Topic: Nintendo's broken matchmaking...

I mean, matchmaking is never going to be perfect. This is proof of it:

Even though I'm the lowest level out of everyone, I still held my own against everyone else, and they're all at least double my level.

Level and such doesn't mean jack if you can't utilize your skills properly.

And for Mario Tennis, I've been able to defeat others with higher points than me in both the demo and the main game.

Don't play many online games, eh?

ALL companies need to improve their matchmaking, INCLUDING (some may even say one of the worst offenders) Overwatch and other Blizz games like Heroes and Hearthstone.

Man, this is like the third time in as many days that somebody's tried to use Overwatch as a counterexample and it's just left me wondering if that person ACTUALLY plays Overwatch lol

@Judi its idiotic because proper maych making is not about "gitin gud"! Its to prevent undue advantage in a competitive sense to the more advance players. Its not about complacency because match malimg works both ways, i.e. Shpuld a higher rank player be contented with winning by being matched up to lower level players?

You're never going to win this battle. This is nothing new, like I said. EVERY company with an online game has struggled to tune their matchmaking, and problems always exist, even in games that have been around forever.

Stuff like smurfs, throwers, and people just underperforming/overperforming are always going to mess with matchmaking. You can assign ranks all you want and tell the computer to only match people of identical or near-identical ranks, but then you'll have a playerbase complaining of long wait times for matches.

I mean, that's what a lot of you are asking for: you want to only be matched to people of your skill level. Unless you're playing at only the most crowded times AND in a game that has a robust population, get ready to wait. And wait. And wait. Blizz tried that with Heroes a couple years ago and it backfired. The system would let you rot in matchmaking que for limitless amounts of time because it was told you must be placed with people at your skill level.

And even when you do get matches of supposed similar ranks, performance always varies. People get triggered, try hard/don't hard, etc. and matches still end up lop-sided many times. For some of you, maybe online gaming is relatively new because you've mostly played Nintendo and a lot of their stuff hasn't been online or hasn't been full voice. But online gaming can really suck. It can give you some of your most memorable experiences and some of your most hated, and matchmaking woes are only the first of complaints you'll find to latch onto.

Be careful what you wish for.

@diwdiws Consider this, since ranking in MTA doesn't decrement (it resets for each month, but since that heppens for everyone it's a moot point): the alternative, where you are ranked first and foremost with people close to your same rank, you progress enough and perhaps get a few lucky wins so that your rank is just above your actual skill level. Now you're playing against an continuous onslaught of people you cannot beat. Additionally, that system falls apart as you progress in a tournament, since the number of players queued for each round (the pool of people the matchmaking can choose from) theoretically decreases by a power of two for each level of the bracket. I've been matched 5-6 times in a row with the same opponent before in the final round (they wouldn't play me FOR SOME REASON), and continue to see starved queue behavior like that.

Additionally, usually high rank people getting matched up with noobs is only really an issue in the 2nd round of a tournament (beginner beats first round against another beginner, pro skips first round due to tournament win). After that, the disparity in skill largely disappears. What does this mean? I'm sorry, but the beginner players stuck in the first two rounds need to practice and get better, whether that means playing some COM tournaments, playing the adventure mode, or keep persisting in online doesn't make a difference, but they shouldn't expect to just be given the keys to a tournament win.

The problem is you want the game to hand you easy matches. You also claim that the game is competitive. You can't have both. In a competitive setting, quite naturally you will end up facing people that are better than you, and because it's competitive they will attempt to and likely beat you. Likewise, you can also be paired up with people your are better than, and you will likely win. If they game only gave you people you could be, it wouldn't be very competitive would it?

@Judi i wont analyze and try to answer your first paragraphs, its rambling and anecdotal.

On the other hand, where the hell did i say that i want people to have easy matches? The purpose of matchmaking is to EQUAL THE PLAYING FIELD, and not make things easier. It is competitive precisely because both sides dont have AN ADVANTAGE against the other. You are basically saying it's competitive because low level players needs to get better and therefore creates a more competitive atmosphere since they need to beat higher level players. Dont you see the absurdity in that? So Its only competitive on the side of low level players?

@DownRightSam
My complaint is, trying to play a casual game and not getting it.
That is true, but that person who lost up until max rank will still have much more experience with the game than someone who is level 20.

I have noticed that with games in general, but I'm not a fan of the pressure of having to give it my all or I'm throwing.

...ok?

Like I mentioned, I made this in a time of anger, though I still feel it somewhat justified. Mario Tennis doesn't have ranked so anything you play is "Turf War", combine that with Broken characters like Bowser Jr. and it becomes pointless to play unless you are using those characters.

@EvilLucario
Though I question if that's your main account, skill is indeed a factor. You were using motion controls, yes?

@rallydefault
I do, pretty sure I mentioned that I have this same issue with those other games as well.

Can't speak for those other people using Overwatch, but for me, Overwatch's MM is horrendous.

@diwdiws
Remember people have their own opinions and not everyone will have the same.

It's simple, you are always going to reach a wall in multiplayer games.

Matchmaking isn't set up to give everyone a fair shake. Their is no way of knowing how a match will play out until it's played. Even if you can modulate until players will all equal stats and sentiments are lobbied up you cannot account for mood, demeanor, history, condition, psyche, conduct, perception, etc. Let alone who is actually holding the controller...

So waiting to better predict matchmaking isn't necessarily more fair, which is why speed is more greatly emphasized. The game cannot determine if or whether fun will be, or was, had... But it can get you in and out efficiently.

You just have to accept it or move on. Unless you have a party of friends you are unfortunately not entitled receive the perfect blend of opponents to fit your specific disposition. Of course, friends come with no guarantee either.

@ACK
I think Halo Reach had a system where you could choose how you want to find people. Anyone would que you up the fastest while specifically looking for someone near your rank would make you wait longer.