Release: Quickmatching System

[Pxtl]

@Gota - I'm inclined to agree. Starcraft-style porc maps with only 2 means of entry into the home base, a "natural" expansion, barriers between allies (so that an attack force can't push into player A's base and then use that as a back-door to player B's base) and so on would probably help the popularity of smaller games. I used to be able to reliably get 2v2 games started on Castles and Hell's Pass, and SpeedMetal is still popular for smaller team games. I think the popularity of SM has as much to do with it's economy as it has to do with it's simplicity.

[Gota]

@Gota - I'm inclined to agree. Starcraft-style porc maps with only 2 means of entry into the home base, a "natural" expansion, barriers between allies (so that an attack force can't push into player A's base and then use that as a back-door to player B's base) and so on would probably help the popularity of smaller games. I used to be able to reliably get 2v2 games started on Castles and Hell's Pass, and SpeedMetal is still popular for smaller team games. I think the popularity of SM has as much to do with it's economy as it has to do with it's simplicity.

Simple and easy to porc.

[zerver]

I agree that you should send all quickmatchers to an empty server. Mixing "bot" guys with real folks will only cause annoyance. If any non quickmatcher joins the game, all quickmatchers should immediately be transferred to another host. If you fix this, I'm absolutely willing to give it a try...

[Licho]

Why would you try it after we "fix" it by making it completely useless? Makes no sense zerver.. there are at best 2 quickmatchers at any given moment.

They MUST join normal games or they will never play.

[zerver]

Well, all quickmatchers I have encountered so far have been immediately votespecced, so my point stands.

[cleanrock]

I think it is enough to have the lobby inform the player that a game is getting filled up so the player can consider to join the game. I think auto-join like this will just mess things up.
And i still hope most server owners will lower the max player limit to 8 :) .. 4v4 should be good for game count and game quality.

[Licho]

There is also alerter which ONLY alerts you for this..

But im using quickmatching directly, it works for me fine .. if you set limit sensibly low there is no reason why would anyone votespec you..

[JohannesH]

But im using quickmatching directly, it works for me fine .. if you set limit sensibly low there is no reason why would anyone votespec you..

lol theres a ton of reasons to spec/kick quickmatchers

[Jazcash]

I "!specafk" kick Quickmatchers just cause it makes me feel powerful.

[cleanrock]

There is also alerter which ONLY alerts you for this..

But im using quickmatching directly, it works for me fine .. if you set limit sensibly low there is no reason why would anyone votespec you..

What is this alerter ? I cant find any such function in springlobby.

[quantum]

It's a function of SpringDownloader, enable the "Alerter" tab.

[cleanrock]

It's a function of SpringDownloader, enable the "Alerter" tab.

aha .. i didnt read the first post very well
looks useful but i think i will skip messing up my linux install
i wish all energy would be put into one lobby :)

[Licho]

But im using quickmatching directly, it works for me fine .. if you set limit sensibly low there is no reason why would anyone votespec you..

lol theres a ton of reasons to spec/kick quickmatchers

Not more than normal players. Unlike normal players quickmatcher ALWAYS ready up instantly when their condition (min players) is met.
They also autodownload map/mod instantly and if your ring them even say how much % they have.
They never switch teams, complain to play with player XY, randomly spec/unspec etc.

[zerver]

Ok ima try the quickspeccing system :)

[Hobo Joe]

I've never seen a quickmatcher ready up.



Just sayin'.

[Licho]

They say how many players they wait for if you say their name or ring them.
When this number of players is met they ready up.
Max is 10.

[zerver]

I possibly have a better suggestion than that bot response:

1. If teams are uneven or the number of players meet the limit, always ready up.
2: Otherwise unready and:
- If you are a player and someone rings, wait for a random number of seconds and if the condition (2) still holds, switch to spectator.
- If you are a spectator, immediately switch to player.

There is a risk the server gets full, if it starts and you are spec, just leave and join another host.

This random seconds thing is to prevent all quickmatchers from deadlooping with their spec-unspec procedure.

[ZellSF]

I think it is enough to have the lobby inform the player that a game is getting filled up so the player can consider to join the game. .

Eh for a game to get filled up players must join the game, they can't wait with joining the game until it gets filled up... That just makes no sense.

I think this would be better if we had hosts that actually USED player limits to indicate the target game size rather than just set player limit to 16 (or 200) and used autolock.

Player limit of 2? 1vs1 game, always
Player limit of 4? 2vs2 game, always
Player limit of 10? 5vs5

You get the idea, set up more autohosts as needed by clans and such, but with relay hosts we should imo get rid of the unnecessary autohosts.

[Pxtl]

Request: have the QM system send an email when you've got a game you can play, using an address configured in the SD. I want to use my cellphone provider's SMS bridge to notify my cellphone. That way I can join QM, leave my PC and go do some work around the house, and have my cellphone notify me when there's a game I can play.