Re: I genuinely feel bad for newbies/low-skilled players with these matchmaking
How is it "out of hand" what changes are you suggesting?
I am a newbie (started in April) and I have no issue enjoying the game. We all drop into the map on the same terms. The only advantage a veteran player has over me is knowledge of the game. You are a veteran and saying, I am the one "hurting"? I am not feeling it. I play this game 2 to 4 hours per day, but last weekend I did feel burnt out from investing too much time. This is my first full season and I made Level 90 / Rank 30 in the first 15 days. I even surpassed the season on my boarder, who has played this on the PS4 for years.
As for those ring runners and looters you mentioned in the first post, many of them are veteran players. I play with one of them. He shouts over the mic at me, "Don't worry about me old man, I have a heat shield and I can run fast!". When he dies to the ring, I just respawn him using my drone to gather his banner. He never blames himself for being a hoarder.
I hope you understand, this game places us on a level field. You can be very new or old, you will still make mistakes. If new players feel they are lacking knowledge, they need to get mentored or practice in the rifle range. Changing the game cannot change the player.