descentchampions.org

I trust in the algorithm as a human defined self-correcting device. I disagree with its short term results, but its long term results are stable and true.

Me making a fuss over it is just an amusing meme, not a point of contention with the ladder, the admins, the algorithm, or the algorithm's dog.

I don't know what you're talking about exactly, but the ladder will catch up to your late explosion of ass-kicking pretty soon, I'm betting.

Oh, I had made a big satirical rant on the podcast, and have been filling the character often enough lately that I was concerned people thought I was more sincere than I intended.

He writes great rants on his radio show, but since he let Newguy McNoclang get 7 when he should have held him to 4, HE CAN'T GET A PROMOTION CHALLENGE!

You're missing out, deimos. http://www.twitch.tv/sdspodcast/v/44719585 at 57:55

It's your kind of humor.

And um, speaking as someone who spent maaaaaaany months in "hell"? It will pass. In the mean time, Fod's a very funny guy.

But what I love about this rant is that it contains a grain of truth. No matter how well you do against gold pilots, the algorithm *will* hold you back for not doing well enough consistently enough against silver and bronze. This is as it should be. Once you crack that line, you find yourself with a special desire not to ever give up those games.

Hell is the funnest place on the ladder anyway, IMO. Once you leave, you can't ever really go back.

HELL IS FUN MORF! I will never leave you! NEVER!

There is definitely truth to Jimmie Rustles' rants. Making gold is more than just winning some matches against gold.

As top silver, you can afford to occasionally lay an egg against a bottom silver or even high bronze pilot. You lose that game and people are like "wow, surprising" -- but you do it as a gold pilot, and it's a historic upset. So you have to adjust from a position of "I always bring my best against my close rivals" to "I always need to bring it against everyone". You can't be content to get the win against bronze; you have to bring a crushing intensity level where if they get 8 they're hella proud that they fought so hard. You can't just get out to a 7-4 lead and keep up that pace against bronze; if you're up 7-4 you need to turn it up and make it 15-5. When PFunk and Roncli put up high double digit scores against you, you gotta avenge that -- or better yet, don't let it happen in the first place. Adjust a little faster, so that instead of a 15, they get a 12 or 11.

Drakona is also completely right -- top silver is by far the most fun position on the ladder. Because when you overperform everyone is impressed, and when you underperform it doesn't feel so bad. For bottom gold, it's reversed -- if you get a win on another gold pilot, it's meh, but if you lose to or even don't win hard enough against silver, it's embarrassing and painful.

You'll get there eventually. But enjoy the ride for now.

All this politics stuff is pretty fascinating

Hobblescotch McCripplehands, HMMMMMM.