52 replies to this topic

[ProtoformX]

This is also frustrating for the players that have been around a while. In it's current state, the matchmaker is willing to toss complete newbs in with top-tier Elo groups. It's mind boggling. You'll have such a huge disparity in skill some players are doing 2 damage and some are doing 900. The **** is that?

[Fut]

Jherek C, on 30 June 2014 - 07:52 AM, said:

I have tried to get friends, that all like and play games frequently, have their steam accounts and stuff, to play MWO. None of them lasted more than 1h...

What were their reasons for quitting after only 1hr?

[Karamarka]

ProtoformX, on 30 June 2014 - 10:56 AM, said:

This is also frustrating for the players that have been around a while. In it's current state, the matchmaker is willing to toss complete newbs in with top-tier Elo groups. It's mind boggling. You'll have such a huge disparity in skill some players are doing 2 damage and some are doing 900. The **** is that?

Most of my games my team is like 2-12 or WE win 12-2... There is no even brawls, its 3-4 dead before the big battle even happens.

Also, they dont' tell new players much about mech

my first mech was orion, it was awful. for me

Edited by Karamarka, 30 June 2014 - 11:07 AM.

[Screech]

Willard Phule, on 30 June 2014 - 07:04 AM, said:

Once enough of the "target audience" complains to PGI about the lack of competetive gameplay, perhaps they'll be compelled to fix the problem.

People complaining about their competition not being good enough? I am not going to hold my breath on this one.

[KodiakGW]

+1 to both OP and first post. I've said a number of times that new players should be in a different queue. I also like the idea of a Training Grounds where you are not just shooting static targets. They figured out how to have the turrets track you and shoot at your legs. Shouldn't be hard to make bots that can do the same. Then figure out how to make them move down the road.

The more restrictive part of the game is the cost of everything, considering the current c-bill earning rate. Not talking mechs, but the modules (3-6 million), engines (~4 million for decent XL engines), and the DHS upgrade. The cadet bonus and c-bill earnings from achievements is barely enough to purchase and optimally configure one light mech. Then you need to buy two more of the same type to level up. At this point it is too late to go back on anything implemented. Instead, I think it is time to create new achievements that give 1-2 million c-bill bonuses. That won't kill the economy, and will help new players with configuring their "free" mechs.

If they enjoy the game, they might be willing to drop some real cash to buy the starter packs (BTW - very good idea) and use the c-bills from leveling their first mechs to configure those.

Looking to increase the player base with my suggestions (and convince a couple of friends to try the game out). I hope you took them as such.

[TheFlannelBeard]

In reply to the OP post, ill simply copy and paste a conversation I had with my friend about this just last night.


My buddy:
yea man 'll check it out I'll let you know when I get it!

Me:
i can show you the ropes. theres a lot to it but a lot of fun.
if you DO play it.... just go balls to the wall. if you die who cares. thats the only way to learn the ropes...

Edited by TheFlannelBeard, 30 June 2014 - 11:28 AM.

[xe N on]

ProtoformX, on 30 June 2014 - 10:56 AM, said:

This is also frustrating for the players that have been around a while. In it's current state, the matchmaker is willing to toss complete newbs in with top-tier Elo groups. It's mind boggling. You'll have such a huge disparity in skill some players are doing 2 damage and some are doing 900. The **** is that?

Yeah, some player doeing 2 damage can be top tier. There are people that win the entire match for an incompetent team doing less then 100 damage by capping.

[Willard Phule]

ProtoformX, on 30 June 2014 - 10:56 AM, said:

This is also frustrating for the players that have been around a while. In it's current state, the matchmaker is willing to toss complete newbs in with top-tier Elo groups. It's mind boggling. You'll have such a huge disparity in skill some players are doing 2 damage and some are doing 900. The **** is that?

That's pretty much what I've been screaming about. Unfortunately, according to the White Knights and the Noobs, this is the way it's supposed to be. AND we, the unwashed masses of the PUG, are supposed to hold their hands and wipe their noses as they try to figure out something that is completely beyond their abilities.

Screech, on 30 June 2014 - 11:15 AM, said:

People complaining about their competition not being good enough? I am not going to hold my breath on this one.

I was thinking more along the lines of "it doesn't matter what the PUGgers say, PGI doesn't care" and "if one of the special Private Match people were to tell PGI that the public matchmaker is completely borked, they're more likely to listen" than anything else. At least they're the target audience.

[Funkadelic Mayhem]

It would be nice for the people who are not beginners to not be put on teams with beginners also. No offense, but its tiresome.
PGI should only have cadets fight cadets and up the cadet bonuses to 50 or 100 matches. Then no top end Elo's EVER getting put against low end Elos.

But apparently we dont have the player base for such an idea, that would keep new players around for at least a bit longer.

PGi aslo needs a tutorial on torso twisting, not standing still, not standing in the open, cover is your friend and what a NARC signal is.

[wanderer]

I mean, let's look at the matchmaker preview for how wide an ELO differential we get in some matches.



More specifically...



We're talking 1K+ differences between pilots here on the same team to get a "team" that averages according to this, no more than 500 difference in "average" ELO...how even a team is that?



(Source for above, Bryan Eckman's Twitter)

[Funkadelic Mayhem]

wanderer, on 30 June 2014 - 02:18 PM, said:

I mean, let's look at the matchmaker preview for how wide an ELO differential we get in some matches.



More specifically...



We're talking 1K+ differences between pilots here on the same team to get a "team" that averages according to this, no more than 500 difference in "average" ELO...how even a team is that?



(Source for above, Bryan Eckman's Twitter)

[wanderer]

And then, let's look at this one again.



Note that in some cases, ELO variance is actually higher than the actual average ELO of the group in question.

#67869. The second team has an average ELO of 1021. The -variance- is 1,224.

#68084. The team average ELOs are 895/991, the variance is 1,072/1,295.

[Kiiyor]

Zurakci, on 29 June 2014 - 03:05 PM, said:

So I have noticed that this game is not beginner friendly. Its actually "Have Skill or git rekt." and I personally have nothing against it since I have played Mechwarrior games before. But... I have tried to get over 10 people to play this. All with same results. Its either have Skill from before, or get wrecked, and to be honest, the tutorial is not really a good help, and the training grounds would be good if you could play with people. Having a person host instead of running on your (Oh so pricey) Servers could be a thing to train with a lance and such.

Its just... I see games building their way to make it all good for the new players so they can learn and like the game. Warframe is a perfect example of this. Their next update will feature more new player friendliness and more new player fun.
Planetside 2 is trying to go more and more for the new players. They are not good, cause their DEV team is a cluster in my opinion, but they are giving us a little by little.

I just wish to play with my friends in this game. I wish to give you guys more gamers, but I cant do that if the game cannot welcome the players with open arms.. Or with mechs that are ready to spread some serious Dakka.

All in all.. Moar new player friendliness. Please.

Yep, this is a problem. I remember being jubilant the first time I ever cracked 200 damage, and it took me a while. The first time I ever broke 500 was in my Awesome, and I just sat there staring open mouthed at the screen, secure in my Awesomeness. When I started, I also invited friends to play, and only a handful had had the patience and willpower to stick it out.

There are some amazing guilds in the faction forums that would almost certainly help new players settle in, but leaping into a guild after installing the game isn't always a newbies first port of call, in my experience. Also, I know when I install a game, the forums are most certainly not the first place I visit.... the game itself is.

What the game needs is either a full and decent tutorial, a REEEALY good beginners guide with video and the like, or some basic AI in the training grounds with proximity or loadout triggered screen tips. A few scattered tooltips and basic videos on the install screens does not a tutorial make.

We know there is AI in base turrets (and I know the devs will be busy with CW now) but imagine if the training grounds had mechs moving in patterns, that fired or reacted depending on proximity. I.E. approach a fast Jenner running in a circle, and some in game text along the lines of:

"Try to time your shots to coincide with the enemy moving either directly away from or towards you, they are much easier to hit"

Or

"Press R to target this Atlas. Notice it's right torso has no Armour, and is moderately damaged. Try to concentrate your fire there"

Or, you approach an AC20 / SRM Atlas, and it fires an Alpha at you:

"Careful! Press R to target that enemy. Notice it's loadout. That mech is loaded with short range destructive power. Try to engage it at range"