Rank Meter Refresh

Understanding the Meter

Hello, and thank you for using Pococha!

Today, we’ll be providing some more detailed information on how the Rank Meter works!

Recently, we have received feedback from users with concerns about how the Rank Meter has been behaving. Many users are confused as to why the Meter appears to be “moving” or “sliding” again, after months of seeing little to no change. We’ve also heard worries about how drastically the Meter has seemed to shift before End Time. Thank you for reaching out to us with these frustrations so we can help address this phenomena.

We hope to explain why the this is normal Rank Meter behavior and provide users with tips on how to account for these possible changes in the future. Hopefully this will clear up any confusion!

For a refresher on the mechanics of the Rank Meter and how it was expected to operate after the rank separation with Japan, please take a look at our Q&A From Round Table #3 blog where we discussed these expectations with users.

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What Is The Rank Meter?

The Rank Meter is how broadcasters can earn Rank Points which allow them to increase their Rank Class on Pococha! By ranking up, broadcasters can earn special perks like more Time Diamonds per hour, entry into bigger events, & more!

A broadcaster’s position on the Meter is determined by the amount of Support Points they have earned during their current End Time Period. Their meter position once End Time has completed will determine the amount of Rank Points they earn that day.

There are 4 sections of the meter representing the 4 amounts of Rank Points a broadcaster can earn (-1, 0, +1, & +2). All users’ positions on the meter begin in the -1 section on the left and will move to the right into other sections as they earn Support Points.

Only a certain percentage of broadcasters can finish in each section once End Time has completed. For this reason, there is often competition between users who are trying to achieve certain position. As competing broadcasters earn more Support Points, the Rank Meter borders will increase respectively.

Since broadcasters are competing to keep their position, the amount of Support Points needed for each section will often increase throughout the day – especially around End Time.

Once a broadcaster collects 3 Rank Points, their Rank Class will increase by one level! For example from C1 to C2, or from B3 to A1.

But remember, losing 3 Rank points will also decrease Rank Class by one level.

If a user does not broadcast during a given End Time period, their Rank Meter will automatically be set at -1. To prevent losing a Rank Point, we suggest using a Freeze Pass! To learn more about Freeze Passes, read our FAQ here.

Stabilization Mechanism

When the US Rank Meter was separated from Japan in December, there were not enough broadcasters in each Rank Class for the meter to function normally. So, we created the Stabilization Mechanism to prevent drastic upswing & downswings of the Rank Meter.

An effect of this feature, however, is that the amount of Support Points needed for each meter border often remains the same while there is a small number of broadcasters in the Rank Class.

This is because the Stabilization Mechanism has a lower and upper border. While broadcasters are generating a low amount of Support Points, the lower border will be in effect. If the bottom percentage of broadcasters in a Rank are generating an amount of Support Points that is lower than the lower border, the lower border does not move.

Once the broadcasters begin generating more Support Points, it will eventually become higher than the lower border of the Stabilization Mechanism – causing the lower border to increase and to be influenced by other broadcasters instead of standing still.

Keep in mind, the Stabilization Mechanism also has a higher border. This prevents drastic upswings of the meter. If say, a broadcaster in your Rank is earning an abnormally large amount of Support Points, the upper border will prevent the borders from increasing past a certain point.

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Summary

The phenomenon described above is what many users are currently experiencing. Due to a low amount of Support Points being generated by broadcasters in each Rank, broadcasters’ Rank Meter lower borders were previously being dictated by the static & constant Stabilization Mechanism. Now, broadcasters are generating more Support Points in each Rank, causing the Stabilization Mechanism’s lower border to obsolete, and for the border to instead be influenced by other broadcasters. This is causing the “sliding” and “moving” that appears as a new phenomenon to many users.

The “moving” type of meter is actually the normal behavior of Pococha’s Rank Meter, and was how the meter operated until the rank separation in December. The “non-moving” behavior of the meter over the past 2 months was a temporary side effect of the rank separation.

As always, Pococha encourages users to broadcast until End Time is over to ensure they can achieve their desired Rank Points. We understand that many users will have to switch back their broadcasting style & schedule to adjust to a Rank Meter that is influenced by other broadcasters instead of the Stabilization Mechanism.

For many users, especially on the East Coast, we understand that the current End Time is very late and not realistic. To tackle this issue, we plan to listen to all users’ opinion about End Time, and make the best decision with those in mind.

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Q&A

Q: I reached +1 on my Meter during the middle of the day. Why did I drop down to 0 and not earn any points?

A: Remember, the meter is dynamic, not static – the amounts needed to reach a border in each section change throughout the day! While you may have been in the +1 section of the meter earlier, you must keep a close eye on the amount needed to maintain that +1 throughout the day. Rank Points are only earned based on your position on the meter once End Time has completed.

Q: Why does the Rank Meter move?

A: The amount of Support Points needed to achieve -1, 0, +1. and +2 is determined by the amount of Support Points being earned by all other broadcasters in your Rank Class that day. Only a certain percentage of users can be in each section of the meter. If other broadcasters are earning a lot of Support Points close to End Time, it may increase the amount of Support Points needed to maintain that position on the Rank Meter.

Q: I don’t remember the Rank Meter moving, is this new?

A: The Rank Meter moving is normal behavior. Before the Rank separation from Japan in December, the Rank Meter would regularly move throughout the day and before End Time. However, once the the Rank Meters were separated, US broadcasters had their own Meter.

When this occurred, there was a small amount of broadcasters in each Rank who were generating a small amount of Support Points. Therefore, Pococha developed the Stabilization Mechanism to create a more normal Meter experience for our users. During the past 2 months, the lower border of the meter did not move much due to the smaller amount of Support Points being generated by users. (The Stabilization Mechanism created a consistent lower border).

However, our community has grown rapidly since then – in fact, there are more broadcasters in each Rank than ever before! For this reason, the Rank Meter is beginning to behave as normal again and will move throughout the day.

To read more about the Rank separation and Stabilization Mechanism, please read our Q&A From Round Table #3 blog!

Q: I got used to the Meter not moving once I reached a certain Meter position. What should I do now?

A: Pococha has always encouraged our broadcasters to broadcast and/or monitor the Rank Meter until End Time is complete, to ensure they achieve their desired Meter position. The Meter’s previous static behavior in the past 2 months was a temporary result of the small amount of Support Points being generated in each Rank. Pococha expected this behavior to be temporary, and this was communicated to our users during Round Table events and on our blog.

We encourage users to read our PocoTips at the bottom of this blog, and to consistently broadcast at End Time to achieve their desired Rank!

Q: Why Does Rank Meter move a lot right before End Time?

A: End Time is when the Rank Meter grants Rank Points to broadcasters. To achieve a certain number of Rank Points (such as +2), the broadcaster must be inside the +2 section of the meter when End Time occurs.

Since only a certain percentage of broadcasters can earn Rank Points each day, many users compete to achieve their desired Rank Points at End Time by collecting lots of Support Points. For this reason, the Meter may often move rapidly right before End Time when competition is the highest.

Many users refer to this behavior as “sniping”. Please know that this is not Pococha artificially increasing the meter, but rather broadcasters competing to achieve their desired Rank Points.

For many users, especially on the East Coast, we understand that the current End Time is very late and not realistic. To tackle this issue, we plan to listen to all users’ opinion about End Time, and make the best decision with those in mind.

Q: Are the same amount of broadcasters still earning Rank Points?

A: Yes! The same percentage of broadcasters are still earning -1, 0, -1, & +2 Rank Points in each Rank Class. The only difference is that now, there are more broadcasters in each Rank Class. This makes the competition a bit more intense, and the borders are increasing.

Q: Did Pococha know when the meter would begin moving again?

A: As explained to users at previous Round Tables and blogs, the Rank Meter returning to normal behavior was projected and expected.

However, the movement of the meter is dependent upon many factors including number of broadcasters in each Rank, the amount of Support Points each is earning, the amount of broadcasters trying to increase or decrease their Rank, etc.

Due to these factors, we cannot predict the behavior and growth of our broadcasters, so the timeline for the meter to begin functioning normally again was unpredictable.

To clarify, Pococha did not suddenly “turn on” the Meter to begin moving again. Instead, the factors mentioned above created a scenario that led to the Stabilization Mechanism being turned off in certain situations, and the meter behaving in a normal manner.

However, we understand that many users were surprised by this behavior, and we are taking steps to help our users understand!

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PocoTips:

1) If you can, broadcast until End Time!

End Time is when Rank Points will be granted to broadcasters, based on their position on the Rank Meter. To ensure you achieve your desired amount, broadcast until End Time has completed! The Meter may move rapidly right before End Time, and broadcasting will allow you to energize your supporters to help you achieve your goal!

2) Consider Support Point Bonuses!

Broadcasters can earn Support Point Bonuses by collecting certain amounts of Core Fans and Fan Noise. These bonuses will be counted towards the Rank Meter! Many broadcasters try to save these bonuses for days they are trying to achieve a high goal on the Rank Meter like +2.

3) Use Freeze Passes wisely!

If you are broadcasting while a Freeze Pass is being used, tell your supporters to save their support for another day! Many broadcasters also choose to use Freeze Passes on days they are not earning Time Diamonds, to maximum their effectiveness.

4) Remember the Rank Meter Reset (Bonus For D Rank)!

There is a special bonus that D Rank broadcasters can unlock on their Rank Meter!

This bonus allows them to earn more than 2 Rank Points (up to 4) during a single End Time Period.

Rank Meter Reset will occur when:

• A broadcaster is D Rank (D1, D2, D3)
• The broadcaster currently has negative Rank Points (their meter says Rank Down with -1 or -2)
• The broadcaster finishes End Time with their meter position in (+1) or (+2)

If all 3 of these conditions are met, Rank Meter Reset will occur!

This means:

• The broadcaster’s negative Rank Points will be “reset” to 0
• Then they will earn their new Rank points after that.

For example, let’s say a D2 Rank broadcaster currently has -2 Rank Points. If they end their meter in the +2 position then:

• Their -2 points will be “reset” to 0.
• Then, they will earn their +2 points from the meter.
• The broadcaster will have gone from -2 to +2, essentially earning 4 Rank Points!

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We hope this blog has helped you understand the Rank Meter better. If you have further questions, please contact us via Customer Service or attend one of Pococha’s Skill Up Seminars!

Hello everyone,

It’s almost St. Patrick’s Day, which means it’s time for 💚 GREEN! 💚

Free Thumbnail Image!

Decorate the Home Page with a field of shamrocks by changing your Thumbnail Image to the image below! Don’t forget to add your picture to the frame for the last touch of magic! ☘️

Download Here

Note: To download the image, click the “Download” button above, then right click on desktop (or hold in on mobile) and select “Save As” to save the image.

Pro Tip: Not sure how to add your picture to the frame? Search for “free photo editing app” online or on your phone’s app store to find a variety of free software that lets you add your photo easily!

Share Your Decorations!

Are you going above and beyond to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day on your broadcast?

From today until Thursday, March 17th, share a screenshot of your broadcast’s St. Patrick’s decor on social media with the hashtag #pocoshamrock! Participants will have their photos retweeted & shared on Pococha’s official Twitter account & Instagram stories 🖼️✨

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! And thank you as always for using Pococha 🍀

• The Pococha Community Team

Hello everyone. Thank you for using Pococha!

In this blog, we’ll be bringing you updates on some important new features coming to the app, and Producer Daisuke Mizuta will be answering questions from you, our lovely users! Please read through to the end for all the latest info.

Rank System Progress

As you all know, December 2021 marked the official separation of the US and Japan Rank Meters. Previously, US users’ Rank Meter was affected by the status of Japanese broadcasters. With the separation, we anticipated that US users would have a much fairer environment by competing only with each other.

After two months of monitoring, we’re happy to say that the results match our expectations!

As you can see, the Rank Meter separation has led to the US Rank Meter no longer being affected by Japan.

Before the Rank Meter separation, only 19% of broadcasters were regularly achieving +1 & +2. Now, about 31% of broadcasters are regularly achieving +1 & +2! How exciting!

Please do keep in mind that this 31% is likely a temporary result of the recent Rank System changes, and is not guaranteed for the future.

Since the Rank Meter update, the amount of US broadcasters who became D Rank or above also increased by 50% in just one month! Now we have almost 800 D+ Rank broadcasters regularly using Pococha. Congratulations to all of the new D+ Rank broadcasters among us!

Not only are broadcasters reaching higher Ranks, but they’re reaching them faster than ever before! The amount of broadcasters reaching D Rank in their first 30 days on the app has increased by a whopping 454%.

If you’re a veteran broadcaster or a long-time viewer, please be sure to give a warm welcome to these newest members of our community!

Event Updates

How did you all enjoy the most recent LA Times Event? Congratulations to the winners who worked so hard to achieve the biggest prize we’ve ever offered. We can’t wait to see your radiant faces in print in the LA Times!

If you enjoyed this event, rest assured that even bigger and better ones are on the horizon. Most notably, our Billboard Event (which was postponed in December due to COVID-19 complications) will be returning soon!

Additional Event Divisions

Since the number of ranked broadcasters has been increasing rapidly, we also plan to continue introducing more stages & divisions to allow for a wider variety of event winners. More events will have different stages for higher and lower rank broadcasters, so they do not have to compete for the same big prize together. We look forward to seeing winners from all ranks take a shot at some amazing future events!

Threshold Prize Events

We’re also announcing a new type of event called a “Threshold Prize Event”, one where an unlimited number of people can win! Instead of a limited number of prizes, anyone who meets a certain threshold of event points will win the prize. There may even be multiple thresholds for a single event, where better performance awards a bigger or more special prize!

We expect these events will be a great way to build camaraderie within your Families while you work together to achieve these great rewards.

Keep an eye out for the Threshold Profile Events we plan to launch next month!

Item Updates

How have you all been enjoying the recent new Items? Between Zodiac Items, Valentine’s Day Items, and 5th Anniversary Items, we’ve had a lot of fun additions in recent months!

In regards to upcoming Items, we’d like to take a moment to dive into further detail about Pococha’s Item philosophy.

Items = Communication!

In our eyes, Items are the perfect way for viewers to communicate in a fun, clear way with broadcasters. They’re designed to be a consistent form of communication for listeners who want to express their emotions to both the broadcaster and other listeners in the broadcast.

At previous Round Tables, we heard users say they wanted even more Item variety! Because of that feedback, we increased the number of Items available on Pococha.

However, we’re now hearing that there are so many Items that both listeners and broadcasters have a weaker attachment to them. It makes them less recognizable, and some of the Items feel like they don’t fit US user’s personalities or style, and thus go unused.

Therefore, we have the following plans to reorganize Items on Pococha!

Item Revamp

The first plan is to reorganize Items in a more meaningful way.

We’ll start by first removing Items that aren’t used much or that are difficult for current US users to use as communication Items. Don’t worry if your favorite happens to go away! We promised it’s to make room for something even more special…

US-Exclusive Items

Then, we’ll be releasing a series of US-specific communication Items! These items will be catered to US users and their unique communication styles. Hopefully you’ll find that these new Items are a great fit and will be more exciting and enticing to use during broadcasts!

In addition, we’re hoping to continue expanding Item animations to make them more diverse and exciting. We can’t show any sneak peaks just yet, but please look forward to Items getting better and better on Pococha!

Item Creation with YOU!

Next, we’d like to create new Items based on your requests and suggestions! To do so, we’ll be holding new Item Co-Creation Events for both broadcasters and viewers to participate in!

You can expect to see the first of these events around April 2022, where we’ll be working together to design Items for the Fourth of July. Since both broadcasters and viewers are invited to this first of brainstorming session, we hope to see lots of you there!

New Event: Item Reaction Award

Lastly, we have a brand-new event slated for this March: the Item Reaction Award!

Unique Item reactions are a great way to build a more personalized experience for your viewers. Items make broadcasts more fun, and your unique reactions will give viewers all the more reason to stick around and use the Items that get their favorite reactions from you!

That’s why this event isn’t about cheer points – it’s about going BIG!

To enter, broadcasters will submit a video of their best Item reaction for a chance to win this special award! More details to come soon when the event launches next month.

Brand New: Pococha India

That’s right: Pococha India has launched as of March 1, 2022!

We’re thrilled to continue inviting more broadcasters and listeners from around the world to experience the joy of Pococha. India is the third region that Pococha has launched into, and we’re certain it won’t be the last.

Just a reminder: this launch will likely have little effect on US broadcasters, as Pococha India is a separate region. However, there’s a small chance you’ll see some international users pop over from time to time, just as is seen with Pococha Japan!

If you do see any new listeners from India, be sure to give them a warm welcome!

Q&A

During the Round Table attendance survey, we invited users to submit their burning questions about Pococha for us to answer. Here are the answers that Producer Daisuke Mizuta provided to the most asked questions:

Q1: What’s the best way to succeed on Pococha?

Great question! Here are some of our biggest suggestions for finding success on Pococha:

• Read our FAQ to learn more about how Pococha works!
• Watch some of our top broadcasters & ask questions to learn from them!
• Attend one of our Skill-Up Seminars to learn everything from the basics to advanced techniques!
• Keep your eyes peeled for even more educational content on the horizon!

Q2: Why doesn’t Pococha have a multi-beam or guest feature?

We know a lot of folks have been asking about this feature in recent months. We’re aware that other services & sites offer different kinds of interaction between a creator and their viewers — however, Pococha chooses to focus on what makes us different!

What kind of communication gives value to Pococha?

We believe it is the authentic & deep conversations between a broadcaster and their viewers that causes people to stick around on Pococha.

Other services with battles, guest features, or multi-beams turn viewers from active conversation partners into inactive viewers. This is because the broadcaster’s focus is turned from their viewers onto the other hosts/participants on the stream.

At its core, Pococha is focused on increasing viewer engagement with a single broadcaster. Any feature that increases this kind of communication is a good thing for the app, and is something we’d love to explore! However, any feature that inhibits this is against Pococha’s philosophy. We hope you can understand our feelings here, and get excited alongside us for other upcoming features instead!

Q3: As Pococha continues to grow, what are your plans to maintain its positive environment without it devolving into something very competitive?

We’re so happy to hear that you like Pococha’s positive US environment! We really love it too.

In the future, we plan to maintain this positivity by continuing our efforts to improve the app while listening to your thoughts and feelings about how to continue growing. Events like Skill-Up Seminars, these Round Tables, and upcoming Item Co-Creation Events are our way of passing along our tips & advice, while still remaining open to your suggestions for improvement.

We believe that this close connection with our viewers is one of the biggest reasons why Pococha users feel safe, valued, and positive within their communities. We appreciate your input very much, so please continue working with us to help make Pococha the best it can be!

Q4: What are the developers hoping Pococha will look like in a few years’ time? What is the general growth plan?

We believe the most important thing is how to make the platform & the community a healthy and comfortable place to be, and we’ve been working hard to make that happen.

Thus, here are our main goals for the app over the next few years:

• To be the #1 chosen app in the US
• To have the highest user satisfaction rating
• To be a “last mover” app (not the first app of its kind, but the one with the most longevity)
• To increase the amount of supporters on the app who will create a thriving creator ecosystem

Thank you for your support as we continue charging full-speed ahead to reach these goals! With the progress we’ve made already (and with you by our sides!) we feel these goals are definitely within our reach.

Q5: Is there any update on Freeze Passes being adjusted to act more like PTO would at a normal job?

Yes, we are looking into updating our Freeze Pass feature. Overall, we want streaming to be a profession just like any other, where our broadcasters can work for many years without burning out or having sickness & vacation negatively impact their income.

We will make the necessary improvements to make this a reality, and one of these improvements revolves around adjusting our Freeze Pass system.

Research is still ongoing about the best way to adjust this system to provide a better work/life balance for our broadcasters. Thank you for your patience as we continue to find the best answer here! We will provide updates as development progresses.

Q6: How does Pococha assist new broadcasters with growing their platforms? Is Pococha planning to add anything in the future to continue assisting new broadcasters so that they can stand out from the crowd?

Yes! We are always looking for ways to boost our new broadcasters. As we mentioned before, things like the Pococha FAQ, Skill-Up Seminars, and current top broadcasts are great places for new broadcasters to learn from.

In the future, we hope to introduce even more features to help new broadcasters, such as new pages on the home screen, as well as additional educational videos & content. Please keep your eyes peeled for those as they’re released!

Q7: How is Pococha handling the issue of users with multiple accounts?

Pococha has a 24-hour moderation team that is constantly on the lookout for users who are trying to break the rules by having multiple accounts. Please understand that we are aware of this issue and are doing our best to continually educate our moderators and keep track of cases like this.

Any user found violating these rules will be permanently banned and no longer able to use Pococha again.

Specifically, we have the following policy in mind whenever we are managing these cases:

Policy: The act of using multiple accounts on Pococha is prohibited. These actions include:

• Using multiple accounts
• Using multiple accounts to gain or give more that one person’s support
• Cheating to collect coins through automation, etc.
• Cheating to illegally obtain diamonds by distributing them on multiple devices
• Distributing or commenting without the purpose of communication
• Transmissions or comments not made for the purpose of communication

If you suspect that another user may be violating this policy, please report them via Customer Support.

Thank You!

Thank you to all who attended this Round Table, and for taking the time to ask such thoughtful questions! We greatly enjoyed getting to hear your opinions, suggestions, & feedback.

We look forward to your attendance at the next Round Table as well — be sure to RSVP!

• The Pococha Team