Matchmaker and Level Adjustment

[BlackenedPies]

 I've never had a problem with players joining my crew right before match starts. For two reasons, the crew is usually filled, and I always have my finger on spectate just in case. It may have happened early on but I can't recall someone joining last second without me catching it.
It occurred more often pre matchmaking as less spots were filled. Timer is an issue.

Try setting your queue for 4v4 crazy king. The reason for the high player requirement is to keep the system efficient. Otherwise there would be too many open crew slots.

Having players join in match used to be very frustrating. You might get a good crew, but it's more likely you wouldn't. I'd much prefer to have AI than risk a player joining. What I would give for a guarantee to be able to play with AI.
As I not so jokingly used to put it:
Lobby: are you sure you're ready with just AI?
Me: I prefer AI. Let's go

As much as I have mastered playing with AI, I do enjoy a full crew of humans, which has become a sure sight since matchmaking. Plus they stick around for longer and get good.
Now you have a new crew who you trust, and they have you on their friends list. Win win.

I'm pretty sure the default way crew join a ship is through their friends, and matchmaking streamlines this. It does however fill up ships faster so friends have less of a chance of getting on. Crew form.

I feel that matchmaking has made the game more efficient and friendly and I like it.
There have always been problems, but now (for me) there are fewer problems and more playing.
The old system is nostalgic but I believe this is the superior system, and good for expanding the community.

[michael.hauda]

I'll take a swing at a reply;
-Between matchmaking queue and lobby wait times the game feels about as slow as before, at least before you could leave and click a different lobby if the one you got put in was too slow.

-Second pilots and gunners are less common although they still happen a lot more than would be preferred, this happens last minute sometimes and has ruined many many many matches.

-I never thought viewing the enemies levels was a bad thing, but then again you didn't really get rid of it did you.

-You added an option to delay the lobby, that only the pilots get.. so they can delay, given its better than before it still sucks.

-I love the new leveling system, it makes the game more rewarding because even if you didn't get to get achievement progress you got something (XP) for your time.
-----That said.. I think novices should go back to the original way of leveling until they get through novice levels, hopefully this means level 8s will actually know how to extinguish a fire and where the hull is on each ship.

For the people who suggest you friend "everyone" so you can get the server list feel, maybe I want my friends list to actually be my friends? rather than 90% people who don't play anymore, 7% novices, 2% random players and 1% friends..

I am in favor of matchmaker and the server list being one thing, allowing people to join the lobbies directly or letting matchmaker find them a lobby that it feels is balanced, not that it will be

As for the 3 match limit, before matchmaker lobbies had names, if you were getting steamrolled you could just leave, and not click that lobby; now matchmaker just shunts you in with the same people over and over and over, seriously. At least add an option to flag a lobby you're in so it doesn't put you there until that lobby has played another game or something.

Also, correct me if I'm wrong, if I say that I don't want to be in say.. Crazy King lobbies, matchmaker shouldn't put me in them? because if that's the case matchmaker fails to do that, this problem has happened often with the above problem of being put into the same lobby/with the same people.

Sorry I rambled a bit, matchmaker has just been a pain is all..

[Indreams]

Anybody played or remember Renaissance Heroes?

It was aesthetically similar to GOIO. Tf2 in a steampunk/renaissance setting.
It had lobbies similar to pre-MM, and online players numbering in two-digits (it was a free-to-play).
Due to low-player base, the game was taken off by its supporting company.
A good game with huge aesthetic and plot potentials, wiped off the face of the earth.

I think Match Maker will save GOIO from a similar fate (also, the not-free-to-play, not-pay-to-win thing as well).
I like the MM better than browsing lobbies, because, when it was about browsing lobbies, it was disheartening to see how few lobbies were on. MM's a lot more convenient.

[michael.hauda]

I like the MM better than browsing lobbies, because, when it was about browsing lobbies, it was disheartening to see how few lobbies were on. MM's a lot more convenient.

I'm catching some blissful ignorance type thing with the pro-matchmakers who just don't want to see how small the player base is, an observation

[Indreams]

I like the MM better than browsing lobbies, because, when it was about browsing lobbies, it was disheartening to see how few lobbies were on. MM's a lot more convenient.

I'm catching some blissful ignorance type thing with the pro-matchmakers who just don't want to see how small the player base is, an observation

Yes. I think its better, especially for the shy/fresh players, that you start playing by pressing a button.
Pre-MM, I logged in, saw 2-3 lobbies, and logged back out. Did that quite frequently, especially in the non-prime time. With MM, I press a button, wait a few minutes, and actually get to play GOIO.

[BlackenedPies]

I spent the majority of my time pre matchmaking and I will testify that it puts you in lobbies and fills them up significantly faster.

Players joining in last second is much more rare than previously. I never have this problem. The timer is an excellent but buggy feature.

I may have been the player who used the delay match feature the most. Players would refuse to bring a loadout and, not wanting to give up the precious spot I had worked so freaking hard to get, I would delay the match until the player left, brought the loadout, or I gave up.
It was extremely frustrating for the whole lobby and a game breaker.

Now if they refuse to accept a loadout it's an inconvenience. Report them and make a new crew form. Before it was a game breaker that occurred way too often. Recommended loadouts are the greatest thing ever.
I think people are forgetting how hard it was to get a captain slot and have a full lobby in the old system. It took so long.

My point with friending everyone is that you don't need to join random lobbies. And I don't want people to be able to join my lobby in game unless they know me or my crew.
I friend every crew member that I play with that listens and sticks around for a few matches. The system works great for me.

Setting the match type usually works, but sometimes you end up in something else anyways. Same with joining the same lobby again. This was the same in the old system only worse! Now it happens less and is more efficient.

The old system would've been overwhelming if you were one of the 1000+ during the steam sales.