Matchmaking started

[piranha]

I've finally started the matchmaking scripts. I had no idea that it was going to be as big to build it and I even started without a lot of functionality that is planed for it.

I would be happy if you try it out a bit. There is bound to be bugs, but the only way to get it working is using it. Once the basic version is working fine we can start making it better and use it for more matching type services that could be interesting.
For now it's only possible to select simultaneous turn mode and that is to limit the choices. With too many choices no one is going to find a match with the current number of players .

[Argammon]

I have a 'strange' idea that may work surprisingly well: Let players bid for their favorite settings.

For example, suppose both players have 1000 gold to spend. Player A offers 200 gold to play map X whereas B offers 100 gold to play map Y. Also, A offers 50 gold to play separate turns whereas B does not care (0 gold.)
And so on and so forth.

The players then start the game with the gold they did not spent. On winning bids count. In the example above A starts the game with 750 gold and B with 1000 gold.

Thoughts?

[Chazar]

How does the matchmaking select maps? Can I veto some maps?

[piranha]

Right now it just randomly select maps that work with the setup. But there is room to improve the matchmaking system. We have a separate thing called matchpool that allow us to decide with map could be selected in matchmaking in case we should want remove some maps som being selected.

[kenc80]

its pretty cool. it matched chazar and me at Rivalry. I would have picked a different map but its still a cool feature and one that will be really neat as the community continues to expand.

[Chazar]

Is the map pool viewable anywhere? I am perfectly happy with natural maps like Rivalry, but I really dislike abstract maps that look like a chessboard or have 10 cities arranged side by side in two lines. I am here for an epic fantasy battle.

So other matchmaking systems allow everyone a limited number of vetos. I don't think matchmaking would become harder if everyone could veto 5 maps per account, or maybe 2 per category. There are still enough maps around.

[Nighthawk]

Why is simultaneous the only option in matchmaking now?