frogger4 wrote:true, there has been point inflation, but the question is, does it actually matter?
No, and here's why:
Sure, the number of average points goes up. The rank of the highest player goes up. That tends to happen in competition. Look at any competetive sport. Records keep going up. People try to challenge them. It gets harder and harder, but, eventually someone does.
In CC, there is a built in "equalizer". It is called playing low ranks. Sure, it might be easier to play some low-ranked players. AND you get fewer points playing them. You CAN get up a ways just by playing lower ranked players.
THEN -- OOPS, the higher you get, the less it benefits you. You suddenly get fewer and fewer points for each win. You have to win more (THAT is the "real" inflation!). OR, you can play higher ranked players ... and then you are more likely to lose.
Either way, eventually, you either end up challanging some of the really good players, win and DESERVE to go up. OR, you lose ... and you go down.
SOMETIMES, you even lose to the lower ranked folks. THEN you lose all kinds of points. ... (and probably come here and complain about "dice" , "playing noobs"...or INFLATION).
There absolutely are people who "specialize" in all sorts of game types. Should all those specialties be ranked together? Is winning a freestyle game the "same" as winning a sequential game? Winning at Realms equal to winning at Waterloo... or Classic Risk? You can debate all sides to that. A new system of awards is pending (see "to do" list). That will give folks different goals for which they can aim.
BUT, as for inflation ... the bottom line is that inflation will occur because it is just a plain fact of competition and scoring. Some people are just plain BETTER. As those people migrate to the top ... tehy keep migrating and keep making it harder and harder for others to reach that top.
EXCEPT.... look at the scores. Is the same person always at the top? NO. It changes. Over time, whoever is at the top will lose. They will be challanged by someone new. That person will then be challanged, and, eventually lose.
"point inflation" is just one more thing for people to blame ... like the dice, like "low rankers who play me", like "high rankers who won't play me" ... like anything except "gee, maybe I am just not the best CC player out there.
Play, have fun and enjoy ...