Setting Preferred Factions for Matchmaking

[Wulfric]

Due to certain modes being exclusive to matchmaking and hence the random assignment of factions to each team, it might be a good idea to let players set a faction that they wish to play as instead of the forced random faction selection. I understand that they tried to make the whole system as simplistic as possible but this option can be hidden away in the options or something. As for the increase in the waiting time due to restricting the number of eligible matches, it may be circumvented by letting the player set a list of all the factions in the order of priority instead of a single one. In case my suggestion is deemed to be in contradiction with the desired level of accessibility, a simpler but incomplete solution to the problem of playing as an unwanted faction would be to allow switching teams, possibly during the warm-up phase.

 

[부부를 넘어서 가자]

If people can set a preferred faction for Multiplayer we'll soon have every match be a mirror matchup of the best faction. This would remove even the last level of competetiveness the game offers.

 

[Wulfric]

If people can set a preferred faction for Multiplayer we'll soon have every match be a mirror matchup of the best faction. This would remove even the last level of competetiveness the game offers.

The mere existence of "the best faction" implies a lack of balance and therefore a lack of competitiveness so my suggestion cannot remove something that does not exist if your premise is true. It merely requires balanced factions which is what the developers intend to achieve and therefore it still stands. If anything, assuming the factions are not balanced at all, the case of the best faction versus the worst faction would never occur so it cannot remove competitiveness.

 

[Mabons]

As far as I understand the matchmaking is there for a competitive ranked setting. I believe once custom servers are fully on the go you'll no longer need to jump into matchmaking. But hey, don't quote me on that.

 

[부부를 넘어서 가자]

The mere existence of "the best faction" implies a lack of balance and therefore a lack of competitiveness so my suggestion cannot remove something that does not exist if your premise is true. It merely requires balanced factions which is what the developers intend to achieve and therefore it still stands.

No, every online game will awlays have a meta. Might not work for every individual in every situation but one faction will always be the strongest for public matchmaking. This obviously doesn't mean getting the faction is a free win or not getting it is a loss. But overall it's not a good thing (hence no online game has it).

 

[Wulfric]

No, every online game will always have a meta. Might not work for every individual in every situation but one faction will always be the strongest for public matchmaking. This obviously doesn't mean getting the faction is a free win or not getting it is a loss. But overall it's not a good thing (hence no online game has it).

Strength of a faction is related to factors such as the map, the player's play-style, etc. So, as it is, there is no objectively the strongest faction. For instance, on an open field Khuzaits are probably the ideal choice whereas for close quarters urban combat Battania should be better. The meta cannot be constant for Bannerlord as it is right now. Also, your claim that "every online game will always have a meta" is false simply due to the fact that you have not played every online game but I think I've demonstrated how that most likely is not the case for Bannerlord. I'm sure the developers collect statistical data on the performance of each faction so the balance can be brought to a sufficiently satisfactory state.

 

[부부를 넘어서 가자]

I don't need to play every online game to come to this opinion. Every competetive (even almost every casual game) consists of players that want to win. Winning will always be easier abusing broken stuff or things that are simply easier to execute in a not full tryhard environment. Same goes for bannerlord multiplayer.
Yes, the meta will Change and not stay the same. What's working now due to alot of new players will probably not work anymore once people got better at the game. A meta still exists, pretty much always (unless major Balance updates or changes happen that have too big consequences to just understand everything by reading the patch notes).
You're also right that not every map has the same meta, some factions might be better on only certain maps but others are just well rounded and good for almost every map with simply makes them better overall.

 

[pygc1]

The factions are obviously not balanced, and my suggestion is to extend the skirmish mode to six rounds. 3 rounds playing 1st faction and another 3 rounds playing 2nd faction, so everyone has the chance to play the strong faction as well as the weak one. Because nobody wants to be on the khuzait/aserai factions because they are most likely going to lose if all players are equally skilled.

 

[Arctanas]

The factions are obviously not balanced, and my suggestion is to extend the skirmish mode to six rounds. 3 rounds playing 1st faction and another 3 rounds playing 2nd faction, so everyone has the chance to play the strong faction as well as the weak one. Because nobody wants to be on the khuzait/aserai factions because they are most likely going to lose if all players are equally skilled.

+1, very good point. Whenever teams used to scrim on Warband battle, it would always be played in halves, where you end up playing both sides. The current setup for Skirmish causes lots of frustration because of the faction imbalance.

 

[E V O C A T I]

If people can set a preferred faction for Multiplayer we'll soon have every match be a mirror matchup of the best faction. This would remove even the last level of competetiveness the game offers.

Yeah, people would just play their favourite/meta factions. No one likes Aserai