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Halo 4 definitely needs a ranking system that's based on skill rather than experience like reach. Reach was a joke to just about everyone, and this is one of the MAIN reasons why (of course unbalanced AAs, etc.). My point is, unlike reach, H4 or subsequent games need a ranking system that people care about. You can argue, "it's just a number" but then why would so many people care about it? I mean ultimately, you can always say, "it's just a game" or "it's just entertainment." Just like most forms of entertainment, the purpose of it is to be ENTERTAINING, not practical. Now that that moot point (or at least what should be one) is out of the way, the ranking system with a number there is important to indicate your skill level and match you up with others of that skill level - the number allowing you to see each person's rank without necessarily having to go through each of their KDRs. Frank O'Connor states that this can increase boosting. Personally, I never had a MAJOR problem with people boosting in H2, and very little in H3. Granted, I never exceeeded level 40 because my Internet connection was so bad (but I did have a 40!). Regardless, the ranking system gave something for players to PLAY FOR! ...To reach the highest rank and say, "hey look, I did very well at something I enjoy a heckuva lot!" (but not so much in those words, more like "F*** YEAH!"). Anyway, my point is, Reach didn't give the incentive, because experience does not equal skill, and people want to be rewarded for their skill. Reach rewarded players for boosting more so IMO because you could just put the controller down and come back a little later, and hey look! YOU'VE GOT CREDITS! That burst my bubble more than anything else. And what did Bungie do as one of their last acts - HEY! Let's ban/reset those who are doing it in FIREFIGHT! A playlst that doesn't ACTUALLY effect anyone else as far as PVP matchmaking goes.... And TO THIS DAY I still play with people who do it on my team in PVP matchmaking, or constantly betray, or constantly suicide, or just leave the game. So if I'm not with a full team, I am having a poor experience. And let's face it, if 343i cared about this at all, you wouldn't see it nearly as much (which is almost EVERY game for me - no exaggeration). People don't care and can clearly get away with doing this. So Frank O'Connor, I'm respectfully calling you out for flipping your lid on a ranking system and boosting, because if this (Reach) isn't a form of boosting then I don't know what is... unlesss... Unless that is that you actually recognize that Reach doesn't involve ranking players by skill at all, let alone matching them up! Then my friend, then it would not be boosting but rather taking advantage of the system for credits that ultimately represent nothing! I would really love to hear how Reach has any competitive aspect and how it promotes this competition. That is where Reach's philosophy on matchmaking falls drastically short - that credits to buy stupid stuff matters to competitive PVP Halo players. We want a ranking system back - one that keeps track of your skills and not one that rewards you for simply playing the game. Nowhere is it blatantly stated thus far for Halo 4 that the ranked system will be based on player skill whatsoever. Frank O'Connor pitched around the question by stating that players wlll be able to track their own skill and will be matched up according to their individual skill - claims also made for Reach before its release. So I want to hear it from the mouth of Frankie O'Connor himself, as blatantly as possible, stating what the actual multiplayer matchmaking will be like in H4 with regards to a ranking system and player skill. Because what I am looking for, and what almost all competitive Halo players are looking for, is a ranked system back again that measures your skill while allowing others to see your rank/level in order to determine who they're up against. As far as how the ranking system would work, it would be nice to incorporate teamwork and winning games into it, but I think first and foremost individual skill needs to be a major part. Because silly things can happen such as teammates leaving games, betraying... oh wait, this list is getting similar to my last one. With that rank/level number there to worry about, and seeing that people certainly cared about it in H2-3, people would not be so keen on deranking by committing those acts (acts that should have an automatic level drop IMO if you leave a game intentionally, and have a level drop after 3 intentional suicides/betrayals per game - or something to that harsh nature). And hey, if Bungie can monitor people for not playing in firefight, I don't see why things like these can't be monitored too! To me this is simple to implement as well to please both competitive players and casuals. Just have a ranked playlist and an unranked playlist that everything falls under (i.e. team slayer, team skirmish, team snipers, etc...). The ranked would have only competitive playlists and be very balanced as far as armor abilities, equipment and such (maybe none of it even), whereas the other would have everything in it (as appropriated by 343i per gametype) and could be where 343i determines what could work in competitive ranked play (sort of like testing different things out to see what's balanced enough for ranked play). Both playlists could have, for example, Team Slayer (with ranked being more balanced for competitive play), but only the unranked would have things like Action Sack. So I don't think that's too hard or too much to ask for. So lastly (and I apologize for the long post but I miss ranks too much and am very passionate with this topic and Halo), I am calling for Frank O'Connor to announce or respond to me with what things wlll be like for H4 mulitplayer matchmaking regarding ranks and their basis (skill based vs experience based) in the most blatant manner possible without spoiling everything. For exmaple, just saying how the system works would suffice - like how it determines rank and sorts out players to play with each other. I would like to hear thoughts back, especially from 343i regarding my ideas for playlists and how the ranking system should be. To me it's simple and flexible enough for 343i to do a lot with it! And Frank O'Connor, I respect you as a Halo fan and appreciate the hard work and dedication to the Halo community, I just can't agree with you on a ranking system. Please don't take this as a personal attack, because I'm sure you're a great guy and all, but I'm just very passionate about this topic. So please, I implore you to make these details known and interact with the community here that is screaming for a ranking system that reminds us of the fun we had in H2 and H3....oh and by the way, while you're at it.......... CLANS ~ Force 410