Regional Servers And Map Voting System

[RedVivillon]

I don't if anyone has done this but this has been on my mind for a while so I thought I would express it.

So I got this concept from Mario Kart 8 where in online there is a International server where you are put with anyone around the world and a regional sever where if you prefer play with people in your region for example NA players will only play with NA players etc. I understand the strain it would be to have two servers per region (Regular and Ranked) but I think regional servers would be cool for regular battle only where you want to have a fun time and maybe don't to experience lag from other players around the world. I think a regional server for ranked would be defective idea since most players would probably try to rank up in regional only not not expand their horizons with other players. I think regional servers would be a cool idea for regular when your just trying to have fun on the game, also the servers exist Splatfests are the regional servers but as we all experienced has it defects ranging from bad connectivity to not being able to join games.

This other idea also arises from Mario Kart 8 where you can choose the course you want to race on, I honestly think this would make the game a lot more vibrant and entertaining. In Mario Kart 8 you can choose from 3 selected courses and can choose random and I understand Splatoon doesn't have a lot of maps to choose from but along the line when more maps have been added this would a amazing feature. Everyone in the lobby would choose from 2-3 selected maps and a random option to see what they'll play on. Honestly this would make the game a lot more fun than playing on the same 2 maps for the next 4 hours and I think that what drives people away they get bored playing on the same maps constantly. I also know that the map rotation is here for that you can plan out what gear and weapon you want to go out to for battle and that this would just throw all of that away but I still think it would be a nice way to spice up how we play and learn to adapt more to rapid changes. I also understand that this would make waiting times a lot longer due to people having to submit their votes but adding a 10-15 second timer to make to user choose what they want or system chooses for them could be an option and honestly I'm sure everyone is used to waiting long times for people to join lobbies anyway.

These are just my opinions and options and features I would like to see in the game to make it more alive and fresh.

 

[NotAPerso]

Matchmaking already has bad enough wait times, I'd rather not make that exponentially worse with splitting between regional and worldwide. Overall that's a bad idea with little benefit. (let's be realistic, lag would hardly be much different.)
So no to regional matchmaking.

The current map system allows players to be prepared so they can choose their best loadout based on the current map rotation. A system where everyone votes would cause two major problems; no way to plan proper loadouts, and only the most popular maps will be played. Sure the 2 maps per 4 hour period is a bit annoying and I do think it should be lessened a little, but having players vote would be a poor substitute and wouldn't meaningfully solve anything.
No to stage voting.

Tl;dr NEITHER

 

[BtheDestroyer]

Matchmaking already has bad enough wait times

Really? You're so impatient you can't wait 45 seconds? Wait times wouldn't really be that much worse either, maybe doubled at the most.

Overall that's a bad idea with little benefit. (let's be realistic, lag would hardly be much different.)

You know there's a difference between 10 ms and 2000 ms right? Wait, here: I'll do two speedtests; one to Japan and one to the closest possible server. Keep in mind I have better internet than 80% of the US, so results will be different for you.

Los Angeles Speedtest:

Japan Speedtest:

You CANNOT look at that and say "Yeah those are basically the same." The only reason you would have the same lag connecting locally and to the other side of the planet is if it's your own internet. On top of this, these are high-powered servers dedicated to checking peoples internet and you're connecting to seven random people who may pay some $10/month for internet.

 

[Dreamy Luigi]

Regional matchmaking would break the game. We already have about 4 different systems (Regular, Ranked, Twins, Quads) and that divides the player base enough.

Map voting doesn't really need to be a thing, I like the rotation system as it lets me sit down and practice a map, even if the gametype is ****.

And as someone else mentioned, I like knowing when I'm playing Port Mackeral so that I know not to use Dynamo. :)

 

[BtheDestroyer]

Regional matchmaking would break the game. We already have about 4 different systems (Regular, Ranked, Twins, Quads) and that divides the player base enough.

Wow, if you're going to say that twins/trios/quads are breaking people up then you may as well go the whole way and say that we have 35 different systems: Turf War, Ranked C-, Ranked C... Ranked S, Ranked S+, Private Lobbies, Twins C-...Twins S+, Trios/Quads C-... Trios/Quads S+.

To say that it'd be "breaking the game" is a bit melodramatic. That's like saying private/squad lobbies are breaking the game because you don't have to play with random people who may lose you the game, even though you're a good player.

 

[NotAPerso]

Wow, if you're going to say that twins/trios/quads are breaking people up then you may as well go the whole way and say that we have 35 different systems: Turf War, Ranked C-, Ranked C... Ranked S, Ranked S+, Private Lobbies, Twins C-...Twins S+, Trios/Quads C-... Trios/Quads S+.

To say that it'd be "breaking the game" is a bit melodramatic. That's like saying private/squad lobbies are breaking the game because you don't have to play with random people who may lose you the game, even though you're a good player.

Haha. If matchmaking worked like that it would be extra bad. You get lucky if you get a room of all the same rank, but you can't really count each rank like that because it prioritizes speed so mixed ranks are possible.

In any case, I don't think you realize how massive the split would be if regional matchmaking were created. As it would more than half the player base available to play at any given time. Regions are not equal in player base already and if you live in a region with a small player base then you're already screwed. Not only would you have a smaller player base during regional, but most players would opt for worldwide after experiencing the horrible wait times. The more players in your region that opt for worldwide of course means worse wait times for everyone in regional. Only regions with massive player base would benefit which would mean more Japanese players only on regional so anywhere else won't see them (good? But horrible for wait times).

You have to remember every match requires 8 players to begin. Mario Kart can get away with regional because it has hardly any split in player base and only requires 2 in a room to start a match. Splatoon can not afford such a massive split in player base with its already relatively low numbers.

 

[BtheDestroyer]

Regions are not equal in player base already and if you live in a region with a small player base then you're already screwed

You understand that "regional" servers just mean segregating it to Europe, Americas, and Asia, right? It's not like we're asking for a selection of servers for every country individually.

 

[LockeExile]

You can wait as long as you want, it won't change the fact that there are only 2-4 S+ squads playing in NA at any given time. Playing against the same couple teams on the same couple maps for 2+ hours is not fun.

 

[Holidaze]

The joys of not being in an active squad and also not being S rank.

You can wait as long as you want, it won't change the fact that there are only 2-4 S+ squads playing in NA at any given time. Playing against the same couple teams on the same couple maps for 2+ hours is not fun.

Not having to deal with that.

 

[BtheDestroyer]

Proposition: Regional servers exist, but if it takes longer than a minute for someone to connect to your lobby, it just connects you to a global server because it assumes "there aren't enough people in this area right now"

 

[Holidaze]

Proposition: Regional servers exist, but if it takes longer than a minute for someone to connect to your lobby, it just connects you to a global server because it assumes "there aren't enough people in this area right now"

Why not just stick with Global? I mean, since you're willing to make an exception of including Global if the wait for Regional is too long.

 

[RedVivillon]

I see everyone's side to this and I understand everyone's position but like I stated previously I honestly would only like regional servers for regular battle since I do see regional servers being a bit redundant for ranked since you won't gain knowledge from others region and play styles. I see regional servers as a way if you want to play more "Up to speed" matches and don't want to lag with people around the world. I still see a Map Voting System as a great way to make the game more exciting than and more interesting every time you play as there is a random factor in play and honestly Splatoon is a Skill and Luck based game if you really think about it.

 

[SquiliamTentacles]

I understand the regional matchmaking idea, as I don't want to see a divide in playerbase. However, the map voting idea sounds neat, as it would let players have more power in the stage decisions and make intermissions between playing more active. Even though a limited map selection allows you to choose a weapon, 3-4 maps would not be too hard to adapt to. (And I always wanted to be able to play 3 maps at a time other than on Splatfests)

If it gets too spammy with singular maps, they can always prevent the randomly chosen selector from voting right after they choose the map, or reduce odds for a map that is being consecutively played.

 

[Fish_Goes_Moo]

I'd like regional or at least the mm to take latency into account and try to match locally before branching out.

Ping times from EU to Japan are absurd for this kind of game (and no, changing connection won't help).

And branching out doesn't defeat the point either. It at least gives it a chance of getting lower latency players rather than the current, "peak eu time, too bad still gonna match you with 7 japanese with 250 or so ping". And even if it did branch out, it would pick up east coast players and west coast before it would look to japan.

No one says a branching system has to go straight from local to worldwide. It could stagger it

<50ms
<100ms
<150ms

etc


UK server





Japan





East Coast US





West coast

285ms to Japan and that's to a proper server, not someones home connection that may have it's own local issues. A branching system would massivly benefit certain regions without splitting the player base

Even going international, even all the way to west coast is a huge amount lower than to japan from the EU.

Quite how anyone can look at 250ms+ and say "no problem, won't have a negative effect on quality of the game".

 

[Wiebenjijzeg]

Only thing I would like to see is the map rotation times to be reduced from 4 hours to 3 hours.