Input Based Matchmaking, Aim Assist, Controllers and Cheating.

[Naughty Maggot]

So here we are again, it's that time of year when a new Call of Duty is about to be released.

With everything that goes on and things that get talked about and all the hype and information being dropped, there's certain aspects of the game that I feel get absolutely none of the spotlight, at least from the devs.

That is Aim Assist, Cheating and input diversity. It has been a hot topic in these discussions but nothing has been divulged as to if they are even taking this criticism on board, they seem to just turn a blind eye and don't ever want to discuss it.

As a Keyboard and Mouse player I see so many issues with the controller platform that I honestly think is ruining the game. Not that controllers are inherently bad but the ways in which that input can be abused within COD and the lack of any acknowledgement alone surrounding all of these issues is extremely alarming to me.

For instance, a lot of cheaters use controller. There are multiple devices that can be used to run weapon altering scripts on Console and PC. There are players that use KBM through these devices to make the game think they are using a Controller so they also get aim assist. There is a minority that actually run game hacks on consoles and a larger group on PC to get aimbot and walls etc. Then there's the discussion that Aim Assist is massively overturned and is actively dumbing down gunfights to the point where a good player will hardly ever miss a shot on Controller.

After playing the Beta and playing the last few COD games, as well as consuming all different forms of media surrounding this topic, it is clear that Aim Assist is still very powerful. To the point where the devs stated that Controller Aim Assist is outperforming KBM players, yet they never do anything to alleviate the issue.

Now don't misunderstand me, I love using controllers, I absolutely love cross-platform integration and the inclusion of everyone on different platforms and different inputs, but there is clearly an imbalance and lack of accountability from the devs surrounding these issues. As a KBM player I am seriously thinking about completely quitting the series if they don't start to take appropriate action or at least implement systems such as Input Based Matchmaking.

This year during MWII, we received an update that stated that Cronus devices were actively being targeted with the updated Anti-Cheat platform. After that though, absolutely zero information regarding number of players affected or if it was actually working as intended. As well as no information regarding any of the other hardware platforms that are being abused. This leads me to believe they aren't actually focused on putting a stop to it.

I'm not going to go into the details surrounding Aim Assist in this discussion as that is only a part of the problem with controllers and people know which side of they fence they sit on regarding it.

What I will say however is that I completely sympathise with Controller players that also dislike the current level of Aim Assist. Imagine spending years gaming on a device and getting extremely good using it, only to have devs artificially improve everyone else's ability to use it. That is a complete insult and betrayal to everyone that has been buying their games for years. Imagine if everyone on KBM also got aim assist. What would be the point in playing? You'd basically be in a situation where the person who fires first will win.

Normally, if you want to get better at something you use the best tool available. For FPS games the best tool is a mouse. However a significant portion of the player base has completely given up on them, opting to use controller instead, purely due to how easy they are to use and how much the Aim Assist improves your ability to get kills consistently. This statements is made considering high skilled players, PRO players, streamers and 'celebrities' withing the game space, yet it affects every level of skill the same way.

Players should strive to improve and be able to see improvements in their skill within gaming. I think Aim Assist completely negates any of that and dumbs the game down significantly.

Anyway it's obviously not going to improve any time soon in COD. So my argument is why can't the players that want to use KBM have Input Based Matchmaking? So that they can enjoy the game in an environment where skill is still rewarded and players can strive to get better without having to deal with artificially created 'skill'. Not knowing if the enemy is actually better or is cheating or is using Aim Assist well.

TLDR: let KBM players have Input Based Matchmaking.

[Akemua]

I'm willing to bet there is a tiny, infantile niche minority of players that use controllers, and are actually good without AA. Those same players however, would get stomped on even in their favorite game by the average mouse user.

So, honestly, I very highly doubt there are that many controller users that don't like the AA. They literally need it to do the ♥♥♥♥ they do in the game.

That said, I don't that people use controllers either. I grew up on Xbox and Halo. But ♥♥♥♥ me, some of these matches I've played against controller users made me irate. I've never had this level of frustration in games like Counter-Strike. At least I know they either got lucky, or are just objectively that good at aiming. There was no garbage assistance that did 90% of the work for them.

Idk how to feel about it tbh. Both my K/D and W/L are positive in this game, so it's not like I do abysmal. I just feel like the more I play against them and see as they out gun me because of the magnetism and tracking AA gives them, the less fun I have.

As for IBMM, it's a start, at least it will give people an option. But they've shoehorned the games so hard towards consoles that they either don't care in the slightest for PC, or that they think we might as well join the crowd and play with controllers. A niche amount of players would use only KB/M sadly.

[Doc]

On top of all of that comes their engagement optimized match making, which actively makes you miss shots and manipulate your accuracy based on the other players skill level.
The controllerplayers get bullet magnetism aswell.
That's why the game feels so phony. It feels like you always have to be spot on with your aim(as it should be),then the hidden game mechanics decide if you hit or not.
Thats why you see so many low level players that just beam you, their first 4 shots always hit, because they dont need to be accurate.

I can't be the only who's getting tilted by these outrageous killcams. You see their crosshair placement, where they are shooting and you just know with the same input on kbm those shots would never hit.

We all know that, after a really good game or two, sbmm just beats you down for a couple of games, before you are allowed to stomp a game again.

That's why the game rarely feels good.
I had so many games where i was completly pissed of by the game, just to see that i had the most kills and stomped everyone. Even those games dont feel good and right, because there will always be at least a few encounters where you just feel cheated by the way the controller player kills you.

In my eyes, there cant be another good cod with those phony mechanics at its core.
Your skills are not rewarded, you rather get punished for being good at the game while the bad players on the other hand get their egos boosted to be encouraged to spend some money in the shop.

Everything in this game is designed to make you buy skins.
They even give you lobbies with bad players after you buy a new bundle.
You get your dopamine crushing the lobby, while the stomped players see the nice new skin with that seemingly super strong gun. This way they try to lure both sides into buying another one.

Activision got patents on all those things, you can check them out.
Everybody can read them online, yet they always refused to even aknowledge the existence of SBMM.

It's sickening that they talk about "Competetive Integrity" and a "Fair and even Playingfield" in their code of conduct, which every single player has to accept.

[Naughty Maggot]

Originally posted by Akemua:

I'm willing to bet there is a tiny, infantile niche minority of players that......

I think there are a good amount of players that are extremely adept on Controller without Aim Assist. These players looks like they're using aim bot though when playing due to the added advantage of AA. That's not to take away from their skill however, they're just that good at aiming on stick, they probably rival an above average persons ability to aim with a mouse without Aim Assist.

As for them getting stomped by the average mouse user I don't agree with that. Some players are absolutely crazy on the sticks. Sure same skill players will definitely lose to a mouse if Aim Assist was completely disabled but I think if it was at a level it used to be, without this heavy sticky rotational assist, I think Controller users would still hold their own in their relative skill bracket.

You should watch some of the streamers when they do no Aim Assist challenges. They still absolutely bang. It's extremely impressive how good their aim remains on the sticks even with no Aim Assist. You have to remember that people have been on Controller in COD for years. Muscle memory at that point is extremely well developed.

I do agree however, that the average controller player has become dependant on AA and it's probably made their aim worse because of it. It's a crutch and an absolute death sentence to disable it due to how powerful it is currently. I don't blame them for not wanting to put themselves at a huge disadvantage.

But yeah, playing against it, especially within that 1-20m zone, is extremely frustrating at times. If you miss a bullet then it's game over. I don't do bad either. However my K/D, W/L gets significantly lower every year and every year it gets harder and harder to distinguish between actual cheaters and players that are good at utilising the Aim Assist.

Something seriously needs be done about it though and done about all the cheaters, not just PC hackers. I hardly ever see them anyway. My concern is that I'm playing against controller cheaters constantly but you just can't tell due to how strong AA is.

COD should be encouraging players to go to KBM, not the other way around. I get that they target the casual audience and they seem to believe that making the game easier makes them more money. I honestly don't know, it's just really sad that this game I once loved brings me so much frustration now when playing it.

[[SEAF] Cheez3™]

We were happy back when crossplay wasn’t a thing, both sides hates each other (console and pc players) unless activision adds a “disable crossplay” option, this will never end.

[Blueknight719]

Originally posted by CHEEZ3:

We were happy back when crossplay wasn’t a thing, both sides hates each other (console and pc players) unless activision adds a “disable crossplay” option, this will never end.

It ended for me with MW II, no more money for games until it becomes an option for all platforms.

[RezaN]

Cross input is all we need.Additionally, the new cod's greater ttk makes it much more difficult for normal MnK players to defeat controller players in close gunfights.

[Naughty Maggot]

Originally posted by Manticore:

Cross input is all we need.Additionally, the new cod's greater ttk makes it much more difficult for normal MnK players to defeat controller players in close gunfights.

Exactly, Beta felt ridiculous against Aim Assist up close. Literally going 1.0 every match or lower and not missing many shots in gunfights sucks. AA is definitely as strong as ever.

[Griffith]

By the way, they even fkd up mouse input on release. Bullets feels like ghosting, delay between mouse click and actually shot, weird acceleration or deceleration. Feels bad. But I can’t go back to controller either, because I have ZERO aim assist on PC.

[Edys]

I already know that if nothing changes with the next update, I will never buy COD again, I'm fed up with the total ignorance from Activision

[Imortul]

Bump. This man is speaking facts.

[ScorpY]

aimlockers analogs are there ..there's nothing to do with them...

[Brohan Creates]

Long as people continue to buy this Slop, Activision will continue to keep doing it...

[Big Slim]

I've had a few good games. Just had a game where I'm 100% sure they nerfed my damage. Guys were tanking 7 or 8 shots with an assault rifle and killing me in 3.

[Naughty Maggot]

This post is a year old but the content is still as relevant as the day I posted it. Still no communication about controller cheaters being targeted or facing severe bans.

What makes me laugh is the fact that they're fast on the trigger to perma-ban anyone on PC for infractions but if you're found to be cheating on console with Cronus etc. All you get is a warning. I mean, wow. If that's not a red flag then I don't know what is.