In the only existing matchmaking mode, priority in matchmaking is given to the players’ battle ratings first. And only secondly to the historical correspondence of the location and player equipment. (The so-called soft rule of historicity. Which never works)
However, the developers still keep some maps for low battle ratings for reasons of atmosphere and balance. (HVAR, tanks with powerful HE shells, automatic weapons with almost no recoil for everyone do not go well with open maps that can be shot from end to end)
Recently, the developers began to flirt with decoupling maps and BRs. Such changes have both supporters and opponents. The first group players are guided by the diversity of gaming experience, they are absolutely not interested in the atmosphere and setting and generally want maximum similarity to War Thunder in this regard. The second group has many reasons for not accepting these changes. Some want entourage, atmosphere and a holistic WWII setting. Some don’t like some maps and choose battle ratings for themselves that don’t intersect with these maps. Some are afraid of vehicles with powerful high-explosive shells and auto rifles on super open maps of early BRs.
What if we split matchmaking into two modes? What if we give some War Thunder with infantry, in which all factions are mixed in one team fighting on absolutely all maps, and give others the opportunity to choose a maps with entourage equipment corresponding to the location and time frame?
So . . .
Matchmaking mode 1.
Absolute decoupling of factions from maps.
Both teams are assembled from players of all factions mixed.
The priority and only feature by which teams are assembled is the battle rating.
In this version, there will be no problems with the balance of teams, the disproportion of online by factions, and so on. In addition, this will lead to a denser distribution of online in battles with the same online.
The question of unlinking maps from battle ratings remains. Some are all for it, but I have heard complaints that War Thunder has problems with this.
Matchmaking mode 2.
I propose to base this matchmaking mode on the basis of one old test server.
This test server was launched before the merger of campaigns, there was testing of selection of battle based on the correspondence of weapons to the location and time frame.
Each weapon was linked to one or more campaigns, in the menu this was indicated by icons with the first letters of the campaign names.
There was also an indicator in the menu that showed which campaigns a player could get into with such a setup.
I also propose to exclude paper guns from this mode.
The priority feature by which the lobby is assembled in this matchmaking mode is the historical correspondence of weapons to the theater of operations.
The secondary feature is the combat rating of weapons.
In this case, players who want to choose a map will be able to assemble a setup that matches this map, and players who want to get an authentic gaming experience will get this experience. In this case, it is necessary to introduce fair statistics for the second mode on the distribution of online by battle ratings, so that a player who deliberately make a low BR setup does not run into players who deliberately make a high BR.
However, for this mode, it will be necessary to introduce a certain number of weapons and vehicles so that authentic battles remain balanced.
For example, against impenetrable tanks, introduce self-propelled guns and aircraft with good suspended weapons that correspond to the historical framework.
Also, for the balance of weapons in the second mode, some mechanics from this topic will be useful.
I also think that in the second mode, auto rifles should be disabled. It create too many problems. At most, leave it to snipers. Thus, the circulation of this weapon will not exceed the circulation of machine guns and will not create balance problems.
You can also add players from the first matchmaking mode to battles of the second mode if the battle of the second mode complies with the limits of the battle rating, and the setup of the player of the first mode complies with the historical limits.
And what about online?
Players of the first matchmaking mode will be better provided with a stable online due to the disabling of the limits of the choice of maps for factions.
Players of the second mode will sometimes receive players of the first mode.
Also, for players of the second mode, you can introduce battles with a smaller number of players. 5x5, 6x6, 7x7 and so on. Depending on the online.
Also, the introduction of the second mode will attract the audience of atmospheric games in the setting of the Second World War to the game. (and will bring back those who fled in horror after the merger of the campaigns)