I was new to dota 2 and I started off as herald 1 when last season began. I played a ton of games and on gosu.ai it tells me I am consistently playing at an archon level. I have friends that are crusaders and archons and I play with them. During my official solo calibration games included Archons, one time a legend, a few obvious smurf accounts, and feeders (0-18) abbadon?!? I went 4-6. However it felt random. I was either the best or second best player on my team every single game. We had an archon mid once game who told me his real account was legend. I was second best on team by far in terms of kda, tower damage, etc. When I was finally done I was super bummed to see my new rank as Herald 5. I couldn't believe it, however I was like it could be worse.

So begrudgingly accepting the fact I was a herald again w/ 800 mmr...., I played several more games trying to get back to guardian. However, The calibration was still going on and a lot of variance in my teammates and the competition. I felt I had very little control over who won or lost the game.

Next day I play one match. And i hear the new medal music, it says "Congrats you have reached Herald I" and I look at my MMR and it's 1. I was outraged.

It wasn't until then that I read calibration was based on wins and losses. But that still didn't make sense...if I went 4-6 and was either 1 or 2 best on my team and the games included crusaders, archons..etc...how would I be a herald 1?

More importantly, the recalibration should be based on skill NOT on wins and losses. Whoever decided it should be based on wins and losses should explain their reasoning, because it seems very stupid to me. Why would I want to play 10 games with people from random ranks at a much higher stake? I only have so much influence over whether my team wins or loses. The Dota matchmaking system is very, very poor at times. Matching 4 heralds and a guardian vs. 3 guardians and 2 crusaders for instance. The heralds get absolutely smashed.

I am not a herald 1 dota player. I don't care what Valve or Steam provides as justification for the recalibration. It's not an ego thing. It's just I am tired of playing with people who suck. I can not win every game on my own. I do not belong at herald rank, which is why I was looking forward to the recalibration. To give me a chance to play at a higher level with less variance in quality of teammates. Some heralds are pretty good, some are pretty bad, and some just don't even take the game seriously. It's not fun to be stuck as a herald when you have earned the right to play at a higher level.

Valve said they responded to the community and readjusted the calibration (turning me from Herald 5 to Herald 1). Who was actually happy with their adjustment? I don't understand what this readjustment benefited? Can someone explain it to me? Because I see a lot of my friends with new medals that are well below their ability and it doesn't make any sense to me.

Can someone explain why skill is not a factor in calibration and why it is based on wins and losses? Why even call it a calibration?

Thanks.

EDIT - In summary, If valve can not figure out the right algorithms to measure a player's skill and rank, then there probably shouldn't be any recalibration at all.