Social Games Join in progress.

[gollum385]

Call of duty has a feature which all halo games have lacked (with the exception of customs) and I think would actually be very useful to halo.

Halo matchmaking is in most circumstances very well. It must find a game, then find all the people needed to fill the game slots up, and then voting etc. In ranked this is fine, but in social (a system which is for fun/not that important), i feel it is unnecessary.

 

That is why I think halo 4 should have join in progress for social games. The player choses a playlist, and the games puts that person into the first match it finds, whether it be a new game, or a game already started that has slots available.

 

This would mean that teams who lose players may gain other players, meaning that the games do not become unbalanced. It also means finding matches is faster.

 

There are obviously problems people have with the above, and many people have with the cod version. What if the team i join is losing, that's no fun, or joining a match at the last minute.

 

The solutions I have for this, is rather than launching you into the match when it finds a slot, the game will show the gamestats, the score to win/time remaining, your teams score number of players etc, so you can see exactly what you'd be letting yourself in for. That way if it's a 4 on 1 and they need 1 flag with 10 seconds left, you don't have to join.

 

The second, solution, contrary to the above example, is that games will only be available to you if they are less than half way completed already. This means you get a good amount of gameplay in.

 

This solution would not encourage people quitting games, they would still be punished. It would also not work in ranked.

Programming this situation would also mean the same could be applied to firefight join in progress, and campaign join in progress.

 

A cool idea using this could be a 'find me a social match' playlist. This would search all social matches for games in progress or games just starting up that you could vote to join.

 

If queued to join a friend you could also instantly join them should a slot become available in a social playlist.

 

Finally not only would this speed up a person searching for a game in social mathcmaking, it would also speed up the time in which it takes for normal games to start. If there is 6v6 slayer. The game could start when 8 people are present (4v4), with 4 slots spare for people to join. Joining would probably be priority based, so it goes firstly to the team with less players, and secondly to the losing team.

 

People's opinions and suggestions on this situation would be appreciated. I think it would be good for social, as it is an area of matchmaking where many quitters (and also filling slots from people who are booted for betraying/ afk for too long(possibly)) can be filled, keeping games fair, and at full size (no one likes a game of team slayer where 4 players are trying to hunt down 1 enemy).

[Rafter]

First solution, but more things,

 

I remember that in h3, there were these so many gametypes, for example, for juggernaut,

 

Imagine that sme wants to play Ninjanaut, but can't play it in matchmaking, this person wold create a game, which would be featured in matchemaking; people who choose the lone wolves gametype, would see some options in his screen, options of people who did smth like the person above, and one ast option which would be the "normal" matchmaking.

The order in which each game sould appear would be, the "oldest" appearing in the top left corner, going all the way right and down, until "normal" in the lower right corner.

 

Moreover people should gain some credits (smt ridiculous like 5 credits) if the person chooses one of these games. the quantity of credits should grow higher (like 5 cedits per minute).

 

Furthermore, sme could only create a game like this if the map and gametype has been previously approved by 343i. Further, when sme creates such a game, should be informed of how many games like that one have been created before and still open for joining (meaning, how manu games are between his/hers game and he top left cornor).

 

If anyone did not understand this please way which part you didn't unerstand so taht I can explain it to you again.

 

Comment please,

Rafter

[gollum385]

I like the idea of People setting up custom games for other people to play.

 

I don't think it should be like normal matchmaking social games, where people pick a playlist and vote. But maybe a cool search option (think of the searching feature for halo reach for files). You pick what gametype, map type or whatever criteria you want, and then it will search all published games for matches. It wouldn't necessarily require maps or gametypes approved by 343i, and wouldnt punish for quitting games or anything, it would just be like a custom game which you can allow anyone to join. Would be a great way to meet new people online, and also to get your own maps/playtypes broadcasted into the open. It is often too hard to get a cool map or gametype playtested or get a good name from people, and this would definately help.

[AHP MonsteR]

This is halo not call of duty keep halo as halo and stop trying to make it like cod

[gollum385]

AHP MonsteR, i don't think join in progress is a system entirely limited to Cod. For a start it is present in custom games. All i am saying is that for social, a system which is based on people wanting to get into games quickly and have fun, something like this would be a good addition, as it would allow for matchmaking to be sped up significantly.

 

An example is an experience earlier I had on reach. I was trying to play btb. We got up to 15 players, but there was no 1 person who wanted to play btb (who wasn't already in a game). We waited for a good few minutes until one of the people in our game who was a single player left, then it instantly started the map selection as a 7v7.

 

What if the games started as soon as there was 6v6 say. Then people can join when requested. It could even start as a 8v7, and then when someone tries to find a btb game it could set them up. This system is not like cod as you can vote to join the map, and it will only be available for games under half distance.

 

It also removes the disadvantages teams come under from people quitting/losing connection/being booted, meaning games can be balanced and fun. How many games are ruined by people quitting.

 

Note this wouldnt affect the rank system, something which definately isn't in cod.

 

I am definately not a cod fan, but a system like this would be benficial to the halo matchmaking system, which tbh is one of the slower systems out there.

[Baykem]

If you havent noticed but when your in a custom game and someone joins it gets VERY laggy, i think until they can fix that then no

[Rafter]

I like the idea of People setting up custom games for other people to play.

 

I don't think it should be like normal matchmaking social games, where people pick a playlist and vote. But maybe a cool search option (think of the searching feature for halo reach for files). You pick what gametype, map type or whatever criteria you want, and then it will search all published games for matches. It wouldn't necessarily require maps or gametypes approved by 343i, and wouldnt punish for quitting games or anything, it would just be like a custom game which you can allow anyone to join. Would be a great way to meet new people online, and also to get your own maps/playtypes broadcasted into the open. It is often too hard to get a cool map or gametype playtested or get a good name from people, and this would definately help.

 

 

Sorry, but I still prefer, my idea, specially because it includes, in a way, yours.

AHP MonsteR, i don't think join in progress is a system entirely limited to Cod. For a start it is present in custom games. All i am saying is that for social, a system which is based on people wanting to get into games quickly and have fun, something like this would be a good addition, as it would allow for matchmaking to be sped up significantly.

 

An example is an experience earlier I had on reach. I was trying to play btb. We got up to 15 players, but there was no 1 person who wanted to play btb (who wasn't already in a game). We waited for a good few minutes until one of the people in our game who was a single player left, then it instantly started the map selection as a 7v7.

 

What if the games started as soon as there was 6v6 say. Then people can join when requested. It could even start as a 8v7, and then when someone tries to find a btb game it could set them up. This system is not like cod as you can vote to join the map, and it will only be available for games under half distance.

 

It also removes the disadvantages teams come under from people quitting/losing connection/being booted, meaning games can be balanced and fun. How many games are ruined by people quitting.

 

Note this wouldnt affect the rank system, something which definately isn't in cod.

 

I am definately not a cod fan, but a system like this would be benficial to the halo matchmaking system, which tbh is one of the slower systems out there.

 

 

I think that should be added as an "option" in my idea above. obviously the option should mention that the game is already running.

 

 

If you havent noticed but when your in a custom game and someone joins it gets VERY laggy, i think until they can fix that (..)

 

Hope as well.

 

Anyway, still prefer my idea,

Rafter

[gollum385]

Baykem, interesting that when they join it gets laggy. Can't say I play too many custom games, so haven't experienced this problem. Indeed I agree that if it did cause a huge problem to others then it wouldnt be that great, but i'm sure if other games can have join in progress the networking could be reworked.

 

Thankyou rafter for your input.

[gollum385]

Interested to see if there are a few people who are not fussed/not sure either way. Are there improvements to my proposed system that would make you like it. Is there any reason that you wouldnt care either way (ie what positives and negatives in the idea make it not a gread/terrible idea)?

[Spectral Jester]

works in Gears of War 2 they have ranked and social playlists, see no reason why it cant work in Halo.

Only thing I would say is maybe you earn more XP if you play in the ranked playlist, and slightly less in the social playlist.

[gollum385]

Thanks for your comments. I agree that other games make it work. Obviously gears has bots in games to replace people leaving but i dont think halo would be able to have that, as the bots play so different from the players.

 

as for xp and ranked and social check out my forum post on the rank and xp system i think should be implemented in halo 4 viewtopic.php?f=16&t=626. In this i state that the xp system would be similar to halo 3, in that your xp helps determine your rank. However unlike halo 3, it isn't just 1 point for a win, and 0 for a loss, it is up to 10 xp. Those 10 xp are calculated based on things such as winning the game, being the mvp for your team and overall, having most kills/least deaths/best kd etc.

 

I also allocated an xp for completing a whole game. Although i didn't mention it there i would also think an xp for completing half a game would be involved, at least for social games if both systems were present, so those who join before the halfway mark (the time at which you cant join after i think should be the case) would also get an xp for finishing the game. Therefore in this example playing games will get you exp irrelevant of whether you win or lose, but winning and doing well counts for alot more, whilst people get exp just for not leaving and playing the whole game. Would this idea match you wants for xp being less in social (if you joined). Obviously the breakdown in ranked and objective would be similar (although with slight differences). But the exp is in reference to all your games, and your rank determines how good you are within the ranked playlists.

 

Interested what you think this idea is like, and if you think the 2 would work well together (i have several threads with ideas that in my mind all link together, but obviously can only really get one idea in per thread).

[gollum385]

Do people think that the halfway point cutoff, or chooseing whether to join a game are good ways to counter the problems of join in progress. Whilst i agree with the first, the second may actually slow down a players matchmaking, whereas if they just join, then it will definately speed up the process. Also not many people would probably want to join a game where the team you are put with are losing.

 

Maybe some custom options you can set before searching allow you to specify what games you would join in progress if any. Criteria such as game length remaining (time or score wise), player count in comparison to other team etc.

[Baykem]

Baykem, interesting that when they join it gets laggy. Can't say I play too many custom games, so haven't experienced this problem. Indeed I agree that if it did cause a huge problem to others then it wouldnt be that great, but i'm sure if other games can have join in progress the networking could be reworked.

 

Thankyou rafter for your input.

Yeah when im playing MLG customs and a player joins it always gets laggy, no matter how good the host is, but when im in forge or a larger map the latency isnt near as bad and sometimes almost unnoticeable. that is unless were on a map that has a lot of things on it

[gollum385]

Thanks for that information. Is this something that could be reworked in terms of the networking code though? Obviously in it's current state this probably couldnt be done, but if other games like cod can do it i'm sure halo could.

[Shameful Ninja]

Call of duty has a feature which all halo games have lacked (with the exception of customs) and I think would actually be very useful to halo.

Halo matchmaking is in most circumstances very well. It must find a game, then find all the people needed to fill the game slots up, and then voting etc. In ranked this is fine, but in social (a system which is for fun/not that important), i feel it is unnecessary.

 

That is why I think halo 4 should have join in progress for social games. The player choses a playlist, and the games puts that person into the first match it finds, whether it be a new game, or a game already started that has slots available.

 

This would mean that teams who lose players may gain other players, meaning that the games do not become unbalanced. It also means finding matches is faster.

 

There are obviously problems people have with the above, and many people have with the cod version. What if the team i join is losing, that's no fun, or joining a match at the last minute.

 

The solutions I have for this, is rather than launching you into the match when it finds a slot, the game will show the gamestats, the score to win/time remaining, your teams score number of players etc, so you can see exactly what you'd be letting yourself in for. That way if it's a 4 on 1 and they need 1 flag with 10 seconds left, you don't have to join.

 

The second, solution, contrary to the above example, is that games will only be available to you if they are less than half way completed already. This means you get a good amount of gameplay in.

 

This solution would not encourage people quitting games, they would still be punished. It would also not work in ranked.

Programming this situation would also mean the same could be applied to firefight join in progress, and campaign join in progress.

 

A cool idea using this could be a 'find me a social match' playlist. This would search all social matches for games in progress or games just starting up that you could vote to join.

 

If queued to join a friend you could also instantly join them should a slot become available in a social playlist.

 

Finally not only would this speed up a person searching for a game in social mathcmaking, it would also speed up the time in which it takes for normal games to start. If there is 6v6 slayer. The game could start when 8 people are present (4v4), with 4 slots spare for people to join. Joining would probably be priority based, so it goes firstly to the team with less players, and secondly to the losing team.

 

People's opinions and suggestions on this situation would be appreciated. I think it would be good for social, as it is an area of matchmaking where many quitters (and also filling slots from people who are booted for betraying/ afk for too long(possibly)) can be filled, keeping games fair, and at full size (no one likes a game of team slayer where 4 players are trying to hunt down 1 enemy).

 

well in halo 1 you can join a game but that would be fun to join mid game cause some people just leave in reach. for example; me and 5 other friends were in a invasion game and all except 1 person on the other team left so it was fun but short.(BTW this was at the start)

[gollum385]

Yea things like this are always annoying when matchmaking. especially in social when you are just playing for fun, and it is spoiled. It is far too common an occurence, and unlike other games the other players suffer. Obviously this wouldnt apply to ranked, but in that environment the punishment for quitting is more severe, therefore less people are encouraged to quit.