Quick match system

[SEF Mango]

Yoyo all!

Despite my constant nagging, I do find the new system an improvement over the previous one. I have a few concerns I would like to voice for the development team and community. please share your thoughts.

Really, I just have 2 points that I would like to focus on.

1) Default rating.

As we all know, the default rating is "0." Not usually an issue unless you start mid season. At that point you can be left waiting for some time to find an opponent. Now, consider what this will be like for new players entering the system at "0" while the vast majority have an established rating. The wait could be excruciating.

Due to this, I propose that we set the default rating to "200" I feel that this is a fair rating for new comers to the system as it is about where new players tend to settle anyhow and it is at a high enough point that it should not penalize established players too much should they happen to lose in a match to the new comers.

2) Decay restructure

In the current system your rating is penalized if you do not play for 5 days. However, the system has changed so that rating and score are so much more tied to one another that I feel the decay should effect not only Rating but Score as well.

Also, I would like to see the decay only effect those that are in the top 75-100. Not sure if I feel it is fair for those at the cusp to fall into this as well so that is why I have maybe just top 75. For me, this is just to try and keep new blood circulating into the top scoring ladder.

I would like to also propose that the decay system be redone so that it is not as lenient as it is today. After some discussion I found 3 games every 48 hours seems to be reasonable.

I did receive some pushback on this from established players. They want to be sure that the score they worked towards is secured. However, I am not here to speak on behalf of those established players, which includes myself. I am here to speak on behalf of all players in Shadow Era. I want all players out there to know that they should constantly push themselves because those at the top don't have it easy. There is a chance they could fall and they should be ready to work their way into position to take their spot.

If more players know that they have a chance, that could bring them more deeply into competitive play and improve them as a player overall. This theoretically could strengthen the player pool in regards to tournaments and large events. Having more better players is never a bad thing. If they know there is a chance, they will be more receptive to learning more and advancing their skills.

Overall, I do believe that the new system is an improvement. I just feel that perhaps these suggestions could help make things a little more lively in the quick match scene. I am not sure how the community as a whole feels about it as I have only spoken to a few in private but I would like to get every one to leave me a comment.

Thank you for reading.

Pop up?...

[Vexmaw]

Nice write up!

1) I would have to disagree. It shouldn't affect everyone because a few start late. Everyone is new at some point and has to learn the rules. Offer some very cheap crystals/bundles and force forum registry to help.

2) Totally agree, I am in favor of a very strict decay system. Campers ruin ladders.

Thank you for your contirbutions Mr. Mango. Always a pleasure to read.

[Spartan]

1) i find the non reseting rating to apply unecessary presure to the player base.

I personaly play only my best decks that i am familiar with and being relatively new, im afraid to try decks that im not familiar with (they are alot :P) because in the back of my mind i know that every point of rating i loose it will be lost for good in the future months too.
I have heard some players say, " i had a bad start, now there is no point of trying. I dont play at all". Some others, including myself, found the reset in rating refreshing, since if you had a bad start you could play fun decks, test new ones, play with those your not so familiar with.
Now all these possibilities are lost for a player who cares even a litle for being in top 100. Now you have to fight as hard as you can for every point of rating....forever...or...not care about rating at all.

2) A decay in score is a must if the player dont play. I find 4 - 5 games per 3 days to be fair, cos its forces you to play and gives the possibility of SE free weekend with friends and family.

[MC CODE7]

I agree

1) Rating should be resetted or decrease , it would be fair .

2) I agree with decay system

[tolerance]

I'm also in favor of reset rating each month, starting at 200r or mean of the rating system for all players seems a good change

[Cerddorion]

"Due to this, I propose that we set the default rating to "200" I feel that this is a fair rating for new comers to the system as it is about where new players tend to settle anyhow and it is at a high enough point that it should not penalize established players too much should they happen to lose in a match to the new comers."

A better way of doing it would be to have a running average for the year (the average of each month's rating) and a monthly reset to 0, with some sort of reward for both best monthly rank/score and the top rank/score for the year.

"Also, I would like to see the decay only effect those that are in the top 75-100. Not sure if I feel it is fair for those at the cusp to fall into this as well so that is why I have maybe just top 75. For me, this is just to try and keep new blood circulating into the top scoring ladder."

This decay should affect everyone the same. The goal is to reward consistent play by everyone.

"I would like to also propose that the decay system be redone so that it is not as lenient as it is today. After some discussion I found 3 games every 48 hours seems to be reasonable....I want all players out there to know that they should constantly push themselves..."


This is very close to the suggestion I had made in another post, about having a stricter requirement for games played. People are already crying about not wanting to play every day. Is just ONE game too much to do in one day? Surely you can find the time to fit in just one game and be done for the day. What bothers me about the whole system is that once you reach the top ten, you can just sit there, and not have to maintain or work at keeping that spot.

[AHSAN022]

as we talked. the rating should be 150 not 200 and i'm agree with you in all other things

[SEF Mango]

Just so you know, the default rating I am suggesting is only for new players that enter into the Quick Match System. According to Gondorian, there will be no rating reset. I just don’t want new players to start at “0” rating as it will be very difficult to find an opponent. I would like new players to enter QM at 200 rating so that they can have a match right away.

I understand your post about 150. I feel it is too Lowe but I like that we are on same page.

[Spartan]

I would like to see a rating reset atleast untill the game has the player base to support an unrated mode.

Customs without password can be a comfort but cant replace a populated unrated mode. So i feel resets in rating (not necessarily to 0) are refreshing and needed

[AHSAN022]

Only we just dont want new player do struggle for finding opponents at the beginning