37 replies to this topic

[Growlly]

It seems like this would be a common problem, so I thought I'd ask. I'm Tier 3 and I have a couple buddies--one Tier 4, three newer Tier 5 to my knowledge. I think we're good players in the sense that was discussed in that other active topic--we try to have fun, can aim decently, have discussions about our builds so we're not piloting garbage, can take orders, coordinate, don't complain publicly unless it's heinous or concerning (or an angry dad just needs some extra attention), etc.

We've tried to play group QP a few times recently. On the last two nights we played, we constantly went up against people like solitude and proton dropping with their friends. What I'm getting at is that it's getting increasingly difficult to convince people to play this game when the only unrestricted game mode we can play together is basically Clubbed Seal Simulator 2018. "C'mon guys, we just need to pour hundreds or thousands of hours into 'git gud' so we can finally have fun together" just isn't going to fly, given all the other games out there.

Edited by Growlly, 08 January 2018 - 10:55 AM.

[Brizna]

Only in small groups (2-4) and even then groups of casuals will tend to lose more than win, reason being that as your group grows it will have more responsbility to carry your team and let's face it one doesn't name oneself casual for its countless hours of practice both of individual and coordination skills.

[MechaBattler]

It depends on how casual you are. The smaller your group. The more tonnage you get to play with. But if it's just four of you and you all drop in lights. Your team will shorted on it's potential tonnage. And the bigger your group, the tighter the tonnage restriction, which means you're expected to coordinate more and carry harder. So it really depends on how big your group is and how willing they are to use the maximum tonnage available to the group.

[Growlly]

MechaBattler, on 08 January 2018 - 11:11 AM, said:

It depends on how casual you are. The smaller your group. The more tonnage you get to play with. But if it's just four of you and you all drop in lights. Your team will shorted on it's potential tonnage. And the bigger your group, the tighter the tonnage restriction, which means you're expected to coordinate more and carry harder. So it really depends on how big your group is and how willing they are to use the maximum tonnage available to the group.

We usually play with 4, and we always try to use up the tonnage available to us, within 5 or 10 tons. I have the most mechs, so I just try to flex around whatever they're doing.

[El Bandito]

Growlly, on 08 January 2018 - 10:54 AM, said:

We've tried to play group QP a few times recently. On the last two nights we played, we constantly went up against people like solitude and proton dropping with their friends. What I'm getting at is that it's getting increasingly difficult to convince people to play this game when the only unrestricted game mode we can play together is basically Clubbed Seal Simulator 2018. "C'mon guys, we just need to pour hundreds or thousands of hours into 'git gud' so we can finally have fun together" just isn't going to fly, given all the other games out there.

GQ is indeed tough. People asked PGI to include small groups in SQ, but that will screw over solo droppers hard. Have you perhaps thought of joining a unit with your buddies and do Faction Play?

[Asym]

OK, this is one of "those questions" that the answer can vary from extreme to extreme.....

Here's my take, my opinion, as a T2, Super Spud and Grand Master Potato (say aye-up, eh?!) here less than 1 year:

Most of the elite players will help new players and often do so without asking. They want a better game as well.


Any group play with a broken MM is problematic; so,if you have group dropped in QP "ask those names you recognize for advice !" Ask to team with them for that match and for Christ's sake: listen to what they say.....

I hate being clubbed to: especially, in a que you would hope was safer than the potato masher called FP.

Edited by Asym, 08 January 2018 - 11:29 AM.

[sycocys]

Isn't 4 players the perfect size for the scouting mode?

Might still run into the harder teams, but at least it wouldn't be 12 of them.

[Leone]

You could try hopping into Community Warfare as a break from group queue, scouting or invasion to taste, or switching, using one as a break from the other. When I was lan gaming with friends, we always preferred CW to group queue. Of course, it has it's own pitfalls as well, but you could rotate through each mode, finding one ya'll do best with,

~Leone.

[GBxGhostRider]

Well Growlly I know where your coming from me and my friends only play MWO in the free private drop system when we do play.

The reason is there are no big organized groups to seal club you like in QP or FP and it is just a lot of fun playing with just your friends or others in fun casual game play in fact the private play system in MWO is to my opinion the best part of MWO.

Plus in private play you don't get killed in just a few shots your mechs last for a bit like mechwarrior should be played.
But you don't get any rewards just a heck of a lot of fun game play.

Edited by GBxGhostRider, 08 January 2018 - 12:00 PM.

[Growlly]

El Bandito, on 08 January 2018 - 11:23 AM, said:

GQ is indeed tough. People asked PGI to include small groups in SQ, but that will screw over solo droppers hard. Have you perhaps thought of joining a unit with your buddies and do Faction Play?

Agreed, but why can't we just play against other people like us? Insert "The Tiers, they do nothing!" Radioactive Man meme.

sycocys, on 08 January 2018 - 11:44 AM, said:

Isn't 4 players the perfect size for the scouting mode?
Might still run into the harder teams, but at least it wouldn't be 12 of them.

Leone, on 08 January 2018 - 11:47 AM, said:

You could try hopping into Community Warfare as a break from group queue, scouting or invasion to taste, or switching, using one as a break from the other. When I was lan gaming with friends, we always preferred CW to group queue. Of course, it has it's own pitfalls as well, but you could rotate through each mode, finding one ya'll do best with,
~Leone.

We did play a bunch of scouting, and yeah we did plenty well enough that it didn't wreck our fun. Unfortunately it started to get old for everyone after a few nights because it's one mode, both sides play in the same 3 or 4 mechs, and always go for legs, y'know?

[sycocys]

Growlly, on 08 January 2018 - 12:15 PM, said:

We did play a bunch of scouting, and yeah we did plenty well enough that it didn't wreck our fun. Unfortunately it started to get old for everyone after a few nights because it's one mode, both sides play in the same 3 or 4 mechs, and always go for legs, y'know?

Well then I'd just say hop on the various TS groups and find 8 other people that want to roll in FP.

[Growlly]

sycocys, on 08 January 2018 - 12:28 PM, said:

Well then I'd just say hop on the various TS groups and find 8 other people that want to roll in FP.

I'll test Asym's theory by asking: is there a list of them somewhere, and is there any protocol to follow?

[Suko]

To be honest: No. I don't think there's much you can do to improve your games. It's really a crime how neglected the small groups are in MWO. I've been playing in a small group (2-3 guys) since closed beta and it's been really rough. My group has enough skill to hold our own, but we have to meta try hard EVERY match when we group drop, or else we know we're just screwin' our team over. The few times we don't take meta builds or put on our tryhard pants, we almost always lose.

It really does suck, because there's been a few friends who've wanted to get into MWO, but they just can't do it because group play is so atrocious to newbies and lower tier players. I have always voiced that the priority for MWO should be this order: Solos, then Small teams (<4 people) and then lastly, big groups/clans. Unfortunately, PGI seems to have gone all-in on the E-sport thing and the attempt to appease the big groups at the expense of the small groups. Remember, FW was supposed to be for these big groups and look what's happened to that mess after they chased off the pugs. At least solo play isn't an abyssal experience (if you enjoy playing without friends).

As Growlly has lamented, you can attempt to do solo-Q and hope to sync-drop with a buddy, or you go group Q and get rocked by the 10 man tier 1 team. If you can try and play during REALLY popular times, you might start getting some decent matches. But it does get tiresome. I haven't played since June or July. I can't get my friends to come back to the game. I guess they eventually had enough of the imbalance.

Edited by Suko, 08 January 2018 - 03:07 PM.

[sycocys]

Growlly, on 08 January 2018 - 02:48 PM, said:

I'll test Asym's theory by asking: is there a list of them somewhere, and is there any protocol to follow?

My unit uses a totally different software, but last time I used TS there were lists in each of the factions on the forums.

As for protocol, set your id to your in-game so people can add/find you in LFG easily - and just hop in the appropriate room for what you want to play (FP/group/scout/there will probably be training and some will have roleplay as well) and ask if they have room for 4 or how many ever of you are online.

[UnofficialOperator]

Just hope that there's 2v2 3v3 4v4 modes in Solaris then

[Gallius]

From a nubbin's perspective, yeah, grouping sucks. I convinced my SO to play after mentioning how scary well-played Lights are, but then I realized we basically couldn't group drop without both of us being miserable. Kind of sucks to get someone on board, then have to turn around and go, "Oh, nevermind. We can't play together. I guess we can solo drop and tell each other how the matches went?"

It'd be nice if you could do small party drops in solo QP. Possibly 2-4 players on each team, with everyone else being solo. A full Lance is where I'd stop, and I'm iffy about even that much. Two or maybe three players would be enough for friends to play together without the risk of super tryhard premades skewing the match too much.

[Shifty McSwift]

Well I mean anything that promotes actual team play and grouping in this team game is great.

Training people in lance tactics would be a good one, better paying group play and group vs group specific stats would be great too. The idea of units is all fine and well but the focus, particularly in the early stages for new players should be grouping up and pre-gaming (synergising builds, developing tactics), rather than the focus being on farming the madness of QP.

Edited by Shifty McSwift, 08 January 2018 - 07:47 PM.

[El Bandito]

Growlly, on 08 January 2018 - 12:15 PM, said:

Agreed, but why can't we just play against other people like us? Insert "The Tiers, they do nothing!" Radioactive Man meme.

GQ has less population than SQ, and add to the fact there are different sizes of groups, it makes MM far more difficult.

[Shifty McSwift]

UnofficialOperator, on 08 January 2018 - 07:05 PM, said:

Just hope that there's 2v2 3v3 4v4 modes in Solaris then

Also just to mix it up, 2v1, 3v1, 3v2, 4v3 etc.

[InvictusLee]

Nah