Admin > Dev App Testing
Goals and Ramifications of Matchmaking
Dev Bubbles:
@chango, if you want to ask me, the decision is reached after a long thought process and feedback collection, but it's actually pretty simple for me. Given the the persistent issues with the current system, given it being the single biggest limiter of growth performance wise, can I still patch up the current system. I determined that the answer is no longer yes after months of patching it up. Can we devise a new system that can address the issue of the old system and keep the benefits of the old? I think I can. It'll take iterations, willingness to work with the community, and time to improve it, but I think I can. Change is tough, because it makes people uncomfortable, but once I feel like pros and cons tips the other direction, change is needed, and I can't be afraid to make that change.
Also, keep in mind that as we go to co-op and console, as Gilder pointed out, we're going match making for sure.
Thanks
Queso:
How about the opposite of a ready button? If enough captains agree, the timer gets delayed a little longer.
Dev Bubbles:
@Queso, I think I'm already a step ahead :D Well, I'm not sure if I'm ahead, but I have already taken a step. You'll find that the ready button is still there, and you'll find that there is another button for extra time. So, in the match lobby, there is a countdown with a preset time (this is system configurable obviously). The countdown's aim is to try to strike that balance between enough time for readiness even with new players and taking forever. If team captains hit ready by majority, the match can start sooner. But, if teams need more time, each team can hit a button for extra time once (the time again is configurable by system). Initially we are configuring initial start to be 90s or 120s, and extra time to be 30s each. So default time in lobby is tentatively set at 150s-180s. In custom match, it behaves exactly like it currently does. Every match time in testing will be logged automatically, so we can use data to adjust timer if we need.
This is the mechanics, and of course people will want to know the reasoning and logic. I 'll pause and just give you guys a chance to think about it, and I can come back and answer questions. For now though, need to get some work done.
Thanks!
Dev Bubbles:
@chango, but one of the most important things is balancing ease of match start with socializing. It's definitely top of mine for us. Thanks!
Omniraptor:
Bubbles, the problem is that the sort of scenario where a new player needs to be slowly taught the basic user interface and how to change loadouts will never happen in dev app.
I'm still opposed to a hard time limit of any sort, because there will ALWAYS be a newbie confused or clueless enough to exceed it, and then the whole game is ruined because one ship is practically missing a crewmember. Captain-set loadouts would solve this though.
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