[Review] Matchmaking

[Merovingian 656]

Brace yourself, the winds of change are blowing through Tanki Online. The scary and fearsome cloud of Matchmaking is looming over the game. The core fundamentals of the game are standing in the line of fire while tankers are watching with a fraught of distress.

* * *

Ta-da!

What a scorching summer 2017 we had! Indeed, the ambiance has been really burning over the month of August, not only because it was a natural seasonal phenomenon but also because of the TO’s Summer event (brand new event btw). After the special activities, accompanied with a steaming 5 times Gold Boxes drop rate and tasty roasting sales, came this hotty: Mass Live Testing of Matchmaking, or MM for short. Just like this, Tankers were caught right under an icy shower to cure the GB rains fever, and after this shocking and numbness they quickly reacted about this future key feature. At first a shy spur of frustrated comments and before soon, a stream of hated comments pouring like hot lava on the forums. With more than 100 pages cumulated in the spaces of 2 day, Tankers just saw red with this new “Update”, it was even steaming in the in-game chat. The MM is a lot to take and it is beyond doubt a sensitive subject touching a major part of the gameplay that will be roll out for certain. There is no way you can stop this steamroller (slow but unstoppable).
Let’s have look at the MM feature, firstly its content, then the MM testing, followed by some key-milestone of the on-going implementation process.


What is Matchmaking About?

Technically speaking, Matchmaking is a comprehensive interface and system for connecting players together for online game battle. On TO, the objective is to automatically handle the logistics of finding and/or creating battles with enough room for players to join in. As explained by the developer, via the menu in the MM lobby, the players will decide which type of battle they wish to participate (Quick battle, DM, CTF, TDM and CP). Then the system automatically starts and will first add them in a queue with other players with the same request and demonstrating roughly equal fighting ability. And finally, after an algorithmic process, the player will be sent to the battle with the other chosen matched players.
 

The popup window confirming the queuing and displaying waiting time before starting the battle (right-hand side).

This feature looks very much like the feature used for the former DM Tournament (left-hand side).

So far, we have been communicated that the matchmaking will group player with similar ranks, and if only few players are found with that rank, the ranking bracket will be enlarged by one rank up and rank down. If still not enough player available, the system will increase the ranks again, and again until all the battle is filled.
The MM feature in TO will consider the following building blocks: the Lobby, the Missions manager, the Group creation, the customized battle list (pro-battle menu), the battle preparation system and the new maps (let’s call them MM maps). The other major structural changes that will be accompanied the MM implementation are the quick battle button, the merging of all the Servers and the creation of a unique battle list.
 

The BATTLES Lobby for MM with the Battle Menu (BM).

 

The lobby, of which we had the first peek during the MM Test in August.

• Battle Menu (BM)
• [Missions] button
• [Group] button

1/ The Battles menu
The menu is composed of six buttons; the top five provide access to “normal battle” (or “non PRO-Battle”) and at the bottom the last on lead you to the unified PRO-battle list.

• Quick battle is for team battle mode, you will be randomly directed to any CTF, CP and TDM battles. You will not be sent to a DM battle.
• On the other hand, the Second option of the menu leads you randomly to any DM battles.
• Then the next three options lead you to the TDM, CTF, CP and ASL (Assault) battles respectively.
• The last button gives you access to the standard list of Pro-battles only. Yes, all the normal battles will not be listed so you would not be able to join them except via the MM lobby. However, it was suggested that you would not need any longer a PRO-pass to create or partake in those.

On special events, an additional button can give access to specific maps, for example during the Halloween 2017 event, a Pumpkin Hunt button lead you to a DM battle on the special Halloween Map.
 

2/ The [Missions] button
Actioning this button will open the Mission pop-up window (currently). If the other Mission button from the top menu is removed then it will prevent you to access your mission status when battling. As it has triggered lots of debates, there is a (hope) possibility that the link from the top menu stays.

 

The Missions button is currently provided in the Battles lobby and will open the current popup Missions window.

This set up might look different in the future.

 

3/ The [Group] button
Here you can build a group of friends with whom you want to play with in a MM battle. By actioning it, a table will be appear on top of the Battles menu and will list the friends that you would invite to join your group (four friends maximum).

• This option is not available if you join DM battle (for obvious reason; don’t you remember the Russian raiders in DM Tournament?) or Pro-battle because it is not supported and beside there you can use the invite friend list system as usual.
• In the group, you can list a maximum of five players (including you) with no limitation of rank range, subsequently you could have recruit and legends together (hum, this is so logical that Spock is going to kill himself!?) as long as they are live players.
• You can see your friends’ current equipment (turret, Hull and module) and yours.
• You can leave the group by clicking on the [Leave the group] button on the right side.

 

The Group menu in the Battles lobby with 4 empty slots available to invite friends.

 

A friend list open to allow invitation of available friends.

 

The “Quick Battles!” Button – 16^th November 2016 Onward

The “Quick Battles” feature was rolled about a year ago, can you believe that? Times flies. It all started with the announcement of the Battle button to help noobs to join battle (chuckle). When accessing the game (both client and web version), you will see a giant green button marked “Battle” on top of the battle list window. Remember, it is for noob, so it needs to be BIG enough, so they can see it, plus Green colour is a really friendly colour (I am not joking).

Clicking on this button will automatically take you to a battle that best fits your rank. Additionally, your battle filters are taking into account when you click the button. If you selected DM battles and TDM, you will be sent to either one of the 2 battle mode selected. At the time, the Quick Battles feature would only send you to battles on your current server, however we have been told at the time that in a future update, the Battle button will be able to send you to the best battle for your rank on any server.

"Guess what!?"
"What?"
"It happened, about a month ago!"
"Really?"
"Yes and … No!"

The big giant button, renamed “Battles!”, is located in the unified battle list, and will now send you back to the MM Lobby :D Where there you can find, on top of the menu, an even more gigantesque new “Quick Battle” button that lead you to any team battles (CP, CTF and TDM) and yes on any servers. And it is grey, less friendly? In the Lobby, at the bottom of the menu, you will find the button to go back to the Unified battles list.

I hope you followed the story so far because that was a bit tricky. Hey! Not my fault! K! The to and fro system between the lobby and the unified list which list normal battles and pro-battles will stay as it is for now. In the future, however, the unified list will only display pro-battles (renamed probably as customisable battles).



Test of 8^th and 9^th of August

We have been warned! Have we listen? N-A-H… too busy with our daily missions, which are harder to complete now. And when a tanker log on that infamous fresh morning of the 8^th, then BOOM, this happened: “Hun, what this is happening with my lobby”, where is the list of battles and the servers? I can’t select my preferred battle? Doh! Maybe I should have read the pop up window, should not I? Just like the TO GAME you need to follow the clues and you will discover the code: TEST. It can’t be simpler, innit?
 

Matchmaking announcement pop-up window in game (someone shoot at it out of frustration).

 

This was the 2 days test of Matchmaking, announced by the video from the Nutty-One in a perfectly intelligible but beautiful Russian’s language (if it is your mother tongue :D). I did understand one word only, the last one “Spacibe” (thank you in Russian). XD, Come on, all the video in Russian! This is just so inappropriate. The grandiloquent speech was only 3 minutes long, once the translation is made it can easily be read out loud by Hazel or the commentator. Easy peasy lemon squeezy. We do appreciate the effort of having a video presenting in detail the experiment and the English subtitle, nevertheless a whimsy bit more sweat and the job is fully done! Furthermore, a truly international community would be truly proposing any thread of communication in English, why do we have to communicate in English on the forum then? The grown and confident man might be a tad shy to speak in English, and reluctant to show his Russian accent, but it is only by practicing and doing more of them that he will fight this common fear. “Oh Boy! I’m shy.”

Anyway, for the non-Russian speaker, you had better switch on the subtitle, the functionality that Youtuber do not use, coz they only speak “Angleesh”. As for me, having a pea-brain of a YouTubes’ fanboy, I am without doubt clueless about this convenient feature. Soon after (and a call to the IT department for help) I managed to watch the video with EN subtitle (minus the nutty-one’s gracious voice, I mean yeah, I do prefer a music video in the background: “Run, run to the hills”. Right on the spirit of the day!). Despite this break in communication misshape, the video included everything needed to understand the in and out of the test. Now enlightened with all the new acquired knowledge about MM, I went back to the client to “Test”.

I tested MM with two accounts, my main high one (a couple of M3s) and a low one (this one) over the 2 days. I came across many surprises good and bad. First of all, the test is only a partial view of the final feature, so it is hard to judge something that would evolve and hopefully trim the bad and keep the good and perfect the flaws.

The test occurred during week days (Tuesday and Wednesday), with 30 to 40 players a peak time.

Positive characteristics
The interface is simpler, all is available on the same page, no need to search in the different servers for a battle, as there are no servers no more. This set up would be easier to implement for furthers extension of the game on mobile and tablets platform (yes, you heard it TO is going global). The lobby is a huge improvement from the unique Battle button.

All the battles you enter are almost full, no need to wait for people to join as everybody join at the same time. Like this all tankers have the same opportunity to begin on the same foot and everybody will enjoy a full game. Worthy to note that when a player leaves a new one is sent quite quickly. On the other hand, nobody is added to fill in the empty spot in any team near the end of the game. In a game we finished 9 versus 10, and in total 12 players (6 in each team) played the full game, which is a good thing.

On the two test days the current maps were revamped and rebalanced to accommodate all types of tanks and turrets, and they hold the same amount of tankers (20 maximum). This is quite good as the terrain and map layout offer the same opportunity and difficulty for different combat style, therefore you would not need to change equipment when sent to a random battle. I will talk about the map changes more in details in a separate chapter below.

The Group option was great, to me this is better than going into battle and then invite your friend one by one, most of the time they refuse because they are currently fighting in an active battle and do not want to lose the battle found, even me when I refuse or ignore I wish I could say yes! So, you are making your friend sad (by refusing) and yourself equally (by not accepting). But, thanks to the group battle feature you can create a group of friends that will fight in battle from start to end and even more.

To improve
The waiting time in the battle queue of the MM needs to be hugely reduced. It would need to be more effective, because currently the overall level of player is low (below 40k per day) if the number hopefully increase, then the system needs to be able to cope with even more MM request. It is also possible that most of delays is due to the amount of people using Browsers instead of the Client. Guys, please install the TO Client it super-efficient for loading and joining battles.

The group feature is not finished. We had to recreate the group for any new starting game and all player needed to leave the group in order to recreate it. It would be also a good idea to limit the rank bracket in a group the same way as the battle rank brackets to avoid abuse.

When someone leaves a battle, I noticed that extremely low ranked players were added by the system to replace the tanker. Shouldn't the highest possible ranked player be invited to join? I mean, players on the losing team would really appreciate the help of a fresh and strong tanker to reverse the situation / rebalance the battle. If you get some low ranked and low equipped players (a.k.a. Dead Meat), then you might as well wish that nobody else was added to your team.

In this test people can still leave battles and it seems that after a while, the system does not send any new tanker to fill in the depleting team. We might start the battle with a full team, but we still finish short. It seems that the developers have worked on this part since, as during the fiasco of Halloween, when the MM lobby was added, and the normal battle hidden, if you asked for another CFT battle right after leaving one, you were sent back to it! No escaping. The only way not to avoid this was to select another battle mode. That was highly distressing. Is this the only solution to prevent tanker to leave in the middle of a battle? I don’t think so. To me higher rewards for the losing team and more efficient team selection by the MM will prevent the desertion.

The irrelevant part
The 10 minutes battles length was only for the purpose of the Test. It is a trick to accumulate more data in the 2 days experiments (it’s 33% more battles of 10minutes compared to 15 minutes). Also, the fact that we were kicked out of the map at the end of the battle was only for the test. It is another trick to inflate the number of player looking for battles thus artificially stress further the MM process. So, do not worry, battle will still last 15 minutes and you will have the choice to stay in the map you just played or leave it. A third option would be nice to have, the choice of three new possible maps like other MMO games do. Time will tell.


Unified list and servers merging - 11^th Oct 2017 Onward

The third step in the ongoing implementation of MM is the merging of the list of battle and servers. The numerous servers spread the number of battle available for your rank. Sometimes you need to look into 5 servers before finding one battle of interest. And lately, the number of servers to survey as increased, as people started to created battle in the lowest server in the attempt to complete difficult mission (“Finish first” or “Collect boxes”) with a minimum of players / competitors. The unification process provides a quick view of all the battles available across the game for your rank. As you could see after the update servers increase also the number of battle that are not fully filled.

Unfortunately, this was only the first part of the unification, because in the end only the pro battle will be visible in the unified list. We had a peek 2 weeks ago during the Halloween day, where the battle menu for normal battle was only accessible via the MM lobby including the Halloween DM map (a special Halloween button was created for this purpose). Once the MM completely installed, normal battle will be available from the MM lobby and the pro-battle / customizable battle will be in the current battle unified list.

To and fro system between the Unified Battle List (left-hand side) and the MM Lobby (right-hand side).

Battles and Maps – 1^st of December Onward

The other important puzzle piece of the MM feature is the portfolio of the map in which you will be sent to play. In the V-log 151, TO hinted that they would be 20 + tailored maps available mid-November, so we could all get used to them, before the last piece: MM battle creation system. The maps are available in the game since the 1^st of December. It is now confirmed that the team based battle will be played with 10 versus 10 players (10v10), while DM battle will be fitted with a total of 20 players. This is a relief as tankers previously reported a format of 5v5 with TDM battles on the test server. False alarm.

The choice of 10v10 have been thoroughly explained in the v-log: less player and the outcome of the battle will be driven by few strong individuals (always resulting in unbalanced battle), while on the other hand, too many players and everybody will experience high lag. Therefore, the best trade-off to ensure a good balance and non-laggy battles is 10v10 battles. This is as good as it gets for an explanation. :D My feeling is that there is also quite a lot of good map with that amount of player, so why spending too much work on revamping them all, while we can just rework 3 or 4 famous one and tweak the rest to finally line up a good list of suitable maps. Ain’t our developers pretty lazy smart?

Over the last past 12 months, the number of maps available for normal battle has been dropping gradually from 74 maps (give or take a couple) to 24.

• During the Quick Battle button implementation, a total of 41 maps made the cut. About 15 maps of medium size (such as Monte Carlo and Stadium), all the big map (excepted lost temple 16v16) and all the small maps (excepted sandbox 4v4), on the other hand, did not make it, and are only available from the Pro-battle creation button.
• During the battle unification and servers merging update, the number of maps was trimmed further down to 36 maps, this includes all the remaining maps under 16 players, so goodbye Sandbox (4v4), Pass (5v5), Rift, Sandal (6v6), Cross and Fort Knox (7v7).
• The August MM test displayed the list of the survivors: a group of 24 maps, including the new map called Yorkshire. It is the Day Summer theme variation of the Happy New Year 2017 map (without the huge Christmas tree and without the snow props).

The 24 MM maps are the exact same as the 24 maps from the MM Test. He is the listing of the 24 maps for references with the degree of modification of the map layout when compared to the existing map.

The degree of change: 0 no visible changes, small, significant and ☆☆☆ major.
Aleksandrovsk — 0 — summer and winter
Barda — 0 — summer and winter
Future — 0 — summer only
Iran — 0 — summer only

Bridges — ☆ — summer and winter (concrete blocks added in a few spots and addition of self-destructing zones)
Desert —☆ — summer only (walls added in new areas)
Kungur — ☆ — summer and winter (addition of self-destructing zones)
Osa — ☆ — summer and winter (added new ramp to the central platform)
Red Alert — ☆ — summer and winter (slightly increased the size of some pathways)
Wolfenstein — ☆ — summer and winter (areas blocked to the side of the ramps to the castle walls)
Year 2042 — ☆ — summer and winter (territory narrowed on the right side of the map close to the Red flag)
Yorkshire — ☆ — summer and winter (brand new map, areas blocked to the side of the ramps to the castle wall)

Forest — ☆☆ — summer and winter (removed the hole in the middle of the map, different contour lines, flag move to a more central location)
Highways — ☆☆ — summer and winter (back the size of the bases slightly reduced but larger pathways, flag move down by one level)
Industrial Zone — ☆☆ — summer and winter (small changes to several parts of the map, walls and concrete blocks, removed the tunnel below the building with the destroyed roof)
Serpuhov — ☆☆ — summer and winter (concrete blocks added in a few spots, different contour lines)
Tribute — ☆☆ — summer and winter (concrete blocks added in a few spots, new building in the middle of the map, ramp added to the hill off the side of the long bridge, some pathways expanded, different contour lines)

Brest — ☆☆☆ — summer and winter (removed entrances behind the bases and larger pathway and different drops zone pattern, different contour lines.)
Highland — ☆☆☆ — summer and winter (both bases revamped, added new territories)
Massacre — ☆☆☆ — summer and winter (the map increased in length with the additional territories for both bases and hugely different battlegrounds)
Polygon — ☆☆☆ — summer and winter (map has been extended and many changes to the perimeter areas of the map)
Rio — ☆☆☆ — summer only (increased the base territories, the Red flag moved down)
Silence — ☆☆☆ — summer only (extended the territory for both bases)
Solikamsk — ☆☆☆ — summer and winter (territory reduced with the removal of narrow pathways at the sides of the map, and reshaping of the red base)

Also worth noticing that there is no "Summer Night" and "Space" themes available in normal battles. Further details on 12 MM Maps can be found on this topic Analysis and comparison of the new map changes and if you never saw the Yorkshire map in its full glory read this [special] Happy New Year! Map 2017.


What is Next?

From the MM puzzle remains the Group table, the Missions revamps (somehow) and MM Battle Creation (the most controversial bit, yet to come).
 

Group creation: This we already experienced during the MM test, I speculate it will come before the MM system, but after the normal battle are removed from the Unified list.

Mission revamp: The window/panel will be somehow reworked. I really hope so. Hint is that it will be only available from the normal battle lobby and you would not be able to access it during battle. We will have to wait and see. New types of missions can definitely be added, but we are now entering the realm of fantasy.

MM Battle creation: To my point of, this important part will be implemented last, when everything else is set up and stable. From what we have already experienced, there is a lot of rework to be done: time for the queuing and player list selection based on players with similar experience (ranks and ratings). I don’t think the current ratings is as good as other game like the skill-based ranking system of Microsoft called TrueSkill. As you can see, in this forum topic, Share your rating!, the main driver for the efficiency is the experience gained. Accordingly, it would be probably based on the ranks and not on the speed you progress which is truly linked to your skills.

 

 

 

 

Time line summary

Update/Test	Date	Part

Quick Battle button added16^th Nov 2016Battle creation & LobbyBattle creation become a PRO-Pass feature23^rd Nov 2016Battle creation & LobbyContinue button added1^st December 2016Battle creationPlayer Ratings added2^nd February 2017Battle creationCommunicator panel revamped13^th April 2017Lobby & ClanDaily Mission only in completed in Normal Battle29^th March 2017Lobby & MissionMatchmaking TEST8^th & 9^th August 2017Lobby, Battle creation, Maps, Group & MissionUnified Battle List and Chat channels implemented 11^th Oct 2017LobbyLobby with battle Menu added with mission button 20^th Oct 2017Lobby24 Maps 10 v 10 for Normal Battle1^st Dec 2017MapsFriends List changes 6^th Dec 2017GroupGroupPlannedGroupMissionPlannedMissionMatchmakingPlannedBattle creation system (full MM)

 

 

Is it Time to Depart?

Since the post crystal box schism, Alternativa has done nothing to the game, focussing mainly on TX development and letting TO unattended. Yet something has changed the course of history, we do not know what or whom triggered the changes, but by the middle of 2016, TO was not left alone anymore, TO had been given a purpose, a purpose with a will: MatchMaking.

I hope you have now a better view and understanding of this long mutation process and followed this Ariadne's thread that will soon come to an end, sealing slowly but irrevocably TO 2.0’s fate.

Do the old tankers, the ones that have grown and journeyed with TO’s golden age, will survive the last transition tot TO 3.0? As for the new one, or the future one, this current era will be a mere souvenir, and they will wander about the words “Crystal box”. “Chrystal Box? What the heck is that, are you not too old to play that game?”.

 

So long Mults...

 

* * *

 

Further good read from Hush-Hush Tanki

⚜ Opinion My take on Overdrive by The Merovingian

⚜ Guide How to Deal with Campers! by The Merovingian

⚜ Game discussion Containers: Weigh the Odds by The Merovingian in Game Discussion

 

The Leaky Mult is something different from what Hush-Hush Tanki has previously published, however very Hush-Hush.

△ / ⚜ News The Leaky Mult #1 by Illuminati & The Merovingian

△ / ⚜ News The Leaky Mult #2 New Year 2018 by Illuminati & The Merovingian

Edited November 30, 2018 by Merovingian

[marc.jp_44 20,837]

Approved.

 

Very in-depth piece. It was an interesting read, however, there were many spelling issues, grammatical errors and the biggest thing was your struggle with articles. Some of the errors:

• You were using "have" to describe singular things and "has" for plural things - make sure you use the right one;
• There were some commas needed and double-spaces removed. 
• Several typos. 

The piece itself was fantastic, extremely in-depth but naturally, that also means mistakes are bound to be prominent but you must still make sure that you correct them. Proofread twice to three times yourself, then ask others to. There also seems to be one image missing towards the beginning of the Article, make sure that's corrected ASAP, please. Last but not least, please try to make relevant banners. xD

What is that opening banner? Try to keep it Tanki-related please. :D

[Merovingian 656]

Very in-depth piece. It was an interesting read, however, there were many spelling issues, grammatical errors and the biggest thing was your struggle with articles.

The piece itself was fantastic, extremely in-depth but naturally, that also means mistakes are bound to be prominent but you must still make sure that you correct them. Proofread twice to three times yourself, then ask others to. There also seems to be one image missing towards the beginning of the Article, make sure that's corrected ASAP, please. Last but not least, please try to make relevant banners. xD

What is that opening banner? Try to keep it Tanki-related please. :D

TY. I really appreciate your proofreading and dashy correction.

 

The missing image has been added (missed it due to poor refresh of the browser). I have no friend, my secret organization is composed of 2 people and one is temporary unavailable, consequently no proofreading and no Oreos. It's so bad at the moment I'm surviving on potatoes and a potatoe clock.

 

The opening banner can't be more pertaining to TO as it is a screenshot of a brain scan from the Nutty-one when he his thinking hard about MatchMaking. Don't ask me what it represent, I only see the DM Sniper in the middle. :D

[Hex 11,520]

I got two things to say:

 

1. Rank up.

2. Apply for Reporter.

[Illuminati 122]

Very nice insight!

[r_twinsandmamoth0 13]

One thing to say here. 

Best article piece ever read. You would 100% Become an reporter! Amazing job on this. 

Best wishes my friend xD

[Merovingian 656]

I got two things to say:

 

1. Rank up.

2. Apply for Reporter.

1. I need 200k xp to reach the required level, then with 2k per week that would take me 100 weeks, so about 2 years. Let's take an appointment for December 2019.

2. apply in December 2019.

 

Very nice insight!

Thank you for your enlightenment master.

 

1. Seriously don't. Mult on.

2. Seriously do. Be mult.

 

 

One thing to say here. 

Best article piece ever read. You would 100% Become an reporter! Amazing job on this. 

Best wishes my friend xD

TY, I hope it helps.

Best wish to you too.

[giant05 207]

Future reported xD

[Magenta 5,165]

Where did you get this?:

[Merovingian 656]

Where did you get this?:

 

 

I did a screen shot from this TO website. It flash so it might not be possible to view it with Chrome and some other browser that do not support flash. 

Edited June 10, 2018 by Merovingian

[You.Have.to.die 519]

Wow, you still need to rank up :D

[Magenta 5,165]

I did a screen shot from this TO website. It flash so it might not be possible to view it with Chrome and some other browser that do not support flash.

 

Who said Chrome doesn't support flash...?

[Viking4s 10,791]

Who said Chrome doesn't support flash...?

Well I can't :P

If you can then good for you.

[Magenta 5,165]

Well I can't :P

If you can then good for you.

Go to chrome://components, scroll to flash, show me screenshot. Might wanna take this to discord... :p.

[Viking4s 10,791]

Go to chrome://components, scroll to flash, show me screenshot. Might wanna take this to discord... :P.

Thank you but I'm fine.

[GrandExecutioner 1,403]

Well I can't say the clues weren't there... :huh:

[Viking4s 10,791]

The 10 minutes battle from the test actually remained, so they were not irrelevant :o
 

Well I can't say the clues weren't there... :huh:

2 years in the making to make MMS, so it will not go away just like that.

[GrandExecutioner 1,403]

The 10 minutes battle from the test actually remained, so they were not irrelevant :o

 

2 years in the making to make MMS, so it will not go away just like that.

I was actually talking about Mero.

[Viking4s 10,791]

I was actually talking about Mero.

ah, Him. A great guy.