Battle.net StarCraft II Matchmaking Too Good?

[John Funk]

It's about time. I can't count how many times I've been stomped on both Warcraft III and Starcraft. I'm the type of guy who just wants to sit and build up a base first. But no; by the time I'm trying to get my resources to build a Barracks, all in the time of a minute, I'm getting Zerg-rushed.

You're going to have to keep that in mind as a persistent threat, though. Blizzard embraces the rush, and it really isn't hard to have a few Marines in place to defend against a rush.

...by the time I'm trying to get my resources to build a Barracks, all in the time of a minute, I'm getting Zerg-rushed.

And it doesn't help that by the time I do have some defense, there are fifty Zerglings to every one Marine I have.

If the other person had the time to build a Spawning Pool, you had the time to build a Barracks - it's a really easy newbie mistake to make, so it isn't necessarily something to feel bad about.

That's actually going to be one of their Challenge maps, teaching people how to deal with the rush. For instance, build a Supply Depot and build your barracks at the ramp into your base, and you have an instant wall to stop the Zerglings.

 

[Jaebird]

It's about time. I can't count how many times I've been stomped on both Warcraft III and Starcraft. I'm the type of guy who just wants to sit and build up a base first. But no; by the time I'm trying to get my resources to build a Barracks, all in the time of a minute, I'm getting Zerg-rushed.

You're going to have to keep that in mind as a persistent threat, though. Blizzard embraces the rush, and it really isn't hard to have a few Marines in place to defend against a rush.

...by the time I'm trying to get my resources to build a Barracks, all in the time of a minute, I'm getting Zerg-rushed.

And it doesn't help that by the time I do have some defense, there are fifty Zerglings to every one Marine I have.

If the other person had the time to build a Spawning Pool, you had the time to build a Barracks - it's a really easy newbie mistake to make, so it isn't necessarily something to feel bad about.

That's actually going to be one of their Challenge maps, teaching people how to deal with the rush. For instance, build a Supply Depot and build your barracks at the ramp into your base, and you have an instant wall to stop the Zerglings.

That's true, but I'm not exaggerating when I say there are fifty Zerglings to my one Marine. All within the first minute of the match. Hell, sometimes less than that. And it's not just with people playing Zerg. I'm lucky if the Zerg-rush doesn't start before my Barracks is built. It's not so much getting my units down, it's getting the resources fast enough to do what I need to do.

But, I don't play Starcraft for the PvP. I just like to sit and build bases.

 

[John Funk]

It's about time. I can't count how many times I've been stomped on both Warcraft III and Starcraft. I'm the type of guy who just wants to sit and build up a base first. But no; by the time I'm trying to get my resources to build a Barracks, all in the time of a minute, I'm getting Zerg-rushed.

You're going to have to keep that in mind as a persistent threat, though. Blizzard embraces the rush, and it really isn't hard to have a few Marines in place to defend against a rush.

...by the time I'm trying to get my resources to build a Barracks, all in the time of a minute, I'm getting Zerg-rushed.

And it doesn't help that by the time I do have some defense, there are fifty Zerglings to every one Marine I have.

If the other person had the time to build a Spawning Pool, you had the time to build a Barracks - it's a really easy newbie mistake to make, so it isn't necessarily something to feel bad about.

That's actually going to be one of their Challenge maps, teaching people how to deal with the rush. For instance, build a Supply Depot and build your barracks at the ramp into your base, and you have an instant wall to stop the Zerglings.

That's true, but I'm not exaggerating when I say there are fifty Zerglings to my one Marine. All within the first minute of the match. Hell, sometimes less than that. And it's not just with people playing Zerg. I'm lucky if the Zerg-rush doesn't start before my Barracks is built. It's not so much getting my units down, it's getting the resources fast enough to do what I need to do.

But, I don't play Starcraft for the PvP. I just like to sit and build bases.

Yes, you are exaggerating

A Spawning Pool (what Zerg need to build Zlings) costs 200 minerals; a Barracks just costs 150. Zlings and Marines cost 50 minerals apiece (though you get two Zlings for the price of one). If the other guy has the resources to build a Spawning Pool, you've got the resources to build a Barracks 50 minerals before him. And his Zerglings might outnumber your marines two-to-one, but the Marines can fire at them from behind a Supply Depot wall while the zlings do nothing.

So it's actually not that hard to counter, I promise!

 

[TheFacelessOne]

What the...

I have at least 4 accounts on my Warcraft III, and I play on them all, but not to beat up noobs! Why should I have to spend more money to make a new account for some reason (most likely starting over to find a new circle of online acquiantices)!

 

[paketep]

Yeah, Pardo, you know what's our great solution for matchmaking?. LAN.

Thanks for nothing, Blizzard.

 

[Slycne]

Just to clear things up here is approximately how Starcraft 2's Matchmaking currently works.

There are ranked matchmaking available for 1v1 2v2 3v3 4v4 and FFA. You can also join and create unranked custom games at any time. If you have not been ranked yet you will play 10 matches which will determine your starting division. You'll be then placed in a division of players all roughly your skill, if you continue lead or bottom out your division you'll be pushed up or down in the skill divisions accordingly.

I've been very pleased with the matchmaking thus far. Combined with replays and the after action reports, I've never felt like I lost a game that I didn't have a chance at winning and my wins never felt hollow. I don't think they need to loosen the system at all, there will be plenty of custom games if people are looking for a break.

 

[Asehujiko]

Wow, having topay $$$ for another copy in order to have more fun...
I smell a scheme here!!

Consider it your "being an asshole to new players" tax.

 

[Wolfram23]

That is awesome, more incentive to play online for sure. I mostly played SC 1 online for the custom games like defense games and smash tv, as I found it no fun getting annihilated by pros. I wish they had something like this in MW2... some games are fine and some games I get completely ass raped by the pros who are lvl 70 prestige

high level players making new accounts so they could beat up on newbs is why I stopped playing starcraft online and why im not getting starcraft 2. being crushed isnt fun, and for me turns me off a game when i get crushed a few games in a row

But... that's what they're fixing for SC2. Did you forget to read the article?

 

[zamble]

Wow, having topay $$$ for another copy in order to have more fun...
I smell a scheme here!!

so, you only have fun by destroying people who are completely new to a game and almost have no idea how to play it opposed to playing against other game experts like you?

may I call you a 'n00b'?

No!! Because I aagree with you, if you read further the foruns you'll see, I was beeing sarcastic (but forgot to /sarcasm)! BTW it's been years since I last plaeyed online, and back them, I usually went for stronger players to go up in the ladder faster... not that I was that good, anyway. But I sincerely think this practice of stomping on begginers heads terrible...

My point with all that is just that they should never have said that you could bypass the rule by paying for another copy. They should try for a way to make even that impossible; if they don't, and EVEN WORSE, make that slight 'suggestion', it seems they're saying it's ok as long as you pay,and they want to profit out of it!

 

[zamble]

Wow, having topay $$$ for another copy in order to have more fun...
I smell a scheme here!!

Consider it your "being an asshole to new players" tax.

That should be forbidden anyway, no one should have the right to spoil other's fun, even if they paid for it.

 

[elvor0]

Wow, having topay $$$ for another copy in order to have more fun...
I smell a scheme here!!

Lets be honest here, being constantly stomped by tossers who feel like stomping on helpless noobs is not fun, it rewards the jerks and punishes newbies.

Besides there could always be free matchmaking and trueskill matchmaking modes.

Oh, just to clarify my point of view: I think there should be some leveling and agree with their measure. I was just pointing out how inadequate of him to say people should buy a new copy of a game they already own...

Oh okay, fair enough

 

[Jacob.pederson]

They should definitely have all of "skill-calibrated" matchmaking, conventional "ladder" matchmaking, and "open matchmaking" where anyone can play anyone, as well as invitation-based matches for friends and clans.

I second this notion.

Huh, to low content post, fine...

I've never done very much PvP RTS stuff, due to the fact that I've never been able to get down the mechanics the good "competitive" players use. My basic strategy tends to be, work on defense until your base is impenetrable, build up your tech trees, and make a giant base wiping force. and this takes way to long for a PvP match, so playing against less skilled players may actually give me a chance of winning.

Starcraft and Warcraft are specifically balanced to make this type of strategy a non-starter. Turtling, especially at tier 3 will get you annihilated real quick; however, there are RTS games that support Turtles specifically. Supreme Commander and Sins of a Solar Empire come to mind off the top of my head, I'm sure there are others. SoaSE even has an expansion pack with all turtle upgrades!

 

[Jacob.pederson]

Smurfing is not dependent on alt-accounts though. Smurfing could be a mater of losing to a friend all day until your ranks drops off a bit. This behavior could be detected by an algorythm though

 

[Kojiro ftt]

Wow, having topay $$$ for another copy in order to have more fun...
I smell a scheme here!!

I thought the same thing! While I don't think it is a scheme, it does suck that if another member of your family wants to play Starcraft 2, they will almost surely get a beatdown in multiplayer because they are being matched with people on your account.

 

[Kojiro ftt]

Smurfing is not dependent on alt-accounts though. Smurfing could be a mater of losing to a friend all day until your ranks drops off a bit. This behavior could be detected by an algorythm though

Player matches are generally not ranked, however. Ranked matches don't allow you to choose an opponent.

 

[Jacob.pederson]

Smurfing is not dependent on alt-accounts though. Smurfing could be a mater of losing to a friend all day until your ranks drops off a bit. This behavior could be detected by an algorythm though

Player matches are generally not ranked, however. Ranked matches don't allow you to choose an opponent.

This is true, and prevents boosting, but not smurfing. It was very common to play Warcraft III and have an opponent that didn't even build a unit. It doesn't have to be against a friend to lower your rank.

 

[The3rdEye]

Since they have such confidence in the accuracy of their matchmaking methods (and for good reason, it's Blizzard for crying out loud) is it not possible to give players the option to skew their system assigned rank X degrees in either direction, then match them up with like minded individuals? I imagine there are just as many (masochistic) gamers who want to play a more accomplished opponent just to see where they can improve as there are (sadistic) gamers who just want to steam roller someone.

 

[Eric the Orange]

As long as it doesnt have a leveling system. I hate when levels are needlessly used. YOU WIN. YOU GAIN 20 LEVELS. YOU CAN NOW ONLY VS ELITIST JERKS. Fuck that shit.

How else am I supposed to know how long my e-peen is though...