Casual Matchmaking: Good or Bad?

(DankBeretField) #1

This is a discussion about the new matchmaking system that makes the entire Dirty Bomb communities and Splash Damage gone wild. So, @stayfreshshoe ,@MissMurder and any other SD employees that cares about your game, PLEASE HEAR ME OUT!

As we all know, casual matchmaking system is the new replacement for the old, buggy server browser system (I said replacement because there are no ****ing way the server browser system is going with CMM, @Dox . No offense please don’t hate me.). The servers are a quick way to jump into a match if you want to. But this system has some issues.

  1. Buggy as ****: As with most of the things in DB, this system has a lot of bugs that can camouflage itself from the bugsprays. One of the most common one is that you can’t get into a server because it is full, even though it still have room for 4 more players
  2. Unbalanced match is common: I know how it works: Basically, any low level players that knows NOTHING about the mechanics about the game will be shoved into a team that has 1 good player. (Rest in pepperonis, my friend)
  3. Limited servers: in Asia, we got 6 normal Objective servers, 6 Stopwatchs, and a handful of Executions. That’s it. In North America, they have more servers, but most of them are empty while we have to deal with server management in Vietnam!

When CMM came in, we were excited. We thought that we wouldn’t need to think about the servers’ bugs. But when the public test is done, and when the forums is starting to fill up with this:‘CMM is buggy as ****’, we had to ask ourselves: is this worth the wait? And right now, I see a patern which I want to call it: '‘The Dirty Bomb’s ‘right decision’ Paradox".
If you remember it, before the Classy Art Hole went live, many people were excited about this new Crafting system which will solve this Trade Up shenanigans. But they were greeted with disappointment. The forums went full with bad will against the Crafting and Recycling system, how overpriced the Gold and Cobalt card is now. The same goes to the ‘Meet your Match’ TF2 update. Valve got rid of the good ol’ servers and add a stupid, completely unbalanced casual matchmaking system that is killing the game itself. Fortunately, TF2 is still hot, but I feared the same will happen to Dirty Bomb if Splash Damage decided to give us the buggy CMM system. It might succesfully kill Dirty Bomb, like Brink.

What can Splash do? Firstly, they can solve this by get rid ALL of the bugs still hiding inside the server and the CMM itself. Secondly, make the time to find a match quicker. Next, make sure our game will run smoothly like when the servers was still here. And last but not least, upgrade your balancing system so that any professional DB players won’t run into any noobs.

Sincerely,
canaryField.

(doxjq) #2

First off, CMM isn’t a replacement for the server browser. They’re both going to co-exist.

Secondly, the CMM test days were run to see if the system works and to find bugs. The reason they do the tests in the first place is to find the bugs and iron them out. CMM won’t be implemented until it’s working as intended™ (Kappa). I highly doubt they’re going to release it if they know it isn’t working properly.

Last but not least, matchmaking will never be perfect. You can’t really split the players completely. If you limit the high ranked players to only being able play other high ranked players, chances are they will almost never get a game. I mean CMM is supposed to help match us properly, but if there isn’t enough high ranked players online to form a game, it would be pretty stupid to tell them they can’t play at all even if there is an abundance of lower ranked guys playing.

Don’t forget there is ranked. Whether it’s dead or not, it is there and that is where matching ranks matters most. Public gameplay needs to have a little bit of squeezing room, because no one wants to wait a really long time to find a game. I think half the reason people play pub more so is because it’s quick and easy, and it kind of needs to stay that way.

(GatoCommodore) #3

[quote=“canaryField;32456”]This is a discussion about the new matchmaking system that makes the entire Dirty Bomb communities and Splash Damage gone wild. So, @stayfreshshoe ,@MissMurder and any other SD employees that cares about your game, PLEASE HEAR ME OUT!

Sincerely,
canaryField.[/quote]

for new players to be able to enjoy dirty bomb at launch, they should have CMM up and running by then. i too loved playing with matchmaking. the thing is, people complains about balance all the time.

Balance itself is something that exist beyond our realm of understanding and logic.

if i were playing Dota 2 Public Match, when we enter the matchmaking, people dont complain about levels or anything. people agrees that a guy is good at playing or has high skill because in the start of the game we dont know anything to expect what or how strong the enemies are.

people dont like being steam rolled sure, but if you dont get good fast and learn from the best guy in the team, how would you get good match?

for me, being a low level bush main, i can just jump into any server and start to help the team in anyway i can.

just leave the bugs to the SD. the will fix it eventually.

(FalC_16) #4

[quote=“Dox;205350”]First off, CMM isn’t a replacement for the server browser. They’re both going to co-exist.

Secondly, the CMM test days were run to see if the system works and to find bugs. The reason they do the tests in the first place is to find the bugs and iron them out. CMM won’t be implemented until it’s working as intended™ (Kappa). I highly doubt they’re going to release it if they know it isn’t working properly.

Last but not least, matchmaking will never be perfect. You can’t really split the players completely. If you limit the high ranked players to only being able play other high ranked players, chances are they will almost never get a game. I mean CMM is supposed to help match us properly, but if there isn’t enough high ranked players online to form a game, it would be pretty stupid to tell them they can’t play at all even if there is an abundance of lower ranked guys playing.

Don’t forget there is ranked. Whether it’s dead or not, it is there and that is where matching ranks matters most. Public gameplay needs to have a little bit of squeezing room, because no one wants to wait a really long time to find a game. I think half the reason people play pub more so is because it’s quick and easy, and it kind of needs to stay that way.[/quote]

imo CMM will never work if server browser will still be there. There is simply not enough players in the community to populate. The same reason why ranked is so dead.

I personally would only play ranked if I would be able instantly jump in a match.

the recent CMM test was my first and I have mixed feelings about it. People who leave the match before its end ruined it most of the times for me. Possibility to join ongoing matches is a must. Again I would welcome more options in terms of server slots. 7v7 or even 8v8 would be cool to have too.

(blonk) #5

tagging @MissMurder in 2016

I knew SD shouldn’t have rented their servers from that guy who owns the decomissioned ant farm

(LifeupOmega) #6

Game should have been either MM only or community server driven ages ago. Right now it’s neither, and CMM is just MM without a rank tied to it.

(JonBongNoJovi) #7

Part of me thinks there should only be ranked , let them who don’t drop ammo and play for the team play with like minded peoples , as DB is supposedly a competitive game it makes more sense , that way level has nothing to do with things as your rank will dictate what bracket of skill u belong too.

(Mooks101) #8

This game has so much potential.

(vSyNd) #9

Casual Matchmaking flaws that are overlooked, and why it simply will not work.

[s]1. After a player drops from the game, a new player doesn’t take their spot.

This is going to cause major imbalance to a system that is mainly built for balance.[/s]

2. Having a Server Browser along side a Matchmaking system will split the already low player base.

We already have Ranked Matchmaking mixed with Server Browser, and Ranked Matchmaking queue times are TERRIBLE, so now add yet another option to the mix and you are splitting up the community even more.

[s]3. Players leaving the starting lobby causing many players to have to DC from the system and restart the search.

Not only are you taking a while to get into games because of the previously mentioned, but you also add this to the mix and players are just not going to use the system at all.[/s]

Updated after this video release about CMM by Dirty Bomb.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=A003Xu3NhmA

(doxjq) #10

@FalC_16 they need to do something to promote ranked again imo. Double credits means nothing to most of us. Skins and cosmetics on the other hand are addictive to most people. It’s just a solid fact, cosmetics sell like crazy in games haha.

I’ve barely touched pub in a week. We’ve been going crazy on the Aus DBN server. It’s actually getting a little annoying because we play 5v5 but the server always has 16 people in it so we’re constantly subbing in and sitting out every second game etc.

Really annoying. So many people here keen to play ranked and competitive (as proven by the amount of people I have asking me to get a group together to play customs instead of pub every couple of hours now haha) but no one actually does it. They just need to do some kind of event to promote it and get people playing it again. Exclusive ranked skins, trinkets, player models, random elite case drops, anything, something, all of the above, whatever!

I know the players are keen, but they just need some kind of incentive, and unfortunately I think it needs to come from SD.

(B_Montiel) #11

[quote=“scorchingTongs;205416”]Casual Matchmaking flaws that are overlooked, and why it simply will not work.

1. After a player drops from the game, a new player doesn’t take their spot.

This is going to cause major imbalance to a system that is mainly built for balance.
[/quote]

Hopefully, players disconnecting will receive penalties in the future running system. Pretty much like in ranked, as it was supposed to be.

Players filling gaps would totally work for objective or even execution games. But joining a 25min stopwatch game, well, that sounds weird to me. Even though chances are higher that there’s somebody leaving before the end of the game in this game mode. Rocket League is just the perfect example of what can be achieved for a matchmaking system.

Still, I’m totally against this system. No community server in such a game with big skill gaps (especially in a “niche” genre that are “fast” fps nowadays) was and is a proper shotgun wound in the leg. Experienced/comp players would have a place to meet without taking out the fun for the rest 3/4 of players. Not having fun in video game because you get pounded on a regular basis is the worst thing that can happen to you. And benefit for both sides : since they can meet, experienced players have interesting balanced games, and since they left official pub servers, newcomers and casual players would also have interesting and balanced games.

Considering the current player pool, I still don’t understand why they’re caring so much on that. This ain’t going to work. Even if they resolve bugs.

(yesser) #12

well they said there would be penalties for leaving so players dropping would decrease and people are used to longer games and since dirtybomb is max 30 min in stopwatch and min could be 10-5 min ?
so people wouldnt certenly leave cause the match cant last long like a moba

(GatoCommodore) #13

[quote=“yesser;205424”]well they said there would be penalties for leaving so players dropping would decrease and people are used to longer games and since dirtybomb is max 30 min in stopwatch and min could be 10-5 min ?
so people wouldnt certenly leave cause the match cant last long like a moba
[/quote]

the penalties should be 500 cred per leaave…
if less they would just leave and play ending execution.

(watsyurdeal) #14

There is literally no reason to have casual matchmaking while Ranked exists.

Instead of trying to brute force balanced games, find out the root cause and try to fix it. You guys were on the right track with the tutorial and assault course, but keep it going. Make the tutorial mandatory for everyone, and then introduce courses for Aura, Proxy, Vasilli, and Fragger. Since, let’s be honest here, those mercs are the most common we see, and trying to deny that at this point is just bias. There’s no reason Proxy, Fragger, or Vasilli should not just be free.

(doxjq) #15

[quote=“B. Montiel;205421”]
But joining a 25min stopwatch game, well, that sounds weird to me. Even though chances are higher that there’s somebody leaving before the end of the game in this game mode.[/quote]

That’s why I suggested it should be an option. Before you start matching there should be a tickbox that lets you choose whether you want to join an already running game or not. That would tackle the issue.

On the contrary, there’s also nothing worse than not being able to play the game you love. There’s only a handful of top players in this game who are just well above the rest. Splitting the elite guys from the general pub population just can’t work with DB’s current player pool. There isn’t enough people. The top guys would almost never find a game.

(n-x) #16

I really enjoyed CMM during the tests, but I am not sure why they are implementing it how they are going to implement it. CMM will be just a second ranked with +1 player per team and FF off.

I mean, if they are already introducing balanced games, why dont they introduce it exclusively for the mod which was meant to give you balanced matches. Ranked.

I personally would be in favor of shutting down casual stopwatch all together, when CMM is implemented. If you want balanced games. There you go. A Mod for which the mercs were balanced for, the maps were balanced for, the weapons were balanced for and now finally with balanced teams.

If you want to goof around, test new stuff or just want to camp or whatever. Go Objective 7vs7 and 8vs8. I would also like to see objective 6vs6 gone and be replaced with a kind of objective ranked.

In my opinion there is no problem with ranked itself. It’s great. For me it’s the best version of DB there is. It is just lacking players. So why not use this opportunity to get people used to play it. As soon as they have played some games the pressure of “oh my god, if i lose i will lose a rank” will be gone. It will be just the normal way of playing DB. They will gather experience, want to improve, bond together with others to play more coordinated, we get new teams, competitive scene will pick up with teams in all kinds of skill levels.

(Sorotia) #17

It has its problems, but so far I’ve found it better then getting plopped into a random game where a team just can’t compete against the other.

Like just yesterday, was in a match against 3 high level players in the same clan, in their 40’s-50’s…and they had others 20+…I was literally the only person on my team above 15…tried to shuffle since we couldn’t get anywhere, but could hear 3 people instantly vote no…not hard to guess it was the clan players wanting a easy match.

I’d rather wait for a for a decent matched game then play with a bunch of losers like them again who want a easy stacked game. I’d rather they get rid of the server browser…not fun losing a dozen+ games in a row because I get thrown into uneven stacked games, I’m not good enough to carry.