Advanced Matchmaking

  • hrknen

    Finding a crew in this game could use a bit of work.
    I'd like to suggest a 2 step process that could greatly improve matchmaking.

    Step 1 would be the actual matchmaking process before loading into the game.
    I suggest adding an "Advanced Matchmaking Options" toggle to the Set Sail screen. This would be entirely optional, ignoring it would simply place you in a default crew.

    Advanced Matchmaking Options
    Category 1 - Crew type

    • Any - Default. Get matched with any random crew for the ship type you selected
    • No Pre-Formed Crew - Get matched with other solo crew members - this helps prevent a power imbalance of instantly brigging a lone player who joins a Galleon.

    Category 2 - Play focus

    • Mixed - Default. Expect some well-rounded gameplay or for the whims of the crew to change on a dime.
    • PvE - Play with a group primarily focused on PvE content. This could be further divided into other categories like Exploration, Factions, Skeleton Raid, etc if needed.
    • PvP - Play with a group primarily focused on PvP

    Category 3 - Communication

    • Any - Default. No communication restriction.
    • Mics Only - Get matched with a group of mic users. Text chat isn't disabled, but all player would be expected to use voice comms.

    Step 2.
    Add a "Tagging System" to crew management.
    Would be found in the same place as the brig/crew management information.
    Players would be able to nominate matchmaking tags then vote on them to apply to their crew.
    Crews would be able to tag themselves as any of the above options and change them anytime, so you aren't forced into just PvE if the crew decides they want to swap to some combat.

    Of course, nothing would stop a PvP crew from encountering a PvE tagged crew, you will still have to guard your treasure/ship.

    The other changes I would like to see are:
    Invite Only crew
    Any crew size, Any ship
    Rare has said they are working on these two, so I didn't include them in the full suggestion list, but I definitely hope these are ready for release or soon after.

    Good idea? Bad idea? Got suggestions for more options? Let's see'em!

    Edit: To be 100% clear, this would only determine the crew on your own ship. Ship encounters and server sessions would not be changed.

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  • Gengar868379
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    The biggest problem with any preference based queuing system is that it is exploitable. Players that want to prey on easier targets can switch their preference to PVE and then once filled with a map of passive targets proceed to grief to your hearts content. Any system would have to be either very intrusive on gameplay (making players not take damage in certain areas) and damage the charming intuitiveness and immersion (in my opinion), or would have to be behavior based. I would love to see a system where players have an MMR that is based on how many players they've killed/been killed by.

    Then the game would be able to use that data to dynamically move players that seek out pvp content onto the same maps leaving the more docile player pool naturally playing together. This combined with the dynamic server system that already seamlessly moves crews to different serves to be closer or farther away from other players depending on when their last interaction was.

  • ShiftyGob
    Commander
    Insider
    Founder

    @ernie-hazard

    I think he intended this system to be just for the crews themselves. Someone who signs up for a pve focused crew would still be put in the same world as pvp focused crews, it would just insure that all the members of the crew would be wanting to focus on the same aspect.

    I think it's a great idea. One of the biggest issues with solo players who que for galleons right now is being brigged right away because they ended up being the 'extra' in a group of four after one person disconnected. This would eliminate this if everyone in the galleon was also a solo que. I would also like to private my group, so I can run a four man crew and if someone gets DCed, we don't have to ask a random to leave just to get our fourth back in the game.

  • Gengar868379
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @shisizle I see. In that case I definitely would love to see that implemented as I am more for the devs getting to see what kind of content people are interested engaging with. Anything that brings like minded players together is a good thing.

  • xCALYPT0x
    Master
    Insider
    Boatswain

    Good suggestions. I think category 1 and 3 are viable options. Category 2 though could be abused heavily and I think it should be avoided.

  • LagunaVII
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @xcalypt0x It wouldnt be abused - he is not asking for a PvE server so to speak, just that when you are matchmaking if you plan to play your game PvE you can find a crew of the same mindset and sail with 3 other PvE'ers rather than a random... So you are all on the same page and can actively work together to better avoid PvP

  • xCALYPT0x
    Master
    Insider
    Boatswain

    @lagunavii Oh okay I see. I completely misinterpreted that. In that case, I think all three are great suggestions!

    I don't think it would increase matchmaking speeds, but rather have the opposite effect. However, I wouldn't mind a little extra wait time to get paired with a crew that I am going to enjoy playing with.

  • RGBKnights
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    I have a running post of MatchMaking and how bad it is currently.
    (Although currently NDA) Below are some options I think could really help.

    I will now outline what we believe should be some matching options:
    Languages
    Regions
    Voice vs NVC
    Crew Sizes (Already there well-done team!)
    Playstyle
    Platform
    Party Aware

  • LagunaVII
    Master
    Insider
    Founder

    @xcalypt0x It could still be abused like - but at least if you get a PvP'er pretending to want PvE just to match with you and fire your cannons at first opportunity - you can "Brig Em"

  • y0uJerk
    Marauder

    I disagree. IMO their current dynamic instance system is ideal. The one thing I’d like to see changed is a higher probability of ship encounters. They aim for encounters every 10-15 min. I’ll spend a good chunk of time just booty hunting, but the constant risk of danger around the corner is what makes this game so fun for me.

  • hrknen

    @y0ujerk
    It wouldn't effect the instances themselves, only the crew you are partied with.
    As an example, one random crew I ended up with, 3 of us wanted to PvE and voted on a voyage. The 4th decided he wanted to find players to fight and was somewhat obnoxiously loud about it. Eventually he decided he was 'Captain' and started sending the ship in random directions. Once it got to the point where he wasn't going to give up and we couldn't really go anywhere, we brigged him.
    Then we just had to play for 30minutes with someone that wouldn't leave the brig.
    While people could abuse a more expansive matchmaking system, it could have saved us from getting a party member that didn't fit in with our crew. It also might have saved that guy from getting locked in the brig. So, really, that abuse is happening already.

    Most of the time I try and play with friends or solo, but if the only time I went on a Galleon was with my buddies, I'd only be getting like 10 hours a month. I've probably wasted about 10 hours across the 3 Betas just trying to get a crew that would work together. When it does work, it can be quite fun though.

  • y0uJerk
    Marauder

    @hrknen I see. Some phrasing you used confused me I guess. “Get matched with solo players only”

  • UVG Reign
    Founder

    @hrknen said in Advanced Matchmaking:

    Invite Only crew
    Any crew size, Any ship
    Rare has said they are working on these two, so I didn't include them in the full suggestion list, but I definitely hope these are ready for release or soon after.

    Any crew size any ship?! When did they say this?

    That was one area I thought they did well balance wise, forcing a specific ship on the crew depending on their specific size. Admittedly missing a 3 crew ship but it was the right direction IMO

    Edit: or did I misinterpret what you meant

  • DaLinoge
    Founder

    Sorry but I dont like this idea at all. Its amazing to sink galleons as a solo player, or two man, especially with the sloop being way stronger then the galleon. It would completely destroy the fun. I dont mind seeing pve servers for those... who dont enjoy being a pirate in a pirate game...?

  • Sealitre
    Marauder

    While in theory it sounds like a good idea, in practice you'd struggle to find a way to make things of better quality and quicker, if you branch the matchmaking out into categories like mics only, pvp based or solo etc. While improving your gameplay experience by being tailored to how you'd like to play with like minded people, it'd certainly not improve the speed of matchmaking as the server would have more categories to sort through to find a number of people who all chose the same selection of things.

  • hrknen

    @sealitre
    Well, when I say faster I guess I mean faster than joining a crew, leaving because it's not working out, joining another crew, leaving, etc.
    Each individual join would probably take longer depending on how many ships are active and how quickly their system can sort them.

    @y0uJerk
    Yeah I see the confusion now, I've tried to update it to be a bit clearer.

    @Grim-Davy-Jones
    Those who respond to threads without reading them should be left stranded on Fool's Lagoon.

  • Grim Davy Jones

    @hrknen First of all, im not here to insult you , nor be against you.
    i totally misread the idea , or at least i still dont get it , are you talking about a campaign? but more in a co-op way with a group?

  • hrknen

    @grim-davy-jones
    I'm talking about the crew matchmaking system when joining a game.
    If you have a pre-made group or are solo sailing, there would be absolutely zero difference from your normal experience.

  • Sir Kringle
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @hrknen I think that there should be no option of playing solo sloop with only other solo sloops because that defeats the purpose of discouraging soloing. Sea of Thieves is meant for a 4 man crew and battles like so, not for solo. I believe they just added that to satisfy a larger audience. They said themselves that it's a team building game.

  • hrknen

    @sir-kringle
    Instead of assuming what it says, read it again.
    These changes are WITHIN crew only

  • Sir Kringle
    Captain
    Insider
    Founder

    @hrknen OOOHHH!! My bad man!! Disregard my post. Oops!

  • hrknen

    Yeah, I need to work out better wording for it I guess.
    The basic idea stems from this:

    Most random crews that brig people are pre-formed groups of 2 or 3 people.
    If you had the ability to queue for a Galleon with only other lone players, there would be much less abuse of the Brig system.
    All the best random groups I ended up with were fellow solo players. Though I had one group of 2 that I sailed with for 4 or 5 hours.

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