Highscores/Leaderboards - Highly Detailed Concept

[Vaderico]

In many MMORPG's, players will play until they feel they have completed as much as the game offers them, and the purpose of keeping them going is player vs player competitiveness.
Now i bet the first thing that comes to mind when you think of competition is battling, which is of coarse the most obvious way to compete.
However there is a much wider playing field when it comes to being the best in an MMO.

These things include:
-Being the best crafter
-Having the highest level
-Having the most Pokémon
-Having every Pokémon they own reach the Highest level
-Having every quest completed
-Having the largest guild
-Having the most wealthy Guild
-Being the most wealthy player
-Having the best win/loss ratio

This list is endless...

However, for many players out there these things ARE the game, and competing with the rest of the community via the leaderboards is how they would rather spend their time.
The examples I am going to give are from the highly popular game Runescape, where the PvP'ers all seem to have their fill after a couple of years and the players fighting for that number one position on the highscores list are literally the ones still playing for over 10 years later.


This is a very eye friendly screenshot of RS's 'Overall level' highscores page.
The players shown in this screenshot have turned their game into getting to that number one position.




This is a great example of how they have set out a guild leaderboard.
It includes:
-The top overall Guild
-The guild with the highest clan war score
-The Guild with the best kill/death ratio
-The Guild with the highest total level of all it's members combined





If you want to view someones stats on a more personal level, simply click on their/search for their name.




And to take it even further you can compare that player with yourself, or with anyone you like:




To completely and utterly top it off, players have the option to view other player adventurer log's.
In the adventurers log, a player may view other players:
-Stats
-Top Skills
-Overall in-game time
-Latest quests completed
-All quests completed
-Appearance
-Latest battle wins/loses
-Over all game completion in percentage






The Implementation of each of these services could be done in the following ways:


Overall top Pokemon players would be those with the highest stats over all areas except PvP.
Which would include:
-How many of each Pokémon have been caught
-The total level of each of their Pokémon combined (who has most Pokémon levels overall)
-The level of the trainer
-Breeding levels (if there is one)
-Talent tree levels (if there is one)
... and any other aspect of the game that the PU team decide to implement.
The reason why PvP should not be included into the 'Overall Top Players' list is because Pvp will have its own ranking list, and because if a player is out there grinding his/her ass off and misses tournaments to be ranked for whatever reason, then his/her efforts will not be seen by the world (even if he/she has all the Pokémon caught and at level 100)


The Pokémon Universe Guild leaderboard could be done in the exact same way.
There would be a list for:
-Guild with the most high-ranking 'Overall top Pokémon Trainers'
-Guild with the best Win/Loss ratio
-Guild with the best Guild battle statistics (if there is ever anything like that)
-Guild with the most Overall highest leveled Pokémon
-Guild with the most money
...and any other ranking system that the PU team deem necessary


Comparing your Pokémon with a friend would be one of the more popular additions, the setup would be very similar to Runescape's way of doing it.
The two trainers would be placed side by side and under each players name would be icons of each Pokémon, it's number #, its level (if owned), it's nickname etc.
A player would be able to scroll down the page comparing each others Pokémon.


This could be implemented in the exact same way. It would show:
-The players overall game time
-Latest Quests completed
-Latest Player Defeats/Victories
-Overall percentage of completion regarding all of the Pokémon caught and their distance away from level 100
...and any other system that the PU team decide to add.


This list is something that does not exist on the Runescape website in the way i envision it.
Runescape have various mini-games throughout their MMORPG, many of which are focused on very heavy PvP. On their website, they do not have a leaderboard directly concerning player verse player stats, instead there is stats on the best mini-game players. Which can be argued to be the same thing.
However, I say for Pokemon Universe there should be a more direct approach.
There should be leaderboards listing the best:
-Players with the highest 1v1 win/loss ratio
-Players with the highest 2v2 win loss ratio
-Players who stand at the top of the Tournament
-Players who have the highest battles won while taking minimal damage
...etc




Just like every other MMORPG out there, Pokemon Universe has the exact same potential to bring to the table what the rest of them do: Multiple levels of competitiveness. Which is exactly the thing that i believe keeps those true hardcore Gamers gaming.

If the Pokemon Universe team don't bother with such a complicated Leaderboard system it will, yes, be a very good/fun game regardless.
However, I truly believe that for an MMO to capture it's players, it really must provide them with that level of community immersion. For every player that just want's to play Pokemon Universe for the sole fact that playing a Pokémon MMO would be 'awesome', there is another player that wants to dive completely into the game and give it everything he/she has. I guarantee you that.

I say, whenever the PU team have the man-power or time to do it. It would be a priceless addition to the game if such a level of immersion would be implemented, and could be the cause of this game staying extremely healthy for well over a decade.




I hope this post has been read and taken to heart.
Regards,

Vaderico

[Mr_Dark]

The idea of a leaderboard has been come up a couple of times, but this is the first time it's been posted with such effort and detail. So I approve

I think this is a good topic for further discussion about highscores and leaderboards.

[Vaderico]

Yeah, I did browse the forums for similar topics. However all the posts i found were as brief as 'can we haz highscores'?
So I decided to make new thread explaining precisely my views and showing the visual examples that have been floating around my head

And i agree, any discussion about this topic i strongly encourage. Am waiting in anticipation for other peoples views

[Arctus]

Wow, decent effort with the detail, im gonna finish reading it tomorrow though, but it looks interesting.

[Tickles]

I actually like the detail, and have nothing to contribute to this thread. It looks like you touched on almost everything that was either discussed or said would be in the game. I lie=ke the guild one a lot, since I am a guild leader, and being on a leader board would bring more members to us.

[genbor]

  Having track of a "ranking system" would be great indeed. Not everyone is into PvP (Player vs Player) and this might give them a chance to have a non-combat competition with friends and others. Maybe we could also include some Titles or Trophies people set up in their rooms/houses/Guild Halls where it would not give any in-game benefits, but would be there to show-off to others. As long as I could score the top ranking in something random, I would be happy.

Ex:  Ranking - Cut Tress
 
  1. Genbor
10. Someone (the difference in score would be so high, that I would have a monopoly on rankings through 1-9)

 Well in any case, the Leaderboard could go hand in hand with an Achievement System.

[Vaderico]

Maybe we could also include some Titles or Trophies people set up in their rooms/houses/Guild Halls where it would not give any in-game benefits, but would be there to show-off to others.

I agree with you 100% here. What's the point of grinding your ass off to only have your name on the games website.
Adding rewards for reaching certain milestones in-game, without benefits, would be essential.

The most obvious thing I can think of concerning a reward for reaching the end of a hard grind would probably be something like:
-An item of clothing. e.g. Special hat, Cool cape, Special shoes, pant's, top
-A different coloured shadow. so it would give that player a very car neon look, zooming around the map with their green shadow for all the world to see their achievement
-Having their character hold an item of some sort: if they catch all the Pokémon it will be a Pokéball, if they get all pokemon to level 100 it would be a rare candy etc.
-A different coloured name: red for beating 100 players in ranked pvp, white for beating 1000, blue for catching all Pokémon etc

These in-game trophy's would act as an in-game highscores list. enabling a new player (who is just trying out the game) to see someone walking around a with trophy item that make them look really really cool, and that new player says to them self 'that's it, i want to be that player who everyone "wows" at when I walk past'.

So right there in the simple act of having players gain rewards, the entire game gains this whole new exciting set of goals to reach.

[BlazingApollo]

These in-game trophy's would act as an in-game highscores list. enabling a new player (who is just trying out the game) to see someone walking around a with trophy item that make them look really really cool, and that new player says to them self 'that's it, i want to be that player who everyone "wows" at when I walk past'.

BlazingApollo
Ranking-"Most Losing Streak"

I don't want to get on when I get that (-__-")
Anyways, good job Vaderico, I'm 'wows' for this topic.

[Vaderico]

BlazingApollo
Ranking-"Most Losing Streak"

I don't want to get on when I get that (-__-")

Haha, well... Thankfully I doubt the PU team would ever decide to implement a Leaderboard listing how poorly people are playing.
It would be bad for new players creating a negative vibe straight off the bat.
It would be bad for existing players having to play in fear of 'not playing well enough' (that's a great reason to get people to stop playing)
It would also create a part of the game that people would use to put each other down. 'Look at you, you suck at PvP, I'm surprised you're not number one on the losing leaderboard'

So for obvious reasons, pessimistic leaderboards would be Bad

[genbor]

Maybe we could also include some Titles or Trophies people set up in their rooms/houses/Guild Halls where it would not give any in-game benefits, but would be there to show-off to others.

I 100% agree with you here. What's the point of grinding your ass off to only have your name on the games website.
Adding rewards to reaching certain milestones in-game without benefits would be essential.

The most obvious thing I can think of concerning a reward for reaching the end of a hard grind would probably be something lie:
-An item of clothing. e.g. Special hat, Cool cape, Special shoes, pant's, top
-A different coloured shadow. so it would give that player a very car neon look, zooming around the map with their green shadow for all the world to see their achievement
-Having their character hold an item of some sort: if they catch all the Pokémon it will be a Pokéball, if they get all pokemon to level 100 it would be a rare candy etc.
-A different coloured name: red for beating 100 players in ranked pvp, white for beating 1000, blue for catching all Pokémon etc

These in-game trophy's would act as an in-game highscores list. enabling a new player (who is just trying out the game) to see someone walking around a with trophy item that make them look really really cool, and that new player says to them self 'that's it, i want to be that player who everyone "wows" at when I walk past'.

So right there in the simple act of having players gain rewards, the entire game gains this whole new exciting set of goals to reach.

 I don't know about the clothing as trophy. Since your character will be fully customizable, it would have to be something flashy to make you stand out and I don't know whether I'd like that. As for the names having different colors: I think it would be fine to keep it to something what is already on the forums right now.

[Vaderico]

I don't know about the clothing as trophy. Since your character will be fully customizable, it would have to be something flashy to make you stand out and I don't know whether I'd like that. As for the names having different colors: I think it would be fine to keep it to something what is already on the forums right now.

I half agree with the clothing as not being a suitable trophy, but it could work in this way:
A player has the ability to change his/her appearance from the get go. However in the clothing selection window there are various hats, capes, that are inaccessible to the player and trying to equip these items will display a text informing the player that 'they must catch all Pokémon in-game before they are able to wear this item'.

As for sticking to what already exists in the forums now, thats fine apart from the fact that when a game is completely up and running, over 50% of the player base do not access the forums in any way, and on top of that a 25% of people wouldn't ever look at the leaderboards. So to keep everyone aware of the goals that do exist, and the boasting rights to be gained, having in-game trophy's that are with the player as apart of their attire, is the most effective way of achieving this goal.

Clothing and names aren't the only options to trophy's either. The list I gave was just an example of the possibilities. There could be things such as:
-A mist follows the player around
-Tiny electric sparks flicker from the player
-The player seems to walk around as if he/she was on fire
-A faint coloured trail follows the player wherever he/she walks
...Like i said, the list is as big as you imagination, but it's not about what trophy the player gets, its about the player actually getting it. I personally would grind for hours to be able to walk around with a glowing misty-like colour trail behind me wherever i walk. Because I Love the feeling of not being the average player, just like many other players out there. They wan't people to know that they are playing on this game and they are proving their worth to every person that walks past them.

[genbor]

There could be things such as:
-A mist follows the player around
-Tiny electric sparks flicker from the player
-The player seems to walk around as if he/she was on fire
-A faint coloured trail follows the player wherever he/she walks
...Like i said, the list is as big as you imagination, but it's not about what trophy the player gets, its about the player actually getting it. I personally would grind for hours to be able to walk around with a glowing misty-like colour trail behind me wherever i walk. Because I Love the feeling of not being the average player, just like many other players out there. They wan't people to know that they are playing on this game and they are proving their worth to every person that walks past them.

 Yes I've seen such things in other MMORPGs where Donators would get these types of auras. Can't say I'd disagree to have something nice like that around me, but give me the option to able/disable it on will.

[Vaderico]

Yes I've seen such things in other MMORPGs where Donators would get these types of auras. Can't say I'd disagree to have something nice like that around me, but give me the option to able/disable it on will.

Of coarse, there would definitely be the option to disable any trophy. How I envision it would be like this;
In the player customization window there will be a section where you can select which trophy you would like to have equipped.
In this 'trophy section' you would also be able to select 'nothing' which is what would be selected at character creation, due to the player not yet obtaining the right to any of them.

[NexosYourGayBestFriend96]

This is a great idea, and your right, I havent seen this discussed all that much at all. It would give players more motivation into being better than a certain player, and would make more rivals in the game. You put decent effort and detail into this, and creativity. And if someone really likes PvP, they can use the rankings to search for someone of their level to fight, if it's not just for the top 10 trainers.

[Vaderico]

And if someone really likes PvP, they can use the rankings to search for someone of their level to fight, if it's not just for the top 10 trainers.

Yes, you bring up a point that I seem to have forgotten to mention. The leaderboards used on Runescape's website do no only show the top 5-10 players/guilds.
For example, I'll use this image to describe what I mean:

In this image you can see the current level's of the individual named Blockie.
However, someone viewing Blockie's page may want to see how his Attack level is compared to the rest of the playerbase.
So that user would simply click on Blockie's Attack symbol:
And then they would be directed to this page:



This page is one of many showing players where they stand amoungst they rest of the world, and who out there is Just behind them or Just infront of them.

So Blockie would look at this image, then look for his name:

And straight away he can see that Mor Asha is just beating him and he is just in front of St Lucis.

So then if Blockie scrolls down the page and looks at this:

He will see that his ranking is on the 11,106th page, giving him a lot more work ahead of himself to be the best at Attack

that a similar system be implemented into the Pokemon Universe Leaderboards.
For it is an extremely user friendly way of letting the community quickly access the information they are curious about, and the simpler a feature is to use, the more often it will be used.