How about implenting doubles in to the game.
Basically; When you join a "doubles" game, It randomly chooses a waiting partner for you... And you take it in turns for every shot.

yea i would like that

nice idea, been mentioned lots of times before and got positive feedback. im not sure if nick was thinking of bringing this in or not but this i would like to see.

Other Threads:

http://www.funkysnooker.com/thread/6548/doubles-option-please
http://www.funkysnooker.com/thread/5345/doubles-tournaments
http://www.funkysnooker.com/thread/5029/doubles-matches
http://www.funkysnooker.com/thread/4139/doubles

many more but cant be bothered to look

Edited at 22:30 Sun 14/02/10 (GMT)

How would this effect stats?

It would just have a table like all others except it will be doubles...

so

Doubles Rank:

Doubles Win

Doubles Loss

Doubles Win Streak:

etc etc....

How do you calculate doubles rank when all 4 players could be different?

I don't see why it would be difficult to calculate, you could just have a singular rank that is added to every time you win a doubles ranked match just as if you would with singles, simple.

For example:

Say a rank 675 and a 900 are paired...

They lose..

The winners ranks are 675 and 899...

so.

900 + 899 + 675 + 675 = 3149 / 4 = 787.25 now just round that to the nearest decimal which will equal 7.87

So the rankings for the winners will look like...

682.87 and
906.87

Then the losers rank is the same except instead of adding 7.87.. you just take it away.

I asume thats without edge modification? That could just work...

Hmm with edge modification just do +2% and -2% depending on the rank..

so novice = +4%; -4%
newbie = +3%; -3%
intermediate = +2.5%; -2.5%
adept = +2%; -2%
professional = +1%; -1%
virtuoso = +0.5%; -0.5%

or something like that...

Even with edge modification, this is totally wrong and would not work.

How would you do it then?

Firstly, they wouldn't both get 7.87, as the rank difference between the 2 players is so great (even edge modification wouldn't get that down to where it should be)

Secondly, you have to base it on how ranking are calculated atm, not a different system which you have just made up it seems.

Ok i have just reread my entire first post and meant to say as in an example.. This would be simple to implent with the current ranking system and edge modification...

It wouldn't though, as it doesn't work along with the current ranking system, nothing like it what so ever, it would make the impossible 1000 rank (and 500 on the contray) possible, which is not what should happen.

But still, the ranking system is what Nick would decide, not us.

Couldn't you find the middle ground between two players? Obviously, the game would be introduced with everyone at 675, so finding the middle ground here would not be hard.

When the game has been around for a few days and rankings have changed a little, then it would get harder to find the middle ground.

As an example, a player ranked 800 and a player ranked 700 would have a singular rank of 750. The edge modification would then be worked off this 750. If the other team had a 700 and a 750 on their team, their singular rank would be 725.

This then makes the game 750 v 725. These rankings would be accurate as rank implies how good you are. Obviously, a high ranked player teaming with a low ranked player makes the ranking lower overall.

This would then allow edge modification to take place. Obviously, this doesn't much promote playing with anybody that comes into your game. Players with lower rank would be given a higher singular rank for the game, those with higher would be given a lower singular rank leading to complaints of "I have 800 rank, how come I only won so few points?"

This would also make reaching 1000 rank possible, if anybody actually managed to get that high. Seeing as no ones yet done it on there own, its unlikely they'll be able to do it with someone else...

All it needs is something very simple from my point of view, i'll give an example...

Team A - 800 and 700 rank
Team B - 750 and 650 rank

If team A win, then the scores should be calculated individually. Like the 800 will get the points from beating that 750 and 650. But seeing as though you'd get twice as many points for this but only play 1 game, all that would need to be done was to half the ranking scale on doubles games.

Personally i think this is a fantastic idea. it would be a really good laugh and if they had a rankings board for every duo that teamed up it could bring a very interesting angle onto the funkysnooker scene.

I believe a random doubles tournament would be gr8 aswell

everybody enters as them selves and then you have no choice who your partner is until you meet them at the table in round 1.

Would be great for the likes of dame etc carrying a player who will never win a tournement through to the final. Would also give people a chance to get to know more people!!!!

why not just do friendlys instead of ranked ?

yea instead of ranking you could just have a most wins as a team score board.