View: combine Ranked and Quick Match for best of both worlds

[IBYCFOTA]

My proposal is simple. Choosing Ranked allows you to join a pre-game lobby with equal teams, just like what we see now, while choosing Quick Match inserts you into a regular Ranked match already in progress. This way the player base is not split into two, and the group that prefers each can benefit accordingly. Quick match players who enjoy jumping in games right away still can do so, and because the entirety of the player base is kept intact, default Ranked competition features a wide array of skill levels as opposed to now where Ranked matches are intimidating for many because of the hardcore players who seek it out. Meanwhile, those who like Ranked enjoy all of the same perks as before without having to spend several minutes searching for games - which was another (valid) complaint from QM players.

I think this is the perfect solution and keeps both sides happy. Thoughts?

[Wardog313]

Nope. leave it alone. if people want to play rank or quick, then they'll go to it.

[IBYCFOTA]

Nope. leave it alone. if people want to play rank or quick, then they'll go to it.

Umm, of course they can. The point is that both ranked and QM are flawed. Think about why players play Ranked or QM, then look at my proposal. Both sides will be happy. This is a much better alternative than anything else I've seen mentioned, and it beats the hell out of status quo IMO.

[Wardog313]

Umm, of course they can. The point is that both ranked and QM are flawed. Think about why players play Ranked or QM, then look at my proposal. Both sides will be happy. This is a much better alternative than anything else I've seen mentioned, and it beats the hell out of status quo IMO.

I see what you're talking about but it still, wouldn't work. Rank got its own rules and Quick got theirs, so if you take away any of those rules to combine a super playlist.. it wouldn't work to well. for an example: if you started to work on this playlist and the first thing you had to put in was the match making system.. which one will you use? Rank: wait for the game to find everyone, to start a game (which a lot of quick players don't like doing) or Quick: just put you in any open spots for your team (which a lot of Rank players don't like cause some times, they'll be put up against bots cause a lot of people don't party up like that). that's just the beginning.. so. it will just cause problems.

[Xx Dantes Rage]

Nope. leave it alone. if people want to play rank or quick, then they'll go to it.

Pretty much this. ^

I see what you're talking about but it still, wouldn't work. Rank got its own rules and Quick got theirs, so if you take away any of those rules to combine a super playlist.. it wouldn't work to well. for an example: if you started to work on this playlist and the first thing you had to put in was the match making system.. which one will you use? Rank: wait for the game to find everyone, to start a game (which a lot of quick players don't like doing) or Quick: just put you in any open spots for your team (which a lot of Rank players don't like cause some times, they'll be put up against bots cause a lot of people don't party up like that). that's just the beginning.. so. it will just cause problems.

And this. ^

[IBYCFOTA]

I see what you're talking about but it still, wouldn't work. Rank got its own rules and Quick got theirs, so if you take away any of those rules to combine a super playlist.. it wouldn't work to well. for an example: if you started to work on this playlist and the first thing you had to put in was the match making system.. which one will you use? Rank: wait for the game to find everyone, to start a game (which a lot of quick players don't like doing) or Quick: just put you in any open spots for your team (which a lot of Rank players don't like cause some times, they'll be put up against bots cause a lot of people don't party up like that). that's just the beginning.. so. it will just cause problems.

I don't understand your concerns. None of those things would be an issue. Quick match players can still join games in progress, Ranked players still start games with full teams. It's just that both player bases are funneled into one, which is how it should be.

[NP473L]

I see what you're talking about but it still, wouldn't work. Rank got its own rules and Quick got theirs, so if you take away any of those rules to combine a super playlist.. it wouldn't work to well. for an example: if you started to work on this playlist and the first thing you had to put in was the match making system.. which one will you use? Rank: wait for the game to find everyone, to start a game (which a lot of quick players don't like doing) or Quick: just put you in any open spots for your team (which a lot of Rank players don't like cause some times, they'll be put up against bots cause a lot of people don't party up like that). that's just the beginning.. so. it will just cause problems.

A solution to combine the two current playlists would operate in a way similar to a certain FPS game that is quite popular at the moment, where lobbies are generated and consolidated after each game, ensuring a match is always started from the beginning.

Since it combines the two, there wouldn't be huge waiting times between games to fill the 'lobby', and lobbies that are stuck with only a few people in them would only suffer for a single game.

Of course there are disadvantages too (namely TrueSkill corruption potential) but it is still probably the way to go if you're looking to combine the two playlists, which again has its own advantages and disadvantages.



OP: I agree with the sentiment. I have issues with the current matchmaking setup too (if you search you will find) - I'm not sure the change you've suggested would have a significant impact on the situation. It's also unlikely that anything will be changed in Gears 3, so these concerns, if at all, are more likely to be of use for Gears Judgement.

[IBYCFOTA]

OP: I agree with the sentiment. I have issues with the current matchmaking setup too (if you search you will find) - I'm not sure the change you've suggested would have a significant impact on the situation. It's also unlikely that anything will be changed in Gears 3, so these concerns, if at all, are more likely to be of use for Gears Judgement.

Epic is done supporting Gears 3, so the changes suggested would be implemented in Judgement. Perhaps I should have clarified.

I think the impact of changing the matchmaking in the way I described would be significant. I'm somebody who prefers QM because of the ease of joining a game (Ranked can take FOREVER) and not having to deal with stacked teams on a regular basis. But I really like how in Ranked you start from the beginning of the game with full teams, as opposed to QM where you constantly join games in progress and frequently play against bots. Under my matchmaking system all of those issues are rectified. I can still join games in progress if I don't want to wait to start a new game. Stacked teams would be less of an issue for obvious reasons, and the ultra competitive Ranked enviroment would be a thing of the past since everybody is playing it instead of a hardcore minority. At the same time I can still play in matches from start to finish with very little wait time and spend far less time against bots. This would be of immense benefit to all of the niche playlists that don't have enough traffic with the player base split. Currently in those niche playlists (Stranded, Zeta / Alpha, etc.), you'll either spend ages looking for a ranked match or you'll join a QM against a team infested with bots. If you're lucky enough to have the lobby fill up it's almost guaranteed that half of them will disband upon completion of the match, and then you're back to square 1. Come on, there's a better way out there. Let's not just accept status quo because 'it is what it is'. There is a lot of improvement to be had with the current matchmaking, and I think my solution addresses the biggest concerns for both sides and is a compromise for the greater good of the community.

[MongooseRawr]

Are you basically saying to allow people to late join ranked matches if a person left a match while the people hitting the ranked button will start when a full team is around? I do think this would be nice in the sense that ranked teams would not be bot farming as much on people who quit and are stuck with bots. Although I do think stacked teams are just always going to be dominating randoms regardless most of the time.
The thing I see here is a leaderboard issue.

[IBYCFOTA]

Are you basically saying to allow people to late join ranked matches if a person left a match while the people hitting the ranked button will start when a full team is around?

I'm saying precisely that, yes.

I do think this would be nice in the sense that ranked teams would not be bot farming as much on people who quit and are stuck with bots. Although I do think stacked teams are just always going to be dominating randoms regardless most of the time.
The thing I see here is a leaderboard issue.

The way I see it, integrity will always be an issue with the leaderboards, but the reduction in bot farming should make it a bit more meaningful. Either way I don't see it as a big deal.

[Maaaaaz]

I see what you're talking about but it still, wouldn't work. Rank got its own rules and Quick got theirs, so if you take away any of those rules to combine a super playlist.. it wouldn't work to well. for an example: if you started to work on this playlist and the first thing you had to put in was the match making system.. which one will you use? Rank: wait for the game to find everyone, to start a game (which a lot of quick players don't like doing) or Quick: just put you in any open spots for your team (which a lot of Rank players don't like cause some times, they'll be put up against bots cause a lot of people don't party up like that). that's just the beginning.. so. it will just cause problems.

Why couldn't it be both? When a lobby is ORIGINALLY started, take it to the pre game screen you have in Ranked.
When a match ends, let it continue, instead of ditching you back to the menus.
People can drop in to fill in any bot spaces, but are forced to dashboard if they want out.

What would be wrong with that?

[Epic DOOM]

They don't need to be split. It's always good to have an easy jump-in mode like Quick Match and to have a more dedicated competitive playlist in ranked.

[Cobryza]

I support this idea. The way it is now, is it's split into essentially four different populations. You have DLC owners - 1. Quick Match 2. Ranked Non-DLC owners - 3. Quick Match 4. Ranked. With it combined how you explained, it would be much better I think. And full teams vs full teams.

[IBYCFOTA]

They don't need to be split. It's always good to have an easy jump-in mode like Quick Match and to have a more dedicated competitive playlist in ranked.

These sentences don't make sense in conjunction with one another. You say the player base doesn't need to be split and then give reasons as to why they should.

In theory, the current system should be fine. In practice, it's not, and that's largely because of the lack of traffic caused by the seperation of the core player base. If I want to play a Ranked match I can really only do so in a few select playlists without waiting a significant time for 9 others to join. In the Stranded playlists, Zeta / Alpha, etc, I can go minutes without one person joining. And of course playing Ranked means higher competition and playing largely against parties - not something that really interests me or many others. I just like playing matches from the beginning with all human players on each side. It's ridiculous that I have to waste so much time waiting around for matches if I want to enjoy those simple luxuries in MP.

If you're playing Gears because of the competition and feel as if this change to Ranked would water down the playing field, go participate in GB matches. Or go play one of the MLG like playlists Epic has released. If you don't want to because the community is too hardcore, well .. that's kind of ironic, because that's exactly why so many people avoid Ranked as it stands now.

I support this idea. The way it is now, is it's split into essentially four different populations. You have DLC owners - 1. Quick Match 2. Ranked Non-DLC owners - 3. Quick Match 4. Ranked. With it combined how you explained, it would be much better I think. And full teams vs full teams.

It's silly. Unfortunately I don't see any way around DLC splitting up the player base, but my proposal at least keeps DLC and non DLC players with their own kind and gets the most out of matchmaking.

[TAO Devil]

No. This is not a good idea.

[Doctor Ico]

Terrible idea. If anything ranked should just go. I don't see the big deal in being on some stupid leaderboard.. its pointless along with stats, medals, rank, etc.

I do qm cause its quick.

[LoD FENIX]

Terrible idea. If anything ranked should just go. I don't see the big deal in being on some stupid leaderboard.. its pointless along with stats, medals, rank, etc.

I do qm cause its quick.

Not about leaderboards, not at all.

Ranked allows games to be started from 0-0 and the games (in theory) are even.


Also like NP said, nothing will be done about this in Gears 3. Should be moved to the Judgment section since it's for that more.

I'm more a believer that Ranked and QM should stay as is (if not combined) but the number of playlists in total needs to be kept in check and under 8 or 9. This splits up the community more than Ranked or QM.

[IBYCFOTA]

No. This is not a good idea.

Terrible idea. If anything ranked should just go. I don't see the big deal in being on some stupid leaderboard.. its pointless along with stats, medals, rank, etc.

I do qm cause its quick.

How come everybody who has disagreed has done so without any actual reasons as to why? This is a discussion board. Put some more effort into your posts than 'no, this is a bad idea'. Seriously, it's not hard.

[DenyThisFlesh]

I like this idea and something similar has been suggested in other threads. It's the best of both worlds.

[NFI]

How come everybody who has disagreed has done so without any actual reasons as to why? This is a discussion board. Put some more effort into your posts than 'no, this is a bad idea'. Seriously, it's not hard.

Part of the reason you arent getting much is because it's been discussed excessively. There are at least 3 dozen of these threads w this same idea on the boards. As easily as they could provide why, you could have searched and posted in one of those threads, like NPs huge thread on this.

[IBYCFOTA]

Part of the reason you arent getting much is because it's been discussed excessively. There are at least 3 dozen of these threads w this same idea on the boards. As easily as they could provide why, you could have searched and posted in one of those threads, like NPs huge thread on this.

I wasn't complaining about the lack of responses, more that the negative responses were not elaborated on whatsoever.

Fair enough on the second point. I haven't even looked at the GOWJ sub-forum yet and hadn't seen my idea suggested anywhere else to this point. It appears NP and I are on the same page, just in different threads. o.0

[DeceptiveJunk]

Nobody plays ranked anymore unless it's TDM.

[Doctor Ico]

Not about leaderboards, not at all.

Ranked allows games to be started from 0-0 and the games (in theory) are even.


Also like NP said, nothing will be done about this in Gears 3. Should be moved to the Judgment section since it's for that more.

I'm more a believer that Ranked and QM should stay as is (if not combined) but the number of playlists in total needs to be kept in check and under 8 or 9. This splits up the community more than Ranked or QM.

The next match in quick would be 0-0 right? Might be a bot or two. Maybe the REAL issue is bots, eh?

[TAO Devil]

Part of the reason you arent getting much is because it's been discussed excessively. There are at least 3 dozen of these threads w this same idea on the boards. As easily as they could provide why, you could have searched and posted in one of those threads, like NPs huge thread on this.

Pretty much. I had time to do a single post and just weighed in with my opinion. I didn't feel like typing out a long response I've done a dozen times before.

[rafaeltaua]

Part of the reason you arent getting much is because it's been discussed excessively. There are at least 3 dozen of these threads w this same idea on the boards. As easily as they could provide why, you could have searched and posted in one of those threads, like NPs huge thread on this.

Pretty much. I had time to do a single post and just weighed in with my opinion. I didn't feel like typing out a long response I've done a dozen times before.

To the OP:
The supreme thread about matchmaking:
http://forums.epicgames.com/threads/...n-Version-1-05

[LoD FENIX]

The next match in quick would be 0-0 right? Might be a bot or two. Maybe the REAL issue is bots, eh?

But when you get to the next match people more or less leave depending on what happen the previous game and how badly they lost.

Ranked starts 5v5 with a score 0-0 all the time pending no one rage quits before the match starts or someone didn't connect properly (which doesn't happen that much).

[ItWasFantasyy]

tdm should be all qm style with some tweaks like lobbies inbetween matches and execution should be all like ranked lobbies imo.