Beginner / Intermediate / Expert Match Helper

[zlater75@hotmail.com]

When you click in main menu for seeking a match i'd suggest a submenu window with the following options:

- Beginner Matches (Level 1-3)
- Novice Matches (Level 3-9 Only)
- Expert Matches (Level 10+ Only)
- All Available Matches (All worldwide)
- Advanced (More options)
- Cancel (to exit)


Why?

If there is a LIST the level of the matches can be known in advance to the players to get hold of a supposedly balanced match in regard of their own level.
The LIST or Helper would have a "Recommended" added to one of the three top options for the difficulty appropriate for the player.
The player would STILL have the freedom to choose how he/she wants to find a match and not "thrown into" it unknowingly of the beginner level matches or what he could expect from a high level match. CAs who help and guide low level players would have the beginner level available. The 3+ ones would have it locked. Like before.
Adding mid and high level would increase the challenge and fun for both. Adding the word "Recommended" for beginners who just start the game in a match list submenu would guide them and probably help them avoid getting stomped hard in a regular match and open their eyes to the possibility on getting trained in the level 1-3 matches. Making them easier to find and then increasing the active player count to the game overall for those that are interested in learning more about it.

A submenu on it's own makes the server/match finding easier and noticeable. Many low levels are unaware of the options at bottom of matchlist.
A ping list for each server location would be great as well in this submenu or transfer menu if you wish, showing what the clients ping is to EU , US and Asian servers in general.

Advanced would show all current available options for searching servers. Also showing which servers friends are on (on / off option) , progress on running games (blue vs red stats) to know if it has just started or ending soon (on /off option) and timer (on / off).
Create server in advanced mode with timer option (30/45/60/90/unlimited option). Time in minutes. Also Maplist to choose what map rotation.

[RearAdmiralZill]

Problem is levels mean literally nothing these days.

Better showing of the current options/filters couldn't hurt. Too many extra options would just make too many specialized lobbies, which would then make them never fill.

[Omniraptor]

having level 4+ lobbies would be really nice for blocking out absolute noobs, because honestly who enjoys finding out only AFTER they die that your hull engie doesn't when/how how to use spanner.

[Thomas]

I'm pretty sure an idea similar to this was brought up in another thread, and the biggest argument against it was that it would divide up an already small community even smaller. A compromise that came up included blurring the edges (ie: 1-5, 3-7, 5-9, 7+).

Although I'm fairly certain the upcoming matchmaking system will replace the match sorting list we have now. I know they talked about it at the last fireside chat, and I'd be surprised if it didn't come up again this time around.

[zlater75@hotmail.com]

I remember there's been similar suggestions. And this is just another.

Having extra options under the advanced button and using the keyword "recommended" should be helpful. But we'll see what the new system is like.

[Squidslinger Gilder]

Because everyone stays in this game till they max level at 15...

Hard enough getting all 4+ at one time for some of the blasted achievements.

[zlater75@hotmail.com]

Another thing that could show in the short match list preceding menu could be amount of matches available.

[Coldcurse]

I dont like it that I can't join matches that are on my kind of level while I'm one of the veterans.
I've been here long enough and played long enough to be with the very experienced players.

Skill levels doesnt say how good you are, It shows you how long you have played and how much attention you pay to your achievements.

A level 5 can still be an unskilled captain.
A level 1 can still be a pro captain.
A level 14 can still be a rager.

Skill is not measured in achievements.

I would like to change the idea into an option were you can set a minumum join level. only people that have that achievement level or higher can join the match lobby.

[GreyTea]

i agree in theory it might be an addition to look at but as zill mentioned level does not equal skill now, with recent changes it is easy to level until i would say 10+,

But also remember everyone was new once and asked the questions and needed to be shown spanner is for rebuild not mallet and big guns are not always the best, perhaps increase the novice stage of the game till 5+ and make it mandatory to at least do 20 games or so,

Then that brings up the size of the community to support such a system yeah its great if goio had say 1000 people online but unfortunately at the moment it is not and it hard enough to fill up normal games sometimes...

TLDR: Goio is not ready yet

[zlater75@hotmail.com]

I dont like it that I can't join matches that are on my kind of level while I'm one of the veterans.
I've been here long enough and played long enough to be with the very experienced players.

Skill levels doesnt say how good you are, It shows you how long you have played and how much attention you pay to your achievements.

A level 5 can still be an unskilled captain.
A level 1 can still be a pro captain.
A level 14 can still be a rager.

Skill is not measured in achievements.

I would like to change the idea into an option were you can set a minumum join level. only people that have that achievement level or higher can join the match lobby.

No.. no.. and no..

You're misunderstanding the OP. What i mean is they are options and with the recommended showing it would give new players a hint on what would be balanced.

There IS a "All available matches" that would show all AND you would be able to join any match you please (except of course beginners if you are above level 3). The suggestion/list is not meant as a restriction in any way. Rather a helping menu in between. Levels don't say much yes but why not have a selectable filter if you'd WANT to join matches with similar levels instead of leaving it to faith, luck or chance?

no skill, no restriction just a guide/optional filter/more visible server option window in the form of a menupage of its own. *sigh*

EDIT: i want it to be open for all to join what they want if they start the game but i would also wish it'd be more clear for the firsttime players to see "Oh.. there IS a beginner level available.. cool. Lucky i didn't miss that.." And then stays with the game and sees it's full potential.

[RearAdmiralZill]

Levels don't say much yes but why not have a selectable filter if you'd WANT to join matches with similar levels instead of leaving it to faith, luck or chance?

Because even with that filter on, its up to faith, luck, and chance with levels meaning nil. Maybe back when the achievements were harder I could see some merit, but currently the time involved to implement would be kind of wasted.

That, and the proposed matchmaking system coming up might make this obsolete.

[zlater75@hotmail.com]

Levels don't say much yes but why not have a selectable filter if you'd WANT to join matches with similar levels instead of leaving it to faith, luck or chance?

Because even with that filter on, its up to faith, luck, and chance with levels meaning nil. Maybe back when the achievements were harder I could see some merit, but currently the time involved to implement would be kind of wasted.

That, and the proposed matchmaking system coming up might make this obsolete.

I don't think it would make it harder for first time players if they saw that they could play with levels 1-3 more obviously. On the contrary i think that would help and achievements are irrelevant to the menu. Levels are what they are and can at most just be a thing in general.
Maybe it's an obsolete and stupid idea with bad timing but it's still a suggestion of sorts how to improve something for matches imho but thanks for the feedback.

[Imagine]

Anything which would further segment the current size of the community is probably a bad idea.

And yes, as it was brought up, the level numbers literally mean nothing. I personally don't give a damn what my numbers say, but since I don't chase them, my personal numbers are probably far lower than what my skill level would actually be (or at least the perception of what the numbers should be).

[zlater75@hotmail.com]

Ok. I don't understand what you mean with segmenting. Nothing is restricted, only guided.

Also helping first time players to get a grip of the game isn't a bad idea imo nor harmful to the community. If more people stay and play from a first impression the playerbase grows, right?