Matchmaking, Missions and Non-Buyers

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

The controversial Matchmaking is here and we're about to receive the maximum rewards for Week 10 chains. But Energizer is coming and we don't know how will that update affect the economy and our economic plans.

 

Some say that they can be effective with one combo (turret/hull) in Matchmaking battles, while others say that at least a second turret is needed.

 

I think we should wait until we know more about the coming updates to make big decisions. What do you think?

 

And what would be a good name for this topic? For discussion about economic planning.

 

---

 

Old message

 

 

 

As you know the Missions system has just being changed and Matchmaking is coming soon. And many of you, Including i, are non-buyers.

 

We, or at least me, don't know if devs changed the Missions system thinking in Matchmaking, as well as the game economy. If they did that then the idea was good in that aspect; the other aspect being players playing or not playing frequently.

 

Because with the Missions change, the 4 containers it'll eventually bring, along with the rest of the rewards, non-buyers will have the resources necessary to prepare themselves for Matchmaking in at least one way.

 

How?

 

With Matchmaking most likely you'll not be able to pick a map, and since maps are different, you'll need to have and maintain a garage with more than one combo (hull/turret/protections), so you and your equipment can adapt to the different maps better, and the extra income should help you with that.

 

Some non-buyers have the believe that to do well in Tanki you need to stick to one combo until you reach M3.10. Well, depending on that combo I think with Matchmaking you'll need at least two combos.

 

Many that have only 1 combo likely decided in that combo because it's what they like the most and because it fits their play style. But now with Matchmaking I believe we need to be players that can do well in any map and with more equipments.

 

As an example, I've always maintained at least 2 combos in the accounts I have. And with the selection of my combos I can join any map, any mode, play varying roles depending on battle circumstances, and do well. In other words I think I'm ready for Matchmaking. Thanks to daily Missions (old/triple/double+containers) I have a Major account with 4 M2.10 and 4 M2s and thousands of drugs. It's doable, and more doable now with increased rewards.

 

Since Buyers will also be getting the same rewards on top of what they can buy, they will be able to afford more and well upgraded combos. So don't waste your earnings, thinking you're getting a lot more now, daily players will no longer have the advantage they had over casual players (buyers and non-buyers).

 

I'm posting this hoping I give you some ideas on how compete in the new Tanki. I you have better ideas or opinions feel free to share. But the theme is basically Matchmaking for non-buyers.

 

 

Edited June 3, 2018 by r_Issimo2

[Musa 5,352]

True

[splitterpoint 10,986]

I was skeptic about the matchmaking aswell. But it'll be 600 times better than finding a match to join the winning team to get atleast a decent reward.

 

Currently 80% of the games I see are blowout battles. Especially on my favorite mode CTF. The outcome is already decided after the first flag. Players start leaving and one side will dry out. I don't blame them for it..

 

I do it aswell. It's either that or wasting damn supplies and crystals only to get spawn killed all over.

 

MM won't be perfect. We'll just have to wait and see what they'll come up with. I would've liked a map filter to solve unsuitable equipment for that specific map.

[Nine 693]

I’m a buyer so idc

[Pyre 3,485]

I was skeptic about the matchmaking aswell. But it'll be 600 times better than finding a match to join the winning team to get atleast a decent reward.

 

Currently 80% of the games I see are blowout battles. Especially on my favorite mode CTF. The outcome is already decided after the first flag. Players start leaving and one side will dry out. I don't blame them for it..

 

I do it aswell. It's either that or wasting damn supplies and crystals only to get spawn killed all over.

 

MM won't be perfect. We'll just have to wait and see what they'll come up with. I would've liked a map filter to solve unsuitable equipment for that specific map.

What he said.

[u812ic 1,629]

I agree with the suggestion of having 2 combos since we won't be able to pick and choose maps. My main combo is Vulcan/Titan but it's difficult to use on small maps where I'm more likely go get trapped. Vulcan's rotation while firing is very slow. It's faster when not firing, but by the time it starts shooting again, I'm dead by fire or freeze. In DM, most of my kills are stolen because it takes so long for a kill. So, for DM and small maps I use Firebird/Viking. 

 

Unfortunately, since we won't be able to choose maps, we won't know which combo to use until we are logged into the battle. On top of that, since the battles are only 10 minutes long, that's more time wasted. I can see where many players will log into a battle with the wrong combo and instead of changing turret/hull, they will log out and try again later. 

Edited May 2, 2018 by u812ic

[Maf 32,305]

I haven't actually tried to start a new non-buyer account for a long time, but I feel like with all these mission rewards, double battle funds, discounts and other bonuses it's already not too hard to have two top-tier combos throughout your career, and maybe even a couple modules. It all depends on how much you play. If you only play 2-3 battles a day just to complete missions, then you will have enough supplies (and crystals for supplies) in order to use them almost non-stop in every game, meaning that you can get the most crystals per unit of experience and stay competitive by upgrading your equipment in time.

 

But if you want to play more often (more than 1 hour per day), then you will either have to refrain from using supplies so much, or spend real money to buy enough supplies in order to stay competitive.

[wolverine848 13,097]

I haven't actually tried to start a new non-buyer account for a long time, but I feel like with all these mission rewards, double battle funds, discounts and other bonuses it's already not too hard to have two top-tier combos throughout your career, and maybe even a couple modules. It all depends on how much you play. If you only play 2-3 battles a day just to complete missions, then you will have enough supplies (and crystals for supplies) in order to use them almost non-stop in every game, meaning that you can get the most crystals per unit of experience and stay competitive by upgrading your equipment in time.

I concur. 

 

My alt is 1st Lieut and has 2 M2 combos with 2 protection modules.  Is usually competitive with my peers.

[ghost-guns 1,486]

I was skeptic about the matchmaking aswell. But it'll be 600 times better than finding a match to join the winning team to get atleast a decent reward.

 

Currently 80% of the games I see are blowout battles. Especially on my favorite mode CTF. The outcome is already decided after the first flag. Players start leaving and one side will dry out. I don't blame them for it..

 

I do it aswell. It's either that or wasting damn supplies and crystals only to get spawn killed all over.

 

MM won't be perfect. We'll just have to wait and see what they'll come up with. I would've liked a map filter to solve unsuitable equipment for that specific map.

I think the same. Games are miss-matched so it will be nice sometimes to just let tanki drop me into a (hopefully) balanced one.

 

I hope pro battles will still be a separate option with choice of map.

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

I agree with the suggestion of having 2 combos since we won't be able to pick and choose maps. My main combo is Vulcan/Titan but it's difficult to use on small maps where I'm more likely go get trapped. Vulcan's rotation while firing is very slow. It's faster when not firing, but by the time it starts shooting again, I'm dead by fire or freeze. In DM, most of my kills are stolen because it takes so long for a kill. So, for DM and small maps I use Firebird/Viking.

 

Unfortunately, since we won't be able to choose maps, we won't know which combo to use until we are logged into the battle. On top of that, since the battles are only 10 minutes long, that's more time wasted. I can see where many players will log into a battle with the wrong combo and instead of changing turret/hull, they will log out and try again later.

When joining you can click G to go to the garage just when the map appears.

 

Hopefully with matchmaking we get a lobby like this to see our equipment without going to garage:

 

 

 

 

 

 

And looks like you'll need a third turret, maybe Rico or Twins.

Edited May 3, 2018 by r_Issimo2

[LittleWillie 3,199]

I agree investing in more than one hull and one turret will be more useful than it is right now. I disagree with your premise that doing so will be needed/required/compelled. 

 

I've fought on every map mode with one combo so there is no reason I cannot keep doing so. Cry I do not spend on hulls and turrets I get to spend on increaing my module selections.

 

What MM will do is open more garage development strategies. Do I spend my income to get a broad selection of gull and turrets? Or do I focus my resources to make one combo as good as I can? Making players choose between viable options is at the heart of good game design.

 

The good news is last year's 3x chain rewards and this year's even more lucrative containers rewards give teh free-2-play player the income needed to develop more than one hull and turret if so desired.

 

I also disagree that daily players will not have an advantage over infrequent players. DAily players will have more income; there is no way for prose to change that math.

 

The infrequent ones will be left behind the rank ladder never to be seen again.  The daily player will face new opponents at their new ranks.  If these are new opponents are also infrequent players they will have less cash for their rank too. You can make any case with words but numbers remain numbers.

 

Any daily player at a competitive disadvantage to someone who rarely plays can find the reason in the bathroom mirror.

Edited May 3, 2018 by LittleWillie

[u812ic 1,629]

When joining you can click G to go to the garage just when the map appears.

 

Hopefully with matchmaking we get a lobby like this to see our equipment without going to garage:

 

https://s9.postimg.cc/tilseyl0f/Lobby.png

 

And looks like you'll need a third turret, maybe Rico or Twins.

I like that layout.

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

I agree investing in more than one hull and one turret will be more useful than it is right now. I disagree with your premise that doing so will be needed/required/compelled.

 

I've fought on every map mode with one combo so there is no reason I cannot keep doing so. Cry I do not spend on hulls and turrets I get to spend on increaing my module selections.

...

LittleWillie would like to disagree with you, check what s/he said:

 

I do not know if TO player participation is dropping but it does seem to be dropping among US players. Very few games are available in US evening hours. But there are enough to spread out those available into several small 2v2 or 3v3 maps. Often there is only one full game per mode. And if that map is. say, Highways and you do not use Shaft .... well rotsa ruck. And the chances of that map actually being Gighways is large.  Shaft players will join it and join it all during the 24 hour server restart cycle. This is why I wan MM to go live.  

Kidding aside, of course, there are combos that can do well on more maps and battle situations than others, there are always exceptions. I opened this topic just to make others think about it, if they haven't already, so they can prepare themselves for Matchmaking if they aren't already. I'm know this idea is not for everyone, that's why I said this:

 

Some non-buyers have the believe that to do well in Tanki you need to stick to one combo until you reach M3.10. Well, depending on that combo I think with Matchmaking you'll need at least two combos.

About the advantage, daily players that benefited from the previous system will have the advantage they already got for some time or more, I was talking about their income advantage from now on, specially compared to buyers that also play frequently but didn't play daily.

I like that layout.

Thanks.

Edited May 3, 2018 by r_Issimo2

[Guest]

MM will save the game because it will place noobs with noobs and druggers with druggers. Mostly.

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

I haven't actually tried to start a new non-buyer account for a long time, but I feel like with all these mission rewards, double battle funds, discounts and other bonuses it's already not too hard to have two top-tier combos throughout your career, and maybe even a couple modules. It all depends on how much you play. If you only play 2-3 battles a day just to complete missions, then you will have enough supplies (and crystals for supplies) in order to use them almost non-stop in every game, meaning that you can get the most crystals per unit of experience and stay competitive by upgrading your equipment in time.

 

But if you want to play more often (more than 1 hour per day), then you will either have to refrain from using supplies so much, or spend real money to buy enough supplies in order to stay competitive.

Starting a new account is a good option for those that have not taken advantage of chain rewards in the past and now have a weak Garage.

 

I have opened a new account and had a hard time with the pros and the system. We were 4 vs 7 for a good amount of time, check the kills and deaths. I hope they're focused on fixing this issues for the matchmaking system and that's why they aren't doing anything with current battles. It's these little issues that frustrate many players.

 

Edited May 3, 2018 by r_Issimo2

[LittleWillie 3,199]

???

 

I agree with you that MM will increase the utility of having multiple hulls or turret. I disagree only with the sentiment multiple hulls and turrets will become obligatory. Spreading out investments in multiple hulls and especially turrets means less MU development for each item.  Therefor the choice will be "more items+lower MU" vs "fewer items at higher MU". Some will prefer A others will prefer B.

 

Adding a 2nd or 3rd hull is generally less an issue than adding a 2nd turret. Case in point:

 

I have an account that grew up to Colonel or so as Titan / Smoky. Since LittleWillie himself in a full-time Smoky jockey I figured I'd buy this accunt a Shaft. 

 

That caused me to pump Cry into a 2nd turret. It also made me realize I needed different types of module for the two different turrets. With Smoky mounted the account fights in the trenches. The modules tend to Rico, Twins, Fire and similar turrets. But with Shaft mounted my main worries are other shafts, rails, vulcans, strikers and such.

 

So soon I found I the need to buy more modules. That spread out my money even more.  As of today this account is my 2nd highest in exp earned but it has the least-MUed module library of all my accounts.  It was the last account to get an m2 module up to 10/10. Adding that 2nd turret meant adding a new fighting style and that in turn required additional module types.

 

In contrast my  Isida account is my 3rd most experiences (essentially these accounts are tied in exp.) The Isida account added a 2nd hull.  But it is full-time Isida so the new hull did not require new modules.  The Shaft account has 6 different 3x modules. The Isida only 5. Both have protection against all 13 turrets. But the shaft is only now with this May sale getting up to 10/10 on 4 of those 6 modules.  The Isida account had every item, turret, 2 hulls, 5 modules all at 10/10 before the May sales even hit.  

 

Lot of text to illustrate the point that adding variety in the garage means you will be spreading a bit thinner.  Returning to the top this will be good for some players. Other players will like a smaller but more developed garage. Both aproaches are viable. It is a good game that provides more than one viable approach.

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

Good point, the idea of two combos may not be good for everyone, as Maf said, if they play a lot the days they play and thus don't maximize their missions income, then they may not have enough for the MUs of their combos and for some modules and the MUs of those.

 

But as from personal experience, with some months of simple chain rewards then the triple rewards and then double rewards with containers, I managed to have at least two combos well MUed and some modules well MUed, and in two of those accounts without even opening containers.

 

I haven't done the math but I'm pretty sure two combos, MUs and some modules are doable with now rewards plus 4 containers. Not automatically or course, but down the road, and depending on your garage, rank and economic status today.

 

It's just an idea, some will still think they can do well in MM with 1 combo, others with 1 hull and 2 turrets and so on, in other words, they can come up with their own conclusions. But some of those non buyers that like having multiple equipments may learn something from us and use some of our ideas, and that's one of the goals of this topic.

[LittleWillie 3,199]

LittleWillie would like to disagree with you, check what s/he said:

 

Kidding aside, of course, there are combos that can do well on more maps and battle situations than others, there are always exceptions. I opened this topic just to make others think about it, if they haven't already, so they can prepare themselves for Matchmaking if they aren't already. I'm know this idea is not for everyone, that's why I said this:

 

About the advantage, daily players that benefited from the previous system will have the advantage they already got for some time or more, I was talking about their income advantage from now on, specially compared to buyers that also play frequently but didn't play daily.

Thanks.

I see what you meant now.

 

I avoid (e.g.) Highways not because I cannot function with Viking / Smoky. Actually that combo is good for getting to the other side and killing the snipers. It was better before they reduced sniper pert of the map but it is still a sniper-killer.  The point is every single game will feature a buttload of shafts on both teams.  That means I must dodge enemy fire to get to the bottom alive. And thanks to the buttload of sniers on my side, I don't get much help.  Half my team plans to send the entire game rooted to one spot. 

 

So I spawn try to get to the bottom. Seven enemy snipers all looking for something to shoot see me and try to kill me.  Why not? Most of my team isn't risking the gauntlet. This formula gets tedious when it is what you see 95% of the time you try that map.

 

So every game plays out like this.  It's generally not fun. Under MM shaft players will not be able to seek out this map for every game they play.  So one game might have many snipers but the next will not. Not everyone will have a shaft in the garage. There will be different game-pay experiences on these maps.  They needn't be avoided any more by single-combo players.

 

====

 

Yes I agree the income boots to chains over the past year means new accounts most likely can afford to develop more than the single hull / single turret strategy I used. OTOH only one combo can be played at a time. The longer you play one combo the more you learn how to wring performance from it. So there are pros and cons to both strategies.

Edited May 3, 2018 by LittleWillie

[batatazilla 56]

Personally I would rather just forget MM and missions all together and just enjoy the (supposedly) free get me-rid-of-druggers pass plus the ability to choose and create battles as I like :D

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

Personally I would rather just forget MM and missions all together and just enjoy the (supposedly) free get me-rid-of-druggers pass plus the ability to choose and create battles as I like :D

And what are you going to do when those regular battle players come to PRO battles with their OP equipment?

[Tani_S 736]

I hope that the devs put the battles of all pro battles into one list again, a while after MM is introduced. There are so few people playing other modes than CTF... And a filter for other stuff like filtering parkour or XP/BP in list is needed as well.

Edited May 3, 2018 by Tani_S

[r_Issimo2 1,495]

There's something else that was not mentioned in this discussion, that is Hull Overdrives. Personally I'm opposed to all Overdrives, those could really mess up our plans and performance.

Edited May 4, 2018 by r_Issimo2

[cjlkajdsaldjaskjdasd 71]

And what are you going to do when those regular battle players come to PRO battles with their OP equipment?

disable mu

disable equipment change

disable supplies

 

or just make xp/bp no  supplies

Edited May 4, 2018 by cjlkajdsaldjaskjdasd

[splitterpoint 10,986]

disable mu

disable equipment change

disable supplies

 

or just make xp/bp no  supplies

Ah yeah the pro battles; It's just that fewer and fewer players do them because progression on missions is not possible there. 

Overdrives are a joke. So are the supplies imo. this game comes down to pressing the right consumables at the right time and less about the actual turret and hull. 

 

I think all the overdrives also influence the amount of blowout battles. Pro battles can take up even hours of very interesting and intense gameplay. You don't see a 5-0 outcome there. I can't afford to abandon missions right now because I know how rewarding they are.. but boy do I want to leave them lol

 

The contrast between normal battles and pro battles is bigger than ever. The game tries to lure into normal battles with all the containers, double funds, events with certain XP gaining etc... just to get you into those missions.

 

 

I believe the T.O. administration hates that they designed pro battles in the first place. 

[cjlkajdsaldjaskjdasd 71]

 

 

I believe the T.O. administration hates that they designed pro battles in the first place. 

game will die with no pro battles.

 

you underestimate the number of xp/bp players 

 

i play non-pro only for missions, they're not really fun mostly, because you can get stuck with a team that doesn't use supplies, and just get spawn-killed over and over again.