How to Attain the Top Multiplayer Rank in Split/Second: Velocity
I like Split/Second. It reminded me of a time where people could casually enjoy the thrill of driving at blistering speeds in surreal settings. In particular, it reminded of the early days of Burnout and what made the Burnout series such a success.
I did acquire the maximum 1000 gamerscore from this game because I enjoyed it that much. The multiplayer was tricky though; I could barely muster the ability to win a single race let alone display consistency in staying amongst the top half of the racing board to reach Rank 1. All that changed though...
The ranking system is quite clever in Split/Second. Newcomers to the game are prescribed the initial rank of 99. This rank cannot be exceeded; you will never go to 100 or any higher than that. The adjustment factor to your skill rank goes as follows. It is calculated based on the difference between the number of opponents you beat and the number of opponents that beat you, per race.
A simple subtraction.
I really like the simplicity of this system for two reasons:
1) It is a true representation of a racers ability to win and compete.
2) It determines your skill in a reasonable time frame.
The often overlooked aspect of this game is drifting. Oddly enough, drifting allows you to build up phenomenal acceleration and top speeds in Split/Second. By taking advantage of the "Power Over" maneouvre, you can quite easily overtake and speed off into the sunset in every online race you participate in.
This maneouvre involves a single hammering down of the right trigger, to sharply increase your throttle input and lose traction. By doing this, even on straights or light bends, you can in a way 'slingshot' your car at breakneck speeds through the track. With time, you can learn to handle every type of corner on every track, and you will be amazed at how much faster you will take bends compared to your opponents. The best car for this is the Ryback Firestorm; the Firestorm has a maximum drift rating.
