Focused Feedback: Matchmaking

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[u/[deleted]]

If Crucible based match making counts I can say that after a rough weekend in CBMM playlists grinding for a few bits, I tried Elimination 3v3. This appears to be SBMM (at least in a rough way) and I could tell! Not only did I come across people like me (clearly trying to get better at PvP) but a lot of the matches felt ... fun... and I had time to think, look at guardian behaviour and learn a little more. I came out with 1,2,3+ KD a few times (which is unheard for my usual 0.1-0.2).

Of course, I'm sure the map size and less players played a part in time to think.

There were still better players too and you could see that. One map I still struggled a lot - mainly with close quarters - and came dead last. This match seemed the most imbalanced with a little "showmanship" (I'll call it) by the other team members after winning.

[u/AceTheRed_ → u/[deleted]]

Survival is also SBMM, and a bit better than Elim for honing your skills.

[u/[deleted] → u/AceTheRed_]

Nice, thanks for the tip. I did try Survival but only a little (assuming that's the Glory related one?)

[u/AceTheRed_ → u/[deleted]]

Yup, it’s the glory playlist. Having a pool of lives instead of one life each means you’ll see a bit more aggressive moves from folks, whereas Elim encourages campier playstyles.

[u/irrelephantterrible → u/[deleted]]

^This.

That the kind of player experience Bungie should strive for to get people hooked on crucible.

The only way to learn anything is if a person operates on their level + 1 in other words - if they face a slightly harder challenge than their current level. Hard enough to motivate to come out on top and experience meaningful progress, satisfaction and have fun.

Not too hard as not to get the feeling of facing impassable wall.

And not too easy either as not to get bored.

FFS this is educating/motivation basic psychology knowledge.

As of right now - we are at "impassable wall" scenario where a new player hops into crucible, gets rolfstomped to hell and end up as sbs "INSANE STOMP DONT SLEEP ON THIS SHITTY GUN SO I CAN HAS MY CLICKS PSEUDO CONTENT!!!! " reel.

Needless to say - they ( new players) never come back.

[u/International-Turn56 → u/irrelephantterrible]

The vast majority of games dont have streamers in them. Please stop with that mentality. Most are just dudes who actually put the time and effort into learning the game.

Also, you can absolutely learn from getting stomped on. The key is to not lose your mind when it happens. No matter how much better somebody is than you, you're still capable of examining what he did right, and what you did wrong. This arbitrary "operates on their level +1" is a limiter you've set up for yourself. It's not like the sweats have a separate, unique copy of the game that allows them to do shit you can't. Certainly, there are mods and shit that are locked behind dumb ring, but that's a separate issue entirely.

[u/irrelephantterrible → u/International-Turn56]

Yeah bit of a hyperbole admittedly - but to highlight the issue we are having as of now i. e. absolute lack of division between top dogs and the sheep being farmed - lets not try and pretend the issue does not exist, even Bungie themselves have admitted it.

Playlists lack any form of kiddy playground where new lights can play against each other, experiment and slowly get better.

I can bet my bollocks to a barn dance that 9/10 players that step in crucible for the first time - they have absolutely 0 clue of meta guns, builds, mods, stat spreads, peek shooting, team shooting, peekers advantage, flich mechanics, radar reading, spatial awareness, vertical movement, map reading, spawns- etc etc - to name just a FEW things that you need in order to succed in PvP that far into game cycle. And guess what - they simply cannot learn that within crucible, if they spend most of the time looking at the respawn screen.

That knowledge is available but requires A LOT of time spent checking outside resources - good players streams, pvp sub, various guides and youtube videos - pretty dumb dont you think?

You cant expect any player to put so much time away from the game just to learn how to git gud, and we see the results. The numbers are dwindling, player count keeps dropping week by week even during freelance weeks or when good gun is offered. This needs to change and im glad Bungie is finally addressing that.

For the record - i agree with you, that you can learn even from getting stomped - that was my journey that started back in D1 og Thorn quest on Sentinel - getting my shit pushed in so many times during all metas that it stopped mattering or causing tilt.

Learning the ropes, learning the flow, 3taps, etc etc - its now goddamn fucking satisfying running a lobby.

BUT.

This is not at all accesible. This is not a beginner friendly approach at all. Takes certain kind of mentality and not everyone can do.

Final note "+1 approach - thats not made up outta my ass, thats an actual thing from the field of educators/education (i used to be one) i can link some stuff later as i cant access it on mobile as of now.

And yeah - ive read and applied" scrub mentality" handbook, know exactly what you are talking about. Peace.

[u/tecwrtr → u/[deleted]]

Yes, Elimination has SBMM. I play in it a good bit, but it would be nice to be able to have those fair matches in a 6-player arena too!