How to Increase the Matchmaking Pool

[Rojan]

I believe I had discussed this topic previously in another thread a few months ago but after discussing it with a friend I felt the need to build a thread specifically for it. The topic was the idea of incentivizing ranked play through a rewards system of aces. Eugen had previously alluded to the implementation of aces in future updates and I think this would be a way to sort of kill two birds with one stones. You would be adding content and at the same time you would make the matchmaking pool boom. People would get matches quicker because people want cool skins for their units.

As far as implementation is concerned I was thinking that there could be a skin given out to the front page on the leaderboards, another skin given out for top fifty, and lastly a participation skin or something of the sort. These are obviously arbitrary cutoffs but that doesn't concern actual implementation. After the delivery date the leaderboards could then be reset to start off a new season. Admittedly, I am not a art designer for video games so I do not know how long it takes to take a picture of a historical tank or plane or what have you and reskin it onto a 3D model, but I think this would be an effective tool to use every couple of months in "seasons".

What are your guys' thoughts?

 

[KattiValk]

I think this is a great idea. Sooooo many companies are moving to customizable stuff nowadays to fuel their games' interest level and to great success. Doing more things like unit skins and aces would be a step in the right direction, through its results may not be fantastic given how poor the situation is currently.

Regardless, a serious thing worth considering.

As for the time and effort, I personally do art and I don't think putting out a few skins or portraits is all that hard (working professionally, a detailed portrait shouldn't take more than a couple days at most, easily less than a day if the person is good and has references). Eugen has never released details on what their art situation is besides the "porn master" sometimes posting on the Eugen forums once in a blue moon.

 

[xXSunSlayerXx]

If I actually cared about skins I would be pretty pissed about that. Not everyone has a competitive mindset and wants to play ranked.

 

[Rojan]

If I actually cared about skins I would be pretty pissed about that. Not everyone has a competitive mindset and wants to play ranked.

I never said it would be the only way to get skins. I'm sure they'll add DLC ones. On top of that, making it a consolation price for simply participating won't kill you. Matchmaking would put you against similar skilled opponents.

 

[ADLER_3000]

It would be nice and it was also what the competitive players of AoA have been asking all the time.

 

[Fussel]

It would be nice and it was also what the competitive players of AoA have been asking all the time.

So in other words, it will never happen...

 

[jammiebadger]

You can apply the same rewards to playing quickplay as both have an elo pool to work with, might induce people to leave lobbies in favor of matchmade games.

 

[ADLER_3000]

I think improving the matchmaking in general would also be a great help.

 

[Rojan]

@Vyllis I'd love to hear why you think this is not the way to go with helping out matchmaker. Incentivizing gameplay has always helped out populating a game mode or matchmaker in the past with other games. People like to customize things.

 

[Fussel]

I think this is a great idea. Sooooo many companies are moving to customizable stuff nowadays to fuel their games' interest level and to great success. Doing more things like unit skins and aces would be a step in the right direction, through its results may not be fantastic given how poor the situation is currently.

Regardless, a serious thing worth considering.

As for the time and effort, I personally do art and I don't think putting out a few skins or portraits is all that hard (working professionally, a detailed portrait shouldn't take more than a couple days at most, easily less than a day if the person is good and has references). Eugen has never released details on what their art situation is besides the "porn master" sometimes posting on the Eugen forums once in a blue moon.

thanks for your comment. Eugen have long-term plans for Steel Division: Normandy 44, and they will communicate on it when we're ready.

Yes, thanks for the suggestions. They are basically reading and taking in consideration every suggestion, and have plans for the future of Steel Division: Normandy 44. I understand your concern, but for the moment, that's all I can say.

 

[Vyllis]

@Vyllis I'd love to hear why you think this is not the way to go with helping out matchmaker. Incentivizing gameplay has always helped out populating a game mode or matchmaker in the past with other games. People like to customize things.

Did... i post something?
Maybe because i downvoted you, i forgot that ranked is not only 1v1 (or it is?).


I would like to know something: are all the ACES 1 card of 1 unit?

I find this idea rather nice if skins are easy to do for Eugen (unless ranked is only 1v1 ).
As someone who had like way more than 20k hours on many ranked games:

First, i believe that access to the prizes should be given to the top contestant of a season AND to anyone who won enough or participated enough.
The latter part is important, otherwise new players, casual players (not sure) and regulars players like me wont give it even a try.

Example: Top xx of the ladder will have 1 "ace card" to choose from a pool at the end of any "season". Also, any player who accumulated enough victory points or played xx numbers of games can choose 1 "skin card" (ex: a non ace Pz4 with some more foliage camo or some authentic markings).

Secondly, the "ace card" system then need a revamp because of three obvious problems:
- Eugen will one day or another run out of aces.
- They will find it difficult to add more aces without destroying the balance.
- The current system somewhat disallow the possibility of using new regular "skins" (no ace).

I would quickly think of a system, who just allow players from the deck builder, to select a "special skin" card from a pool (ace or not) and drag/attach it to any stack of similar unit (from 1 to xx) they have in the deck.
Of course, to each divisions their own skins/aces... so we wont get to see Whittmann everywhere.

The benefits of such a system are:
- It does not affect the balance.
- Allow Eugen to add as many aces & skins they want (they can even do community skin contest and add the winner into the game as an "unlockable" skin/ace, etc).
- Give more fun things to toy around to the players (maybe attract more players to the MM and make them using it longer).

Finally, while you are in game, if you applied a "skin" or an "ace" card to any of your stack;
in the production menu, one unit should be deducted from the stack and made available as unique unit (same stats, same phase, same price, just the visual change).

Apologies for my bad English.

 

[Protosszocker]

Nice thread but you should put it into the suggestions folder. https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?forums/steel-division-normandy-44-suggestions.976/
there it is much more likely to be followed up by eugen.

 

[Nebelwerfer 42]

Great idea but I only see this working if we had a decent ranked/quick play/matchmaking system, and unfortunately for us ours is crap.

 

[Rojan]

Nice thread but you should put it into the suggestions folder. https://forum.paradoxplaza.com/forum/index.php?forums/steel-division-normandy-44-suggestions.976/
there it is much more likely to be followed up by eugen.

Can I get one of the mods to move it?

 

[Guddi]

Rojan we have 500 pls. peak every Day, so how many do u think will read in the Forums and this thread ? Ambitious thoughts from you comrade but nearly hopless.

 

[Rojan]

Rojan we have 500 pls. peak every Day, so how many do u think will read in the Forums and this thread ? Ambitious thoughts from you comrade but nearly hopless.

Even if we had like 100 queuing on the matchmaker of that 500 it would be amazing. I know it's ambitious I just am trying to help the game that I really enjoy playing.

 

[Guddi]

Even if we had like 100 queuing on the matchmaker of that 500 it would be amazing. I know it's ambitious I just am trying to help the game that I really enjoy playing.

even 20 would be amazing but it is totally nonsens to get an amount like that, forget your dreams game is dead. Only an Ostfront update or something like that could bring at least 200 - 350 Players back to the game anything else is unrealistic.

 

[clabinsky1]

How about first making sure the servers they have work properly? I haven't been able to link my account yet and thus never been able to access the MP feature. Apparently there's a server issue that causes it. I suspect I'm not the only one.

 

[Jusas]

How about first making sure the servers they have work properly? I haven't been able to link my account yet and thus never been able to access the MP feature. Apparently there's a server issue that causes it. I suspect I'm not the only one.

Indeed, working servers and the ability and the willpower to keep them up would be a good start...

 

[DoubleDan68]

If I actually cared about skins I would be pretty pissed about that. Not everyone has a competitive mindset and wants to play ranked.

The only people who get pissed off about not getting skins are csgo teir kiddos