Matchmaking
In multiplayer video games , matchmaking is the process that brings players together and connects them into a game session.
Elements of matchmaking
Playlists
The term playlists can be used in different ways. In the context of video games it is used to describe online game sessions. These game sessions are managed automatically. The player can join or leave the game session at any time. The compilation of the game session is carried out fully automatically using predefined settings and does not require any input.
Games usually offer options in the playlists area (e.g. team or solo) in order to make playing varied. Since the game lists are managed by servers operated by the game developers, the game lists may change over time.
When a player selects a playlist, he or she joins a collection of players who have selected the same playlist. The playlist server then either adds the players to existing game sessions or starts new sessions in which the players are assigned.
Player list
Player lists are groups of players who are seen as a unit through the matchmaking systems. A player list can move from one game session to another as a unit without the players being separated from one another. The concept of player lists fits perfectly into that of playlists, as playlist servers can automatically insert newly arriving player lists into suitable game sessions. The different list sizes are therefore not a problem.
lobby
Lobbies are menus where players can see information about the next game or information about the results of the last game. It is also possible to change your own settings and to communicate with other players.
In many games, players are moved to the lobby at the end of a game round. In some games, players join game rounds that have already started. In this case it is possible for these players to stay in the lobby until the round that has started is over. Since lobbies require very little resources, they are sometimes used as a transition platform while a new suitable host is found.
Lobbies that are created by playlist servers often include a timer that shows the remaining time until the next round. Lobbies that are created by a player are often controlled by the player himself.
Ranking list
Many matchmaking systems include a ranking system that tries to connect players with similar skills. Examples are the Xbox Live 's TrueSkill system and the Elo system in League of Legends .
Ranked games also typically have unranked game sessions. These are intended for players who do not want their performance to be recorded and analyzed. These game sessions are separated from those of the leaderboard so that players with and without leaderboards are not mixed up.
Server browser
Some games (in most cases games with dedicated servers ) provide a list of active game sessions. This can be integrated in the game as well as in the browser (e.g. Battlelog ). Players can choose a game session directly from it and connect to it. This server browser system can be used in conjunction with ranking lists and lobbies. An automatic connection of a playlist is not possible with this system.
Many such server browsers allow the results to be filtered according to certain parameters. Often used parameters are the server name, the number of players, the game mode and the ping .
Contact list
One of the most popular forms of machmaking is that players are suggested a list of players they have recently played with. The player status (offline, online, playing) of the other players is displayed and it is possible to join a player who is already playing. It is also possible to send messages to other players in this list.
In many cases, these lists are managed by the platform on which the games are running (e.g. Xbox Live , PlayStation Network , Steam ) in order to relieve the players of the effort of list management for the various games.
history
The first online games , such as Doom , required players to exchange their own IP addresses . With Quake this changed and more permanent dedicated server addresses were introduced. In addition, an address book has been integrated into the game menu to save the server addresses. Finding the addresses was still a complicated process.
Players have started to publish server addresses on their clan websites. In 1996 the address search process was automated as the first server browsers were released. One of the first browsers was the one integrated into Diablo via Battle.net . Another was a desktop application for Quake players called QSpy (which later became GameSpy Arcade). In both cases, a "master server" saved the IP addresses and sent them to the clients. Diablo had a contact list back then too. With the introduction of the server browser, online gaming became easier for the first time. As a result of this development, the number of users increased rapidly.
The next big evolution in matchmaking came with the release of Halo 2 in 2004. The clans, which operated their own dedicated servers, limited themselves to computer games. As a result, console players had to host the games themselves, which was a limiting factor. Halo 2 solved this problem by introducing an automated self-host process that was based on the playlist and player list concept. This system was used so successfully that it quickly became the second industry standard for matchmaking.
Nowadays, playlists are more likely to be found in console games and server browsers are more in the area of PC games.
Individual evidence
- ↑ a b c Halo 2 - Beyond Single Player, Multiplayer and Live . Bungie . November 9, 2004.
- ↑ a b c d e f Halo 2 Matchmaking Overview . Bungie . Retrieved May 3, 2012.
- ↑ February Matchmaking Playlist Update . In: Halo Waypoint . Microsoft . February 7, 2012.
- ↑ a b Find friends and connect on Xbox LIVE . Microsoft . Archived from the original on May 12, 2012. Info: The archive link was inserted automatically and has not yet been checked. Please check the original and archive link according to the instructions and then remove this notice. Retrieved May 1, 2012.
- ↑ http://forums.na.leagueoflegends.com/board/showthread.php?t=12029
- ↑ http://battlelog.battlefield.com/bf3/de/servers/
- ↑ Features - HLSW Game Server Browser . HLSW . Retrieved April 30, 2012.
- ↑ http://praxistipps.chip.de/hearthstone-gegen-freunde-spiele-das-muessen-sie-beachten_28966
- ↑ readme.txt . In: Doom . Id software . December 10, 1993.
- ^ Christian Nutt: Halo: Reach - The Beta Story . Gamasutra . June 25, 2010.
