The AltMeta was made to provide a different system of ranking from what the official metaverse does. As the scoring formula on the official metaverse keeps scores permanently, but uses a growing reduction factor based on the number of games you've submitted, it can be difficult for new players to break into the upper rankings, while frequent players find their games contributing less and less to their overall scores.

The AltMeta comes at the problem from a different direction, focusing primarily on activity. The scoring system is simple; every score you submit is worth its full value when you submit it, but scores are depreciated at an accelerated rate of 1/6 of their value every 30 days. And unlike the official metaverse, there is no lower limit on the value of a score; once six months have passed after you submit a score, it is devalued completely and ignored in the rankings and graphs.

Because of the different system used by the AltMeta, it should be easy for new players to rise in rankings, and players who submit many low-scoring games in the same period as other players submit few high-scoring games can expect similar rankings; as gigantic, high-difficulty games take a long time to play, it is entirely feasible for a dedicated low-difficulty and/or small map player to rise in the rankings and capture the #1 spot.

The AltMeta database is updated every six hours. All data is gathered from the official metaverse, so you can compete in the AltMeta by submitting games just as you normally would. Unaligned players are not included in the AltMeta, regardless of individual rank on the official metaverse. Only those in the top 100 empires are processed.