Just got done with teaching some newbies today. I come to check the forums after the update and am baffled by the suggestion that "CA's are the problem." After a few matches the enemy team managed to best a newbie captain and I after putting a plan together. Moreover, I've seen more clans stomp the newbies than anything else. At best, I think it is a misunderstanding of what the role of a CA is, and at worst, I think it's a poor and unwelcome attempt at scapegoating.
Anyway, As far as lobbies go:
Sure, we've all been there. It's late, and the comp crew just joined as a full stack. Then the first ship their captain chose hard-counters yours. I log-out when that happens some days, and I'm sure others do too. At that point, we're playing two different games. I'm there to maybe try a new build, experiment, or run a munker on crazy king, and they are there to win and stomp face with that zero-ed in lumberjack or cookie-cutter goldfish. While I don't begrudge them for that, I think GOI could be made more clear as to which matches are more like serious skirmishes or tests of skill and coordination, and which matches are for a more casual environment. While we have the tool to differentiate the two (vet game vs non vet game), I think there could be both better general implementations and implementations specific to help vet lobbies.
In order to facilitate a more balanced environment in general, I think some tools could help, like hiding the opponent's ship and crew loadout to reduce counterpicking, or disabling the lobby swap after every match if it would make previously balanced teams unbalanced. Those two changes seem like a start. It doesn't address vet-stacking, but it does remove the tools experienced pilots can abuse for when they really want to throw the newbies to the dunes dust.
As far as specific things to facilitate creating vet lobbies: I think vet lobbies should be encouraged in the form of unlockable cosmetics, decals, and ship themes that you get for *exclusively* playing in vet games. Heck, it could even generate store credit to get that new decal or paint you want. Not only would it encourage vets to do vet games, but also newbies to stick around until they reach veteran level. That may be enough to overcome that initial hurtle. After all, playing at that higher-level may be intimidating *but* may be worth it if you only need 10 more matches to get that new ship theme. Perhaps at the end of 10 matches, the vet lobby won't seem that bad! The real new theme were the engineer routes and gunner skills you learned along the way.
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As far as positive things to say go when getting stomped, I usually take it as an opportunity to explain the game:
"Yeah, they got us in a 2v1. Can't outrepair two ships unless everyone dives onto the hull."
or
"That was a well timed flak shot. They waited for the armor to drop."
or
"See how that fish alternates to the side carros while the hwacha's on reload? That's why we are always repairing. They got a good fish pilot."
or
"Their gunner was just a quicker draw on the hwacha, that's all. Always important to shoot those first."
or
"Yeah, *that's* what the lumberjack does. Hard to aim at first, but really scary now. Just got to shut it down with our artimis next time."
Once newbies recognize the good play they are more likely to try and grow to counter it rather than give up in frustration. Sometimes it takes about three matches, but once they get it, the newbies get it and can hold their own with a bit of management.
