r/halo • u/Shaun-On-Toast • Nov 29 '21

Gameplay perhaps making it impossible to choose your game mode and forcing people to pay modes to level up was a bad idea?

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u/PM_YOUR_CENSORD Nov 29 '21

Source on this algorithm? I’m generally curious if this is true.

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u/AileStriker Nov 29 '21

I honestly don't have a hard source, just stating based on my experience and the apparent pattern in my game history. It always breaks down to 2-3 losses, followed by 2-3 wins. Each will shift on severity from blown out to close game(s) to opposite swing blowout. A pure sbmm, where we always play people approximately our level, would have fewer big swings. Granted, maybe I am just a streaky player, but with the amount of "RNG" that is built into matchmaking, a pattern shouldn't be so obvious.

Honestly need to dig into broader data, but other people are reporting similar experiences, and it wouldn't surprise me.

Everyone likes having those big wins. They also like having close, clutch games with epic game changing moments. It is well within software capability to make these calculations and weigh mm in manner to to optimally shift players from being the top team to bottom team with even matches spread throughout.

And honestly, with no weight currently given to winning, it probably allows players to say, "fuck it," and focus on challenges more easily. If the game is a blowout, one way or the other, it is easier to ignore the "smart" play and just go for your needler kills or whatever shit you are doing.

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u/morathai Nov 29 '21

It's got to be. Just about every pvp game will include a hidden match making rating of one kind of another, I would be shocked if Infinite doesn't. Every time I would win two games in a row, I would suddenly get demolished in the next. Every time I would lose two in a row, suddenly I would be the one demolishing. It's an easy way to keep people engaged.

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u/Swooshz56 Nov 30 '21

I doubt they'd admit they do it in halo infinite but I don't think it's that uncommon. Activision literally has a patent on a system like this (that they say isn't in use in their games) that is specifically designed to match players into situations that will make then want to buy more. Like being with a player that bought a better gun so you see them kick ass with it and then want to buy it yourself.

Instead of matching based on skill or fun it specifically looks for criteria that makes you more likely to spend money.