LeeHarris
Smash Lord
Welcome to the Official Thread of SmashLeague.com!
What is Smash League?
Smash League is an online league in development to help make up for the deficiencies and shortcomings of the upcoming game, Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Who is developing Smash League?
Smash League is in development under a team of several programmers with many years in web development. We are also looking for help in several positions - look below for more details.
When will Smash League launch?
Registration will begin sometime in mid-January, with the first season beginning shortly after Brawl's release.
What leagues will exist within Smash League?
Initially, there will be four leagues: Casual Main, Casual Pro, Competitive Main, and Competitive Pro. The Casual leagues will be for players who prefer to play with casual rules. For example, the Casual league will allow items, the majority of stages, and the Final Smash (assuming you can turn it off). The Competitive leagues will be for Competitive players who prefer MLG-style rules. This includes match timers, no items, limited stages, no Final Smash (assuming it can be turned off), and more.
There is also a reason for having Main and Pro leagues. During the initial launch, everyone will be granted access to both Casual and Competitive Main. Throughout the season, a player's rating will be generated by a custom rating system (a mix of ELO, Glick2, and custom algorithms). At the end of each season, the top players will be promoted to the corresponding Pro league to compete with similar skilled players.
Players can also be promoted to the Pro leagues directly by having placed in a popular tournament, such as MLG, or by having adequate references from several players in a Pro league. Pro players that are fairly well known amongst the Smash community, such as Ken, Isai, Chu, etc, will be given the option to join the Pro league immediately. You can will also be able to "apply" for the Pro league, where you will fill out an online form and explain why you should be given direct access.
There will also be tournaments, which will most likely occur quarterly. Prizes will be awarded to the top competitors.
Will the Smash League cost anything?
Absolutely not! We may eventually, and I stress eventually, incorporate paid services, but for now it will run off ad revenue and sponsors.
How can I support the Smash League?
That one is easy. Tell your friends, family, and enemies - even if they do not play competitively now. Bookmark the website ( www.smashleague.com ), and add one of our buttons (coming soon) to your website. There is a spot for everyone in the Smash League, and we will eventually incorporate an even more casual section.
Will there be any partnerships between SmashBoards.com and SmashLeague.com?
I sure hope so!
I have sent messages to the Administrators, and I hope to hear back from them soon. I would like to have SmashBoards be the community / forums for the Smash League, but as of now there is nothing planned. We both created our websites this for the community, so I am hoping something can be worked out.
Is Smash League looking for any help at the moment?
While we have most positions filled, we are currently looking for a few developers and graphics artists.
Web Developers must have strong programing skills, preferably in PHP/MySQL, but if you have strong Ruby or Perl skills, it is just a matter of learning the syntax (which we'd be willing to help you out with). The entire code base so far has been built using object-orientated methods, so it is an environment where several programmers can easily work simultaneously on a project. If you have a resume or a portfolio, please send it along with the message.
Graphics artists must have the ability to create clean and complex designs. We are already staffed with talented graphics artists, but there will plenty of content to create, so if you are interested, please include a resume, portfolio, or some samples of your work in your message.
If you are interested, you may PM me here on SmashBoards or send me an e-mail at leeharris100@gmail.com .
If you become a part of our staff, you will get a chance several privileges once the site launches, including free gear, merchandise, admin rights to the site, and even a percentage of the ad revenue.
We will eventually be looking for many more staff members to help with disputes between players, updating the rankings, and more. I will update this thread or create a new one when the time arrives!
Is this real?
Yes! Smash League is backed by the knowledge, the skill, and the funds to bring the project to life. A lot of the site has already been completed, and a dedicated server has already been setup to go live whenever the launch comes around. If you have any doubts, please feel free to ask, and our staff would be happy to provide resumes, portfolios, and examples of the site in progress. All that is left is for the word to get out so that it will become a lively community with thousands and thousands of players!
Update #1: Nov 25, 11:17pm
Just how will the ranking system work?
Since some of Brawl's online features have yet to be revealed, this is a ground plan on which we will improve in order to deal with the new features.
Let me explain the ranking system as we have developed so far. As I am sure some of you are familiar with, there is a system called the Elo rating system that was originally developed in order to measure the relative skill of chess players (read about it here). Over the years it has been adapted and modified to meet the needs of different leagues and games. One example that many people might be familiar with is how World of Warcraft uses the Elo system to calculate PVP ranks. The Elo rating system, however, has its shortcomings. Therefore, I, with the help of a few others, have developed an algorithm that takes some ideas from the Glicko rating system, and implements a few of my own. The rating system will take in several factors when calculating a player's rank. In order to simplify this a little, I will give an example scenario. Let's say that Player1 is playing in a match against Player 2. Lets set both of their scores at 1700 for the example. Player 1 has played regularly for several months, and has about 30 matches played. Player 2, on the other hand, has only played for a week, completing only 4 matches. If Player 1 were to beat Player 2, his score would go up a moderate amount, because the more matches you play, the more clear your skill level becomes. In order to clarify this further, while Player1's skill may be at 1700, that means that he has consistently performed at around the 1700 mark; but if Player2's skill is at 1700, he really has only done well for a few matches. He could have performed at around a 2200 level on 2 matches, while performed at around a 1200 skill level the other two, and just gotten lucky on the matches where he did very well. Therefore, if Player1 wins, it is just another affirmation that he performs around the 1700 level, but if Player2 wins, it demonstrates that he is able to take on a consistent 1700, and his score will go up a larger amount.
It will also take into consideration the expected result. If Player1's skill was 2200, and Player2's skill was 1700, obviously Player1 would be expected to win by a rough approximate of 80-20 odds. If Player1 were to win, his score would only go up a little because he was expected to win and already had a significantly higher score. If Player2 were to win, however, it would be an upset in the prediction, showing that he has the ability to topple even against great odds, and his skill would go up significantly.
There are several more factors, but I will be updating those as development continues. One of the factors that I can tell you will also be important is the amount of stocks that the winner has remaining at the end of the match.
How will matches be reported to staff?
If you are familiar with CAL or any similar online leagues, this will probably be familiar with you. Once it is time for the next round of matches to occur, the match ups for the next round will be given on the site. Your opponent's Wii Friend code will be sent to you, and you will add him to your friends list. Once you set up your match, you will take a screenshot at the beginning in order to verify that it is indeed the correct players on the correct stage, and your match will commence. If Brawl will allow more than 3 minutes of recorded gameplay time, then a record of the match is advised as well. After the match, both players will login to SmashLeague.com and report the results of the match. If the results match, they will be posted instantly on the website for other players to see and the players' new ranking will given. If they do not match, a ticket will be submitted to a staff member to evaluate the situation. The staff member will contact the players first, asking if there was a mistake, and if there wasn't, to explain their situation. If the players disagree on the fairness, rules, or outcome, both players will submit the screenshots from the beginning of their game, and the recorded movie, if they recorded one, to a staff member's Wii for evaluation. The staff member will then make a decision ruling in one player or the other's favor, and if a decision cannot be reached, then the match will be a draw and neither player's rank will be affected. Disputes will be logged so that repeat offenders can be warned or suspended if necessary.
Your match ups will NOT be based on your rank, only which league you are in. The reason for this is so that players are not stuck playing against people of similar skill the entire time, which reduces their potential to become better. Also, it will allow an average ranked player in their league to compete against the top players, giving them their chance to show their true skill. It also ensures that each player is ranked where he should be, because high ranked players should be able to defeat lower ranked players, and if they can't their rank will go down.
More to come on this soon.
How set in stone are the rules? Are they likely to change?
The rules that have been set so far are the result of speculation resulting from the years of competitive Melee that I and the others have played. This means that while they make for a decent base plan, they will need to be modified and tweaked as the community voices its opinions, new information comes out, and the game is released. We'd love to hear all about your ideas, so please send us an e-mail at ideas@smashleague.com , post in this thread, or PM me.
This thread is now open to you, Smash World community! Please feel free to post any comments, questions, or concerns and we will be happy to address them! If you have ideas, please send them to ideas@smashleague.com
Visit www.SmashLeague.com
What is Smash League?
Smash League is an online league in development to help make up for the deficiencies and shortcomings of the upcoming game, Super Smash Bros. Brawl.
Who is developing Smash League?
Smash League is in development under a team of several programmers with many years in web development. We are also looking for help in several positions - look below for more details.
When will Smash League launch?
Registration will begin sometime in mid-January, with the first season beginning shortly after Brawl's release.
What leagues will exist within Smash League?
Initially, there will be four leagues: Casual Main, Casual Pro, Competitive Main, and Competitive Pro. The Casual leagues will be for players who prefer to play with casual rules. For example, the Casual league will allow items, the majority of stages, and the Final Smash (assuming you can turn it off). The Competitive leagues will be for Competitive players who prefer MLG-style rules. This includes match timers, no items, limited stages, no Final Smash (assuming it can be turned off), and more.
There is also a reason for having Main and Pro leagues. During the initial launch, everyone will be granted access to both Casual and Competitive Main. Throughout the season, a player's rating will be generated by a custom rating system (a mix of ELO, Glick2, and custom algorithms). At the end of each season, the top players will be promoted to the corresponding Pro league to compete with similar skilled players.
Players can also be promoted to the Pro leagues directly by having placed in a popular tournament, such as MLG, or by having adequate references from several players in a Pro league. Pro players that are fairly well known amongst the Smash community, such as Ken, Isai, Chu, etc, will be given the option to join the Pro league immediately. You can will also be able to "apply" for the Pro league, where you will fill out an online form and explain why you should be given direct access.
There will also be tournaments, which will most likely occur quarterly. Prizes will be awarded to the top competitors.
Will the Smash League cost anything?
Absolutely not! We may eventually, and I stress eventually, incorporate paid services, but for now it will run off ad revenue and sponsors.
How can I support the Smash League?
That one is easy. Tell your friends, family, and enemies - even if they do not play competitively now. Bookmark the website ( www.smashleague.com ), and add one of our buttons (coming soon) to your website. There is a spot for everyone in the Smash League, and we will eventually incorporate an even more casual section.
Will there be any partnerships between SmashBoards.com and SmashLeague.com?
I sure hope so!
I have sent messages to the Administrators, and I hope to hear back from them soon. I would like to have SmashBoards be the community / forums for the Smash League, but as of now there is nothing planned. We both created our websites this for the community, so I am hoping something can be worked out.Is Smash League looking for any help at the moment?
While we have most positions filled, we are currently looking for a few developers and graphics artists.
Web Developers must have strong programing skills, preferably in PHP/MySQL, but if you have strong Ruby or Perl skills, it is just a matter of learning the syntax (which we'd be willing to help you out with). The entire code base so far has been built using object-orientated methods, so it is an environment where several programmers can easily work simultaneously on a project. If you have a resume or a portfolio, please send it along with the message.
Graphics artists must have the ability to create clean and complex designs. We are already staffed with talented graphics artists, but there will plenty of content to create, so if you are interested, please include a resume, portfolio, or some samples of your work in your message.
If you are interested, you may PM me here on SmashBoards or send me an e-mail at leeharris100@gmail.com .
If you become a part of our staff, you will get a chance several privileges once the site launches, including free gear, merchandise, admin rights to the site, and even a percentage of the ad revenue.
We will eventually be looking for many more staff members to help with disputes between players, updating the rankings, and more. I will update this thread or create a new one when the time arrives!
Is this real?
Yes! Smash League is backed by the knowledge, the skill, and the funds to bring the project to life. A lot of the site has already been completed, and a dedicated server has already been setup to go live whenever the launch comes around. If you have any doubts, please feel free to ask, and our staff would be happy to provide resumes, portfolios, and examples of the site in progress. All that is left is for the word to get out so that it will become a lively community with thousands and thousands of players!
Update #1: Nov 25, 11:17pm
Just how will the ranking system work?
Since some of Brawl's online features have yet to be revealed, this is a ground plan on which we will improve in order to deal with the new features.
Let me explain the ranking system as we have developed so far. As I am sure some of you are familiar with, there is a system called the Elo rating system that was originally developed in order to measure the relative skill of chess players (read about it here). Over the years it has been adapted and modified to meet the needs of different leagues and games. One example that many people might be familiar with is how World of Warcraft uses the Elo system to calculate PVP ranks. The Elo rating system, however, has its shortcomings. Therefore, I, with the help of a few others, have developed an algorithm that takes some ideas from the Glicko rating system, and implements a few of my own. The rating system will take in several factors when calculating a player's rank. In order to simplify this a little, I will give an example scenario. Let's say that Player1 is playing in a match against Player 2. Lets set both of their scores at 1700 for the example. Player 1 has played regularly for several months, and has about 30 matches played. Player 2, on the other hand, has only played for a week, completing only 4 matches. If Player 1 were to beat Player 2, his score would go up a moderate amount, because the more matches you play, the more clear your skill level becomes. In order to clarify this further, while Player1's skill may be at 1700, that means that he has consistently performed at around the 1700 mark; but if Player2's skill is at 1700, he really has only done well for a few matches. He could have performed at around a 2200 level on 2 matches, while performed at around a 1200 skill level the other two, and just gotten lucky on the matches where he did very well. Therefore, if Player1 wins, it is just another affirmation that he performs around the 1700 level, but if Player2 wins, it demonstrates that he is able to take on a consistent 1700, and his score will go up a larger amount.
It will also take into consideration the expected result. If Player1's skill was 2200, and Player2's skill was 1700, obviously Player1 would be expected to win by a rough approximate of 80-20 odds. If Player1 were to win, his score would only go up a little because he was expected to win and already had a significantly higher score. If Player2 were to win, however, it would be an upset in the prediction, showing that he has the ability to topple even against great odds, and his skill would go up significantly.
There are several more factors, but I will be updating those as development continues. One of the factors that I can tell you will also be important is the amount of stocks that the winner has remaining at the end of the match.
How will matches be reported to staff?
If you are familiar with CAL or any similar online leagues, this will probably be familiar with you. Once it is time for the next round of matches to occur, the match ups for the next round will be given on the site. Your opponent's Wii Friend code will be sent to you, and you will add him to your friends list. Once you set up your match, you will take a screenshot at the beginning in order to verify that it is indeed the correct players on the correct stage, and your match will commence. If Brawl will allow more than 3 minutes of recorded gameplay time, then a record of the match is advised as well. After the match, both players will login to SmashLeague.com and report the results of the match. If the results match, they will be posted instantly on the website for other players to see and the players' new ranking will given. If they do not match, a ticket will be submitted to a staff member to evaluate the situation. The staff member will contact the players first, asking if there was a mistake, and if there wasn't, to explain their situation. If the players disagree on the fairness, rules, or outcome, both players will submit the screenshots from the beginning of their game, and the recorded movie, if they recorded one, to a staff member's Wii for evaluation. The staff member will then make a decision ruling in one player or the other's favor, and if a decision cannot be reached, then the match will be a draw and neither player's rank will be affected. Disputes will be logged so that repeat offenders can be warned or suspended if necessary.
Your match ups will NOT be based on your rank, only which league you are in. The reason for this is so that players are not stuck playing against people of similar skill the entire time, which reduces their potential to become better. Also, it will allow an average ranked player in their league to compete against the top players, giving them their chance to show their true skill. It also ensures that each player is ranked where he should be, because high ranked players should be able to defeat lower ranked players, and if they can't their rank will go down.
More to come on this soon.
How set in stone are the rules? Are they likely to change?
The rules that have been set so far are the result of speculation resulting from the years of competitive Melee that I and the others have played. This means that while they make for a decent base plan, they will need to be modified and tweaked as the community voices its opinions, new information comes out, and the game is released. We'd love to hear all about your ideas, so please send us an e-mail at ideas@smashleague.com , post in this thread, or PM me.
This thread is now open to you, Smash World community! Please feel free to post any comments, questions, or concerns and we will be happy to address them! If you have ideas, please send them to ideas@smashleague.com
Visit www.SmashLeague.com
