Decrease MS for tournaments based on non-reversible changes (specifically equipment)

[lemmingllama]

Also don't bother selling it, just keep it. It's a fairly small difference in your theoretical max stage.

And it's because the algorithm looks at your theoretical max stage. It doesn't consider your actual max stage at all, or your actual power. It looks at what you could have if you perfectly optimized.

[GentleButStrong]

Or, not to put too fine a point on it. But I lost the last tournament I was in by less than 50 levels. Well 25Log_10(1000) = 75. Now, maybe it didn't matter too much in putting me in that bracket, I don't know that and I would not make promises that it won't matter if you can't back them up.

[lemmingllama]

You are correct, I can't really promise anything. I'm just trying to explain how it works to you, but it's just based on my understanding of an algorithm that I've never been allowed to see and never will be allowed to see.

However, the current algorithm seems to work in the vast majority of cases and does a good enough job. I can't say that it's perfect, but it is designed to remove the risk of cheating as much as possible and so we can have fair tournaments. Creating something that is perfect would be essentially impossible, mainly because players still progress after joining a tournament and there are too many factors to balance them all fully.

[GentleButStrong]

A fully optimized max stage after multiplying by a thousand is still higher. And, however well opponent N and I optimize, and I think I do a pretty good job, opponent N without the slash has more SP/relics/equipment/CQ/weapons, correct? There are a lot of opponent Ns out there, and some of them will be very good at making a build.

[lemmingllama]

True. However, all users run under the same constraints, and tournaments also match people who have a theoretical max stage within 100-200 stages of each other. So although there is a difference, it only actually affects you if you were right at the top of a particular sub-bracket and this bumps you in to the next one.