June 2019
So my daughter and I have been playing Apex together off and on for about a month on Xbox. At this point we're a little better than beginners but can't compete well against the better players (Avg and above level for us).
We love the game when we get in matches with players of similar skill, and absolutely HATE THE GAME when we get in matches with advanced skill level.
Yesterday afternoon we tried to play in a party with 1 random and every match had a champion players that had 1000+, 2000+, and one even had 10,000+ kills!!! Not to mention that their squad mates also had 1000+ kills! It was an hour of pure frustration due to terrible matchmaking coupled with the usual Apex server drops, unregistered hit damage, incorrect kill count, getting on a squad with non-english speaking players, on a server we should never be on, other nonEA controllable issues like player conduct, etc.
Then we tried solo and the matches were with players of similar skill so they were really fun and enjoyable despite the other many issues. But why can't EA match us with the same skill level players when in a party?!
I used to think maybe I just need to get better to be able to always compete but I don't have the time to get good enough to compete with the guys that have 1000+ kills. It's just not going to happen.
So if you want to keep the game fun, engaging, and popular with casual gamers (ie make lots of money), then you gotta get matchmaking by skill level RIGHT for players who play with randoms, in a party, or a combo of the two!!!!! If that isn't resolved in season 2, my family of gamers will be moving on from Apex.
June 2019
well game is like 4-5 months? if you dont have 1k+ kills i dont know what you doing
June 2019
June 2019
June 2019
June 2019
July 2019
July 2019 - last edited July 2019
@marcbroadley That's definitely what it's like, typically, when we play in a party...fodder
July 2019 - last edited July 2019
@A7RDFYeah, we'll hold on and try it some more into season 2 to see how the matchmaking goes. I will say if we have many more Apex sessions like we've had the past couple weekends then we'll be done with it. It's either loot in a low/no pressure area for 10 minutes and get smoked by our first encounter, go to a higher pressure area and get rocked whilst trying to engage in more battles to improve our skills (doesn't work), or some other strategy to try to overcome the huge skill level disparity.
There are some really cool randoms we've played with who were spectacular players and carried us to like the top 5, great teammates. But for every 1 of those great player/teammate types there have been probably 5-7+ who have left the match after seeing our stats (when we play as a party and solo), who leave the match when they get downed early, etc.
I get it, if I were really good and playing with randoms I wouldn't want to keep playing with novice players game after game. That would be just as frustrating as the position we're in..
So thats why it seems like the solution is better matchmaking to improve user experience for casual, semi competitive, and very competitive players. That will keep the game fun for all, decrease poor player conduct (leaving match before its over, even starts), and help new players get started with Apex.
And Btw, it's not rage quitting if we were to not play Apex any longer. It'd be moving on to some other game that is fun since that is the point of games in general, to have fun. "Fun" is different for everyone, but I can tell you it's not fun playing a game that you have almost zero chance to win, and slightly better odds to even be competitive.
To use an analogy, the Apex matchmaking we've experienced has been about like having a high school JV basketball team play against a division 1 team. Sometimes Apex throws one D1 basketball player onto the JV team to make it more competitive. NO FUN for anyone. Is your solution to tell the JV players to "keep playing against the D1 players, you'll eventually be able to compete."?? If you did that, almost all the JV players would stop playing...
July 2019 - last edited July 2019
@xIronFist42xThis is genuine info from someone who leaves once I establish I'm going to get 0 cooperation from team-mates. You'll forgive any assumptions here I hope, as this advice is for someone who might be a lot newer than you two are. If so: apologies in advance for teaching you to suck eggs Whilst I accept we were all new once and that there is a rich and varied tapestry of different play levels - if you're going to have a random in your group :
1) make sure you use voice chat so you can communicate. I'm less inclined immediately to help anyone when I see they're in private voice chat at the start of the game.
2)Don't panic loot everything - try to cultivate an awareness of what you actually need instead of grabbing everything to sort through at leisure - especially at the start of the game this will alienate more experienced team mates as that 20 light ammo you just grabbed for your havoc might be what keeps them alive :D
3) Show willing by sharing ammo/meds, especially at the start. I've left games before now when I've seen someone picking up literally 100+ of ammo while I'm on 17 and then refusing to drop any, especially when they're not the one plowing face-first into enemy teams. If someone is stood looking at a shield battery it means they're making space to collect it because it's more important than something they've already got, so don't slide between their legs and grab it.
4) Ping primary weapons that you're not going to grab at the start. If someone doesn't have armor yet - ping armor.
5) Communicate that you need someone to wait if you do, and explain why. Tell the guy running off what you're looking for if you're still looting. Chances are good that the person charging towards the noise at skulltown has enough that they can spare some. Better players will loot faster and more comprehensively as they know exactly what is enough for their first fight. If they didn't grab something you need, they'll probably remember which building it is in at your drop site.
My experience really is that I will stick around to the death for people who are trying to play WITH their team. You guys being a duo inviting someone in as your 3rd means there's a dynamic where if you don't include someone in your game, they'll be a crap team mate to you no matter how good they are as a player. If your 3rd gets the impression that they're only going to get ammo/meds etc by beating you to them, the whole thing becomes counterproductive. Most will just start sprinting off on their own to get ahead, some (like me) will just leave in search of greener pastures.
Everyone who queues solo accepts that they're just as likely to get into a game with people less experienced than them as not if they've played for an average amount of time. Everyone who has played a LOT knows that they're incredibly likely to get into a game with team mates who haven't played as much as them. When you see someone's banner you're waiting for them to confirm all your prejudices about how people with x, y, z stats play. If I see someone with 35 kills who picked my main whilst I was hovering over him, I'm waiting to see if the guy doesn't break off from jumpmaster and if he starts spamming the resource bin I just opened - I know who I'm dealing with then.
The way to avoid team-mates leaving is to avoid confirming that kind of prejudice. Some players will leave anyway if you use the legend they main. Some will drop solo and leave when they die as they're farming kills or whatever. Some won't wait to see if you're team players or not. Of the players you can realistically retain as team-mates - all we want to know is that you're team players.
Lastly : don't drop bunker