Info > Feedback and Suggestions
Team Stacking - Match Balance
Garou:
I say here what I've said in the past regarding this matter.
In my clan we get accused of stacking all the time. Usually when it happens, we've made a lobby specifically so that we can fly together. The whole reason we're in a clan is because we're friends who enjoy flying together. We also happen to be relatively skilled and work well together. Sometimes it starts after the first match, other times it doesn't even go as far as a match; a bunch of new players join up and start crying 'stack'. I'm all for mixing it up and keeping things fair, but sometimes I want to fly with my friends.
I honestly don't know what the solution is, if there is one. We've tried naming lobbies 'Wolfpack practice' or 'High levels only' or 'Please no new players', and it still happens. I've suggested making an optional label for matches that indicate that it's a high level match, but that idea has been met with mixed thoughts. I definitely feel forcibly segregating the community isn't the answer, and even when it's attempted, how many beginners do you see not using the beginner matches, when it's apparent that they should?
Frankly, I've seen this issue get tossed around more than most, so it's obviously on the minds of some of us, but outside of balancing ourselves, what can we do really that won't create other issues? It's just something that we'll have to be aware of and decide at the time if we need to fix it. I think we have a good community and players who enjoy a genuinely competitive match. Nobody -wants- to pub stomp, and I feel the instances where that is intentional are limited at best. Stacked teams are just a thing that happens sometimes in team-based games.
Thomas:
Once issue I see with that is it's pretty simple to work around. Once they get flagged as stacked, they might just leave and reform in another lobby.
A great team of friends/clannies isn't a bad thing. It's just that whomping on new players leaves those new players with a bad taste in their mouth. Dramatically decreasing their enjoyment of the game, and in some cases causing them to give up on the game. We still don't want to punish them for playing with their friends.
In theory there should be no special system required. In a perfect world these teams would seek each other out, or try to shuffle, change ships, or whatever to try and create fair matches. For the most part, this does not happen. Nor do you very often see players with experience banding together to try and challenge those preformed teams. In some instances, when a valid opponent does appear, these stacked teams will just call it a day. You can conclude that these teams aren't overtly interested in seeking out fair matches. Whether it's because they want to win, they want to farm, or probably it's just too much effort for them to find another organized team in a match with enough slots for them all.
So based on some other feedback, we want a system that:
-Creates fair matches
-Lets us play with our friends
-Has no (or minimal) loopholes to stack teams
-Still has a place for organized teams to get together
-Doesn't discriminate based on rank/skill/experience
-Is simple
Garou:
--- Quote from: Thomas on October 20, 2013, 10:33:48 pm ---So based on some other feedback, we want a system that:
-Creates fair matches
-Lets us play with our friends
-Has no (or minimal) loopholes to stack teams
-Still has a place for organized teams to get together
-Doesn't discriminate based on rank/skill/experience
-Is simple
--- End quote ---
That's my point, I don't think a system like that can exist. You end up excluding someone, whether it's a clan that just wants to fly together or new players looking for a challenge.
I really feel policing ourselves is the only real solution. I know in our clan, we try to explain to new players what we're doing and that they might want to find another match. They don't always listen and end up being upset by the match anyway. Additionally, we in Wolfpack try to fly against other clans at every opportunity, but sometimes there just isn't another on in enough numbers to fly against.
Sometimes a 'stacked team' is just a group of friends who want to fly together, is my point. I don't feel actual, intentional 'stacking' happens as much as these threads suggest, and I feel that we as a community do a fair job at keeping things as even as we can. That's my 2 cents.
Piemanlives:
Can I just say compared to other threads I've seen based around this issue, this time we've actually gotten somewhere?
Squidslinger Gilder:
--- Quote from: Garou on October 20, 2013, 10:52:25 pm ---
I really feel policing ourselves is the only real solution. I know in our clan, we try to explain to new players what we're doing and that they might want to find another match. They don't always listen and end up being upset by the match anyway.
--- End quote ---
Once you've been at this as long as I have, you just load up a rage quitter loadout, pwn the heck out of them and move onto the next match. It isn't worth the time or hassle dealing with those players.
I've given up on explaining things to players that don't show proficiency with a mic or respond via text. Too many people in this game run with sound off and then they bitch about high levels or stacking.
"Well, turn your sound on!"
"But I don't like the sound, I like my music playing full blast!"
"Yeah ok...you powder monkey with a mic or English speaking skills, stick a mine in his face plz."
*BOOM!*
"YOU HIGH LEVEL STACKING CRUMBUTT!! I'M TELLING!!!"
"Gilder hears ya, Gilder don't care" *Activate Block Feature*
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