Has any game balancing been introduced? Or is it still solo slaughter?

[snugginz]

I played this game for a while last summer, and was turned off because new players get thrown in with experienced players and it seemed very unfair matchmaking. In fact it was worse than that. New solo players got thrown in against SQUADS (or whatever you call them) of players.

So your team of mostly if not all solo players would from the start go off in all their own directions, while the enemy team literally formed a formation and executed plays and strategies and absolutely *steam rolled* over all your players to such a degree that even bothering to press any buttons and try was absolutely futile. Yeah it was that bad! It was a horrible experience frankly.

I'm just wondering if solo players are still just there for the slaughter or if the game has balanced coordinated squadrons to play against one another?

[Deathwing]

that's just wows. Plenty of idiots and used to be plenty of good players. Randoms are just that, random. I prefer Ranked because it is a bit more manageable with only 6v6, but even those get filled with people that cant play so you get blowouts there as well.

I used to recommend Operations for a fun time, but most veteran players are leaving that now as well so losses are more prevalent than ever before.

[snugginz]

Originally posted by Deathwing:

that's just wows. Plenty of idiots and used to be plenty of good players. Randoms are just that, random. I prefer Ranked because it is a bit more manageable with only 6v6, but even those get filled with people that cant play so you get blowouts there as well.

I used to recommend Operations for a fun time, but most veteran players are leaving that now as well so losses are more prevalent than ever before.

So teams of idiots/randoms/new solo players still get absolutely slaughtered round after round after round by teams of coordinated players?

And they have done nothing to improve balance for solo players?

I just remember it was like- hopeless and literally impossible for the solo player, and everyone else pretty much agreed. Too bad if WOWS still hasn't done anything about it.

[snugginz]

BTW, no offline/solo mode still I take it?

[Totally Innocent Chatbot]

The matchmaker, pitiful though it is, has always attempted to match division against division when possible, though it cannot possibly account for the difference between three casuals derping around for fun and three competitive players attempting to tryhard. So no, nothing has changed, because it was already set up to do as close to what you're asking as it ever could.

Considering that the max division size in Randoms is 3 out of a total team size of 12, it's largely impossible for divisions alone to account for the enemy team being more coordinated. As the matchmaker is purely random, matching only tier against tier, ship class against ship class, and division against division, individual player skill is not accounted for - therefore occasional steamrolls are inevitable when all the skilled players end up on one side, division or no. But, that's equally as likely to happen to your team as to the enemy's. Not defending it - in my opinion, any form of PvP matchmaking that does not contain some form of SBMM in current year is obsolete and disgraceful - just stating the facts.

That said, this is a fairly in-depth game with a large number of complex but very important mechanics that you need at least a basic grasp on in order to be more impactful. Not being in a division is NOT an excuse for "going off in your own direction" in a team game that rewards coordination. Chat and callouts exist for a reason.

Lastly, truly new players are kept in protected matchmaking for their first 200 battles, or their first battle in a ship of Tier 5 or higher. They are not immediately thrown into the frying pan unless they rush their early game progression and eject themselves - though there really should be a pop-up message requiring multiple clicks to clear if a newer player is about to begin a match that would kick them out of protected matchmaking.

[Totally Innocent Chatbot]

Originally posted by snugginz:

BTW, no offline/solo mode still I take it?

No. It is an online arena multiplayer game. "Offline mode" is not and will never be a thing. Hell, the Windows operating system itself now makes you jump through hoops to even be able to log into your own computer without an Internet connection.

[snugginz]

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

The matchmaker, pitiful though it is, has always attempted to match division against division when possible, though it cannot possibly account for the difference between three casuals derping around for fun and three competitive players attempting to tryhard. So no, nothing has changed, because it was already set up to do as close to what you're asking as it ever could.

'...as it ever could' yeah have to disagree there. Saying they've done their best to make balanced matches seems pretty hard to believe with my experience in the game.

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

Considering that the max division size in Randoms is 3 out of a total team size of 12, it's largely impossible for divisions alone to account for the enemy team being more coordinated.

If people are experienced and savvy enough to form divisions then they are savvy enough to coordinate across divisions. In any case it appears that the divisions of 3 just go around slaughtering solo players for stats/progress/whatever. And my team never helped. Well NEVER is a big word, because literally every time I had an enemy fully on fire and wrecked and about to sink a salvo of rounds would come from the horizon and a 'friendly' would steal my kill. Call for help though and no teammates to be found.

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

As the matchmaker is purely random, matching only tier against tier, ship class against ship class, and division against division, individual player skill is not accounted for - therefore occasional steamrolls are inevitable when all the skilled players end up on one side, division or no. But, that's equally as likely to happen to your team as to the enemy's. Not defending it - in my opinion, any form of PvP matchmaking that does not contain some form of SBMM in current year is obsolete and disgraceful - just stating the facts.

Every match I played was a steamroll at least against me.

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

That said, this is a fairly in-depth game with a large number of complex but very important mechanics that you need at least a basic grasp on in order to be more impactful. Not being in a division is NOT an excuse for "going off in your own direction" in a team game that rewards coordination. Chat and callouts exist for a reason.

Of course new players will pick a strategy and go. And going with any 'friendlies' around just meant all your kills were stolen. And divisions don't exactly care to wait for the solo guy anyway. Unless they're swooping in to steal your kills.

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

Lastly, truly new players are kept in protected matchmaking for their first 200 battles, or their first battle in a ship of Tier 5 or higher. They are not immediately thrown into the frying pan unless they rush their early game progression and eject themselves - though there really should be a pop-up message requiring multiple clicks to clear if a newer player is about to begin a match that would kick them out of protected matchmaking.

I remember I got a 'gift' starter ship or something so maybe that's why I never got my 200 battles of fair play to learn. Guess those 'gift' ships to entice you to the game are actually not doing you any favors!

Its not that the game was complicated or hard that got me, it's that in the situations I was put in, it was basically impossible to progress in any meaningful way.

[snugginz]

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

Originally posted by snugginz:

BTW, no offline/solo mode still I take it?

No. It is an online arena multiplayer game. "Offline mode" is not and will never be a thing. Hell, the Windows operating system itself now makes you jump through hoops to even be able to log into your own computer without an Internet connection.

Pick a different operating system ;-)

[Nepgear]

It's perfectly playable solo. I'm on 70% win rate last 7 days. Just don't expect your team to carry you, and start the steam rolls yourself. There's been no change to divisions.

[Totally Innocent Chatbot]

Originally posted by snugginz:

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

No. It is an online arena multiplayer game. "Offline mode" is not and will never be a thing. Hell, the Windows operating system itself now makes you jump through hoops to even be able to log into your own computer without an Internet connection.

Pick a different operating system ;-)

Sorry, I'm too lazy to put an entire extra college degree's worth of work in to learn how to operate and maintain something that is less convenient, has less technical support, and even at the best of times only supports half as many games and will sometimes just randomly not run certain games that "should" be supported. Maybe if I were a few years younger, or still ignorant or hopeful enough to believe that everybody who matters didn't already have all the information about me they could ever want, I might care enough to try. But at this point, I'm far too lazy and cynical to want to bother.

[snugginz]

Originally posted by Nepgear:

It's perfectly playable solo. I'm on 70% win rate last 7 days. Just don't expect your team to carry you, and start the steam rolls yourself. There's been no change to divisions.

If nothing has changed I strongly disagree.

"I'm doing this..." actually says nothing. There are always freaks online (no offense) who can do the impossible in any game. Doesn't mean it's reasonable or normal.

My experience was that this is an extremely not solo friendly game. And others in the chat mostly agreed. The few who didn't were just the usual toxic 'git gud' crowd with no actual useful suggestions.

[snugginz]

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

Originally posted by snugginz:

Pick a different operating system ;-)

Sorry, I'm too lazy to put an entire extra college degree's worth of work in to learn how to operate and maintain something that is less convenient, has less technical support, and even at the best of times only supports half as many games and will sometimes just randomly not run certain games that "should" be supported. Maybe if I were a few years younger, or still ignorant or hopeful enough to believe that everybody who matters didn't already have all the information about me they could ever want, I might care enough to try. But at this point, I'm far too lazy and cynical to want to bother.

LOL, well at least that's honest.

[snugginz]

In my opinion they should have all the divisions on one server and solo players on another. If they have bots then bots only matches should be selectable with a difficulty slider or something. Maybe as a paid option.

[Jackson]

Originally posted by snugginz:

BTW, no offline/solo mode still I take it?

No, it's an online MMO

Originally posted by snugginz:

Originally posted by Totally Innocent Chatbot:

No. It is an online arena multiplayer game. "Offline mode" is not and will never be a thing. Hell, the Windows operating system itself now makes you jump through hoops to even be able to log into your own computer without an Internet connection.

Pick a different operating system ;-)

Why? I like all my games to work lol

[snugginz]

Originally posted by Jackson:

Originally posted by snugginz:

BTW, no offline/solo mode still I take it?

No, it's an online MMO
Why? I like all my games to work lol

Most MMOs have a great deal of playable and fun solo content. This does not.
So simply saying that it's an MMO doesn't really explain the decision to make it so solo unfriendly.

[Jackson]

Originally posted by snugginz:

Originally posted by Jackson:

No, it's an online MMO
Why? I like all my games to work lol

Most MMOs have a great deal of playable and fun solo content. This does not.
So simply saying that it's an MMO doesn't really explain the decision to make it so solo unfriendly.

I can't argue that. I've played a fair number and none had any solo content at all - but obviously I have't played all or even most.

Edit: It's in the name tho. "Massively MULTIPLAYER Online"