Grits]

Super is 2 legit 2 quit!

[Slash27]

He's dope on the floor and magic on the mic.

[Lye-El]

Originally posted by Kev367th


Hopefully you all see the point I am trying to make -
Equal numbers does not mean "fair and balanced", but is more an illusion of it.

But it's closer than 75 noobs vs. 15 vets. You will not have person to person, skill level to skill level parity so the best you can hope for in numerical parity.

[Kev367th]

Originally posted by SlapShot
Boy ... you are really reaching here.

Only one just to plain dismiss/slam it without any expalnation comes from a BK, why am I NOT SUPRPISED.

[pluck]

how big will the ferrets be?  and will there be a standard trouser/pantaloon sizes?  also, what if you accidently lose your ferret?

[Oldman731]

Originally posted by Kev367th
So the next obvious move is to assign each player a skill tag. (based on who knows what, maybe number of ferrets you can get down your trousers?)
You are limited not only by country numbers, but by your skill level also.

I...er...I kind of like this idea....

Doubt it could be easily or accurately implemented, and I'm pretty sure it would set up a howling that makes the recent arena changes look like Christmas caroling, but certainly other sports handicap their players.

- oldman (who knows, no matter how you figure it, that he would be part of the newbie horde)

[Chalenge]

Kev youve hit it right on the head and this is why I asked for some sort of rank modifier to the ENY. Ninja like silence is the only response to that one and I expect this thread will fall into the sewer as more of the IN group respond.

Typical as they say.

[MIShill]

The balance issue is exascerbated by the small size arenas, split 3 ways. There is more likely to be an imbalace when only 14-19 on a side at a time.Any suggestion is welcome, including this one. Hard to implement, especially in a game with a rolling side composition, but ENY updates continuously, so this could as well.
-MI-

[KTM520guy]

Raw numbers mean nothing. It's the relative skill level of each side that matters. Everybody knows it takes 10 bish to equal 1 rook. When the numbers are equal the rooks steamroll the map.