So, due to noticing a lack of one, and to the fact I've been playing way too much online pokemon games that use ranking ladders lately, I've put it up to myself and I've set up an Elo ladder for ssf2. for those that don't know what an Elo ladder is: it's a kind of matchmaking ladder taken from chess where you gain ranking points for winning games against other players in the ladder and lose points for losing games.
For any further information such as the formulas, history or just how the Elo system works check out this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elo_rating_system

-Sign up first on this thread, any games between players not confirmed to be on the ladder will not be counted.
-To play a ladder game, simply contact somebody within the specified boundaries, and ask them to play you, pm, irc, skype etc. are all fine.
-Only one game versus a single player will count per day, meaning if I beat SoldierSunday in a ladder game, any further game with him in the next 24 hours will not count towards either of our points on the ladder.
-Both players must know and agree beforehand that the game they are playing is a ladder game, for obvious reasons.
-The winner of a ladder game must post the result in this thread with the following format or something that is as easily understood: 'Steve beat Bill 2-1.'
-You may not play a ladder game with someone with a difference of 150 or more points to you. This number may change in the future.
-if you are so low/high that there is no other player with the amount of elo that you can play, you may play the closest person to you on the leaderboards.

-Best of 3 matches
-4 stocks
-8 minutes
-items are off
-hazards are off
-damage is set to 1.0

stage list

Neutral:
Battlefield
Final Destination/Nintendo 3DS (both stages can be stricken at once)
Stadium III
WarioWare
Yoshi's Story

Counterpick:
Dreamland
Smashville
Jungle Hijinx
Mirror Chamber
Tower of Salvation
Castle Siege
Dracula's Castle
Sky Sanctuary Zone


Stage Striking:

Players will use the 1-2-1 striking system to determine which neutral stage to use for the first game. For all subsequent games, the winning player will strike 3 stages from the list above, and the losing player will pick from the remaining stages. You cannot choose the last stage you won on in the current set.

Lag:

The ladder requires the most recent version of SSF2 at all times. A desynched game will be played on the same stage with the same characters. If desynching problems continue, make sure that both players have the client-side version of the game. If multiple desynchs occur, or if an argument arises over desynching, the game goes to a draw.

Other Rules:

-If time runs out, the person with the most stocks left wins. If both players have an equal number of stocks, whoever has a lower percentage wins. If the percentage is also equal, play a 1-stock 3 minute match with the same characters on the same stage to determine the winner. Repeat as necessary.
-If the match ends with a move that kills both characters simultaneously when they are each on their last stock, the player who performed the move wins.
-If a player pauses the game, they forfeit their current stock. If their opponent loses a stock as a direct result of the pause, the player forfeits an additional stock. If the opponent loses their last stock in this manner, the player automatically forfeits the match.
-Excessive stalling is not allowed (walljump camping, reapeated use of Jigglypuff's Rising Pound, scrooging, etc.)
-Gentleman's Clause is in effect. Any of the above rules may be averted if both players agree to it.

Note: This ruleset will change when an official one is released by the ssf2 back room.

In order to sign up, simply post something along the lines of:

'i'm in,
mgf: ohgosick
mgn: ohgosick, Stockings.'

and I'll add you to the system and the player list.

Additional Ladder Info

-Every player starts at 800 rating, no exceptions.
-There is a sort of league/divison system for every part of the ladder for easy reference of who is around your level, but it's mainly just for bragging rights and doesn't effect anything.
'I totally destroyed a [high division] player in tournament yesterday, cool, right?'

When can I play?
-24/7, you can play a ladder game whenever you wish, so long as you post the results in this thread.

Do divisons count for anything?
-No. Well, not yet.

you will not show up on the ladder until you have played your first game.