EDIT: Just to Clarify, Do you want it *In Season 1* Not if you want it at all. Do you feel its important to have on day 1?
Hello,
I was looking at the dev notes on what they plan to have come out with HoTS, and I was wondering what people thought about the unranked play?
In general, I think it is a nice thing, and if it was available right now in WoL it would help people practice builds, practice off-racing, play drunk etc.. etc...
But in the context of HotS, is it a good idea if unranked play comes out immediately upon the release of the game?
I see 3 main things:
1) Closed Beta - Some people may be in a Beta and some will not. This is going to make anyone who didn't get to play it a lot more hesistant to jump into the ladder, since some people will be experienced and others will not.
2) Rank Ego - Some people are just married to their own rank, They're a Diamond or a Masters or a whatever and that is what they are, and they won't want to take the risk of an ego-blow in the first season when they don't know if they will be the same rank and may hold off on laddering until they're sure.
3) Overall Anxiety - We know a lot of people are anxious about laddering, Husky's got a series about it, people ask progamers about it all the time, theres threads about it etc. I think we should encourage people to atleast be on the ladder initially and later if they opt out or use unranked for other things, fine...but by very much encouraging people to Ladder in atleast Season 1, they might bite the bullet and do it.
Another different consideration is that I don't want any of the other features delayed. Blizzard has said that they intend to release these 'At or Around Launch' meaning they likely won't finish them all on time.
I think it would be nice to kind of let them know that maybe if this one is delayed a couple months, its not the end of the world...so if you have to choose between putting developpers on the Shared Replay project vs the Unranked project....pick the former.
Just my thoughts though, is anyone strongly for this being out immediately? I'm concerned overall that it could encourage too much procrastination and disengagement from some people who would otherwise play ranked matches.
If anything, Unranked Matchmaking would be absolutely required so players can get used to the new units and build viable strats before going on the ladder.
On May 11 2012 08:35 HeroMystic wrote: If anything, Unranked Matchmaking would be absolutely required so players can get used to the new units and build viable strats before going on the ladder.
That's the part I'm thinking of...any reason you wouldn't just do that on the Ladder in season 1? You have no rank to Ruin, why not just all learn on the Ladder itself? If you encourage people to duck it, they may be discouraged to ever join it.
I know this is a feature people are waiting for but I wouldn't have the game postpone for a few features. It could always be added a little bit later .
What's the downside in having unranked matchmaking? If it results in fewer people on ladder but more people overall, that's certainly a good thing from Blizzard's point of view.
Unranked matchmaking is the best thing to come out of those dev notes imo (that is of course if they add settings that allow you to pick matchup and maps) cause then you can really get those builds practiced and train on those Match ups you fear. I wish they could hotfix it in now cause I would almost never ladder anymore except to build mmr.
I'm anti unranked ladder period because it coddles all of the "terrified" players from stepping into the joy and heartbreak of true ladder. I think it'll raise up a new crop of cowards in HotS.
Unranked match making is a good idea, since we can't make multiple accounts to learn new races. But my one concern is since "everyone" has laddering fears that people will not play ranked matches.
I guess my take on it is off, but largely people's reasoning so far is what I was concerned about...people wanting to play the ladder much less, wanting to delay joining it and that they're intimidated by the ladder.
I guess I just think they should be encouraged to try it before opting out, since we'll get a lot of brand new players in HotS.
On May 11 2012 08:50 IPA wrote: I'm anti unranked ladder period because it coddles all of the "terrified" players from stepping into the joy and heartbreak of true ladder. I think it'll raise up a new crop of cowards in HotS.
Yes. The people who are too terrified to play regular ladder should just quit playing altogether. Lets continue losing more SC2 players than we already have...
EPT
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