400 total games played. All solo queue. Played on PSN on Eastern server200 on my main (high MMR)200 on my intentionally below average to average accountI tried my best to record the average wait time and PING for both accounts. Because PING varies throughout a game, I selected a number that the PING hovered around and entered that into my spread sheet to achieve an average number across the 400 games.Results:High account average wait time for a match: 55 secondsLow account average wait time for a match: 23 secondsHigh account average PING: 68Low account average PING: 16Conclusion:My main account (high MMR) takes far longer to be placed into a match than my lower account— its clearly easier for the algorithm to place me in lobbies that are comprised of low-mid tier players.The PING thing bothers me. The algorithm is so dedicated to keeping me in the top “bucket” that I’m often put on servers that aren’t close to me. This makes sense for ranked, but this is just ridiculous for public matches. I encourage everyone who thinks matchmaking is non-existent to run your own tests. I assure you that the BULK of high MMR players are being lumped together for public games.

@Axs5626Sxa5001"I honestly don’t want my public games to feel as stressful as my ranked Diamond/Masters ranked games. I do think there should be a “casual” or “quick play” mode that offers an experience different than tournament-level play."To me this reads as: "I'm really good at the game and I think that, as a reward for being good at the game, the game should let me go slaughter noobs for fun whenever I feel like the rank grind THAT I CHOSE is causing me too much stress."If that's not what you meant then I apologize in advance for misreading or misunderstanding.

@Axs5626Sxa5001 I assume the test was BR? I'm finding mixtape to be a complete crapshoot. BR I've only played 100 matched this season lol

@Axs5626Sxa5001"I encourage everyone who thinks matchmaking is non-existent to run your own tests. I assure you that the BULK of high MMR players are being lumped together for public games."Oh, it's doing something. It divides the player base into five tiers and matches as quickly as possible. This is the precision-engineering equivalent of "to the nearest quarter inch." If the space shuttle had been built that way it never would have left the ground.

@Axs5626Sxa5001"I even had a few games where both of my teammates had predator badges showing. I call this a positive...."This is positive because you are yourself a master/pred level player and were being matched appropriately, or because the prospect of not having to worry about scrub teammates made the games more enjoyable, not to mention that it can be nice to be carried once in a while???

@Axs5626Sxa5001"because RP not being on the line when that much proficiency is needed feels pretty bad"Wait. What? Did you not realize that you were in the pubs queue? Did you not know that game play is its own reward in pubs, easy or hard? Should ranked give out points based on how much you had to sweat, regardless of kills, damage, or placement?

High MMR players and lower MMR players are experiencing different things

18 Replies

hayhor
Hero
3 years ago
@Axs5626Sxa5001 I assume the test was BR? I'm finding mixtape to be a complete crapshoot. BR I've only played 100 matched this season lol
reconzero
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@Axs5626Sxa5001

"I encourage everyone who thinks matchmaking is non-existent to run your own tests. I assure you that the BULK of high MMR players are being lumped together for public games."

Oh, it's doing something. It divides the player base into five tiers and matches as quickly as possible. This is the precision-engineering equivalent of "to the nearest quarter inch." If the space shuttle had been built that way it never would have left the ground.
Axs5626Sxa5001
3 years ago
Yes these games were all BR. If I had to highlight one positive, its that nearly 100% of my games gave me at LEAST one Masters or Diamond or 4k 20bomb teammate (on the main account). I even had a few games where both of my teammates had predator badges showing. I call this a positive, but it does support the reality that “top bucket” lobbies exist and are brutal.
reconzero
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@Axs5626Sxa5001

"I even had a few games where both of my teammates had predator badges showing. I call this a positive...."

This is positive because you are yourself a master/pred level player and were being matched appropriately, or because the prospect of not having to worry about scrub teammates made the games more enjoyable, not to mention that it can be nice to be carried once in a while???
Axs5626Sxa5001
3 years ago
@reconzero Yep, and those matches were still equally brutal and taxing to play in. I feel like players in lobbies like those should receive some sort of incentive/compensation (like double exp or something), because RP not being on the line when that much proficiency is needed feels pretty bad (even with strong teammates).
reconzero
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@Axs5626Sxa5001

"because RP not being on the line when that much proficiency is needed feels pretty bad"

Wait. What? Did you not realize that you were in the pubs queue? Did you not know that game play is its own reward in pubs, easy or hard? Should ranked give out points based on how much you had to sweat, regardless of kills, damage, or placement?
hayhor
Hero
3 years ago
@reconzero What he means is why have two modes if they both have the same MM?

I tend to agree with that but for a different reason. Why have 2 modes at all? Why do games need a ranked mode? I think its just to give people something to shoot for which is fine but then just make ranked pubs and get rid of pubs.
reconzero
Seasoned Ace
3 years ago
@hayhor

Yeah, I get the mindset... I just don't GET the mindset, if you follow me.

And I agree in theory. Get rid of pubs entirely and maked ranked into "ranks visible or invisible at the player's discretion." I would be fine with that, although I'm sure there are many, many players who would object violently to their game mode being newly awash in "stupid rando casuals" who "ruin the game for everyone" and "don't have a clue what they're doing" or "drop hot, die, and quit." Insert here whatever other-player-in-game behavior you disaprove of and perceive as costing you rp. I can hardly imagine all the different ways that would light up the sweats.
hayhor
Hero
3 years ago
@reconzero But the funny thing is people say those same people ruin ranked too. They'll say yeah but it is better than pubs. But if there weren't two modes it wouldn't be like that.
Axs5626Sxa5001
3 years ago
@reconzero

For me and many, ranked feels more rewarding because you’re actively working towards unlocking a rank level, so yes ranked does give out points (or rewards) which relates to how much you sweat. Diamond players in Diamond lobbies are sweating more than Gold Players playing in Gold lobbies, and the rewards (unlocking a higher rank) is thus greater than unlocking a lower rank.

I just think the game plays way differently at higher MMR (make one mistake and you get erased). I honestly don’t want my public games to feel as stressful as my ranked Diamond/Masters ranked games. I do think there should be a “casual” or “quick play” mode that offers an experience different than tournament-level play.

I’ve been both: the under average player playing in loose MMR lobbies (Season 1-3), and I’ve been the above average player playing in tighter MMR lobbies. The former was far less stressful than the latter, AND I had better success (win ratios), lol.

I’m ok with tighter matchmaking in pubs and everyone playing their doppelgänger and everyone breaking even with regards to outcomes (wins), but there needs to be a reward for the people demonstrating higher proficiency and playing in stressful “top bucket” lobbies— and yes, I’m talking about rewards greater than the experience of the gameplay itself.