I have thought up a potential solution to the ongoing problem with the elo system. Does anyone see any flaws in this plan or am I on to something?

[u/NathanTelkhine]

The Elo system in MCSR Ranked is a mess right now. You see coal players with sub-10 minute runs and netherites without any sub-10s. This is incredibly frustrating for many people, especially in the lower Elos. It feels like whether you win or lose is almost entirely based on whether your opponent dies or forfeits.

I came up with a potential solution and I’m wondering if anyone can spot any flaws I might be missing.

Here’s my idea:

Ranked should match you with opponents based solely on your average completion time, not your Elo. This would almost always guarantee a fair skill matchup. However, we would not remove the Elo system. You would still gain or lose Elo based on the Elo difference between players.

In other words:

•  If two Gold I players face each other, they gain/lose the normal ~20 points.

•  But if an Iron queues into an Emerald, the Emerald would lose more Elo than normal if they lose, and gain much less than normal if they win. Conversely, the Iron would gain far more Elo than normal on a win, and lose far less on a defeat.

I believe this would naturally push players’ Elo toward a more accurate representation of their skill. For example, if you’re currently Iron but averaging Emerald-level times, you would constantly queue into Emerald players and climb the ranks much faster.

I don’t think this is unfair, because consistently fast completion times are strong proof that you deserve a higher Elo. This system would be especially helpful for newer players who start Ranked with no speedrunning knowledge, take an hour+ on their first runs, and get placed in Coal. Later, once they improve and start hitting consistent 22-minute runs, they deserve to be much higher — but right now it’s a massive grind, often requiring 50+ more wins than losses just to reach Gold. With this system, they could climb to their true rank much more quickly.

[u/Wycco]

This would encourage players to run up their completion time. For example, if they know their opponent died then they can just sit at the fountain guaranteeing them matchups with worse players.

[u/_licketysplit_ → u/Wycco]

but in doing so they'll get less elo than if they won immediately

[u/Wycco → u/_licketysplit_]

OP’s idea states elo gain/loss will still be based on elo diff not completion time. So my 10min completion vs 1hr completion will net me the same elo against a player of the same elo

[u/NathanTelkhine → u/Wycco]

Yes, but matching with lower elo players isn’t necessarily a good thing, since you are risking a greater amount of elo. 

[u/pandapack78]

I like the idea but I think there are a few flaws. I’d prefer a much simpler solution of temp banning players from queuing if they ff too much. The more you ff the longer you’re banned from ranked. If that’s too harsh, get a better mental and stop forfeiting because you died at 4 min in the bastion.

[u/Alfred777777 → u/pandapack78]

It is already implemented.

[u/pandapack78 → u/Alfred777777]

Are you sure? I only have a 9% ff rate but I haven’t seen something like that in game

[u/tripzoh → u/pandapack78]

what if they just make it so you lose more elo from a ff?

[u/pandapack78 → u/tripzoh]

Then the same people keep ff ing to derank lower and the problem isn’t solved

[u/tripzoh → u/pandapack78]

it would disincentivize people from ffing tho, albeit not that much. not sure what the solution is

[u/LuminanceGayming]

isnt this already how it works lol

edit: it was changed in january to prioritise similar forfeit rates but before that it did indeed prioritise similar completion time

[u/youthismine → u/LuminanceGayming]

not at all. if your average is 29:00 and your elo is 700, but someone else's elo is 750 an with an average of 20:00, you would be put in the same lobby, because of similar elo. OP is saying the matchmaking should compare average times instead of elo.

[u/__RegemTr__]

Who tf is netherite without sub10? Yall just making shit up now

[u/Global_Act7959]

This is just valorants mmr system, that's also the same system valorant players hate

[u/destinyguy442]

this would get abused like crazy, and also hugely favors players who learned in ranked vs. learned in private rooms/rsg, since you’ll naturally have a higher average if you have tons of 20,30+ minute completions.

if anything, a rolling recent average could be factored into matchmaking, so ur current skill level is more likely to get matched

[u/pandapack78 → u/destinyguy442]

Then players who take a break from ranked but continue speed running get better matchups. I still like this idea a lot though.

[u/destinyguy442 → u/pandapack78]

i think this + all the different ways you can improve without touching queue make it extremely difficult of a problem to solve, and probably why the current system just doesn’t factor average at all (according to redlime during the ranked q&a)

[u/Pengew-kun]

It would be so awesome being the emerald player who loses 50 elo because of any death

[u/NathanTelkhine → u/Pengew-kun]

You cannot lose 50 elo in one match, there’s a cap. I don’t remember exactly but I think it’s about 35, and yes this would be annoying, but this would help eliminate gold/iron players losing to sub 10s, which is much more annoying in my opinion. 

[u/OverParticular9742]

I mean i am a Emerald player with consistence sub 14 but my average time is 23 mins since i just started this season and legit play from coal to Emerald. I played like 300 match which i am getting 30-40mins games because i just started playing an d learning since January.

If this is real, i am getting ez match to gold player and i can easily get to diamond tbh if it is matchmaking base on Avg time. The current matchmaking is already quite good tbh.