If I seem brisk it's simply because "I don't like it take it away" isn't really solid feedback for us to build off of. I can't argue with anecdotal evidence.
Yes, I understand that, and I'm aware that mostly I give "feedback" like this. I'm not proud of it, because I let myself being too driven by my negative emotions.
If you had unbalanced or slow matchmaking experiences, I won't say it didn't happen, but I will say it's not the characteristic experience of the system, especially compared to the old system.
If you like numbers so much, take a look just on the number of players telling you that they experienced such. And take the multiplifier of the fact, that such matches happen not just often, they happen constantly.
When an event happens so often it becomes a clue that such occurences are characteristic of the spoken system. Therefore I must disagree.
To give an example of negative Feedback that I've appreciated:
"I do not like playing with novices all the time because training can be a lot of work."
For you it's a negative feedback, for us this is one of the main reasons for giving such feedback. It's not like we don't like to teach others how to play, but FFS, not EVERY SINGLE MATCH. And I suppose that after putting GOIO on sell this will be way more disturbing, as an incredibly big amount of newbies will come...
We went overboard with some time and flexibility options when some players have talked about balance being more important to them
"We want transparency on how the system works (numbers wise)"
Somehow I think this wasn't what they meant, although none shall disagree that you are putting much effort in your game. The thing is, that this efforts go in vain in case of matchmaker working like this. But to be honest - I will stop my argument right here, only because I do not know how many of those you've talking with have spoken here by far.
Those are the three I remember going off the top of my head and glancing through the posts. Here's the meetings I've had and we talked about those things.
1. More strict novice division from vets. A lv 40 + a lv 1 =/= a lv 20 + a lv 20, no matter the glicko score due to the lv 1 needing to have experience. We spotted some weaknesses behind the scenes on some of the matchmaker logic and we're going to work on improving that.
Really? I mean - really? You guys really made such claim? Well then I'll say, that even some of the 40 lvl now captains =/= 40 lvl now captains. Rather rarely, it's just the example that even with the most reduced case of the theory such statement is not always true.
2.Some flex features may go away or be adjusted to make the system a little stricter on balance to give better matches.
3. A leaderboard was always planned to give you a general idea of where you are, like gold, silver, ect league. It was planned to replace the levels on the side of the lobby, but since the levels were being used in a terrible way they were removed before the leaderboard was finished.
2. No offence sir, after recent patch I have the right not to trust you at this issue and I know you are propably forbidden to say more.
3. Leaderboard can endanger the community as it is now - previously players where hunting achievements, after putting leagues in there is a great chance, that the tendency to cursing newbies will be even more harsh to everyone, because if the one part of the command chain is weak, the risk of getting shot down is terribly increased, so it forces a cooperation of sort. I mean - you guys plan things without analysing both sides of the medal (if such proverb in english exists), or even the third or fourth one.
Also if I missed yours it's more because there's a lot of conflicting voices at the moment and frustrating to comb through everything.
It might be some sort of paranoia, but it seems you guys try to answering only those who agrees with changes of some part. I can understand that. What I can't understand is the feedback of those who do not agree with you, REPORTS WHY we assume the system is broken (or reject those because "our marvellous, divine work makes good job") and try to suggest more or less reasonable solutions.
About hiding levels.
Leave them as they were before hotfix.
All the explanation why was displayed before. If people feel proud of what they achieved, why the blood soaked hell takin' it away? Yes, I noticed those explanations why, but all of those by far seem too far-fetched (I don't mean to offend anyone now, just saying out my feelings) for my sense of logic.
You've already devalued them by unlinking them from the achievements - don't make it worse.
It may be surprising to you, but I completely agree with GeoRMR. The previous means of leveling where interesting, more requiring alternative to classic experience based leveling. If the reason behind that system was to make level indicator showing some actual earned skill - it was more or less fitting that one. Yeah, of course there were achieve-hunting, but it wasn't very-very-bad in my opinion. It's not like I'm saying that new system is worse but... I don't know. I don't feel getting XPs is so exciting like, for example, getting the third level after your fourth match as a pilot, because you did so well and got those achievements. Just saying.