Matchmaking is Getting Thinned Out From All the Content, Here's How I Think That Can Be Fixed

[(NSW)JigsJosh]

So with all the content currently in the game, and as more and more content come out, matchmaking is continually thinning out a lot and it's becoming increasingly hard for players to find other players to help them with missions. This is especially true in our community on Switch because we already have fewer players than other consoles and PC. This has becoming a looming topic in the community I've seen mentioned by a lot of people on social media, and mentioned by some people in DE also. This is an issue I think we should definitely focus on, so here are some ideas I think that will fix it.

1. Here's the big one. Add specters to fill every empty spot in any mission that someone plays that's set to public. This wouldn't be anything outlandish either because this is something we've already seen in the game in Index for example, and it's been talked about to add a similar feature to Railjack. This would be a great idea considering there are quite a few people who prefer to play solo, and players who need others to help them won't miss out.

2. Add an option where higher level players can hop into random missions with other players, and INCREASE THE REWARDS for players who join in this way. For example, I am MR29. Normally there's no way I would join a mission with someone who's just starting out in the game. I WOULD however join this mission if I were guaranteed to receive, say, a Steel Essence for doing so. And it doesn't necessarily have to be Steel Essence, just some resource that's valuable that would be worth my time. Other options could include Ducats, lots of credits (like at least one hundred thousand), random Warframe parts that would come in handy for building for the Helminth, etc. Ideally this would be an option for higher leveled players because it would incentivize us to play more and probably not for lower level players so they don't progress too fast.

3. Bring back the special alerts similar to the ones that came before Nightwave to incentivize playing specific missions or doing specific things that people are having trouble finding help for. Nightwave is interesting, but sadly I think it's also causing a huge issue thinning out matchmaking because instead of doing specific things they are more general. The "Complete Spy Missions" objective for example might spread out all the players to do different spy missions depending on their need for rewards or need for node completion. If this would done tactfully in a way that would be like, "do Spy mission A, B, then C", and the missions started out at the lowest level and worked their way up, that would matchmake higher level players with lower level players to help them grind or help them with node completion. In addition you could make those objectives only achievable when matchmaking is set to public, which relates to my next idea.

4. Here's another big one. Incentivize players to NOT play solo. I know a lot of people like myself prefer to play solo for one reason or another. Maybe they don't want to deal with certain abilities from certain frames, or maybe they want to complete a mission and extract faster because other players would slow them down. But if playing public with a squad of players meant a significant increase to my resource gain, or being rewarded with special/rarer resources, then heck yeah I would play public pretty much every time. As it stands in normal missions, there's really no reason for me to play with a squad if I can complete missions just as fast or even faster by myself. The exception to this of course is things like Eidolons, Orbs, and Iso Vaults which are much faster and more rewarding with a full squad.

5. Simply increase and diversify rewards for all missions. I know you guys at DE might miss out on some player activity in this way, but it would cure a lot of frustration because people wouldn't need as much help for one thing or another. It might even get players to play just as much actually because they would enjoy the game more. And to explain what I mean about diversify, increase the types of resources players would get at one location or another. For example instead of having just 4 resources per planet, make it 6. As another example, make every planet have resources that will come in handy for Railjack, or have other useful resources that currently wouldn't be available at that location/level.

I hope you all at DE will consider this, and I hope other players who see this will spread the word and get in on ideas like this and make them known to DE and the community. If anyone else in the community has any other ideas like these to help combat the thinning out of matchmaking please post them here.

[(NSW)DracoHouston]

I wish there were a better way to casually slip into games where I can be of some assistance while killing time. A big 'join any squad' button like RJ starchart has would be nice for that. I think you'd probably need to incentivize it if you wanted everyone using it, but it doesn't really need to serve much purpose beyond hooking up bored players to existing squads. for any proper farm group you'd always pre-form the squad in recruit chat etc anyway.

 

And really, what could be offered to Tenno that you can't get in massive quantities doing something more specific? Not like the game has ff14's tomestones.

[IIDMOII]

The starchart became a lonely place once the alerts were removed. 

Not saying the alert system wasn't in need of improvement but at least it kept people playing together and helped keep the regular map alive.

Nightwave has the opposite effect. People spread out hunting their own personal achievements. 

They could easily remove the invasion tab and put alerts back. Invasion tab doesnt even make sense as its never explained and the rewards are meh. 

[xombob89]

Yep, I dont mind helping a new player every now and then even if I get nothing out of it but I still find myself declining sometimes because its not worth my time doing those early missions. Especially if its something like farming Nidus lol. 

It would be a great addition for everyone if you could get SOMETHING worthwhile for doing normal star chart with new players as high MR player (or playtime). Like allow MurMur farming, or give a random bonus reward for players who have completed the level already. 

This idea of "join random squad" button could be cool too if it prioritizes squads with only 1 player. Activate it when Steel Path is unlocked and if you use it to join a mission you would get eg. Steel Essence or w/e. Personally I would prefer something else as rewards but its an example. 

[(NSW)JigsJosh]

9 hours ago, (NSW)DracoHouston said:

I wish there were a better way to casually slip into games where I can be of some assistance while killing time. A big 'join any squad' button like RJ starchart has would be nice for that. I think you'd probably need to incentivize it if you wanted everyone using it, but it doesn't really need to serve much purpose beyond hooking up bored players to existing squads. for any proper farm group you'd always pre-form the squad in recruit chat etc anyway.

 

And really, what could be offered to Tenno that you can't get in massive quantities doing something more specific? Not like the game has ff14's tomestones.

That's why I suggested guaranteed Steel Essence as a reward. Pretty rare on it's own. Also it's not like you would have to get MORE rewards for this method, even just the same rewards on lesser missions would be awesome.

[Swagernator22663]

Dude, you play on switch ... what you expect.

[(NSW)JigsJosh]

3 minutes ago, Swagernator22663 said:

Dude, you play on switch ... what you expect.

I've heard the same things from other console players and even PC players too. Also we shouldn't be at a disadvantage for what platform we choose to play on. And if you don't see it now, wait long enough until there's about twice as much content and you'll feel the same way even on PC.

[_R_o_g_u_e_]

Steal the blue sentinel covenant from dark souls. Call it whatever you’d like, but you can join the covenant as a high level player, and can choose to get invited to low MR players (on public) games to help them.

When you complete a mission in this way, you the blue sentinel will get a special reward. Like maybe a universal token, steel essence, Kuva or something unique to the blue sentinel covenant.