Add non-ranked runs as an option, which won’t affect your Havoc level in any way, regardless of outcome (“test runs”); not my idea, somebody else suggested it recently
Allow people to freely choose difficulty level of those (you want to test your mettle vs Havoc 40 lv - sure)
Every mission you complete at a certain difficulty, either as a test run or ranked run, is written to your statistics for that level of difficulty; some metrics, like average winrate over the last 15-20 runs you did at that difficulty is calculated
When you apply for a ranked Havoc mission later, the owner of the lobby sees that statistics and can assess whether you’re reliable teammate or not; that should eliminate huge factor of distrust existing today, where people are not willing to accept somebody who they think may ruin their run, causing drop in Havoc level
Nothing is changed in how Havoc ranked works (demotion mechanic stays)
So, under the new rules, new players may try to create sort of “portfolio” of successful Havoc runs on the higher levels, to make it easier for them to get a spot in the actual ranked run later. On the other hand, more skilled players will enjoy consequences-free runs in unranked Havoc where they can help less experienced players to learn how to survive it.
Thoughts?
Edit:
As pointed out by @Harridas below, after a few test runs with experimental builds you may acquire an unsightly winrate stats which won’t correctly represent your skills. As a workaround, there could be a button to “flush” your metrics for a particular difficulty level. Thus next time you decide to do a ranked run on that difficulty, upon applying to a squad, you’ll present an “all zeros” board to the lobby owner, and will be able to at least claim you’ve never played on this difficulty before (thus it won’t be different to what we have today that much, in that particular case).
I’m 100% on board in giving players more agency in what they want to play. But I think that showing players in party finder their mission histories might be more problematic than it’d be fun to interact with. When I want to smash my head into a wall 10+ times and then want to do some serious games then having my game history shared would likely prove detrimental in my ability to find people to play with. There’s other reasons for why people may like/dislike it but that’s just my opinion.
“I don’t know you, and not sure if you have experience” aka “you need to have 10 years experience to qualify for that starting position that gives you that experience” - the proposal aims to solve this one.
They don’t like the build you apply with - this is something you can control much easier, no help is required here
What you describe is not that different from current situation - because most people will assume the worst outcome if they have something valuable to lose, regardless whether they see your bad winrate or not.
Anyway, the issue you are concerned about could be easily mitigated: there could be a checkbox making those statistics private - and it would be implemented in such way there will be no way to tell if you hide them or just don’t have them.
This way you can apply to the group, claiming you have no prior experience at this difficulty level, hence “all zeroes” in all your metrics visible to them.
Edit:
Or there could be a button to “flush” your metrics for a particular difficulty level - also resulting in “all zeroes”
or people can grow some balls and go for a try no matter what since it’s already freely pickable in this example.
first of all he “owns” when everyone can start a 40 lobby freely
second, if he’s such a pansy that needs 100% foolproof backup he’s undeserving of running it in the first place.
third, I dont “apply”. It’s my time, my terms, period.
reason I avoid the party finder is dealing with those shiverpants all along.
I hit “play”, that’s it.
if it works, fine
If not, next round
where’s the fkkin rocket science in that?
people think that havoc title proofs em better players when it’s everytime a mr.bean show seeing those who meta’d it die in the first 5 minutes of auric maelstrom when everyone plays “singleplayer mode”
those titles were a huge mistake, even worse than the infamous A.S.S
This all sounds quite complicated and likely difficult to signpost successfully. Potentially exacerbated toxicity too if people’s stats are to be shown.
I still think restricting demotion to once a week and allowing infinite tries during the week is the cleanest way to quickly improve havoc. It would allow much freer play and allow experimenting.
Meet me! Out of 11 recorded attempts by me to complete a rank 21 mission, I failed all 11 attempts, plus 2 failed attempts from two rank 23 missions. And I’m probably not the worst teammate. Just yesterday I was playing on High-Intensity Heresy, I was downed once, and I don’t know how many times my teammates were downed, but just the three of them had nine deaths total (mission completed successfully). Want to play with teammates like that in H40?
when everyone can start a 40 lobby freely