43 replies to this topic

[KingCobra]

I could not agree with you more hope to see you soon on the battlefield Kapusta11

[Sagamore]

I hope to see this happen as well. Last time it was tried was for "Freelancer" players who could only respond to call to arms or something like that. It was set up to fail. With the one bucket, a solo queue could be very possible.

[Chagatay]

It was implemented the wrong way last time. A quick play faction warfare for solo queue would absolutely work with the framework we have now (I suspect it would be highly popular). Same as quickplay but with respawns is very fun especially for modes like conquest. Releasing the fun for solo queue seems like a logical step. The solo mode wouldn't need much work either (don't need that map nonsense at all just a button on the UI). It could have a matchmaker and everything. Clan/IS balance could be addressed using stats from this gamemode.....etc etc etc......

[BearFlag]

Chagatay, on 21 December 2016 - 11:21 PM, said:

It was implemented the wrong way last time. A quick play faction warfare for solo queue would absolutely work with the framework we have now (I suspect it would be highly popular). Same as quickplay but with respawns is very fun especially for modes like conquest. Releasing the fun for solo queue seems like a logical step. The solo mode wouldn't need much work either (don't need that map nonsense at all just a button on the UI). It could have a matchmaker and everything. Clan/IS balance could be addressed using stats from this gamemode.....etc etc etc......

It would not only be popular, it would probably kill their beloved unit/group mode. Here's what really happened:

"Solo" queue (incorrectly named) was never tested because some solos were split from launch. One solo group was Freelancer/non-unit players and the other single-member unit players. Further, PGI HAD to do this because they needed fillers for the unit group/FP group queue. Otherwise, group play would have needed some perfect sum of 12 or large numbers of {multi-member unit players dropping solo (MUPs)} to launch games. In summary:

1) solo was split from day one to prevent group play from flopping
2) PUG queue (better name) was tested only briefly
3) it was concurrent with the launch of FP 3 and Scout

A true solo queue would have included single-member unit players. It ~could~ have included MUPs. But this would surely have wrecked group play.

So the question is - can a solo queue work with those three feeds and can group play survive with MUPs as filler? I suspect group would tank. Solo would depend on implementation. Therein lies the problem. Just about any solo/QP for FW that succeeds would almost certainly siphon off needed fillers for group.

As has been said for 2.5 years now, FW has deep and serious problems that cause the population conundrum. Since these are unlikely to be addressed even with some the low effort ideas offered in this forum, it's hard to see a way to rescue group play in the shadow of FW solo play success.

For solo, there would be no chicken/egg problem. Properly done with a matchmaker (and other tweaks), it would thrive. It would have been a great way to include the player base in a MWO "universe." Unfortunately, the fleshing out never happened. FW is shallow. There's not much "universe."

In the end, it's not "solo" that failed or even less that it would fail if earnestly tried. But rather, how do you save grouped play? How to keep it hobbling along and producing matches? From a design perspective, I could offer a battery of ideas - but none really compelling until you start talking "substantial time investment." It would be nice to see the low effort improvements (not solutions) but - I don't know. PGI? Please?

I expect FW to continue largely as is. It is a perverted marriage between solo/QP players and a group mode. It is a marriage in which divorce destroys FW group play - ostensibly its only remaining raison d'etre.

Edited by BearFlag, 06 July 2017 - 09:20 PM.