Rank System in Gee Oh Pee

Lately, Gusty and I have strongly been considering changing ranks in Gee Oh Pee to more skill-based as it seems many dedicated goppers are supporting this idea. The catch?

- General still based on good behavior and not skill

- Silver stars will be the highest rank based on skill. They will not have kicking abilities.

- People using ranks to boast their skills and look down on others WILL have their ranks removed, as that would not be an honorable thing to do. I fear that some members may struggle with this and would like to be clear with everyone before such a system is implemented that skill ranks do not give players the right to treat other players as lesser beings. Warnings will be clear and not suggestions.

- There are no planned dates for testing days as of yet. It may be random, it may be a weekly activity. We want it to be a weekly event though to gather larger numbers of the Gee Oh Pee friend chat in attendance, not a constantly ongoing event. We hope to have different "testing days" (what a lame name for days of GOP fun!) in various worlds, so that a large attendance may appear in one or two or three worlds at each event. We want the European and US/Aussie/Canada people to mix at each event, but not sure how to best do that. (Too many games waiting can conflict with each other, and also, US people will want to play for ranks in US/Aussie/Canadian worlds just as European people will want to play in European worlds for ranks).

- Gusty will be in charge of the rank testing and who does what; I have no interest in it. I may take some part in helping to assign ranks after tests have been performed. Players can test with whomever they desire so long as someone observes the games...Gusty is in charge of the qualifications for observers, though. :)

- Your score charts will not be used as the initial outline for players currently ranked in the friend chat, for as Gusty stated it, "They aren't verified." They are verified to some extent, of course, but not to the extent that is most preferable - healthy eyes will do this specific area the most accurate justice, naturally. (Personally, testing for a rank seems much more fun than just being assigned one on previous accomplishments, anyway.)

- For players who have already received the highest rank possible or no longer want to test for ranks, they can simply hang out and play games (1v1, 1v0, 2v2, etc.) I know I will come test for a rank and enjoy some games myself! :P It will be a "Gee Oh Pee Gop Gathering" of sorts - not as widely broadcasted as you would have it, solely because it pertains to the friend chat and not the public. You are able, of course, to still throw Gop Gatherings for the Public - with a separate friend chat or no friend chat at all. Gee Oh Pee is not designed for that purpose.

- This opens Gee Oh Pee up to the potential of becoming more of a practice and improvement center for newer, highly interested goppers. However, this does not mean that every potent person is a highly interested gopper - so just be aware that before entering the friend chat, they must show some significant potential and much interest in the game. I still reserve Gop Addict or personal lessons with pupils as the beginning place for the education of young goppers and Gee Oh Pee as a place to continue once the potential and interest is fairly obvious. New players to the friend chat should have some significant familiarity with ideas of solooing, coording, 1v1s, 2v0s, 2v2s, etc.

There is no curriculum or set of rules that I have designed for the transition of students between Gop Addict/Private Lessons to Gee Oh Pee, but as trained students begin filtering into the friend chat as a result of passing your curriculum (they already have, I believe), already experienced Gee Oh Pee members will make loud note of whether your training standards are not rigid enough. If there is any silence on this matter among members, it can be assumed that your curriculum's training standards are ample enough.

- Quantitative scores for assigning ranks have not been created and there is no consensus on whether it will be 1v0/2v0 scores (or both) that determine the rank and which altars. We are inclined to go with both 1v1 and 2v2, and all altars, to promote players to hone and improve many aspects of their playing ability.

Gusty's Ideas as of yet, (feel free to offer adjustments):

Silver Star Duo Scores - 58, 22, 40, 20, 50, 45
Silver Star Solo Scores - 38, 13, 25, 11, 33, 30

(Silver Duo seems a tad bit high, Silver Solo seems a bit low)