Picking characters and having to wait

Battleborn Open Beta Competitive Multiplayer Discussion
#42

I think the problem with having queuing up as specific characters is that it hurts queue times. This would also be at the expense of players who don’t really mind playing different characters, so you’d have a bunch of people trying to get into games as Rath while the other people are sitting somewhere just waiting for people to join their teams.

In addition, it would make team compositions much worse. Just for example, someone might really want to play X character but they’d be ok with playing Y if X gets picked. With a system allowing you to auto-queue as a character the match quality would go down with poor team compositions being present in a lot of matches.

#43

You’re misinterpreting. What I’m trying to say is more along the lines of how are you supposed to learn to use her effectively on a PVP team. I agree that story mode will allow you to familiarize yourself with a character and their helix and whatnot, but PVP is a different animal. Each character fills a specific role in each game, and you have to learn what that is by playing on a variety of games with a variety of differently constructed teams. You need experience in PVP to become good at PVP, and it’s going to be difficult to get that experience if you constantly have to back off for someone more experienced. It’s not about learning the character themself, it’s about learning to use them in the competitive environment, which you cannot truly do playing story, or setting up private PVP matches by yourself.

#44

There could also be a system within it that allows you to quick match, and just have the game toss you onto a team in whatever role they need filled. So if you truly don’t mind who you play as, and simply want to queue for the least time possible hit that. On the flip side, if you want to play a Rath so badly you’re willing to wait, that’s your perogative as well. I do totally agree about the team comp, though. There would definitely need to be a system that ensured you got at least a decent mix of character types.

#45

I have been thinking about that problem for a while, as I agree that the current situation is creating problems regularly and gimping a lot of peoples on both sides.

Let’s put in order first the different elements creating this situation.

  1. Lack of communications means
  2. The system which is allowing peoples who disconnected to join back the same game is great, but it’s backfiring for both sides, letting peoples with 4 players or less and leaving peoples who left unable to play again
  3. It seems like the system in 2) is kicking in as soon as the map is loaded, but the character choice is AFTER the loading of the map, so any problem happening during the character choice screen will not allow you to avoid the backfire I talked in 2) to hap^pen.

So. Assuming that they cannot easily switch the character choice to BEFORE the map load, then the solution would be…?

I was thinking, when you’re waiting for the server before the map load, you’re basically on the main screen, with everyone who joined the game displayed on the right of your screen.
We have currently 90Sec time to choose character.
How about cutting this to 60 sec instead, and have 30sec min time BEFORE the game load, on that same main screen, where you and your allies are having access to a chat room. Basically, you have 30 sec to state what character you’re willing to play (or anything if you don’t care). And then if you agree you toggle a “ready” button and THEN the map load, and if you don’t agree for any reason, you can just choose to join the queue for another game instead before the map load, not punishing anyone. The server will then add a new player instead.
To avoid peoples just trying to be put in a good group, only allow to “refuse” once. The next game you’re put in will not leave you the choice to leave. So it’s up to you to decide if you really dislike the current enough to risk a second one that won’t be refused.

If peoples are leaving after this, then the game can punish them. If they are intentionally grieving other player by choosing something different to what they said and purposely took something announced by someone else, then well, report him/her. .
The 60sec left on the character screen is more for peoples who don’t really know what they wil ltake to still have time to choose and look around.
This would solve partially the lack of communication, wouldn’t need the devs to actually put the character selection before the map loading, and wouldn’t especially make the part before the game starts longer. The “only one change in a row allowed” would prevent peoples to jump from game to game until finding one that please them.

To enumerate the changes needed to make this proposition working :
-adding a chatroom for the group on the main page of the game. Having that chatroom continuing on the character select screen if possible, as well.
-adding a timer of around 30sec on that screen before the map load
-adding a "ready " button for the player on that same main page to check after they discussed on the chat.
-adding alongside the button above a “join another game” button.

#46

Let’s keep the conversation centered around the game and not other forum users, please. Thanks everyone!

1 Like
#47

While I would like a system like that I don’t think it would have a place in the game. Like other people said, matchmaking times would be horrendous. I would love to play Galilea all the time but I don’t think GBX wants it that way. If someone else gets to Gally before me, oh well. I really enjoy Benedict, Miko, El Dragon, Oscar Mike, Ambra and quite a few more. I understand everyone has a certain archetype they like to play but step out of the comfort zone and try other characters. Some of them are a ton of fun and its so rewarding to find out how bad ass you can be with someone who you thought wouldn’t fit your play style.

1 Like
#48

I like zefyiris’ idea quite a lot. That’s not a lot of change to ask, just tinker the time that is already there into a pre-load lobby.
What we have to remember is that this is a beta, and right now the time it takes to get into a lobby is(hopefully) not near as long as it will be when the game fully comes out.
And what if there is an option to “quick play”
That way those who wish to play as a certain few characters are guaranteed, and those wishing to just play can play.
Pre-selection of characters also comes in handy when playing, and team building.
If you queued up as a specific character(s) then I could see a person using Miko and know that’s who they specialize in, and maybe I’ll talk to that guy and we can start a party.
That way no one in the party is stepping on anyone’s toes, and everyone can be the character they’re best at.

1 Like
#49

My bad. Sorry about that.

1 Like
#50

Fair enuff :thumbsup:

1 Like
#51

I agree they should allow players to leave matchmaking at the character select screen without repercussions, but what’s the problem with just letting people play whatever character they want without restrictions? Giving priority choice to higher level/command rank would be the death of this game imo

#52

U mean like … “Why not 5 x Ambra on same team?” …

#53

Yeah. I do.

If 5 individual people on the same team decide they want to play Ambra then why shouldn’t they be able to? They will have paid for the game and should be able to play however and use whatever character they choose. Forcing people out of their choices/preferences is not a good way to sell this game in my opinion

#54

Aaaaahh I so much dislike that kind of reasoning.
“I paid so I have the right to everything”.
No, no, NO, they don’t. They didn’t pay to have the right to do everything, they paid in order to have the right to play the game as it was designed.

If they paid for game that has for mechanism that you can only have one of each character on each side at a time in competitive PvP matches, then NO, even if they paid, they don’t have the right to have several times the same character in these competitive matches.

#55

You are badly off tracks here. If you buy team work based game, you should be capable to play as team.
It wouldnt be very fun to play with 5 same characters of your choice becouse everyone just wants to play It and get overpowered by balanced with needed classes enemy team game after game.
Game mechanics just dont work like in call of duty nor team fortress and I hope everyone interested in this game would understand this.
I also agree with @zefyris

#56

As it stands, the game does allow up to 5 people to potentially choose the same character. So yeah, if that’s an option and people have paid for the game then they should have the right to make the choice to play that way. To play it the way it IS currently designed. Yes it would create balancing issues and quite frankly make no sense, but restricting people’s choice on the matter is counterproductive. If they implement a system that forces everyone to choose unique characters then i think they need to be careful how they do so. Giving priority to higher level/command rank would simply be unfair to newer players. If it becomes a matter of whoever selects the character they want first then we’ll end up with constant bitching coz they didn’t get who they wanted fast enough.

Should they change it? Probably

I just think they’ll be walking a fine line between restricting player’s choices and managing balancing.

Maybe if they limit it to no more than 2 of the same character per team?

And FYI, if you think everyone that plays PvP on battleborn is going to make decisions for the sole benefit of the team simply because they bought a team based game then you’re going to be sorely disappointed. There will be always be selfish and uncooperative team members no matter what restrictions and penalties are put in place

#57

This system is already in place. You can only choose the same characters in story mode or private matches. Unique characters are forced in public matches.

1 Like
#58

Phew, that’s a lot of text! And so many people seemed to ignore a lot of it.

On the one hand: OP, branch out and learn another character. I get what you’re saying, I do. But. Not all characters are right for all situations and you don’t always get what you want. AND Maybe that guy is really better at Marquis than you are, who knows?

On the other hand: Yea, leaving in character pick (while, again, see point above) shouldn’t block you out for the whole game and shouldn’t leave your team a man down. Give a penalty or something. I like the 2 minutes someone mentioned above.

Regardless: I do not like the idea of “queuing as your character”. This game gives you the opportunity to consider a team composition rather than some YOLO-Queue mentality. Use it.

Side note: Marquis really gets on my nerves as Montana… :pensive:

#59

I appreciate you looking at both sides and being unbiased.
AND I think I’m the best sniper in the game.(little cocky though)
I disagree about queues though, I feel like that leads to ideal team composition. It lets you try a character for sure, and team composition is helped by players playing their ideal characters.
If I’m playing at high levels and want to win, the best way for me to win is to you Marquis. At lower levels it doesn’t matter as much, but still let’s you try characters for sure if you’re having trouble getting them over others.
So it creates the best teams possible in my opinion.
Side note: I love Montana as a Marquis user :sunglasses: