as seen on TV:

http://warlight.uservoice.com/forums/77051-warlight-features/suggestions/5082623-global-elo-rating-for-members

I would like to see this global ELO system, though I am also leery of every game being included in it. For example, what about the farming games that people seem to play a lot of? You have people winning 24 way FFA's, how does that count into the ELO? Members are probably not doing that, but you never know.

I guess my point is it would be very hard to flush out the specifics of what counts and what does not.

possibly only members only games shouldcount,but all of those shouldcount

@Léon
"That would be just a mere extension of the ladders.."
Mere extension?

I think I won't able to write what I thought :(
I try again :P

First of all, about why I suggest to use the chess rankig system in Warlight:
Because the Warlight is very similar like the chess so the implementation is very easy.
Because the chess ranking system is a very professional ranking system.
Because the chess ranking system already exist and work well for years.

And what is the differecies beetwen the present ladders and the chess ranking system?
Well, check both of them, and you will see :P
The present ladders are not suitable to measure the global performances, I mean the ladders are very good racing possiblities, hard challanges, but not enough objective because it's properties. Not bad things, but not proper tools for a global ranking.

The chess ranking system is an excellent tool for this, I think.

I think there are two big problem with your proposal:
1. There are (many) players who don't wnat to race, only play for fun. I think, should let them the possibilies for that.
2. There are many-many possiblities for farming in your system, so the ranking will be unuseable too.

So there are 3 important things:
1. The new ranking system should be choosable. I mean the players should sign into it, not automatically ranking. And I think, should olny members can sing in (to avoid the alts). And no possibily to sign off, only become inactive (there should be two ranking list, active (only active players) and inactive (with all players))
2. only official games counted into the ELO ranking list. I mean official tournaments, and not only ad-hoc 1vs1. If somebody wants to play in an official tourney, he have to sign into the ELO ranking system first, only after can join to the tourney.
There are many good exist tourney series already, those would be official. But there are many-many possibilites for new tourneys (official country championships, European, American, Asian, World, etc. championships. Many variation of these, I think.
3. The ELO ranking list works same way like in the chess. Same counting method, same update frequencies (monthly, but can be virutal list too like in the chess)

And there are many other possibilies that we can implement from the chess system.
For example, we can use the titles (Grand Master, International Master, etc.)
We can use the white/black method. I mean, many players problem that tourney only for one template. If we use white/black method, the white player can choose the template where the current match will play on. Of course, should be create a legal template pools, so there is no possibilities to choose idiot settings. These templates would be similar like the openings in the chess.
We can use the chess team tourneys for our clan tourneys. Table rankings like in chess. We can use "team tables" too for 2vs2 and 3vs3 of course.
And this chess ELO ranking system can easy implement for teamplay too, only one restriction, no individual ranking, only team ranking. I mean, 1 player can play different teams, but his results will no summarized. He will in the list as many copies as many teams he is membered.
And so on, the sky is the limit :)

Fizzer, please develop it :)