Release the formula used to calculate power.

[Moen Co.]

Suggestion: Make public the formula used to calculate your power.


Players most positively affected by this update: People who can do math. Anyone willing to crunch numbers.

List THREE reasons why these types of players would be positively affected by this update:
1: This helps players calculate a rough estimate of file versions on an opponent before attacking.
2: This gives players a way to see how much more improvement they need to reach a certain power level.
3: This can be used to narrow down who owns a Gold server.

Players most negatively affected by this update: Gold members. People who can't do math.

List THREE reasons why these types of players would be negatively affected by this update:
1: Gold members are no longer completely anonymous, though in most cases partial anonymity is still there.
2: People who can't do math won't really benefit.
3: Power estimations get less reliable as you deal with higher power opponents.

List as many reasons you can as to why this suggestion should be implemented (Minimum of 2):
1: This is a light nerf to Gold anonymity.
2: Math is good (contrary to popular belief)

List as many reasons you can as to why this suggestion should NOT be implemented:
1: The suggestion's main purpose is to nerf a huge advantage of Gold members, but this isn't as important as other things *coughIPchangecough*
2: The formula can most likely be reverse engineered through data crunching, but opinion differs on what actually counts towards your power rating.

I kinda like the suggestions formula. Of course it's more of a guideline than a all fields required sort of thing, but it helps present the idea in a detailed, understandable format.

[J.GreenThumb]

Wow, very very good idea. I would be all up for it. You know I'd be the first to create a spreadsheet for it!

LOL,
I would support this.

[Tiak]

The formula really isn't all that complex, it should be reasonably easy to reverse engineer if you care to.  If math is good, then actually do some :P.

The basic format for the formula is something like:
power = Current HPD + HPD investment in hardware + (cost of improvement for highest version of every file typed owned) * some modifier + some reasonably small virus modifier.

I don't think power matters all that much, but if you still haven't figured it out in an hour I'll have some data that should at very least let you aproximate it...

As for this gold anonymity thing...  What are you talking about?  I've never really had any issues determining who has gold (though I have had issues determining who a given gold owner really is), but I'm fairly certain having gold only has peripheral effects on power (i.e. they can keep their files off their actual servers and lower power, and of course, gain power faster).

[Moen Co.]

The formula really isn't all that complex, it should be reasonably easy to reverse engineer if you care to.  If math is good, then actually do some :P.

The basic format for the formula is something like:
power = Current HPD + HPD investment in hardware + (cost of improvement for highest version of every file typed owned) * some modifier + some reasonably small virus modifier.

I don't think power matters all that much, but if you still haven't figured it out in an hour I'll have some data that should at very least let you aproximate it...

As for this gold anonymity thing...  What are you talking about?  I've never really had any issues determining who has gold (though I have had issues determining who a given gold owner really is), but I'm fairly certain having gold only has peripheral effects on power (i.e. they can keep their files off their actual servers and lower power, and of course, gain power faster).

I agree on the reverse engineering part, with time it can be determined, (I may actually make a second account to try and reverse engineer it) but as it stands now there is no general consensus as to what actually affects power rating. I was under the impression that the only thing that affected power was the software you owned, not the HPD you have or how big your server is. I've been upgrading my hardware much, much more than my software, and my power rating hasn't moved anywhere. Also, I think it takes into account everything on your Gold FTP as well, so backing things up doesn't allow you to drop your power rating.

So as I see it power = sum(highest version of each software type * modifier). I may even suggest completely reworking the power calculation (as others have suggested) before actually releasing it.

As for gold anonymity, it was mentioned in another thread that with IP change and the ability to change your server's name and description, you couldn't tell if a server you came across was someone you've never met or a hated enemy, unless you take detailed descriptions of their hardware/software profile, and even then you'd need to find your target again quickly before too much of it changes. Being able to calculate power just by what files are present would help match a server with a username.

Oh, there's also a poll up there, for those who don't have anything significant to say.

[Raistlin]

Well, yes and no. I like the idea of making it public, cause it MIGHT be possible to link usernames with servers, but bear in mind that a lot of the high end players have different software on different servers. For example, I haven't bothered updating my main server with the firewall my backup server swiped. Just a thought.

[DamascuS]

The formula really isn't all that complex, it should be reasonably easy to reverse engineer if you care to.  If math is good, then actually do some :P.

The basic format for the formula is something like:
power = Current HPD + HPD investment in hardware + (cost of improvement for highest version of every file typed owned) * some modifier + some reasonably small virus modifier.

I don't think power matters all that much, but if you still haven't figured it out in an hour I'll have some data that should at very least let you aproximate it...

As for this gold anonymity thing...  What are you talking about?  I've never really had any issues determining who has gold (though I have had issues determining who a given gold owner really is), but I'm fairly certain having gold only has peripheral effects on power (i.e. they can keep their files off their actual servers and lower power, and of course, gain power faster).

I agree on the reverse engineering part, with time it can be determined, (I may actually make a second account to try and reverse engineer it) but as it stands now there is no general consensus as to what actually affects power rating. I was under the impression that the only thing that affected power was the software you owned, not the HPD you have or how big your server is. I've been upgrading my hardware much, much more than my software, and my power rating hasn't moved anywhere. Also, I think it takes into account everything on your Gold FTP as well, so backing things up doesn't allow you to drop your power rating.

So as I see it power = sum(highest version of each software type * modifier). I may even suggest completely reworking the power calculation (as others have suggested) before actually releasing it.

As for gold anonymity, it was mentioned in another thread that with IP change and the ability to change your server's name and description, you couldn't tell if a server you came across was someone you've never met or a hated enemy, unless you take detailed descriptions of their hardware/software profile, and even then you'd need to find your target again quickly before too much of it changes. Being able to calculate power just by what files are present would help match a server with a username.

Oh, there's also a poll up there, for those who don't have anything significant to say.

Well i know for a fact that your HPD counts towards your power, i viewed the rankings to see if one of my group was online before i sent a message to him, sent the message, spent 40k on a hardware upgrade, and went back to the rankings page, where i noticed i had dropped about 39.000 in power, also i have noticed significant rises in power due to HDD space  and BW upgrades, though i cannot be completely sure.

[Moen Co.]

3: Power estimations get less reliable as you deal with higher power opponents.

This goes for both gold and high power players. All their best software isn't guaranteed to be on their main gateway, so the power estimate is going to be a bit lower. But really, unless that counts for more than 1 million power, that's not going to change the guess of anyone who breaks in.

That's why I like this idea.  It gives you a tool to help identify the owner of a server, but it doesn't give the answer with 100% accuracy except in ideal conditions (one gateway, non-Gold) which in my estimate is the exception in the top 25, and uncommon in the top 50. As you get lower down in the rankings, the difference between players ranked next to each other gets smaller, so there may be multiple matches for a calculated power.

[Witcher]

*gasp* you guys mean you still haven't reversed engineered this? It's really NOT hard...

Give me a couple of days.

[Moen Co.]

*gasp* You mean you haven't either? 

http://www.hacker-project.com/forum/index.php?topic=698.0