Future of Ranked Matches and Competitive gaming with Squad system

(emjot) #1

Future of Ranked Matches and Competitive gaming with Squad system

I will put aside problems with weapon and merc balance such as viewkick/aimpunch, skillless features like rockets, mines etc, and focus on making ranked servers more atractive.

Ranked itself, what the problem?
The reason people fight and compete in ranked matches is obvious, it comes from fun, and ends on superb competitive games when one team wants to prove that is better from the other one.
Competition is something what attracts group of people, clans, teams to take a try with new game and show they can dominate on this backyard as well.

Now, let’s go to the first question. Why people would like to play ranked matches and what do they get for the winning? Is it attractive? No it’s not. And here’s why.

##1. “Squad” system
Introduce another thing next to barracks - “Squad”

Options for player without a squad.

  • Show TOP 25 squads ranking (read below in next section)
  • Form a squad (25k credits)
  • Last matches between squads

Options for player with squad

  • Show TOP 25 squads ranking (read below in next section)
  • Last matches between squads
  • Invite, kick, change name of squad, change tag
  • Matches - invite other team to a squad war (ranked match with extra points)
  • Create training lobby (since we don’t have rental servers… -.- “yet”)

##2. Queuing and matches
From now on, you can have 3 options:

  • solo queue vs solo queuers
  • duo q vs duo queuers
  • 5 q vs 5q
    or/and
  • squad queue from Squad menu which won’t match you up with any solo/duo/5 queuers

For both introduce merc limit, one merc per team.

Pre-game lobby banning (optional)

  • Team leaders have 20 seconds to ban maps from a pool they don’t want to, which results to ban all maps except one.

##3. TOP
Like I mentioned before, being on top is something some players want to show of, they are first, number one. Rank doesn’t mean anything unless for telemetry system to get you in “balanced game”.
All you get is a trinket. So how to solve that?

Introduce TOP 25 page for clans with hall of fame after each season showing TOP 3 clans per season.

##4. Ranked points

Squad vs squad:
Win - 100 ranked points
Draw - 50 ranked points
Loose - 25 ranked points
/per member playing in the game and:

Win - 10 ranked points
Draw - 5 ranked points
Loose - 0 ranked points
/per member who is in squad but haven’t played in the game

Season TOP 3 Awards:
1st place: 5000 ranked points to split between members or 700 ranked points per member + points gained from your current rank + unlocked Season Weapon Case
2nd place: 3000 ranked points to split between members or 400 ranked points per member + points gained from your current rank + unlocked Season Weapon Case
3rd place: 1000 ranked points to split between members or 200 ranked points per member + points gained from your current rank + unlocked Season Weapon Case

Note: Above values are only to help you understanding the system, values may be different.

Regular ranked match (“RNG PUG”)
Win - 75 points
Draw - 40 points
Loose - 15 points

Edit:
##Other ideas based on your feedback here and on reddit

  • Add possibility to show our rank to public (pub games, scoreboard - possible rework)
  • “D9D suggests a UI where you get to see how many players are queued on the region you’re on.”
  • Add ability to squad menu to start a match against other clan (send invitation to other team, they would have to respond within 48h-few days)

Reddit comments: https://www.reddit.com/r/Dirtybomb/comments/7wbzps/future_of_ranked_matches_and_competitive_gaming/

(emjot) #2

I might forgot about some features and stuff so please remember that’s just a draft and those who like the idea could help with making it better.

(K1X455) #3

The reason why Ranked is such a grind is because of the wait time and the poor reward for winning (let alone participating; a loss is 10 RP, and a nail biting tie is only 30 RP).

What frustrates me is how the quality of matches are made for the sake of balance. The skill bracket is just too wide.

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D9D suggests a UI where you get to see how many players are queued on the region you’re on.

(doxjq) #4

@K1X455 said:
D9D suggests a UI where you get to see how many players are queued on the region you’re on.

I’ve been asking for that since day 1. It’s probably never gonna happen :frowning:

(Chris Mullins) #5

This is an awesome idea (and something which sounds familiar). One of Splash Damage’s core values is making friends through playing online games and we’re working towards making this more of a reality.

More info at a later time. But for now, know we’re aware and it’s something we want to implement.

(Eox) #6

Win - 10 ranked points
Draw - 5 ranked points
Loose - 0 ranked points
/per member who is in squad but haven’t played in the game

I’m afraid that such a system would push some players to recruit people at random in squads (which hardly works and tend to always end in dramas), or make a ton of alt accounts just to fill up theirs and earn shinies. Unless I did not understand how it works ?

(emjot) #7

@Eox said:

Win - 10 ranked points
Draw - 5 ranked points
Loose - 0 ranked points
/per member who is in squad but haven’t played in the game

I’m afraid that such a system would push some players to recruit people at random in squads (which hardly works and tend to always end in dramas), or make a ton of alt accounts just to fill up theirs and earn shinies. Unless I did not understand how it works ?

You could limit max number of members in squad. Also joining squad could require for example min. lvl 10-15.

The goal is to attract people to join squads even if they won’t be on 1st line, but benched. However, 10 points is not much for a won game where player didn’t participate in match. There is little no room for abusing it.

(n-x) #8

I really like the idea of benefiting of being a member of a group. The problems I see with this is that:

Population is too low for 3 seperate queues.
Ranked in whatever fashion will never take off as long as 5vs5 ff on with synced timers is the most exotic game mode.

(emjot) #9

@n-x Agreed.
BUT!

1.0 Is coming out soon, for sure this feature wouldn’t be finished till then. Once 1.0 is featurelocked and released, marketing and advertisement comes on board and get new players. Playerbase is bigger.

SD in the meantime is finishing and polishing new feature for ranked - HYPING everyone - new and old players. With bigger playerbase it could definitely work.

(Melinder) #10

@emjot said:
Once 1.0 is featurelocked and released, marketing and advertisement comes on board and get new players. Playerbase is bigger.

You’re making the assumption that the game will magically boom upon release, though you can’t say that for sure. The game has been around for well over 3 years now, coupled with the stigma attached to SD and DB - them having a bad reputation among their players, there is no guarantee that it will see any long term growth at all.

(n-x) #11

@emjot still problem 2 will persist. those new players will get to know the game through CMM/Server Browser. Ranked will be stay this exotic thing you farm to get those shinies. When this is accomplished it is back to the “normal” game they are used to.

No amount of shinies and rewards will fix rank as long as it is treated by DB how it is treated atm.

Still. I really like your idea of banding together with a group of friends to benefit from each other.

Edit:

This is an idea I had a while ago.
SD should merge CMM and ranked (rules would be 5vs5, ff on, synced timers and collision). Server browser should get objective mode with 7vs7 and 8vs8 ff off, whatever timer and no collision.

If you queue for this new matchmaking (be it alone or with 1, 2 or 3 other players or even a full lobby of 5) it will be just what it was before casual. You won’t get any ranked rewards, but maybe lobbies of 4 or 5 players get some other reward as team building initiative.
But if you start a “squad” queue with players from your squad, you can only be matched against other squads and this is the only way to get ranked rewards.
This way players would be provided with a steady learning curve, could play casually under ranked conditions, find players to team up and then jump into “ranked”.
In the non-squad matchmaking you could have backfill if someone drops and in the squad matchmaking therr wouldn’t be any leavers, afkers, TKers because you would only play with people you know.

And just preemptive: Yeah, if someone leaves in the non-squad match, you will have to play 4vs5 for a while. But I really don’t see the problem. Sooner or later someone will join and atm we are expected to play a whole ranked match, if someone leaves after the first 30 secs.

(StIwY) #12

There will be no future for ranked, IF matchmaking keeps pairing you with low bronzes-unranked people, and you are a gold or cobalt…or even high silver.

I forgot to take a screenshot but last, night…4/5 of my team was gold-3 and gold-5.

Guess who was the 5th player ? A DAMN BRONZE-1 -_-

Fortunately the other team had an unranked, so match was more or less balanced. Unfortunately this will occur more often than you think, something like 50/50 chances to get an unbalanced match because of that, it’s unbearable have to pray some gods not to have some noob at your team every time match ends and search for another.

(Xenithos) #13

I’m 500% behind this. Allowing clan type features in DB with a bigger player-base as of 1.0 also encourages more activity in the game and a feeling of belonging.

(emjot) #14

@Xenithos said:
I’m 500% behind this. Allowing clan type features in DB with a bigger player-base as of 1.0 also encourages more activity in the game and a feeling of belonging.

That’s why I think it’s important we have a vote and some insights on how SD wants to push ranked further.

While I understand they don’t want to share some features just yet, competitive scene is something for us, and should be done hearing our feedback regarding this one matter.

CMM is nice, but it feels impersonal, we can’t queue with same poeple, we see them on one match then even if we enjoyed playing with them, we usually go on with MM and get other people.

With server browser we can continue our journey with same people we were playing last map.

The feel of belonging and making new friends is important, since it gathers people in one place and let them play together.

(azz_abdr) #15

Solo Q and Duo should be one, how can you match duo vs duo when Ranked is 5v5?
There is should be only 2 option:

  • Solo & Duo Queue
  • Full squad Queue

Remove 3 & 4 to create a better balance and faster matchmaking (for Solo & Duo).

(emjot) #16

how can you match duo vs duo when Ranked is 5v5?
@azz_abdr at least one duo per team

(phobiatic) #17

These are all nice suggestions and would be nice if it get implemented.

Only problem is currently the player population. We hardly have 500 players at peak time in each region. Maybe 10% of that plays ranked, so we end up with 50 players in a triple split queue system, this wont work.

For me ranked is not fun anymore.

  • High ping because you can’t select what region you queue into.
  • Most matches just end up 4 vs 5 etc because that one player that don’t want to put effort in and it takes forever to get a replacement for that player because again low population.

Lastly ranked feels not rewarding at all. I’ve made it multiple seasons into high gold ranks but the time and effort you have to put into ranked to just buy the RNG boxes and hope you ever get something you like is not worth it for me. At least make a leader board with top 1000 ranked players etc, so people can set personal goals. Like season 1 I want to be top 1000. Once that is achieved they can invest even more time to maybe make it into top 500 etc… But then ofc we need the triple queue system as suggested above and each their own leader board.

(Da_Mummy) #18

So it’s technically an FPS version of the good old CoC concept.
But as mentioned I’m afraid that it just won’t work with the current number of players in game.

(Xenithos) #19

@phobiatic said:
For me ranked is not fun anymore.

  • High ping because you can’t select what region you queue into.
  • Most matches just end up 4 vs 5 etc because that one player that don’t want to put effort in and it takes forever to get a replacement for that player because again low population.

I agree with everything you’ve said except for these two things: 1st, you CAN select what region you queue into, maybe you’re saying not completely precise as in you can’t choose NA EAST, but you can choose NA versus Europe or Asia or South America yadda yadda. If you still believe that you can’t and need help finding how to change the region, ask me, I’d be happy to show you.

Second, those matches with one player leaving or being useless? Currently Dirty Bomb doesn’t have back-filling in ranked matches, meaning it’s not going to just “take forever,” it won’t even happen, ever.

(Xenithos) #20

@Da_Mummy said:
So it’s technically an FPS version of the good old CoC concept.
But as mentioned I’m afraid that it just won’t work with the current number of players in game.

That’s why we’re saying after 1.0 release. When we should hopefully have some playerbase to sustain the game.