Just gonna throw this out there:
baserating - (ln(wordcount / 50) * 100)
It's not perfect, but:
1 500 - (ln(50 / 50) * 100) = 1 500
1 500 - (ln(100 / 50) * 100) = 1 430.68528
Difference: 69.31472
1 500 - (ln(200 / 50) * 100) = 1 361.37056
Difference: 69.31472
1 500 - (ln(400 / 50) * 100) = 1 292.05585
Difference: 69.31471
As one can tell, it basically subtracts 70 points every time word count doubles.
…
1 500 - (ln(7 500 / 50) * 100) = 998.936471
If value goes under
1000 (baseline) it's taken as
1000 (baseline).
If it goes over
1500 (baserating), it's taken as
1500 (baserating).
I've made the current formula work with
50 (as minimum) and
7500 (as maximum).
Now lets have a little fun! I'll use the current entries and see what we get:
felix — 1 500 - (ln(1 458 / 50) * 100) = 1 162.72021
papermario13689 — 1 500 - (ln(880 / 50) * 100) = 1 213.21011
wassupimviet — 1 500 - (ln(1 540 / 50) * 100) = 1 157.24853
lordshadowisle — 1 500 - (ln(1 515 / 50) * 100) = 1 158.88523
shelter — 1 500 - (ln(167 / 50) * 100) = 1 379.40292
I'll add the math for the system lordshadowisle proposed as well. He doesn't mention it but I'm gonna assume one starts out with 1500 points (since we're subtracting). I'll also take "every 100 words after that" to mean you need to have 100 extra words to incur the penalty, ie. 99 words is fine.
felix — (9 * 50 penalty) => 1050 points
papermario13689 — (3 * 50 penalty) => 1350 points
wassupimviet — (10 * 50 penalty) => 1000 points
lordshadowisle — (10 * 50 penalty) => 1000 points
shelter — (no penalty) => 1500 points
Opinions? Suggestions? Other proposals?