Potential Upcoming Changes to the Driver Rating System?

[mclarenLB]

So, right now if you go on to your profile page on the GT Sport website, it looks like changes might be coming to DR on Friday, all S/S drivers now display as A+/A+

Three main reasons I can think of this happening:

1) Its a mistake and this wasn't meant to be pushed live, no upcoming changes

2) A+ is replacing S Rank to be... less confusing to new players I guess? This seems really dumb though.

3) The one I'm hoping for, the Driver Rating system is getting an overhaul. My guess would be they are splitting each rank up into A and A+, B and B+ etc. to better communicate the difference on DR Values. Furthermore, if this is the case, they may remove the dreaded 75,000DR cap and have moved S Rank to 75,001+. That's all speculation from me though and something I personally hope happens, this 75,000 cap has been the bane of top players existence for too long now (I wrote about this in detail some time ago HERE)

Note that it also affects SR, so we might see a potential higher tier of SR being introduced too, once again, all speculation at this stage.

Cheers to @mthomas_95 for bringing this to my attention

 

[ststav01]

I think there will be a change to the DR system - it is already implemented on their servers and that's why we can see the new "+" rating on the website, once the update is done we will be able to see it on the consoles - but what are the changes related to - whether each rank would be split to {letter}/{letter+} or not - I don't know. The only thing I'm sure is that it would be silly to just change the letter from S to A+

 

[mclarenLB]

I think there will be a change to the DR system - it is already implemented on their servers and that's why we can see the new "+" rating on the website, once the update is done we will be able to see it on the consoles - but what are the changes related to - whether each rank would be split to {letter}/{letter+} or not - I don't know. The only thing I'm sure is that it would be silly to just change the letter from S to A+

Yeah, I think they let it slip accidentally on the website early, whatever the change is, it won't work mechanically until Friday, as the change isn't in the game build yet

 

[Mirror_man]

Yeah, I think they let it slip accidentally on the website early, whatever the change is, it won't work mechanically until Friday, as the change isn't in the game build yet

It was not accidentally.. but intentionally!!!

 

[Venster]

Yep I think it’s a new DR tier system incoming on Friday, to help with matchmaking and in particular FIA season starting!

 

[celeclate]

This is not the case for everyone because I just checked. I am still in S.

 

[Nuschel01]

This is not the case for everyone because I just checked. I am still in S.

The game still shows you as S but the website will show you as A+

 

[mclarenLB]

This is not the case for everyone because I just checked. I am still in S.

In game or on the website?

 

[celeclate]

In game or on the website?

In the game. But I m not S S but B S.....

 

[O604]

I just checked and my SR is A+ (95). I'm in Canada, did not d/l or update or anything. It just changed overnight.

edit - doh! got confused. changed on the website not in game. In game still showing S.

 

[celeclate]

My SR is S with only 83. It's the same in the game and in the website. I'm from France.

Just for information. My fair play rank just changed right now under my eyes. I have just switched to A +.

 

[mclarenLB]

Yeah, just to clear this up folks, you'll still show as S/S in-game, the upcoming patch isn't live yet obviously, we're referring to the official GT Sport Website, everyone who has an S rating shows as A+ on the website.

 

[GT_Alex74]

Either an overhaul is coming for the DR and SR systems, or they just ditched the S letter to avoid nazi jokes on S/S drivers.

 

[mclarenLB]

Either an overhaul is coming for the DR and SR systems, or they just ditched the S letter to avoid nazi jokes on S/S drivers.

Not the most effective deterrent after they left it in the game for the best part of 7 months

It it is just an S/S re-brand to A+/A+ that's dumb because A+/A+ just sounds inherently less prestigious. I personally really hope that isn't the case but also recognise there's a good possibility that this might be it.

 

[Vegard]

Hopefully this means less “sacrificial lamb” matching where high B/S and low A/S drivers are placed in alien lobbies.

 

[mclarenLB]

Hopefully this means less “sacrificial lamb” matching where high B/S and low A/S drivers are placed in alien lobbies.

The reason it does that is because we need our lobbies filling! Even in most FIA races, there is only 12-ish S/S drivers on average in the top split in Europe, you can't expect us to race with an incomplete grid

So to answer directly, no, this won't change.

 

[mthomas_95]

Hopefully this means less “sacrificial lamb” matching where high B/S and low A/S drivers are placed in alien lobbies.

Unlikely, unless you get enough aliens to do a Daily Race and the low A/high B's get the 2nd split.

 

[Outspacer]

Not the most effective deterrent after they left it in the game for the best part of 7 months

It it is just an S/S re-brand to A+/A+ that's dumb because A+/A+ just sounds inherently less prestigious. I personally really hope that isn't the case but also recognise there's a good possibility that this might be it.

If they don't re-use S for something else, most people will just carry on calling 'A+' S anyway!

Just changing its name seems utterly futile... but I wouldn't put it past them.

 

[cleanLX]

yesterday I was Dr.B(26,435 ) Sr.S(99/99).
today I am Dr.B(26,435 ) Sr.A+(99/99).

At more than 3/4 way through Dr.B I would expect a "+" if there were to start +/- ratings...
My guess is that "A+" simply replaces "S"

 

[CaptainAlan8]

The only issue with unlimited DR is then it just comes down to who does the most races.

You are pretty much guaranteed to gain DR if you finish top 5 and that’s not really very difficult for the top guys. So it’s just about who has the most time on their hands.

At the begining I got to DR S in a couple of weeks because I was between jobs and just smashed out the races. It wasn’t because I was better.

 

[Sven Jurgens]

Hopefully this means less “sacrificial lamb” matching where high B/S and low A/S drivers are placed in alien lobbies.

Good point. It could be that PD will relax the strict matching on SR, so SR.A and SR.A+ are all matched together to fill rooms with a better grouping of DR.A and DR.A+ instead of one or two low A/S (SR 80-90) drivers in front of mostly B/S drivers.

There's still the alien room, yet now everyone currently in SR.A and SR.S could be on one big pile to fill the rooms according to DR. Currently it seems to take the smallest range of SR to make matches.

Hopefully it will also mean an overhaul for how to advance in SR. Currently it's too easy to stock up points on a daily C. PD must have noticed the bahavior of causing havoc on eg Monza, drop to SR.A or SR.B, get a few easy wins, back to SR.S and crash into T1 again. Yesterday every race had people crashing into T1 in SR.S then quitting the race, very suspicious. Some races in SR.S had at least 6 quitters....

Better matchmaking that makes it less rewarding to drop SR, and make it harder to come back to the top is my hope.

 

[Mirror_man]

The reason it does that is because we need our lobbies filling! Even in most FIA races, there is only 12-ish S/S drivers on average in the top split in Europe, you can't expect us to race with an incomplete grid

So to answer directly, no, this won't change.

´

Actually I´m just C-A+ in both accounts (Europe and ASIA) and last night I caught an S-S (yet) on one of the races Pole Position-ASIA Area... I could still see A,B and D-S racers too, there.... (Suzuki Gr.4 - Race B) besides guys like me...

 

[mclarenLB]

The only issue with unlimited DR is then it just comes down to who does the most races.

You are pretty much guaranteed to gain DR if you finish top 5 and that’s not really very difficult for the top guys. So it’s just about who has the most time on their hands.

At the begining I got to DR S in a couple of weeks because I was between jobs and just smashed out the races. It wasn’t because I was better.

Absolutely false there Alan, Up at 75,000, sometimes even a 2nd place in some daily races depending on the grid can drop my DR.

 

[steviea712]

My thoughts copied and pasted from the daily race discussion thread earlier:

I wonder if these ranking classification changes are in some way related to the forthcoming FIA seasons? I.E. DR S rank may become 75'000 + pts, or by invitation only?

I'm sure its not coincidental that this ranking classification change has happened, and on the same day a forthcoming update has been announced...

 

[Krypton78]

My guess is that "A+" simply replaces "S"

Yes, thats my thinking, too.

I checked in the GTS-Community- site my friendlist and lower then DR/S it is the same as before, while everybody with DR/S is now A+

When our guessing should be true, then the top guys will maybe have a motivation- kick, because the new S-Rank has to begin then at 75000+

 

[Vegard]

So to answer directly, no, this won't change.

Unlikely, unless you get enough aliens to do a Daily Race and the low A/high B's get the 2nd split.

*Sad violin*

 

[mclarenLB]

I wonder if these ranking classification changes are in some way related to the forthcoming FIA seasons? I.E. DR S rank may become 75'000 + pts, or by invitation only?

Perhaps so...

 

[CaptainAlan8]

Absolutely false there Alan, Up at 75,000, sometimes even a 2nd place in some daily races depending on the grid can drop my DR.

Call me old fashioned but I’d still rather it was matched by the best qualifying time. I don’t see why they just cant open qualifying 1hr before the start and just grab the fastest 24 avaliable.

I know some people will moan about hotlap experts but I find it hard to believe that someone who is capable of setting a top24 time doesn’t have half an idea of how to race.

And it’s not like that the current SR system does anything. Everyone can get to 99. All it does is push some decent DR S/A into slower lobbies for a few races.

I just see its a way to encourage people to play more. More time practicing qually + more races = more DR.

I’ve often just entered sport mode races without qualifying so my DR is somewhat meaningless? And I’ve barely touched Sport mode in a couple of months so my DR could be misleading there too. (Edit: I mean it might be too high as I’m out of practice)

 

[mthomas_95]

I know some people will moan about hotlap experts but I find it hard to believe that someone who is capable of setting a top24 time doesn’t have half an idea of how to race.

You'd be surprised

 

[Venster]

The only issue with unlimited DR is then it just comes down to who does the most races.

You are pretty much guaranteed to gain DR if you finish top 5 and that’s not really very difficult for the top guys. So it’s just about who has the most time on their hands.

At the begining I got to DR S in a couple of weeks because I was between jobs and just smashed out the races. It wasn’t because I was better.

Agreed still needs to be a cap, it does favour more regular players else. The cap only a affects very few players, unlimited DR would affect loads more players and have an adverse affect!