[idea] out of game matchmaking

[Alexey85]

Just an idea for enthusiastic developers out there with enough time and motivation.

In a nutshell, a separate desktop tool should allow user to specify one or more modes he/she is willing to play currently, what range of players at a server he/she prefers for each mode. The system then will find and assign appropriate servers for users and suggest them a manialink to join their servers.
The purpose is to increase the odds of finding who to play with instead of checking servers manually and leaving because of no players.

An example of workflow.
I specify in the tool that I would like to play currently either Joust with 2-3 players in a server, InstaDM with 5 or more players or Duel mode with 2 players. The system checks all the users and finds 2 users that have specified that they would like to play InstaDM with 6 or more players, also the system sees an InstaDM server already with 3 players there. So it makes conclusion, that if to join me and other 2 to this server, then the match will meet all our preferences, so it proceeds to suggest us manialink to the found InstaDM server.

The UI should be able to collapse into tray icon for greater usabitily. When match is found, the icon will become highlighted.

The benefits:
1. Matchmaking without any actual matchmaking servers in game.
2. Matchmaking across all servers.
3. Matchmaking for several modes at once.
4. Unobtrusive UI. You don't need to run maniaplanet, don't need to check its window. There will be just a tray icon always visible without bothering you.

The drawbacks:
1. Relies on users willingness to join suggested server once the match is found. Can be solved partially by disabling the tool for some time for users that didn't join suggested server.
2. If not implemented properly, can make unbalanced matches (regarding rank).
3. Might be missing other real matchmaing features if not implemented (duh).
4. (edit). Ofc there is no way to make match reset upon players joining, and probably no way to track if player played a match till the end. But anyway it is not the purpose of the tool.

I'm not sure if it is possible to get the necessary servers info with current API though.

[Wabbitface]

If this is possible then I'd prefer to get an external server browser that I can filter and search for servers, have my favourites with no limit and find servers that my buddies are in.

Like normal games with all the server information I need in one line under various useful fields in which I can sort as well.


However your idea is alright yet if its made I don't think it will really catch on = waste of time for development.

[Alexey85]

If this is possible then I'd prefer to get an external server browser that I can filter and search for servers, have my favourites with no limit and find servers that my buddies are in.[...]

The tool is meant for those who usually don't have buddies playing on the preferrable modes.
Most of the time when I check servers to play certain modes - they are all emtpy and I leave. Maybe others do this at the same time. We could play together, but we don't know about each other and see empty servers, so we skip playing at all. If instead we just did couple clicks in the tool, it would suggest us to play together. Cool, right? While waiting a match you can browse internets, etc without the burden of checking server lists all the time because the tray icon always visible, it will notify if a match is found.

[Alexey85]

I've been working myself on something like this for a while. There is nothing presentable for public yet but I wanted to share anyway . In the current state it is possible to specify one or more scripts and the minimum preferred player count for each script, the maximum player count preference is not supported. This concept is working in my local and it is amazing. Like not only it constantly searches servers according to user's preferences but if, for example, there will be two potential users and they ask to play Joust, they will get notification to join the same server even if all the servers are empty. I will let you know if anything comes up unless I loose motivation to continue with this (considering my lazyness I am surprised I got so far, haha).

[weerwolf]

Bring back that idea when maniaplanet has 10.000+ players online in the evening