Why low MMR matching is bad, and how to fix
Currently, i'm having my typical weekend experience. I want to have some enjoyable games. But the matching takes all the enjoyment away.
last game exemplifies this: I get matched with a LEVEL SIX on my team. I've played 3000 games, but I get matched with people who have NO CLUE HOW TO PLAY. so we lose.
This typically happens EvERY WEEKEND for me at low MMR, for most of my games.
I believe this happens for 1 of 2 reasons.
#1: if your MMR is below the default 1200, you get matched with people who are new and have no clue how to play the game. This happens even if you are like me, a guy who has a LOT of game knowlege, but just isnt good at "carrying".
.
#2: the weekend buddies "playing together for fun". league currently matches them like they are higher than they are. for "balance" reasons. but fact is, on the weekends, below 1200 MMR, this is completely UNbalanced. They dont actually know how to coordinate. Half the time they dont even really care about winning. But it usually ends up matching a bunch of b1-b3's against a silver team. With one or two silvers on their team, which get dragged down into the whirlpool with them.
These two factors make for a really lousy game experience. "oh but it balances out, so its okay!".
NO. it is NOT okay. picture a vending machine, that gives mystery boxes. The boxes can contain one of two things. a) $1 b) an exploding crap trap "but it balances out,so you'll keep getting the boxes, right? especially if it's free!" Umm.. no.
Now the most important part of my post:
- HOW TO FIX THIS
For #1: add to the matching, that you dont put people with less than.. 500? games? with people who have played significantly more games. especially if they're not even level 30!
For #2: remove the pre-made MMR boost, when team members are below 1200 MMR. This could be done either by just removing it entirely, OR... make it so 3man premades always get matched with 3man premades,etc. no MMR boost to either side. That way, you dont get silvers getting dragged into a premade team of bronzes so much.
This is particularly important for the following social reason: in a TYPICAL random game, the bronzies might listen to the silver. But on a team with premades... they only listen to each other, and do stupid things. So the silver is stuck going down the toilet with them. This isnt right.