What exactly is the "bonus pool" of points?

[Lunares]

To be clear I am NOT talking about the "rested" points you see in the ladder that you get for not playing.

The amount of bonus points used in a match seems to vary randomly, independent of how much I have been playing. Sometimes i will get like 15 in one day inbetween sessions. Sometimes I will just randomly gain 3 points inbetween games themselves. So what exactly are these?

I.e. these are the points on the matchmaking screen where you pick 1v1, 2v2, race, etc. Next to your "wins". I have gotten bonus points in a match when this "pool" was empty when the game started. My "rested points", which are inside the ladder button rankings, have always been 0.

[Yaji]

It appears to be an gambling system to recover for inactivity. i.e. if you went on vacation and were competing seriously, you could run many points behind and essentially be left in the dust. I think this is a way for you to get more points than normal in a win to recover from those kinds of events (and probably be worth more points if you lose against someone). Keeping things fair for people who have to live a life and still want to be able to compete.

If you highlight it, it gives you a mild description of something similar to this.

Oh.. Eh.. I think i'm talking about rested points. I don't know about the bonus pool. (I guess I should read more than the title before responding.. sry).. maybe they're, like, awesome points.. Points for being so awesome? Blizzards way of saying "hey.. we like ya.. here are some points."

[Horizon]

To be clear I am NOT talking about the "rested" points you see in the ladder that you get for not playing.

The amount of bonus points used in a match seems to vary randomly, independent of how much I have been playing. Sometimes i will get like 15 in one day inbetween sessions. Sometimes I will just randomly gain 3 points inbetween games themselves. So what exactly are these?
Considering the SC2 ladder system works similar to the WoW arena system, your points will converge to your hidden matchmaking rating the more games you play, at least in WoW.

I believe the bonus pool is the amount of points left until your points reach your hidden rating.

If I'm correct, this should mean current points + current bonus pool = hidden rating. The number should be largest for platinum players, and be smaller with each league below.

It would be nice if this stuff was officially explained.

Can anyone who has used up all of their bonus pool confirm that after some games sometimes points are added to the bonus pool?

[Lunares]

Like I said in my post there have been times where the front screen has said I had "0" bonus points, but when I won I still got bonus points. Sometimes even as many as 15.

[Horizon]

Like I said in my post there have been times where the front screen has said I had "0" bonus points, but when I won I still got bonus points. Sometimes even as many as 15.
Have you ever lost bonus points for a loss?

[Lunares]

I have never had -points in the bonus when I lost. Not sure if I have ever noticed the pool go down.

[Dreuel]

Considering the SC2 ladder system works similar to the WoW arena system, your points will converge to your hidden matchmaking rating the more games you play, at least in WoW.

I believe the bonus pool is the amount of points left until your points reach your hidden rating.

If I'm correct, this should mean current points + current bonus pool = hidden rating. The number should be largest for platinum players, and be smaller with each league below.

I suspect that the "points" we see bear little, if any, relationship to the hidden ratings. Here's why:

I have one friend on my list who's in Platinum Division 7. He's ranked 30th out of 65 people in that division, and has 1271 points. The top eight people in that division range from 1723 to 2030 points, including Artosis (from the Mothership rush video), who's at 1754. The lowest person in Platinum Division 7 has 861 points.

My division is Copper Division 15, where I'm currently ranked 5th. I have 1712 points. The top 8 people in Copper Division 15 range from 1675 to 1807 points. The lowest player in Copper Division 15, who has lost 31 straight games with no wins, has 826 points.

These point scores correlate with ranking within the division, but have nothing to do with any hidden skill rating, since I'm pretty sure the person in 65th place in Platinum Division 7 with 861 points could probably destroy me.

[Lazz]

I suspect that the "points" we see bear little, if any, relationship to the hidden ratings. Here's why:

I have one friend on my list who's in Platinum Division 7. He's ranked 30th out of 65 people in that division, and has 1271 points. The top eight people in that division range from 1723 to 2030 points, including Artosis (from the Mothership rush video), who's at 1754. The lowest person in Platinum Division 7 has 861 points.

My division is Copper Division 15, where I'm currently ranked 5th. I have 1712 points. The top 8 people in Copper Division 15 range from 1675 to 1807 points. The lowest player in Copper Division 15, who has lost 31 straight games with no wins, has 826 points.

These point scores correlate with ranking within the division, but have nothing to do with any hidden skill rating, since I'm pretty sure the person in 65th place in Platinum Division 7 with 861 points could probably destroy me.


OBVIOUSLY, there is a conversion factor between leagues, so what you said doesn't really make sense. Say it's 400 points, then the 65th place would, in Copper league terms, have 861 + 400 + 400 + 400 + 400 (861 + C to B + B to S + S to G + G to P). That means their score, in Copper terms would be 2461.

So you could still have "hidden points".

[Ignorance]

Ever since I've gone into the top 4, my bonus points have gone away entirely. I suspect that they are based upon where you are, to make upward mobility easier. That way, someone who's at 50 can make it up to 2 within a few days if they continue to win, rather than a few weeks.

[Darkness]

Ever since I've gone into the top 4, my bonus points have gone away entirely. I suspect that they are based upon where you are, to make upward mobility easier. That way, someone who's at 50 can make it up to 2 within a few days if they continue to win, rather than a few weeks.

No, from what I can tell, bonus points feel like the same as rested points, they accumulate during times of inactivity. I'm rank 3 Plat and I definitely get 15-20 bonus points for each day that I don't play.

[Dreuel]

OBVIOUSLY, there is a conversion factor between leagues, so what you said doesn't really make sense.

There could be a conversion factor, yes. (BTW if it's a "factor" it's multiplicative, not additive, but why split hairs?) Or those points (and the ensuing ranking within the division ladder) could be somewhat decoupled from a hidden skill score, computed in a different way, or whatever. We don't know.

(EDIT: There's some anecdotal evidence to suggest that they may be decoupled. At least one person on here reported being indicated as "favored" over a player higher on their division ladder, at the start of a match.)

So you could still have "hidden points".

There's definitely a hidden skill rating. Other than generally knowing it works something like the Elo or TrueSkill systems, we don't really know how it works at all.

[Ignorance]

OBVIOUSLY, there is a conversion factor between leagues, so what you said doesn't really make sense. Say it's 400 points, then the 65th place would, in Copper league terms, have 861 + 400 + 400 + 400 + 400 (861 + C to B + B to S + S to G + G to P). That means their score, in Copper terms would be 2461.

So you could still have "hidden points".
The median of every division should be different, since the lower your division number, the higher the average skill. That said, I think how you learn the game is effectively 'tiered.' That is, first you learn how to efficiently produce units (copper), then you learn general strategy (bronze), then you learn macros (silver), then you learn specific strategy, beyond mass roaches and so forth, namely diversifying and eventually tier 3 counters, weird strats that work well sometimes, etc. (gold) and then you learn micro (platinum).
That said, I mean these are the most important things to know in each division (I can definitely account for Bronze and Silver. High ranking Silver players usually beat me for the Gold reason. Copper players can usually be beaten by shear economy. Platinum is a given.) but you really learn all of them all at the same time, but probably with a focus based on where you're at and who you're playing against, because that's usually what will separate players at those levels and probably in the order of what's most difficult to learn, for me at least.
I suspect this will change over time, especially after release. There will be fewer and fewer truly new players as time goes on and players will learn.

[Netfreakk]

I'm probably wrong, but I would suspect that it's meant for streaks. Win enough in a row and you build up your bonus points?

Lose and it goes down a bit?

[Dreuel]

I'm probably wrong, but I would suspect that it's meant for streaks. Win enough in a row and you build up your bonus points?

Lose and it goes down a bit?

Here's what I've observed, but since I haven't kept notes, take it with a grain of salt:

When I queue up for a match, the indicator for my current rank and number of wins also says "Bonus Pool: <number>"

What I think is happening is that as I lose, that bonus pool goes up, and when I win it seems to get awarded to me as actual points. Whenever my most recent game is a win, the bonus pool is at 0.

Not sure if that's accurate. I'll have to start keeping records.

Edit: If that is going on, I have a guess about what it might be intended to solve:

Let's say that there were tons of players, so many that there's always someone looking for a match who's exactly matched with me. Furthermore, let's say that a win against such a well-paired opponent earns me 1% of my points and a loss loses me 1% of my points. (Since there's an even chance that either of us will win, it makes sense that the amount of points at stake would be the same.)

If my record consists of alternating wins and losses, win lose win lose win lose, every time I lose, I'm losing about 1% more points than I gain back on the subsequent win, so my score would gently trend down even though my games were 50/50.

A bonus pool that's accumulated over a string of losses and won back on the first win can account for this, so that random deviation from the 50% mean against perfectly matched players doesn't result in a long-term decrease in point scores.

[Pwn]

I don't know, but they seem to get spent when I win a game after several losses.

[Bibdy]

Its the equivalent of rested XP. Its meant to promote diversity in playing the different avenues of the game.

I haven't played 1v1 in about 10 days, and I've got something like 300 Bonus Pool, which has gradually been increasing every day.

Bonus Pool points are only granted for a win, and then only as many points as you made for the game again e.g. if you won a game (+12), were docked because you were favoured (-6), your total score would be +6. The system will take 6 from your bonus pool to double that value to +12 total.

If you lose, nothing is taken from the bonus pool.

So it encourages diversity, but you don't get those points for nothing. You actually have to keep playing until you've earned enough wins to make use of them.

[Dreuel]

Its the equivalent of rested XP. Its meant to promote diversity in playing the different avenues of the game.

The bonus pool is probably not equivalent to rested XP from WoW, because there are rested points which are separate from the bonus pool.

The rested point total appears on your ladder page, the bonus pool number appears at the game start page. Rested points only seem to accrue when I log off for a while, but bonus pool points accrue when I lose games, and are awarded to me the first time I win.

Edit: Maybe the bonus pool points are a total of rested points plus some other number? That would explain what you're seeing, Bibdy.

[Bibdy]

Interesting...

I just logged in now and did my first 1v1 in a while.

Before:

Bonus Pool (on the front splash screen when 1v1 was selected): 214
Rested (in the ladders screen, under 1v1): 42

I won the match, 11 bonus pool was used (12 for the win, -1 I was slightly favoured)

After:

Bonus Pool: 341
Rested: 31

Figure that one out.

[Dreuel]

Figure that one out.

Uh.... looks like the 11 pts came from your rested, and your bonus pool magically exploded?

[Darkness]

The bonus pool is probably not equivalent to rested XP from WoW, because there are rested points which are separate from the bonus pool.

The rested point total appears on your ladder page, the bonus pool number appears at the game start page. Rested points only seem to accrue when I log off for a while, but bonus pool points accrue when I lose games, and are awarded to me the first time I win.

Edit: Maybe the bonus pool points are a total of rested points plus some other number? That would explain what you're seeing, Bibdy.

All I know is the following:

1.) My rested points always stay at 0 after I use them
2.) Bonus points accumulate for me after I don't play for long periods of time
3.) When you first search after a couple of days of inactivity, it will show your bonus points still at 0 until you play one game, then it will show many you have.

I think the whole system is a little buggy still.

I'm in Platinum Solo and my win ratio is 2:1 or so, I've never seen bonus points accumulate after a long series of games, only have a period of inactivity. My 2v2 RT bonus points got to 200 because I haven't played it in 10 days or so.

Take that for what you will, hopefully a blue post will clear things up a bit at some point.

[Lunares]

I just logged in after not playing for about 17 hours. Bonus pool said 0, rested points 0.

Played one game, lost. -12 points for even match. However bonus pool now reads +12?

Next game,even match. Win. Get +24 points

however now my bonus pool reads 1?

Really wish a blue would comment on how this crazy system works

[Lunares]

Really do wish we could figure them out since they do seem key to moving up the ladder quickly.

Unless they are bugged somehow and are suppose to be equal to rested points

[Bibdy]

Interesting...

I just logged in now and did my first 1v1 in a while.

Before:

Bonus Pool (on the front splash screen when 1v1 was selected): 214
Rested (in the ladders screen, under 1v1): 42

I won the match, 11 bonus pool was used (12 for the win, -1 I was slightly favoured)

After:

Bonus Pool: 341
Rested: 31

Figure that one out.

Okay, now I'm confused.

Played another game and won.

Before:

Bonus Pool: 341
Rested: 31

5 bonus points used (12 - 7, I was favoured)

After:

Bonus Pool: 336
Rested: 26

Its taking points from BOTH!?

[Kraytex]

I suspect that the "points" we see bear little, if any, relationship to the hidden ratings. Here's why:

I have one friend on my list who's in Platinum Division 7. He's ranked 30th out of 65 people in that division, and has 1271 points. The top eight people in that division range from 1723 to 2030 points, including Artosis (from the Mothership rush video), who's at 1754. The lowest person in Platinum Division 7 has 861 points.

My division is Copper Division 15, where I'm currently ranked 5th. I have 1712 points. The top 8 people in Copper Division 15 range from 1675 to 1807 points. The lowest player in Copper Division 15, who has lost 31 straight games with no wins, has 826 points.

These point scores correlate with ranking within the division, but have nothing to do with any hidden skill rating, since I'm pretty sure the person in 65th place in Platinum Division 7 with 861 points could probably destroy me.


I used to be ranked 5th in the Cooper division, and then I played my first game as Protoss and I lost.
After the game, I had been promoted to Bronze, even though I lost. My score didn't change much, and I was placed at rank 8 in the Bronze League. In fact, the highest person in my Bronze League has a lower score then the highest person in my old Copper league.

I figured, if I was ever to get promoted, I would be placed at the bottom of the next higher up league, but this clearly isn't the case. You don't even have to win the last match be promoted. This whole system is confusing, although I'll admit that I think its really neat with the Leagues and all.

I just wish you could see your career losses when you look at your 1v1 record, rather then having to find your name in the League.

[Bibdy]

My only guess is the following:

* Bonus Pool and Rested Points are the same thing
* There's a bug that Bonus Pool (on the splash screen) isn't updated regularly, until those points are actually used (you have to play a game and win for it to update properly)
* There's a bug that Rested Points (in the Ladder screen) isn't showing the correct number
* Bonus Pool represents the correct number of Rested/Bonus points you have, only after its been 'updated' by playing a game.

Need to play enough games to run out of Rested Points before I can verify that last one. Doesn't seem right that I'd only have 20ish rested points after nearly 2 weeks of inactivity, though.

[shurafa]

I suspect that the "points" we see bear little, if any, relationship to the hidden ratings. Here's why:

I have one friend on my list who's in Platinum Division 7. He's ranked 30th out of 65 people in that division, and has 1271 points. The top eight people in that division range from 1723 to 2030 points, including Artosis (from the Mothership rush video), who's at 1754. The lowest person in Platinum Division 7 has 861 points.

My division is Copper Division 15, where I'm currently ranked 5th. I have 1712 points. The top 8 people in Copper Division 15 range from 1675 to 1807 points. The lowest player in Copper Division 15, who has lost 31 straight games with no wins, has 826 points.

These point scores correlate with ranking within the division, but have nothing to do with any hidden skill rating, since I'm pretty sure the person in 65th place in Platinum Division 7 with 861 points could probably destroy me.



I would really like this "hidden rating" to be made public as it is a real measure of a players skill and thus good information to have. Like your ELO rating in chess...

[Bibdy]

Another game

Before: 26 Rested, 336 Bonus

9 Points used

After: 17 Rested, 327 Bonus

[Dreuel]

Another game

Before: 26 Rested, 336 Bonus

9 Points used

After: 17 Rested, 327 Bonus

OK, I think I have a guess about what's going on.

The "bonus pool" consists of bonus points that you can earn with a win. When you earn bonus points with a win, they are removed from your bonus pool.

Some of those bonus pool points are rested points, but not all. So, your bonus pool consists of rested points plus bonus points from some other source.

When points are awarded for a win, they are deducted from rested points first, then other bonus points.

I know that when I play several games sequentially and I lose, my bonus pool increases but my rested points stay at 0. So, losing games puts points in your bonus pool that you can potentially win back with a win.

There might be other ways to earn bonus pool points as well. (???)

Bibdy: In post 17, that suggests that you earned a ton of points from that game. Was there anything unusual on your scoreboard, like totally trashing your opponent in macro or something?

[Bibdy]

And another

Before: 17 Rested, 327 Bonus

8 points used

After: 9 Rested, 320 Bonus (?!)

Shouldn't it be 319 Bonus? Did I just gain 1 point of bonus randomly?

[Bibdy]

OK, I think I have a guess about what's going on.

The "bonus pool" consists of bonus points that you can earn with a win. When you earn bonus points with a win, they are removed from your bonus pool.

Some of those bonus pool points are rested points, but not all. So, your bonus pool consists of rested points plus bonus points from some other source.

When points are awarded for a win, they are deducted from rested points first, then other bonus points.

I know that when I play several games sequentially and I lose, my bonus pool increases but my rested points stay at 0. So, losing games puts points in your bonus pool that you can potentially win back with a win.

There might be other ways to earn bonus pool points as well. (???)

Bibdy: In post 17, that suggests that you earned a ton of points from that game. Was there anything unusual on your scoreboard, like totally trashing your opponent in macro or something?

No, nothing special. I was slightly favoured and just beat a fairly average Terran.

I think it just isn't refreshing. I might have had 350ish points before the game, used 11 and then it went 'down' to 340. That 220 number hasn't moved in a while.

[Lunares]

I have gained 1 bonus point completely randomly before as well.

Really wish we could have a blue comment on this. maybe should report it in bug section?

[Bibdy]

And yet another (finally out of rested points)

Before: 9 Rested, 320 Bonus

14 points used (hurray for proxy pylon rushing a guy more favoured than me)

After: 0 Rested, 307 Bonus

Either this thing is working in fractions, or it just hands out 1 bonus point every hour or something.

[Lunares]

Well I just randomly got some more..in betweeen games while playing. So they can't be purely based on not playing, though you do seem to get some by doing that.

seriously wtf are they?

[Lunares]

I am interested to see how many I have after playing tomorrow now that I have been gone for 4 days.

[Bibdy]

I am interested to see how many I have after playing tomorrow now that I have been gone for 4 days.

My guess is you'll have the same number as before when you log in. But, the moment you win a game, the number will refresh and jump by like 100 points (1 bonus point per hour) minus what it gave you at the end of that game.

I'm positive that 'Bonus Pool' on the multiplayer page is the correct number of bonus points you have and it just doesn't refresh until you win a game, while Rested Points on the ladder page is meant to represent the same thing, but doesn't. Not sure what causes that to refresh. It always seems to be either 0, or much lower than the Bonus Pool.

[Urasim]

At the end of the game, when you see the points you just won, you can click on it or near it and see a breakdown of the points awarded.