Why Smurf?

[Smellycat]

people complain about the matchmaking being so bad and worthless and they complain about smurfs.
isnt the point of smurfs to get around matchmaking? so it has to be doing something right or smurfing would be pointless

[id795078477]

The root of the issue is that people want to trample on the opponents. It is exceptionally rare for someone to complain about MM if they were the one dominating. Because "dogpiling" on worthless opponent is fun. It's fun to spawn-camp and t-bag and whatnot. It's a sad truth but it's just how competitive games are.

But - if someone's getting on the opposing side? Sure, it's "EOMM" and "fire the match-making team" because nobody likes being a pinata for enemy to farm and feel good.

Finally, what's even worse is that oftentimes people also don't really like "sweaty" matches because they have to work for that rank. They prefer it to be a quick ordeal. But the "sweaty" match is almost always a result of a good match-making.

Smurfing is just trying to get into the brackets where it's easy to dominate. It's bad because:

- It ruins the matches for those who are getting stomped (duh)
- Accounts will have to derank in order to get to lower brackets, so people will throw matches making it a nightmare for everyone involved
- It enables account trading and the worst of that part, including botting to get around the ranked requirements

And the difficult part is that smurfing is hard to combat. Because there could be genuine skilled players coming from other games that play well even though they have very little play time. If we only go by correlating play time and displayed skill, those folks will be unfairly punished.

[Smellycat]

but what ive gatherd from various complaints that are often repeated here is that bad teams and the overall sweatyness or derpyness of teams are not much different whatever rank u look at so whats the point of seeking lower ranks at all?

[id795078477]

Originally posted by Smellycat:

but what ive gatherd from various complaints that are often repeated here is that bad teams and the overall sweatyness or derpyness of teams are not much different whatever rank u look at so whats the point of seeking lower ranks at all?

In low ranks there are genuine low players. The "it's sweaty" and so on threads are created by those people. If someone is bronze - they will have tough time playing against bronze players, it's by design.

If someone is a genuine plat player, they will solo carry bronze matches. A genuine bronze is very low in mechanical skills, cooldown rotation, even map knowledge. Ult economy is basically a foreign concept there. Resources on the map like health packs are paid no attention. Teamplay is basically "at least half the players on the field don't shoot me" in bronze.

But there are still smurfs. And as I just illustrated in the paragraph above, even one such smurf will ruin the bronze match for genuine bronze players, even if that smurf isn't that high level (say, plat or dia). And if it's some GM toxic streamer doing some "let me pull this shenanigan strat that will never work in my rank and dogpile on those lowbies" sort of video? Bronze stands no chance.

[skgx-]

I had to smurf cuz I couldn't play ranked with my lower ranked friends due to mmr difference between us. So I had to create a new acc and boost myself to their level. I assure you, I took no pleasure in that.

[Smellycat]

so doesnt the existence of smurfs kinda debunks the bad matchmaking arguments im not sure what im getting at with this but its confusing to see evidence of people circumventing a system that is being painted as pointless and unfair to begin with :P

[IndianaJones]

Originally posted by Smellycat:

Why Smurf?

Smurfing is soft cheating / exploiting matchmaking in ranked games.

You queue as a group and your average skill/ group rank gets lowered (by smurf) so you are matched against weaker rank opponents. It's elo hell till gold II for solo queues.

Machmaking in this game in QuickPlay is bad in it own way. You can get new players on your team like level 2, and opponents could be premade group of platinum ranked players, who will trash and stomp you.
Yay, that must be fun.

[IndianaJones]

Originally posted by Smellycat:

so doesnt the existence of smurfs kinda debunks the bad matchmaking arguments im not sure what im getting at with this but its confusing to see evidence of people circumventing a system that is being painted as pointless and unfair to begin with :P

Smurfs are only in ranked.
Otherwise it is just bad matchmaking.

Originally posted by IndianaJones:

We talk about balant smurfing. I'm currently gold 3 solo queue and stopped playing ranked.

Here is just one of the screenshots of sitiation I observed many times.

This was silver 3 match, on opposing team 4 smurfs, gold3 was boosted, bronze3 was throwing games to derank. Therefore they premade group score is around silver 3, same $hit happened in OW.
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3408253002

[xTobu]

Originally posted by IndianaJones:

Originally posted by Smellycat:

so doesnt the existence of smurfs kinda debunks the bad matchmaking arguments im not sure what im getting at with this but its confusing to see evidence of people circumventing a system that is being painted as pointless and unfair to begin with :P

Smurfs are only ranked.

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3408253002

This isn't smurfing btw, it's just shtty ranked system abusing. Not their fault if u can queue up with bronze/silver/gold players freely.

[Dewrand]

Originally posted by skgx-:

I had to smurf cuz I couldn't play ranked with my lower ranked friends due to mmr difference between us. So I had to create a new acc and boost myself to their level. I assure you, I took no pleasure in that.

I understand wanting to play with friends but that in on itself is selfish because people you go against have their experience ruined because you want to play with friends. Maybe coach your friends, help them understand the game, it's mechanics. In other words your friends should try to improve and you, their friend should help them. It is not the responsibilty nor obligation of the entire playerbase to endure unfair and frustrating matches when they themselves are trying to improve.

[PainusUranus]

Originally posted by Dewrand:

Originally posted by skgx-:

I had to smurf cuz I couldn't play ranked with my lower ranked friends due to mmr difference between us. So I had to create a new acc and boost myself to their level. I assure you, I took no pleasure in that.

I understand wanting to play with friends but that in on itself is selfish because people you go against have their experience ruined because you want to play with friends. Maybe coach your friends, help them understand the game, it's mechanics. In other words your friends should try to improve and you, their friend should help them. It is not the responsibilty nor obligation of the entire playerbase to endure unfair and frustrating matches when they themselves are trying to improve.

What terrible advice

[watchdoge]

I just started playing ranked and I noticed how hard it is playing in bronze. I can't even imagine how insane it is in silver.

You get paired a lot against God tier teams and then wonder why they aren't in platinum or what ever.

Also I'm lvl 66 and this is my first and only mp hero shooter so my skill is low. I still like playing this game, but ranked makes me want to delete this game

[Zanth]

Originally posted by PainusUranus:

Originally posted by Dewrand:

I understand wanting to play with friends but that in on itself is selfish because people you go against have their experience ruined because you want to play with friends. Maybe coach your friends, help them understand the game, it's mechanics. In other words your friends should try to improve and you, their friend should help them. It is not the responsibilty nor obligation of the entire playerbase to endure unfair and frustrating matches when they themselves are trying to improve.

What terrible advice

Said with no reason as to why. Makes you sound very pro-smurf and subsequently part of the problem.

[Steve]

Originally posted by Smellycat:

people complain about the matchmaking being so bad and worthless and they complain about smurfs.
isnt the point of smurfs to get around matchmaking? so it has to be doing something right or smurfing would be pointless

Uh, smurfing is just a cheap dopamine fix. It's not deep.

[76561199148614237]

Smurfing is like when you already have all the rewards and everything so you might as well get a second account up there.

[PainusUranus]

Originally posted by Zanth:

Originally posted by PainusUranus:

What terrible advice

Said with no reason as to why. Makes you sound very pro-smurf and subsequently part of the problem.

Terrible advice is terrible. If you need help to tell you why...... jeez man