21 replies to this topic

[WolvesX]

Hey Warriors,

do you have the same problem, that the search time for games is that high sometimes that you tab out of the game (like right now) to do something else while you wait?

Seeing sometimes four AFKs at the start of a match I think others might so the same.

Do you think that might be true?

4chan?

Edited by WolvesX, 28 March 2017 - 03:26 AM.

[Shifty McSwift]

Very much so sir.

Probably not all 4chan though.

Edited by Shifty McSwift, 28 March 2017 - 03:31 AM.

[El Bandito]

If people start playing MWO in full window instead of full screen, they can easily tell when a match starts to load, even when tabbed out. Unless they went full ****** and watch videos in full screen--in that case, not even Jesus can help them.

[razenWing]

I admit, I do that. I can't focus that much on the game if loading and searching takes just as long as the actual gameplay. I wish PGI can streamline the process, but with the low population, I guess it's the best we're gonna get.

(Which is actually distracting sometimes, I would be more focused on paused youtube video than the match, when the match does start)

(which begs the question, why do it? I guess I don't find the idea of staring at a spinning wheel for 5 minutes exhilarating...)

[Kanil]

El Bandito, on 28 March 2017 - 03:40 AM, said:

If people start playing MWO in full window instead of full screen, they can easily tell when a match starts to load, even when tabbed out. Unless they went full ****** and watch videos in full screen--in that case, not even Jesus can help them.

The match starting to load doesn't mean it's time to play though. Hell, the match finishing loading doesn't mean it's time to play now. I'm typing this very post during the "everyone ready up" countdown... and there's not really any warning when the actual gameplay begins.

[Scyther]

I click on QP which starts the search. I alt-tab to forums or google something interesting (like, 'why does my tummy growl when I'm hungry?"). I can see when the voting window pops in the background, so I click and vote, alt-tab back to browser. I keep my sound on so after that I just alt-tab back when it says 'Weapons Online'. I'm not only *not* AFK, I'm generally the first one moving out on my team.

Given that the process from 'Click Play' to 'Weapons Online' often takes 2-3 minutes, yeah there's no way I'm sitting there staring at an inactive window for that long.

(Edit: and for heavens sake people, alt-tab back into the window or click it while in cockpit startup sequence. The whole 'whoops sorry for shooting off all your back armor I clicked the window' thing is moronic.)

Edited by MadBadger, 28 March 2017 - 04:39 AM.

[El Bandito]

Kanil, on 28 March 2017 - 04:31 AM, said:

The match starting to load doesn't mean it's time to play though. Hell, the match finishing loading doesn't mean it's time to play now. I'm typing this very post during the "everyone ready up" countdown... and there's not really any warning when the actual gameplay begins.

If match is done loading (which is noticeable when tabbed out) and you still do not get into the game, then your attention span is simply too short. Can't help you there.

Edited by El Bandito, 28 March 2017 - 04:55 AM.

[Kanil]

El Bandito, on 28 March 2017 - 04:53 AM, said:

If match is done loading (which is noticeable when tabbed out) and you still do not get into the game, then your attention span is simply too short. Can't help you there.

I dunno man, it seems perfectly reasonable to keep doing what I was doing while waiting for the match to be made and load, than to drop everything... ... to wait for another 60-90 seconds.

I'm sure you've probably played more than I have, but even in my humble couple thousand matches, that's still nearly 40 hours of just waiting for everyone to ready up, after all the matchmaking and loading.

Edit: I mean, really. Not wanting to watch the matchmaker spin for 90s is reasonable and fine, not wanting to watch the loadscreen for 60s is reasonable and fine, but not wanting to watch a 90s countdown is my attention span being "simply too short"?

Edited by Kanil, 28 March 2017 - 05:09 AM.

[Wildstreak]

When I need to Alt-Tab out or do something else, I click this amazing thing called the Cancel button so I do not join a match and shaft 11 people.
If I have to wait for a match, I wait on screen.
Only once recently did I have to leave a match in process and it was not to Alt-Tab.

Edited by Wildstreak, 28 March 2017 - 06:00 AM.

[El Bandito]

Kanil, on 28 March 2017 - 05:06 AM, said:

Edit: I mean, really. Not wanting to watch the matchmaker spin for 90s is reasonable and fine, not wanting to watch the loadscreen for 60s is reasonable and fine, but not wanting to watch a 90s countdown is my attention span being "simply too short"?

Absolutely. Because once everyone is connected, the timer immediately drops down to 9 seconds. Nine seconds. And base count down is 75 seconds, BTW.

[Dee Eight]

Start of the match...say something over voip... it'll come out the afk's speakers unless they've disabled the chat/voip altogether.

[Kanil]

El Bandito, on 28 March 2017 - 06:54 AM, said:

Absolutely. Because once everyone is connected, the timer immediately drops down to 9 seconds. Nine seconds. And base count down is 75 seconds, BTW.

... and it only drops to 9 seconds after everyone's loaded, which often takes a large part of the countdown anyway. If someone disconnects (or loads really slowly) the counter will tick all the way down. Waiting after you've loaded is still a significant part of the whole waiting experience... and is no more exciting than any of the other waiting periods.

(As for 75 vs 90, I just assumed it was 90. I figured folks with SSDs would get the timer going before I loaded in. Good to know, I suppose.)

[Mystere]

I just have one comment to make: People do not have a second computer or a secondary device like a tablet?

[El Bandito]

Kanil, on 28 March 2017 - 08:34 AM, said:

... and it only drops to 9 seconds after everyone's loaded, which often takes a large part of the countdown anyway. If someone disconnects (or loads really slowly) the counter will tick all the way down. Waiting after you've loaded is still a significant part of the whole waiting experience... and is no more exciting than any of the other waiting periods.

(As for 75 vs 90, I just assumed it was 90. I figured folks with SSDs would get the timer going before I loaded in. Good to know, I suppose.)

And all of that comment is nullifed by the fact that you can see your pilot doing the start up sequence in the bottom part of your monitor. As long as you are paying attention.

[Foxwalker]

I am not sure about Grouped queue. My personal feeling is that matches load too quickly (in PUG queue). I think that this is due to the matchmaker widening the search criteria quickly to get the game going faster as it cannot find enough players in adjacent tiers to fill out the match. My thinking is they should bring back 8 man to allow for better team play synergy.

[Trev Firestorm]

Kanil, on 28 March 2017 - 04:31 AM, said:

The match starting to load doesn't mean it's time to play though. Hell, the match finishing loading doesn't mean it's time to play now. I'm typing this very post during the "everyone ready up" countdown... and there's not really any warning when the actual gameplay begins.

If you have transparent taskbar you can usually see your mech startup animation

[Wildstreak]

El Bandito, on 28 March 2017 - 06:54 AM, said:

Absolutely. Because once everyone is connected, the timer immediately drops down to 9 seconds. Nine seconds. And base count down is 75 seconds, BTW.

Actually drop timer for QP starts around 82, I have joined matches as one of the first two and seen it.
If you normally see less, you joined later than the first people who got in.

[Wil McCullough]

anyone else notices that assault pilots tend to be the ones who afk?

i seldom see anyone from alpha and bravo lances afk in my games. it's always the assaults in charlie that pull this afk nonsense.

[Jubblator]

The solution is 2 screens, one you watch Snuggles time or Moltenmetal or Kanajashi on, the other you have your game frantically searching for those mechs hiding somewhere in the abyss of Quickplay queue.

Edited by Jubblator, 28 March 2017 - 11:07 PM.

[Xetelian]

The game icon flashes when screens change in the game. So when you hit search, tab out, it'll flash when you get to map select. Then once you voted and tabbed out it'll flash again when match is loading.


I usually just alt tab till map vote.


It flashes again when it goes from in game to mechlab. If you died, then alt tabbed, as I tend to do.

Edited by Xetelian, 29 March 2017 - 01:51 AM.