The state of matchmaking in this game

[iyashi]

Top is me, a relatively newbie player.
Bottom is an average opponent i get matched with IN NON-RANKED since recently.
https://imgur.com/dmWNIIb

At this point I would assume there is no matchmaking at all for the pub whatsoever - it seems like you just get put against whoever is first available.

Why not actually make a system where you're matched according to the approximate strength of your current deck? Like provision to points ratio or the number of legendaries, etc. Another way could be introducing experience penalties or something like that.

The game would be so much more enjoyable that way. And in case someone says it would lower the incentive to buy the loot bo... barrels, I would argue the contrary - the more fun new players are having, the more likely they would be to support the game and devs with cash.

For as it stands now, once you progressed a bit into the game, you simply become fodder for op/meta decks that throw over 6-7 legendaries into your face (sometimes I wonder how they even manage to fit that many in).

What such decks are even doing in non-ranked mode is a separate question - logic dictates it's probably because how easy it is for them to grind half-crowns (round wins) against newbies there, now that this "journey" shtick which requires said half-crowns got introduced.

[Yaboul]

Just play ranked and you'll be matched with players that are roughly your level...

[iyashi]

In ranked you're matched according to your rank, not your level. And the amount of meta deck tryhards there is even higher. I played ranked at first but it became completely unenjoyable after around rank 20, so I'm not touching that again.

[Lagrange]

Stop malding dude, you played unranked as you said yourself. You seen CSGo? Playing a casual match in CSGo attracts any and all players, be it a brand new account or a pro. When you play Ranked, you are matched according to your MMR and when you hit Pro Rank (Level 0), you get matched according to the faction MMR. Use casual for memes or wasting time, play Ranked for getting paired up fairly and Seasonal/Arena when you want something new.

[iyashi]

>you are matched according to your MMR

Thanks, this is actually helpful information. If true, then I guess I just need to forfeit a few dozen matches so that my MMR gets low enough.

[Lokiator]

Originally posted by iyashi:

What such decks are even doing in non-ranked mode is a separate question - logic dictates it's probably because how easy it is for them to grind half-crowns (round wins) against newbies there, now that this "journey" shtick which requires said half-crowns got introduced.

People grinding crowns aren't doing it in casual, they're doing it in seasonal speed-mode games. Those are easily 2-3 times faster than a game in casual.

Anyone in casual this month is either someone testing out a new deck or someone trying to grind out a contract that can't be done in speed games because it requires more than 8 seconds per turn.

[Lagrange]

1. https://teamleviathangaming.com/gwent-ranked-mode/

In a Ranked game, as far as the rules and the format of the game are concerned, nothing is different from an Unranked (Casual) match. The major difference is that you will be playing with opponents of similar skill to yours (based on current Rank).

2. https://support.cdprojektred.com/en/gwent/pc/gwent-gameplay/issue/1105/ranked-mode-progression
3. https://masters.playgwent.com/en/news/7091/pro-rank-mmr
4. https://teamleviathangaming.com/budget/

Cheers dude, have a good time.

Originally posted by iyashi:

If true, then I guess I just need to forfeit a few dozen matches

I would actually recommend not doing this. People in the past have been penalized for the same (his case was extreme but on the same lines).

[✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉]

Originally posted by iyashi:

In ranked you're matched according to your rank, not your level. And the amount of meta deck tryhards there is even higher. I played ranked at first but it became completely unenjoyable after around rank 20, so I'm not touching that again.

LMAO. Ranked play is unenjoyable for the keyboard warrior?

At ranks 14-15, I could play with two eyes closed.

Git gud and actually start learning how to play then spending time trolling the forums.

Oh wait, he's not even 14-15 but 17. No wonder he says game is P2W. LMFAO.

[iyashi]

Originally posted by ✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉:

At ranks 14-15, I play with two eyes closed.

Wow bruh u so kewl :DDD

Btw, there is a whole room of people who care about your imaginary achievements in an abandoned house not far from me. You should say hi.

[✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉]

Originally posted by iyashi:

Originally posted by ✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉:

At ranks 14-15, I play with two eyes closed.

Wow bruh u so kewl :DDD

Btw, there is a whole room of people who care about your imaginary achievements in an abandoned house not far from me. You should say hi.

Tell you what.

Add me in game. I WILL PLAY a starter deck. You can throw 7,8 or 10 legendaries IN MY FACE.

Later you can brag how you kicked someone in pro rank's butt.

How's that sound? Should be a tempting offer for a keyboard warrior like yourself?

My only condition is we post each other's decklist in the forums (aka open tournament style).

Everyone can see for themselves whether this game is some P2W scam in which you so brazenly claim.

Also, are you staying in that abandoned house as well? Cause you seem to care and replied to my posting on the other thread? I'm actually taking your advise by offering you a chance to be the next level keyboard warrior with bragging rights about thrashing a pro ladder player.

[iyashi]

Originally posted by ✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉:

Later you can brag how you kicked someone in pro rank's butt.

Why do you think I have the need or wish to brag about videogames-related stuff?
That's obviously textbook projection on your part.

Ok, I'll answer serioiusly, without much baiting:

I don't care for muh competition, muh ranks, and similar phallometrics for people having insecurity issues. As I see it, games should be fun first and foremost. And Gwent as it currently is, while still being a cute game overall, kind of lacks in the balancing department, which lowers its overall potential fun factor for quite some people (judging from other reviews and forum complaints here). And that's what I voiced my opinion about.

Furthermore, I've tried it out because I saw the advertisement, remembered liking the card minigame in Witcher 3, and decided to try it out, since I've been having some free evenings recently. But as things stand, I'll probably get burned out on it in a matter of days, nor did I feel any significant incentive of putting money into it.

So do not you worry, chances are I won't be sullying your pro gaymer alpha territory with my presence much longer (assuming I even had intention thereof) :D

[✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉]

Originally posted by iyashi:

Ok, I'll answer serioiusly, without much baiting:

Yeah, well it's quite obvious I'm not a kid as you paint me at. You can bait all you want dude, but you're relatively just thrash talking yourself at the end.

Originally posted by iyashi:

I don't care for muh competition, muh ranks, and similar phallometrics for people having insecurity issues. As I see it, games should be fun first and foremost. And Gwent as it currently is, while still being a cute game overall, kind of lacks in the balancing department, which lowers its overall potential fun factor for quite some people (judging from other reviews and forum complaints here). And that's what I voiced my opinion about.

Yeah neither do I care about competitive plays and ranks. I just play a game to have fun. I don't see people improving in the game because of them whining and ranting about a game though.

Balancing? I think I have proved without reasonable doubt that a good player can certainly win the game without the need to play Tier 1 meta decks.

Though I do agree it needs further work. But if you're judging on the number of rant and noob posts, I think you got the whole picture wrong.

Originally posted by iyashi:

Furthermore, I've tried it out because I saw the advertisement, remembered liking the card minigame in Witcher 3, and decided to try it out, since I've been having some free evenings recently. But as things stand, I'll probably probably get burned out on it in a matter of days, nor did I feel incentive of putting money into it.

So do not you worry, chances are I won't be sullying your pro gaymer alpha territory with my presence much longer (assuming I even had intention thereof) :D

I don't really care if someone wants to "sully" or give constructive criticism. My post was meant to hit on ranters and other netdeckers whose speciality is copying other people's decks but not actually learning how to play them.

It is entirely possibly to get to pro rank without forking out a single cent, FYI.

Even though you are not a competitive gamer like myself, my only incentive to reach pro rank is to get the max RP points which is 25. Should be incentive enough for all F2P players out there.

You don't need to be a keyboard warrior to gain attention on the forums. Like I said, I would actually bend a knee and offer to coach you for free, if you're open to it.

[iyashi]

Originally posted by ✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉:

Like I said, I would actually bend a knee and offer to coach you for free, if you're open to it.

Thanks but no need, I don't see myself getting too much into it anyway.

Although since you're so knowledgeable, do tell me: how does one play against ethereal + fruit of ysgith spam? Especially when it's accompanied by multiple consume cards? Because so far I've been having trouble mostly against that kind of deck and the skellige meta (well, to say nothing of random decks with a bunch of neutral legendaries).

[✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉]

Originally posted by iyashi:

Originally posted by ✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉:

Like I said, I would actually bend a knee and offer to coach you for free, if you're open to it.

Thanks but no need, I don't see myself getting too much into it anyway.

Although since you're so knowledgeable, do tell me: how does one play against ethereal + fruit of ysgith spam? Especially when it's accompanied by multiple consume cards? Because so far I've been having trouble mostly against that kind of deck and the skellige meta (well, to say nothing of random decks with a bunch of neutral legendaries).

Gwent is a game of points and win cons.

You build a deck based on your win con. If the ethereal guy's win con is by him playing ethereal, then you either need to access whether your win con>his.

If it is, then just go by playing your own win cond. It's not even necessary to try to counter ethereal spam. As it is, the ethereal deck isn't even a Tier 1 deck and for good reason.

If your opponent's win cond is greater than yours, that's where the game gets more interesting and this is truly where the good players are separated from bad ones. This is where you really need to think how to "disrupt", "bait" or even "force awkward plays" out of the opponent with hopes that he takes it and thus, kills his combo prematurely (like how you flame bait others on the forums). Thought someone like you would have that speciality? Lol.

[iyashi]

Originally posted by ✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉:

Gwent is <insert wiki article>.

Yes, thank you, but I'm well aware of all those truisms about how such games work and the general tactics they require. Was hoping for a more on point advice about a concrete situation, but I guess not. As a mainly ST player the only way I see to deal with ethereals in round 3 (cos that's when they are usually played) is getting an extremely lucky setup for Vernossiel.

Also, returning to the initial point of this thread: would you argue that a deck with ~3 legendaries has very little chance against ones with twice that amount, and that matching such decks is unfair and makes the game a waste of time?

Finally, how would you explain the over-representation of certain factions among you "top competitive players", if the game doesn't have obvious balance and exploit problems?

Btw, the main reason I'm laughing at you is that such people can be found in almost any game's discussions, responding to legitimate complaints with stories of how they easily win with closed eyes and how everyone just needs to "git gud". Kind of an archetype or a meme at this point, I guess.

[✪ Wuhan Warrior 🍉🍉]

Originally posted by iyashi:

Yes, thank you, but I'm well aware of all those truisms about how such games work and the general tactics they require. Was hoping for a more on point advice about a concrete situation, but I guess not. As a mainly ST player the only way I see to deal with ethereals in round 3 (cos that's when they are usually played) is getting an extremely lucky setup for Vernossiel.

I can only give concrete, specific advise upon seeing exactly what type of deck you're playing and what kind of decks you are facing exactly. There are a ton of different variations of ethereal decks on ladder, FYI.

Originally posted by iyashi:

Also, returning to the initial point of this thread: would you argue that a deck with ~3 legendaries has very little chance against ones with twice that amount, and that matching such decks is unfair and makes the game a waste of time?

Not really. It depends on your deck build and win con vs whatever the meta is. Suffice to say you should always build a deck which isn't weak to meta decks. Or better yet, counters meta decks.

Originally posted by iyashi:

Finally, how would you explain the over-representation of certain factions among you "top competitive players", if the game doesn't have obvious balance and exploit problems?

That's why it's called "meta". And yes, I like most are pretty sick of having to facing certain decks again and again. However, truth be told playing against those decks have given me a superb understanding of how to actually counter those decks and I might say I've played enough to actually guess what card he has in his hand, etc and to know whether to force that card out if I needed to.

Tons of players are out there looking for easy wins, I guess. But not all of them are necessarily good players to start with or actually take the time to learn how to play decks they copied off some streamer, etc, which is quite sad.

Game's not entirely balanced, as some factions like ST have notably grown weaker, but it isn't to the point of being "broken" either.

Last season's SK's second wind although, I must say, was pretty broken to the point most streamers and pro rank players argued it was possibly the first ever Tier 0 deck CDPR gave birth to after homecoming. (I started this game like 5 months ago, so I know nuts about Gwent back then).

Originally posted by iyashi:

Btw, the main reason I'm laughing at you is that such people can be found in almost any game's discussions, responding to legitimate complaints with stories of how they easily win with closed eyes and how everyone just needs to "git gud". Kind of an archetype or a meme at this point, I guess.

Well, I guess it's experience at the end of the day. If you really want to learn how to counter a certain deck, the best way to be able to do it is to actually play that actual deck you wish to counter. Playing after a certain amount of times, you would know exactly what to watch out for, what are it's favorable matchups, etc.

It's typically a game of rock-paper-scissors at the end of the day, as most people put it. So if people at your rank are ethereal heavy, either ammend your win cond to be able to outpoint them or play a deck that specifically counters that.

However, contrary to popular opinion, I would strongly put the fact out that a player's plays do matter. Some of the SK pogus I encounter for example on the way to pro rank, played so badly I would honestly put them (at actual rank 10 or above players). If it were reversed, as in, I played SK and the players were playing my deck, I think the outcome would have been much more different.