hmm this has always been on my mind (mgs related)

[Richter Belmount]

how does mgs (or more spefically twin snakes) how does the ranking system work? I been trying to beat the game without getting caught like i use , But i wonder if theres certain alerts that dont count (maybe like wolves or the part in the guard tower where you are supposed to alert guards)

[bluberry]

*spoilers for Twin Snakes and 2*

Those forced alerts DO actually count towards your ranking; however, they up the maximum for the best rank to that amount. So let's say you were going for Big Boss rank in MGS2 and only got spotted in the forced Tanker battle and the two forced Arsenal Gear battles - that counts as 3 Alerts, which is all you're allowed to have. I know TTS allows 8 alerts, but I don't remember where; suffice to say, they're all forced.

But Twin Snakes pissed me off anyway. I got a time of like 1:13, and after that point, it was all just random things that affected how good my run came out, so I stopped trying. But, I digress - hope the info helps!

[Dahne]

I remember seeing a guide on GameFAQs on how to attain Big Boss rank, at least for the original MGS.

[Ed Oscuro]

Back when I used to have a guide for Metal Gear Solid - the one you could buy new with the game, it was pretty damn thin as I recall, with a sealed middle section, HOW I WISH I STILL HAD MINE! - there's the actual algorithm used to determine your ranking, along with all the different rankings (Orca is one I always remember, you get that one for killing a ton of people I believe).

So the information - for the original - is definitely out there.

[SoulBlazer]

Ed, I have that book still. :)

It's the Official Mission Handbook to Metal Gear Solid, published by Millennium Publishing and written by David Hodgson, one of the best strategy authors out there.

The sealed section is actually in the back of the book. ;)

I found the formula used for determining rank, and I can post it here if there is any intrest. :)

[Ed Oscuro]

THANK YOU! Wow, I have a chance at finding it again online :)

I never had been a big PSX fan...and I'm still not the biggest MGS fan...but that's really the one item I've missed all these years. :O

[Richter Belmount]

= ) heh you would be a big help dude if ya did id appreciate it.

[SoulBlazer]

Well, there are 12 ranks in MGS. There is a different name for each rank depending on the difficulty level -- Easy, Medium, Hard, and Extreme Difficulty.

For the top ranks:

Rank 1: Found by enemy 4 times or less. Killed 25 eneimes or less. Used 1 or 0 rations. No continues. Fished game in 3 hours or less.
Rank 2: Finished game in 2 1/2 hours or less.
Rank 3: Killed 250 or more enemies.
Rank 4: Used 130 or more rations.
Rank 5: Saved 80 or more times.
Rank 6: Finished game in 18 or more hours.
Rank 7: Conbination of Ranks 4, 5, and 6 (the conditions)

Ranks 8-12 are determined by a formula:
X=#times found y-(10x) (# you killed-25)
IF (# you killed-25) is 0 or less, y is set at 100.

0<Y<4 4<Y<8 8<Y<16 16<y<20 20<Y
0<X<30 8 8 10 11 11
30<X<55 9 10 10 10 12
55<X 8 9 10 12 12

Those numbers are your rank, BTW