MatchMaking Lobbies feedbacks

[Mooon]

You seem to have no idea how many rules I have to follow when creating maps.

What? I don't even... First, of course he has no idea what rules you have internally (why would he?) Second, using this as an excuse is pure bs. Maps need to qualify for the primary map-pack because they are balanced and fun to play, not because they're following some made up rules.

The plan was to put different matchmaking servers, each with their own set of maps depending on the level

Please don't. When you are new to the game and watching pro players stream and compete in tournaments you want to play the same game as them. Not be forced to play some weird maps that you have never seen, I want to be able to watch a pro play and think "thats a neat strategy, I'll try that next time on ladder!"

I also don't buy the whole "new players find the competitive maps too hard". Where do you get this idea from? Elite is challenging and thats what makes it fun. I'm so sick of the casual Trackmania mentality, if you are serious about competitive e-sports we need a way to play like the pros. Look at Starcraft/Dota, every major streamer are playing on the official MM-server. People watch this and want to try the same things themselves, but in Shootmania you can't. Here you have to find a clan-server and hope that there are someone willing to play with you.


I get it, ranting about this will lead nowhere. But I urge you to do a test to see what people really think about the maps, install a rating system on the elite match making servers where players can rate the current map after a game. Cycle through some ESL-maps and I think you would be surprised with the result.

[PapyChampy]

I'm so sick of the casual Trackmania mentality

This. I think this sentence summarizes well what's at stakes here. SM isn't the average FPS.

You're maybe, in my opinion, missing the point of what a shooter with an accessible map editor can bring to the genre.

As long as Elite players will stay in a relative "comfort zone" ("We want to master the same maps and play them over and over") we'll be having the same debate.

I'm not saying that such behaviour or requests from players is a bad thing, as this is a valid opinion. But this is probably not the majority of players and more wishes from top/experienced players.

I'm just saying that we could make it a better experience, for a whole lot of players, if the maps were more numerous and more accessible.

Anyways I'm not in charge of the matchmaking thing, we'll just see how it rolls. =)

[infarctus]

h24 NADEO freakin workers

[The_Big_Boo]

@Lux: I'm not saying that playing the same maps for years is always wrong but it was a reference to how CS has always the same maps in each game because people would cry otherwise... He's saying the maps are bad just because he doesn't know them well enough and that's the same behaviour than people begging for de_dust.

[dreammyw0w]

Hi,

I just tried the silver+ matchmaking. It was empty... but its normal. Give it some time.
But im making this new post because you guys really improved the design of the lobby with a little video & tutorials.
Everything looks so much better & it feels much more as a good game.
It was in the changelog, but it is really worth mentioning!
So keep it up!

Also I played "inmybunk" and saw some cool old blocks. Why arent these in any of the new maps? Is it an old block? It really look good, but I couldnt walljump on any of the walls.

OT : The matchmaking is really starting to look good! Great job.

[Lux]

You're maybe, in my opinion, missing the point of what a shooter with an accessible map editor can bring to the genre.

But all the matchmaking maps are made by you. And last time there were others added they got removed within a few days it felt like. So how is it any different to have an accessible map editor instead of just in-house?

And I have to agree with what's been said in this thread before, please don't split the community into different lobbies.

[PapyChampy]

It's not my call to decide which maps are hosted on the matchmaking servers, as I previously said, I'm not in charge of this.

I only build them according to Nadeo needs.

And if you put only ESL maps on the matchmaking server : what diversity do you have ? Nearly all of those maps have similar patterns/attacking and defending positions.
I'm not saying that they are bad maps. They are just way less accessible.

Elite is gonna have much more players coming in in the next few days. Accessibility is more important atm.

[amani]

It's not my call to decide which maps are hosted on the matchmaking servers, as I previously said, I'm not in charge of this.

I only build them according to Nadeo needs.

And if you put only ESL maps on the matchmaking server : what diversity do you have ? Nearly all of those maps have similar patterns/attacking and defending positions.
I'm not saying that they are bad maps. They are just way less accessible.

Elite is gonna have much more players coming in in the next few days. Accessibility is more important atm.

Can you specify what you mean by accessibility?

Who decides what maps are hosted then? Magnetik?

There are NO attack patterns on some of your current maps. Just head on.

[Hylis]

The future of hosting on Ubisoft servers, in my oppinion, and it could be see otherwise by discussions with other people at the company is:

Beginners (Echelon 0 and above)
Different moods and pleasant to see: underground, night, water, wild, castle, techno.
Discovery of some specific feeelings: slides, labyrinths, jumps, nucleus, arrows, powerpath
And more importantly: simple choices, anti-rush (attack safe zone) simplier orientation

Bronze (Echelon 1 and above)
The maps that have been hosted just before (Nadeo maps)
And maybe diversity as a must

Silver (Echelon 4 and above)
A selection of competitive maps among previous ones
A selection of some tournaments maps around
Diversity can be helped with maybe a vote among 3 or 5 random picked at the start (one vote, one chance)

Gold (Echelon 7 and above)
Hopefully the bi-monthly map pack that the community would be able to determine for top level competitions
With vote map (more likely, but still maybe)

But many things can change if we encounter new reasons to do otherwise. One thing, for example, is that if maps stay the same too much into the tournament community, then we invite them to host their own top level matchmaking servers, but would try to suggest more diversity on our own.

For me, map diversity is a must, and will look after bringing a way to experience diversity for players around. It is good for evolution and finding new cool type of situations (maps that are not played are not really tested) for possible regeneration of competitive scene (more difficult to invite players to join you on maps you train since years) and renewed interest for spectators (diversity in maps, in tactics and in situations) Players would say that they would need to train more if maps change, but that's part of interest as well, meaning that your training can make a difference on one competition. I know it is a very long debate. Some would say that LoL has only one map, but champions change all the time on the other side. Starcraft metagame, balances and maps are also changing. It's a question of balance for me: how much has to change and how quickly: 2 maps per month in a pack of 7? 3 maps bi-monthly in pack of 9? 7 maps per week in a pack of 365? 1 map per decade in a pack of 5? Happily, Maniaplanet enables to create/host in a great diversity of ways. So, I think a good balance will be found, much more than blindly copy/paste from other games, including FPS or TM.

Some games abandon pros, some abandon wide audience. It takes time, but we are trying to make something that is interesting for both: the casual can improve and pro can have casual that became pro to compete with, or simply have casual that watch them play. There is much more players than spectators or pros at LoL. So, wide audience is a good thing for pro and be sure that I listen more to players that integrate this logic into their reasonning, than pro-only approach. And people that would not believe in it being possible, it is just sad.

[djhubertus]

It would be great to create votes for best elite community maps to pick in beginner and bronze matchmaking