CQC Is CqC completely impossible to find a match?

Locriana · Nov 22, 2016

Hi, I've been able to play CQC one time, when I went in with a wing of three, and we stayed in for a couple games. We waited awhile, like maybe ten minutes. I enjoyed it, it was interesting to fly around the scenery and use it as cover, etc. interesting and different from, say, hunting npc pirates in the main game.

so, I've been waiting at the loading screen for an hour now, just me, no matches at all. This happens every time I go in alone, I've never got a match that way. And I've tried at different times of night here in EST USA timezone.

Any suggestions or is this thing just completely broken? ED has been around awhile now, with good updates, but this never gets fixed. Do so few people really play CQC, or is the problem in the matchmaking 'machinery'?

Scoopy Doopy · Nov 22, 2016

Can I suggest you join the discord channel mentioned in the sticky in this sub forum. There are many people there and they can help coordinate a good time for you. There are in fact many games going on but especially in the evening and night time in Europe.

Locriana · Nov 23, 2016

Scoopy Doopy said:
Can I suggest you join the discord channel mentioned in the sticky in this sub forum. There are many people there and they can help coordinate a good time for you. There are in fact many games going on but especially in the evening and night time in Europe.

What, there aren't any British night owls playing? ;-)
I'll see if I can find what you're talking about.

Scoopy Doopy · Nov 23, 2016

Locriana said:
What, there aren't any British night owls playing? ;-)
I'll see if I can find what you're talking about.

Here you go.

https://discordapp.com/invite/014DWLGks4z4Hdg5r

Cosmo · Nov 23, 2016

As I posted in this thread. Too few people play CQC so the slots stay empty or it takes much too long. CQC needs bots to fill the empty slots and speed up matchmaking. Integrate CQC into the main-game so that more players will play CQC while they're on a voyage.

Cthulhus · Nov 26, 2016

same here... I friends got the game on Steam and can't find games ...

I love CQC and its concept... FD should think about bots.

Jokergod2000 · Nov 28, 2016

+1 on the bots

nordish · Dec 6, 2016

+1 on the bots, even if shooting bots do not generate any XP at the end!

Hydrino · Dec 6, 2016

This issue has been stated many times before.
I guess FD have other priorities and a small team with still relatively small budget.
Hopefully they get to revisit the sub-optimal implementation in the future.
Global P2P networked Arena game without bots or any indication of available matches ... who could have forseen matchmaking as an issue?!
[wacky]

Mendaharin Tusca · Jan 27, 2017

Depends greatly on the time of day, at some points you can usually find a match. Unfortunately it seems of those few who do play CQC 90% are seasoned veterans making it very hard for newcommers to find matches with players of reasonably equal kills.

Scoopy Doopy · Jan 27, 2017

Mendaharin Tusca said:
Depends greatly on the time of day, at some points you can usually find a match. Unfortunately it seems of those few who do play CQC 90% are seasoned veterans making it very hard for newcommers to find matches with players of reasonably equal kills.

True, there are a lot of veterans but usually the higher level players go easy on newcomers (not always mind and especially when the newcomers start a fight) but it doesn't take too long before it starts to click and the newcomers become a threat. We all die a lot!

Mendaharin Tusca · Jan 27, 2017

"especially when the newcomers start a fight" Good one.. how exactly would you play CQC without picking fights?

Blian · Jan 27, 2017

He just meant that he's not picking on others until they do pick on him

Scoopy Doopy · Jan 27, 2017

Indeed ☺

The higher level players are generally keen to not frighten away newcomers and have many varied strategies for having themselves an interest in the match without blowing all the newcomers away.

Not always though ☺ but if you are new to CQC and find yourself being blown up all the time and wondering how your opponent seems invincible just remember, all of us have been in that same situation and then come and join the discord where people will be happy to tell you why you can't kill them.

Minonian · Jan 30, 2017

Cosmo said:
As I posted in this thread. Too few people play CQC so the slots stay empty or it takes much too long. CQC needs bots to fill the empty slots and speed up matchmaking. Integrate CQC into the main-game so that more players will play CQC while they're on a voyage.

Agreed. A dedicated bot match can be a good idea, and if we take account the fact FD have a disabled AI strong enough to cause trouble most of the players, is a valid way. I'ts just need some tweaking.

And i'm also think it must be a good idea to have some land based CQC with the scarabs. Anyone remembers destruction derby or death rally?

Scoopy Doopy · Jan 30, 2017

Minonian said:
Agreed. A dedicated bot match can be a good idea, and if we take account the fact FD have a disabled AI strong enough to cause trouble most of the players, is a valid way. I'ts just need some tweaking.

And i'm also think it must be a good idea to have some land based CQC with the scarabs. Anyone remembers destruction derby or death rally?

I don't think it is a case of tweaking the main game AI. CQC strategy requires knowing the maps, selecting the best target, using the powerups, knowing when to run and when it is better to take the hits etc etc. It's a lot different than the AI in the main game which is basically only how best to engage a single ship.

If FD were able to pull that off and were able to find a way to merge lobbies that were both say 50% player populated then bots would be OK but there are much simpler solutions in my view.

Even when we know several people are trying to get a match, the matchmaker doesn't connect them. Fix that, perhaps tell people which of the games people are queuing for and provide a means of in lobby messaging and I think you have a much easier solution.

SushiCW · Jan 30, 2017

Scoopy Doopy said:
I don't think it is a case of tweaking the main game AI. CQC strategy requires knowing the maps, selecting the best target, using the powerups, knowing when to run and when it is better to take the hits etc etc. It's a lot different than the AI in the main game which is basically only how best to engage a single ship.

If FD were able to pull that off and were able to find a way to merge lobbies that were both say 50% player populated then bots would be OK but there are much simpler solutions in my view.

Even when we know several people are trying to get a match, the matchmaker doesn't connect them. Fix that, perhaps tell people which of the games people are queuing for and provide a means of in lobby messaging and I think you have a much easier solution.

It's a big deal to make AI that could play CQC effectively. In addition to what Scoopy said about strategy, there's the even more pressing need for the AI to effectively deal with the "terrain." Using cover would be ideal, but even making sure the AI can effectively navigate tight quarters (while still fighting) is a pretty big task.

I hope it happens anyway, but it's a serious time investment.

Minonian · Jan 30, 2017

SushiCW said:
It's a big deal to make AI that could play CQC effectively. In addition to what Scoopy said about strategy, there's the even more pressing need for the AI to effectively deal with the "terrain." Using cover would be ideal, but even making sure the AI can effectively navigate tight quarters (while still fighting) is a pretty big task.

I hope it happens anyway, but it's a serious time investment.

If its good enough to shoot and avoid collistions in the asteroid field than we have a starter in CQC, and where its lacking it can make up with raw abilities why it's disabled. my point is? Anything is better than have no CQC. I missing it.

Scoopy Doopy · Jan 30, 2017

Minonian said:
If its good enough to shoot and avoid collistions in the asteroid field than we have a starter in CQC, and where its lacking it can make up with raw abilities why it's disabled. my point is? Anything is better than have no CQC. I missing it.

Just being able to avoid the obstacles would leave the AI as simply targets to be shot at. If you want to play, come and join the discord channel in my sig. Lots of players that group around timezones and get plenty of matches each day

BLACKPANTHERVII · Feb 1, 2017

Yep never been able to find enough people in this game on xbox to start a match as it seems like I can't even connect to anyone in Europe due to an invisible wall of somesort, most of America is out also.