GAC matchmaking…

With these sorts of posts, it's a forest for the trees situation. You see the GP and assume everything else is equal - but it's not. Most likely, it's players who aren't always on and consequently dropped down the rankings. Believe me, all but a few of my opponents are 10-12 million GP with nearly all the GLs, and yet with my 9.4 mil GP and 2 GLs I'm still winning about half the time. Anywhere around a 50% winrate for you and GAC is going as it should. It's a shame that losses sour and overshadow the victories, but it is what it is.

Drop your ally code or SWGOH.GG page and let's see if something's up.

I hear you. I’m sure there is more than just GP to account for. I myself stepped away from the game for a year. 

I think a 6.5M GP vs 12.5M GP gap is a little harder to overcome then your 9.4 M GP but I hear what your saying. I’d have no problem going against people 2-3M GP higher then me.. but 6M GP is a little much.

All I’m saying is I think there are better ways to do matchmaking to avoid lopsided matchups on a regular basis. 

I still enjoy the game.. I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling the pain. 

Arianassasin wrote:

How is it that 80% of the match making that happens in GAC puts me against people with double my GP?

You're matched against the nearest 7 people on the ladder.  There is no other criteria for match making.

Arianassasin wrote:

I understand it’s based on “skill rating”

There you go!  You've answered your own question!

Arianassasin wrote:

but you’re really telling me that someone with 8 GLs and 12.6M should be in bronzium 2? 

Probably not...but unless they fix squish we're all be in Bronzium 2.  There are 2 factors to consider when looking at a person's rating.  How good is their roster & how much effort are the putting into GAC.  A 12.6 gp player with 8 GLs probably isn't putting in much effort.

Arianassasin wrote:

Can someone explain why this is a good idea or makes sense.

The positives are that a ladder is honest (no min-maxing shenanigans)  and that everybody settled is winning a proportionate amount of matches and earning good crystals.  We're not supposed to win more than 2/3rds of our matches.

Arianassasin wrote:

Fix matchmaking and make GAC fun again. 

Make GAC fun again?  If you're in B2, then you've not known anything else...unless you're the one with 12.6 million GP.  One thing that would help with the power mismatches is an Activity Score.  A secondary match making criteria (after Skill Points) that matches players on how active they are in GAC.  Players that 'one and done' would tend to get matched vs like minded individuals.

At that point, I bring up the mundane and admittedly regrettable "take the free ten banners and pray". Those times aren't very fun, but at least you did what you could and hope they do nothing.

I like your activity score idea! And maybe something additional along the lines of a parallel leagues that pick the closest 7 people on the skill rating ladder within 2-3M GP variance up or down. I’m not against the skill rating.. I just don’t get how someone can have double my GP and share the same skill rating. 

Yeah I have to do this more often than I’d like. I give it my best shot.. buts it’s rough when I put up my best defence with Gungans, Skoll, GM and Darth Revan.. then I wake up in the morning and I’m full cleared without a single hold. That’s when it starts to feel helpless.  

Arianassasin wrote:

I like your activity score idea!

Thanks!  To be honest, it's not originally my idea.  However, when I saw it, I thought it was a very elegant way of dealing with accounts that drop like a stone.  Regarding the rewards we're all getting, that's fine.  But the spirit of the game and competitive match ups...accounts that are much bigger than the other aren't good for the game mode or fun.

Arianassasin wrote:

pick the closest 7 people on the skill rating ladder within 2-3M GP variance up or down.

Well, depending on the League, 2-3 million GP is very different.  For me, I don't care about 2 or 3 million difference, it's irrelevant.  For a new player, 2 million is huge.

Another thing is that GP is an extremely poor way of match making in PvP.  I can have 10 million poorly put together and be nowhere near as competitive as a player half my size.  Also, depending the league and account size is relevant.  An 8 million GP account in Chromium could use all their GP effectively, whereas a 12 million GP account in Chromium could have a lot of unused GP.

You also have to factor in CG's perspective.  The bigger the account, the more you spend.   Handicapping a larger account inhibits spending...that's not good business for a gacha game.

Lastly, and most importantly is that the rewards for GAC are very good.  If we brought in a GP factor no matter how small, it will mean we min-max our accounts (I know I would).  This means it would affect the whole of SWGOH.  Removing and selling mods, not building niche characters, finding a sweet-spot in GAC and building no more.  This, would be the worst thing that could happen to GAC.

Arianassasin wrote:

I’m not against the skill rating.. I just don’t get how someone can have double my GP and share the same skill rating. 

Personally, I love ladders.  I think it's the best way to rate gamers.  Our issue is that we're not obliged to play 100% of the time.  In a professional league (say soccer/football in England) you have multiple divisions and leagues on the ladder...a 100 or more probably.  They cannot sandbag, they have to turn up and play every week.  That's not the same for us.  We have kids, dogs, badgers, grand parents, jobs, houses, boats and piglets to look after.  And that's the issue, GAC is very time intensive for a hobby/game.  We cannot blame those that drop down and get mismatched opponents.

This is why I believe an Activity Score, where you're graded on how many times you attack on average for a secondary matching criteria.  I think it's simple, doesn't negatively affect anybody and solves mismatches.