8 replies to this topic

[ScottyBear]

First time poster, long time player.

I don't want this to come off as a gripe, a whine, a "such and such is OP" or any such thing. I have a legit question about the gameplay I'm experiencing.

I played for a few years, left for a while and then returned late 2024. I ground my way up from T5 to what I felt was my natural balance point in mid T3. I settled there for the last 6 months or so and enjoyed the ups and downs, the varied players that come with being in the middle, and the good with the bad. I realize and accept that what I do and what I run / build is my ladder to climb or slide to go down. No question about that at all.

The last, say, 6 weeks for me has been an absolute and frustrating effort in futility. My tier has slid dramatically (I know it's not important but using it as a metric), my frustration has increased, my effect on matches is less, I die quicker therefore my damage is down and my enjoyment has occasionally turned to saltiness on coms and generally just being a schmuck. For that, I issue a heartfelt apology. Nobody wants to play with jerks and I'm becoming one it seems.

All things being equal.

1.Same 2 or 3 fav mechs. I don't vary much and play what I like. Meta, not meta, etc. They are what they are and are unchanged throughout the time frame. They got me to where I am (was, actually) and held me there comfortably for months.

2. Same playstyle, same weight class, etc. I didn't decide to be an Assault brawler after being a Medium flanker / harasser after years. I is what I is.

3. Same server, same time of day, same days of the week, etc. Nothing has changed there.

4. Same computer, settings, monitor, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

5. Same me. No life changes.

So, the question here is, has something drastically shifted recently with the player base to where matches are suddenly much harder and more lopsided? Is the ongoing event bringing out that many more superior players? Am I developing age related lack of skills in an accelerated way? Has the omnipotent matchmaker decided to cast me out and down to the depths? I would understand if I had changed time of day, started running new and foreign playstyle builds or had my favs nerfed, or had been sick or in an accident. None of these apply.

I've been around long enough that I recognize most of you here and have probably dropped matches with you. I'm asking for your opinions and possibilities here, not just the obligatory "git gud" and / or "your mech isn't meta". I get that, i really do, but what I play and how I play it got me to "X" amount of success / failure and more importantly an amount of enjoyment I could definitely live with. I didn't want for more but certainly did not expect to experience a daily amount of so much less.

Thanks gang...SB

[BlueDevilspawn]

6 weeks ago is roughly 2 weeks before CS25 started which is when some teams begin prepping. Two things typically happen during this time.

1. There may be stretches during Thursdays or Saturdays (NA) when the best players who may help sway matches are playing only comp queue. This reduces the number of players who may sway matches in your favor or balance against those on an opposing team.

2. Similarly, these same players may "test" out builds in QP in groups on the off queue days and being on point with their mechanics may just dunk on QP lobbies.

Anyway, just a thought given that CS is the biggest event (with biggest prizes/freebies) of the year.

[Void Angel]

ScottyBear, on 16 September 2025 - 07:46 AM, said:

First time poster, long time player.

I don't want this to come off as a gripe, a whine, a "such and such is OP" or any such thing. I have a legit question about the gameplay I'm experiencing.

I played for a few years, left for a while and then returned late 2024. I ground my way up from T5 to what I felt was my natural balance point in mid T3. I settled there for the last 6 months or so and enjoyed the ups and downs, the varied players that come with being in the middle, and the good with the bad. I realize and accept that what I do and what I run / build is my ladder to climb or slide to go down. No question about that at all.

The last, say, 6 weeks for me has been an absolute and frustrating effort in futility. My tier has slid dramatically (I know it's not important but using it as a metric), my frustration has increased, my effect on matches is less, I die quicker therefore my damage is down and my enjoyment has occasionally turned to saltiness on coms and generally just being a schmuck. For that, I issue a heartfelt apology. Nobody wants to play with jerks and I'm becoming one it seems.

All things being equal.

1.Same 2 or 3 fav mechs. I don't vary much and play what I like. Meta, not meta, etc. They are what they are and are unchanged throughout the time frame. They got me to where I am (was, actually) and held me there comfortably for months.

2. Same playstyle, same weight class, etc. I didn't decide to be an Assault brawler after being a Medium flanker / harasser after years. I is what I is.

3. Same server, same time of day, same days of the week, etc. Nothing has changed there.

4. Same computer, settings, monitor, etc., etc., ad nauseum.

5. Same me. No life changes.

So, the question here is, has something drastically shifted recently with the player base to where matches are suddenly much harder and more lopsided? Is the ongoing event bringing out that many more superior players? Am I developing age related lack of skills in an accelerated way? Has the omnipotent matchmaker decided to cast me out and down to the depths? I would understand if I had changed time of day, started running new and foreign playstyle builds or had my favs nerfed, or had been sick or in an accident. None of these apply.

I've been around long enough that I recognize most of you here and have probably dropped matches with you. I'm asking for your opinions and possibilities here, not just the obligatory "git gud" and / or "your mech isn't meta". I get that, i really do, but what I play and how I play it got me to "X" amount of success / failure and more importantly an amount of enjoyment I could definitely live with. I didn't want for more but certainly did not expect to experience a daily amount of so much less.

Thanks gang...SB

I wouldn't characterize it as "being you," but I suspect what's happening is meta drift. Forgive me if you're familiar (it seems you might be,) but the metagame isn't just what builds, mechanics, and 'mechs are successfully being played. It's also how players experience those factors and respond to them - what I term "meta drift" is when general player behaviors start to feel off from what I'm used to. When you came back in 2024, a lot of stuff was different, and you took a bit to adjust - I had the same experience when I quit, and returned a few years back, so I know it was more than just the new weapons, 'mechs, and et cetera. Part of transitioning back into the game and recovering your skills was relearning a feel for how your teammates and opponents were going to act. Those actions will shift over time, but they'll also respond to external shocks, to borrow the term from economics.

There have been a number of shocks in the last month and a half or so. The Beach Party event opened, the Bullshark was released, Comp season opened, just off the top of my head. So it sounds like what's happening is those things are disrupting how people behave (e.g. more LRM boats to farm damage for the loot bags,) and it's screwing up how accurately you're able to predict the behaviors of other players at a gut level. Branch out into new play styles and see if that helps break you out of the slump.

[LordNothing]

mm is like that some times. sometimes im in danger of dropping into t4, sometimes im in t2, psr likes to ping pong a lot. playing off peak usual means less effective match making (or in some cases none at all). population was recently down though it has recovered a little bit as of last month. its also comp season maybe you are running into training groups. there are also 2 active events and people always seem to play worse during an event.

Edited by LordNothing, Yesterday, 09:54 AM.

[FatManBlue]

Matchmaker's been broke for years now. Just something you have to endure if you enjoy shooty shooty mech games. I love the game, have hated the matchmaker since.... years now. They did some kinda of update way back in the day that screwed that pooch but good. But, I like the game, so I endure.

[Void Angel]

The only things that have changed with the matchmaker is the introduction of matchmaking tiers to partially separate the higher-performing players from lower-performing players - and the reset and rework of that PSR system to eliminate a design flaw.

[ScottyBear]

Void Angel, on 16 September 2025 - 09:47 AM, said:

I wouldn't characterize it as "being you," but I suspect what's happening is meta drift. Forgive me if you're familiar (it seems you might be,) but the metagame isn't just what builds, mechanics, and 'mechs are successfully being played. It's also how players experience those factors and respond to them - what I term "meta drift" is when general player behaviors start to feel off from what I'm used to. When you came back in 2024, a lot of stuff was different, and you took a bit to adjust - I had the same experience when I quit, and returned a few years back, so I know it was more than just the new weapons, 'mechs, and et cetera. Part of transitioning back into the game and recovering your skills was relearning a feel for how your teammates and opponents were going to act. Those actions will shift over time, but they'll also respond to external shocks, to borrow the term from economics.

There have been a number of shocks in the last month and a half or so. The Beach Party event opened, the Bullshark was released, Comp season opened, just off the top of my head. So it sounds like what's happening is those things are disrupting how people behave (e.g. more LRM boats to farm damage for the loot bags,) and it's screwing up how accurately you're able to predict the behaviors of other players at a gut level. Branch out into new play styles and see if that helps break you out of the slump.

This is definitely the best description of what I've been experiencing the last few weeks. Is it "THE" answer, that is never truly known.

Matches have gone from the expected "Oh, I know half those streamers and try-hards on the red team, this is gonna suck." and the inverse of "I see a bunch of cadets and trial mechs, this should be a roll." to something like "HOLY &#^%, WHAT THE HELL HOW ARE THEY SO FAST HOW DID I MISS THAT WHERE"S MY TEAM HOW DID THAT GUY HIT ME FROM THERE I SUCK SOOOOOO MUCH!!!!" This I experienced and expected once I made the jump to T3 and was now exposed the whole of the player base, but I dealt and even learned from it.

This......I know it's just a game and I've been around it quite a while, but wow!

[Void Angel]

It's not just other players; we drift too, without realizing it all the time. Best way I know to snap out of it is to switch to something I normally don't play, and just see where it takes me. Sometimes just the act of playing an LRM boat or picking my Lights back up will put me back into a better mindset where I'm expecting to screw up because I don't play this 'mech/build/class a lot, so I'm not as frustrated - and therefore more mentally flexible. It's a scientific observation that people who are angry don't do as well with higher reasoning and similar functions.

[GuardDogg]

Many will dislike this, but I say it is time to bring back "fall down". Bring Battletech back into MWO, for DFA. It will help balance a lot out.

Edited by GuardDogg, Today, 01:32 PM.