How the Scoring System Works
The Institute of Ludology has developed a precise scientific methodology for evaluationhatches. Every approved artifact undergoes a five-dimensional analysisand earns the researcher experience points.
Manhole Cover Rating (0–100 points)
Each approved manhole cover automatically receives a score of 0–100 points out of fivecomponent. This score determines the hatch's position in the feed when sorted"Best" also affects the amount of XP you get from the hatch.
Rarity of the motif, uniqueness of the location in the database, rarity of the design style. Japanese artistic manhole cover = 25 points; simple, functional = 3 points.
Image resolution, EXIF metadata from the camera, key points. Penalties for Photoshop editing, screenshots, or extreme aspect ratios.
GPS availability, city rarity (fewer manhole covers = higher score), country rarity. A unique location on the map rewards pioneers.
How thoroughly the fields are filled out: purpose, shape, material, load class, style, condition, manufacturer, year, inscriptions, description. A fully completed profile = 15 points.
Likes and comments from the community. Logarithmic scaling—the first likes carry the most weight. A maximum of 10 points for likes + 5 points for comments.
Experience Points (XP)
Base: 50 + hatch score
For every approved manhole cover, you'll automatically receive 50 to 150 XP based on its score. A hatch with a score of 100/100 will yield a full 150 XP.
Survey Bonuses
The world's first manhole cover in this city
The first manhole cover in that city on the entire planet
Your first manhole cover in this city
Your first manhole cover in this city
The first manhole cover in this country—and in the world
The very first manhole cover in that country
Your first manhole cover in this country
Your first manhole cover in this country
The world's first manhole cover on this continent
The very first documented manhole cover on the continent
Milestony
The Institute of Ludology Holds a Ceremony to Honor Researchers for Achieving Keythe number of approved manhole covers. Each milestone can be earned only once.
Levels
Your level is calculated based on the sum of all your XP using the following formula:
The maximum level is 50.
Challenges and Stickers
Challenges
Completing the challenge will earn you an additional one-time XP bonus:
Stickers
Automatically awarded badges for various achievements, each with an XP bonus: