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Rather the shoehorning all player into one vision - forcing one experience I’d like to see each player form their own game. Why not create a system where the different players needs overlap and from that create matches and glue it all together using players that are just fine with any. By doing so we will have a much happier community - returning customers if you like.
First, I kind of like the 3/3/3/3-idea. The game will get a different flavour - more action, more role-playing etc. But - after a while it will be obvious that 3/3/3/3 limits the game too much. What also worries me is that there seems to be no built-in mechanic to handle any imbalances in players choice of weight class. We will all be waiting for the limiting weight class (mediums), and the only factor that balances the waiting time is players surrendering and pick mediums or quit the game. Heavy and assault-pilots will struggle with long queuing times and rather than forcing them into mechs they don’t want to play, and in the long run making them leave the game, I think the 3/3/3/3-idea will have to be revised. Adding to that I think it will be boring with the same weight distribution every match, the game will lose a lot of the dynamic.
Solution: Add different weight distributions. For example, I’m borrowing this from the excellent MRBC league, four different distributions (lights/mediums/heavies/assaults): 8/4/0/0, 4/4/4/0, 2/4/4/2, 2/0/4/6 (no need to discuss the distributions and the number of them, they only serve as examples).
The matchmaker will now have an opportunity to balance the matches with respect to the mech selection of the players. If the player base prefers lights: create more 8/4/0/0- and 4/4/4/0-matches. If the players run assaults: increase the number of 2/0/4/6-matches.
Add these options to the launch window (where we select game mode), if a player don’t want to participate in the superheavy distribution the player can deselect this one, etc. - lots of opportunities for players to create their own experience. The players selections, elo and current selected mech are compared to live matchmaking data and an estimated queuing time (with warnings if needed) is presented. The player can now balance selections with individual acceptable queuing time. If a player have very specific selections - prepare to wait.
Now both the matchmaker and players will have opportunities to cut queuing times and players still pilot the mechs they want to. Players that run any/any is the true asset in this model, they help the matchmaker get matches started by cutting queuing times and should be encouraged to do so. Give them a small MC/C-bill/XP-bonus. (Award: Versatile mech-jockey!). Being the nice guy that helps the matchmaker get a few hundred matches started is worth MC equal to the price of colour in my opinion...
Want to spice it up further? Add an option to accept asymmetric weightmaking. With that we can have the perfect weight balanced matches for the players who wants that, create an option for us who like going hard mode not knowing what we are up against (and smashing 200 tons heavier teams!) and also make it even easier for the matchmaker to get a match started. Still - no one can complain about weight difference: Just deselect asymmetric weightmaking...
I’m also thinking about a slider where solo players can inform the matchmaker about their opinions about premades and prefered maximum number of players in premades. My general idea is that the players should be put in charge in this matters. If I as a solo player don't want 11-player premades in my game - I just set a slider to prevent that (and by doing so punish the 11-premades and myself in some degree with longer queuing times). If I as a solo player don’t want any premades at all I set the slider to 1. If I (this is probably what I would try…) as a solo player wants to experience dropping in matches with many players in premades but can accept some queuing time - I set the min-slider to for example 5. Yes, there is solo players who like to drop with/against premades!
Premades on the other hand has to fulfill the weight distribution requirements (narrowing down the larger the premade get), and will also be offered a slider with players in premade difference accepted (4 player premade with setting 2 can face premades with 2-6 players etc.). Same here as with solos - MC/C-bill/XP-bonus for using flexible settings.
See? Larger premades are now democratized, if no-one or few wants to play with/against them (by telling the matchmaker so by using sliders) they will get prolonged wait or no matches at all - and can’t blame PGI for that. 5-11 player premade issue solved...
Edited by Evil Ed, 14 April 2014 - 07:04 AM.
