7 replies to this topic

[Pahrias]

Just couple of ideas Ive had over the years that might help, in some small way, the MM find better "balanced" matches. (Aside from the obvious of getting lot more players )

- Allow small groups of 2-3 into the QP queue. This idea is mainly aimed at improving the experience of small groups, as its often the case that many smaller groups will get pitted against much larger groups. The tonnage restrictions help, but teamwork is OP so its not as helpful as you might think. The downside to this would possibly be much longer wait times in group queue, which lead me to the next idea:

- Merge the queues completely, but make the MM only match groups of similar size, and fill the rest out with pugs. for example, if you have a group of 3, it will first find a group of 2-4 then pad the rest with solos. It would have to be limited to one "group" per side, per match.
I've had a few games in FP where this was the case, like 6 a side with pug support, and usually those are pretty good games. I do realize that FP is a totally different game mode so comparisons are largely moot but still.

well those are my ideas, discuss, throw your ideas out and happy hunting.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

Small groups are already in QP. 2 people is a group.

The practical reality is we likely will see solo que merged with group queue as the population drops. When that happens is another question altogether.

[C E Dwyer]

Hope your bomb shelter is deep, because when I suggested small groups of 2-3 counter balanced by a similliar group on the other team about two months back the flak flew thickly.

I didn't even suggest that both ques should be merged.

If I'm getting what your saying correctly, your suggesting that the only groups allowed in the game above three, only happen in Faction play ?

I do actually see nothing wrong with your suggestion, it's sound, it would work, but I think it would reduce the population further if it went through, because there would be so much resistance in the community over it.

I do think though, we might try playing the game, with match maker switched on, and working correctly, before such big changes are implemented.

The valves on the different tier buckets are opening so quickly T5's and 4's are getting placed against T2's and 1's, something that P.G.I said couldn't happen, yet there is solid proof it's happening.

I think P.G.I should get that working properly, and we see how the match quality and the wait times go up first, before anything is changed, as it usually doesn't improve things, in the long term

[Pahrias]

Cathy, on 29 November 2016 - 02:38 PM, said:

Hope your bomb shelter is deep, because when I suggested small groups of 2-3 counter balanced by a similliar group on the other team about two months back the flak flew thickly.

I didn't even suggest that both ques should be merged.

If I'm getting what your saying correctly, your suggesting that the only groups allowed in the game above three, only happen in Faction play ?

I do actually see nothing wrong with your suggestion, it's sound, it would work, but I think it would reduce the population further if it went through, because there would be so much resistance in the community over it.

I do think though, we might try playing the game, with match maker switched on, and working correctly, before such big changes are implemented.

The valves on the different tier buckets are opening so quickly T5's and 4's are getting placed against T2's and 1's, something that P.G.I said couldn't happen, yet there is solid proof it's happening.

I think P.G.I should get that working properly, and we see how the match quality and the wait times go up first, before anything is changed, as it usually doesn't improve things, in the long term

I agree my ideas are more of band aid based on low population, and that i would much prefer a working system, but if PGIs track record stays the course as it were, then that is unlikely to happen. Unless some how we get a large influx of new players, but thats a different problem.
Also, no i dont mean that groups larger than 3 would only be in FP. If group of 12 wants to run in QP then MM would have to find a group of say, 9-12.
And yes my shelter is deep, im familiar with the venom that can happen on the forums. ultimately, i only want to see more people having more fun. if my ideas help that then great, if not, well they are only ideas

[Pahrias]

and yes boogie ive seen 2 mans in QP many times, but they arent officially "grouped" and i havent seen any major disparity between the teams because of this. allowing you to take a single wing man into the QP queue, i feel, wouldnt hurt the current balance much, if at all, and would greatly help new players get a feel for the game with out being dropped against much more experienced groups. for example, i had a friend irl who wanted to try this game, so i dropped with him and more often than not we were against vastly superior groups. Im T1 so it bumped us up because of that, but he was brand new. short of having a PvE this is the only way to train new players, and its disheartening for a new player getting roflstomped time after time.

[S 0 L E N Y A]

ummmm, I think I am missing something here. Are we using QP to mean just SOLO PUG QUICK PLAY?

If so, then I think I see what you are saying.
Personally, I would not care but I think the average solo pug would not fair very well in that circumstance. A pair of coordinated top notch pilots could wreck some real havoc in the solo queue.

Again, I think the population numbers are going to make things like this the reality sooner than later, regardless of whether we think they are good ideas or not.

[Davers]

Pahrias, on 29 November 2016 - 03:10 PM, said:

and yes boogie ive seen 2 mans in QP many times, but they arent officially "grouped" and i havent seen any major disparity between the teams because of this. allowing you to take a single wing man into the QP queue, i feel, wouldnt hurt the current balance much, if at all, and would greatly help new players get a feel for the game with out being dropped against much more experienced groups. for example, i had a friend irl who wanted to try this game, so i dropped with him and more often than not we were against vastly superior groups. Im T1 so it bumped us up because of that, but he was brand new. short of having a PvE this is the only way to train new players, and its disheartening for a new player getting roflstomped time after time.

What you have personally observed doesn't matter as much as statistical evidence. For example, there are lights, mediums, heavy, and assault mechs in every match, but when you look at the statistics, assaults win more than heavies, who win more than mediums, who win more than lights. The numbers show that grouped players win more matches than ungrouped players. If everyone is fine with this, cool. But don't pretend that there is no advantage being given to the groups.

[El Bandito]

Leave any size of groups out of the solo-q. Period.




That said I do have a suggestion. To prevent potential abuse of comp players teaming up and massacring the solo-q as well as padding their event stats, but also allowing other people to help their newbie friends, I suggest that PGI should create a "Training queue". Now "Training queue" can have up to 3-man small groups joining it on top of solo players. However, there will be little or no C-Bill/XP rewards compared to pug queue, and it will not count towards leaderboards, and events such as challenges and tournaments. It is just for people trying out new builds, or helping to train their newbie friends to get better at the game.

So, what do you say?

Edited by El Bandito, 29 November 2016 - 06:08 PM.