The four month window for global score calculation may have had good reason for the selected time frame when Foldit was in its early days, with few players.
With a fairly consistent 150+ folders online at any time (and I have no idea how many are truly active but client not connected), it may be time to rethink whether that time frame is maximal. We have about doubled the number logged in since September. From what I am hearing from newer players, as soon as their <15 & <150 scores drop off the window, they are (with the current recalculation) dropping severely in rank compared to newer players whose < scores are still in the time frame.
For those players - the ones who have stuck with the game, the ones we really want to keep - it's very dis-heartening to have your global ranking drop like that.
Also, the four month window with the recalculation just done is imposing a severe penalty on the hand folders for the almost 3 months that it became very difficult to hand build without the protein turning into cement. Those players (and yes, I am one of them) just lost the tail end of their good scores in the recalculation, and haven't yet had a chance to recoup.
There are many different ways to calculate global rankings, and I do like the concept that there is a window… new players can aspire to the higher ranks when there is a level playing field of sorts.
I would suggest, however, that the window be extended to 6 months. That would help mitigate the situations above. Going forward, it would also make it easier for any folder, when real life intrudes, to feel more confident that taking a break would not mean that they may not be able to recover their ranking within a reasonable time frame (which may actually provide incentive for them to return).
Hmm? Bigger window? NO!
Why? Because this will make new players even harder and longer to get some ranking. It also will make longer time to get "proper" place for returning players. Every newcomer want to get top 100 fast then keep going higher and higher every puzzle.
IMO it should be even SHORTER: 3 months is enough. Recalculation should be done every puzzle close.
I`m not sure, that <15 and <150 puzzle scores are dropped when player pass that? It should NOT happen. If it is calculated this way it should be fixed. All puzzles should count. Even if player do 3 times one puzzle at start <15 <150 and normal one. Any afford need to be counted. Points need to be cumulated.
I think that rank should be changing as much as possible. This way only really addicted/dedicated folders will keep "their" rank and competition will make players more active.
as far as the longer window is concerned if you take time off, as I did for six weeks to have a life, then currently you pay for it in global points for the next four months. I like maddes greatest folders list and maybe a slightly shorter running game window and a better long term hall of fame would work well together. That way the great folders who just don't get to play every single puzzle for whatever reason still show up in the lists.
I agree with Rav3n about the shorter window. It allows new or inactive players to get into the rankings faster. It also lets bad scores from bad clients to fade faster.
Just to clarify:
Global points from <15 and <150 puzzles will be dropped when they leave the 4-months time window, not when players have more than 15 or 150 points.
I think the scores should be done at the end of each puzzle..its the only way to have an accurate scoring system and ranking system. Monthly at the longest.
I have left and come back many times and what madde states NEVER used to happen.
Gee… you dont need to be a rocket scientist to figure out why foldit cannot retain any new players…after 4 months they get half their score wiped..what is the point..where is the incentive to stay?
I will be brutally blunt ( altho not as blunt as I would really like)…..it is the most idiotic and stupid thing I have read in the 3 years I have played this game.
Wow, two down-votes for stating a fact?
I didn't know March 11th was Deny Reality Day.
Hahaha… looks like tis fact is disliked by some newbs :)
If it is that way it is ok, no fix need.
? I don`t understand.
Scores CANT be accumulated all the time (global score as sum of all puzzles you ever played). If it has work this way only "old" players would be in top and newcommers would have NO ability to get some top spot.
This way as it works (scoring window) allow to any good folder get top ranking in max time of scoring window if he/she play almost every puzzle and end in some top spot.
I not see how "lose half of my points" can happen.
Every recalculation scoring window is moving for EVERYONE and EVERYONE lose points from puzzles that are left window. If you play some good some bad your total score is fluctuating much, if your condition is steady your points are steady too. If you are improving every puzzle your score will grow.
Calculation should be done only after every puzzle close to avoid some strange shifting between puzzles.
I don't know about losing half my points, but I know I lost half my rank. I had 80 points from my first < 15 foldit puzzle and well enough on the other two to never be in the < 150. When those points expired I dropped from #100 to worse than #200.
You can't have it both ways. A longer window makes it a six month slog from #2000 to #100, and then you stall at #100 because everybody above you does every single puzzle. A shorter window drops inactive players faster. Both require non-stop good performance to the top 100, top 50, top 25.
I personally think new players want to rank up faster than six months, so I support a shorter window. Perhaps the real problem is that the starter puzzles are worth too many points.
