Improved matchmaking via a ranking system

[Calico Jack]

I'm not convinced the Beginner Matches are even helping beginners.

Back to this point..
Is there any way that a pool of experienced players can get into Beginner matches - just in the Spectator slots?  Pulling beginners into specific training matches is like pulling teeth.  The games I've seen become dominated by the trainers making up numbers with very few trainees.

I think the CA's and mods have permission to join beginner matches as players or spectators. They have already sworn to the sky whale to not be a-holes.

Not all CAs see training as their responsibility though.

[Pickle]

Jack, I've seen you sessions running - but I've also noticed that it takes you up to half-an-hour to drum up a training match when there's 600+ in the Lobby.  And that's typical.  Last time I dropped in on the EU training session the experienced players outnumbered the trainees.  I think it would be easier to go into a beginner match lobby and offer help.  You might get rebuffed, but you at least know you're going to the target audience and not waiting on them coming to you.

Beginner matches risk ghettoising low level players that are just shit out of luck - always in a game or not online when a session is advertised- or just don't want to put their hand up and say they need help.


I know CAs and the Muse team can, but how many do just drop into a Beginner Match and just ask how things are going, are they enjoying the game, do they need help?  If it was my game, I'd have the marketing and community liaison team doing this daily.

[Calico Jack]

Pickle - it depends on the session.

I've gone into level locked matches and crewed with players - yet there are at least 3 other ships in any given match and in my timeslot we don't have that many trainers, currently it's only me and I have no ability to selectively allow experienced players to have access to level 1-3  matches. Often there is only 1 CA on.

I have broached the subject with Muse directly about changes they need to bring about to make training work better, by which I mean features to be added into the game - they were very receptive to what I had to say. There is also a shake up of the abilities assigned to CAs and trainers in the works regarding moderation abilities.

In the meantime if you want to get involved let me know because I'm looking to recruit people to training who are active when I'm on so I can get 4 experienced players into level locked games.

And again I repeat not everyone wants training, that's not mouthing excuses, I can go into level locked matches and talk to people.