Pretty sure this is an issue with the matchmaking. I want to create a separate post about this. But let's just say opponent selection doesn't appear to be random based on rank alone. I'm almost certain the algorithm is looking at the cards in our decks, and matching us with people playing decks full of counters. Because you know right games with lots of countering is fun...in the developers mind anyway. Or at least it creates good Twitch streams to promote the game.
I could go on and on about the proponderance of being matched against the same Nilfgaard net decks that my own Witcher deck has a 100% loss rate against. But people will just say that is the meta, and not the algorithm.
So here is a case in point. This morning I have the journey quest spawn 15 units to complete. So I decide to use a Syndicate congregate deck on ranked that is running Sacred Flame. This is typically a useless deck that I made, but a fun one that I've played maybe 5 or 6 times before to poor effect.
So I decide to play it on ranked and see what happens. I get drawn against Northern Realms. I'm like, okay, this will be a race in R1. My opening hand is literally perfect. I have drawn:
Sacred Flame
Passiflora
Tinboy
Royal Decree
Dire Mutated Hound
Kurt
Sly seductress
Eternal Fire Decuple
Congregation x2
My opponent pushes hard in R1, as expected. I have a board full of boosted Firesworn Zealots and a 22 point lead 3 cards remaining. What is my opponents Hail Mary? Geralt: igni? Luckily I have one tall on each row.
Geralt: Axi? This would only wipe 1 point off each unit. Swipe? That would remove about 16 points depending on row, but I have a 22 point lead.
What does he play?
Lambert: Swordmaster!
LAMBERT: SWORDMASTER!
Damage an enemy unit and all its copies by 2.
Game is over R1.
THIS IS A CARD I HAVE SEEN PLAYED ONCE BEFORE IN OVER 500 GAMES.
Random Matchmaking is a lie in this game, it is clearly rigged and not random based on rank alone.
This has been discussed, at length, before. And I always ask the same question: Why are you being faced with counter decks and not the opposite? No, the algorithm doesn't favor decks or players. It's just a case of confirmation bias (same with the recent complains about Bribery).
This. Bribery has bricked millions of times. Devs should publish data about that, too, lol.
I am not suggesting the deck is favouring specific players. I am saying it is matching counter cards to each other decks as much as possible. Is it so unrealistic to expect a true random match up, rather than having to play against deck after deck that have that one unlikely card that can counter your whole deck.
I think I made the point pretty clearly with my example. So I really don't understand the point you are trying to make about bribery and favouring one player above another.
That was not the point I was making. I am saying the algorithm is favouring what CDPR thinks will equal exciting match ups, but it is not random match making based on rank, and in a way takes all the fun out of deck building, when you are being artificially matched up against counter decks.
Would you not say that is a fair complaint?
Edit: Also, it's not really about confirmation bias either. To be perfectly honest, that just reads as a way to be dismissive. Sure you could call it a stastical anomaly, but as I explained, this one example is of a homebrew deck I don't play on ranked. Then the one time I did, my opponent had a miracle card, which in over a 1000 games played I have only seen my opponent play a handful of times...
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Rigged match-ups is conspiracy theory, man. It's just Gwent. It's designed to be like that with back and forth answer game and blown-out-of-proportion counters.
What was that card and what was the deck you played?
What was that card and what was the deck you played?
Okay, if it is designed to be that way, I guess I have a decision to make as to whether I find that enjoyable.
So just to recap what I wrote before, I wanted to make a deck which uses as many of the firesworn cards as possible. It is a congregation deck running 60% firesworn, and 30% blindeyes. I liked the theme of the clergy and sexual deviancy.
Basically I pushed hard in R1 against NR to the last 3 key cards to take to R3. I had a 22 point lead, and around 10 to 12x Sacred Flame boosted Firesworm Zealots across two rows. I recall he has already used some form of row punish, but I healed with Keeper of the Flame. So, I figured I was safe to pass, especially against Northern Realms. I thought maybe I needed to worry about Geralt: igni, so I made sure I had some tall on each row too. It's unlikely he is playing an obscure card like Gimpy, etc. Etc. I run the scenarios. I'm good to go I think.
Then he played Lambert: Swordmaster
So he wins R1 out of no where. Then came the inevitable bleeding me to 1 card in R2 and mopping up in R3. But the thing is it wasn't just Lambert, but throughout the game my opponent seemed to have the perfect card in hand to counter everything I tried.
I play Procession of Penance he plays Vincent Meis
I get lucky and draw Greater Brothers, he plays Geralt of Rivia.
I manage to gamble to get enough coins into R3 to activate Sea Jackal as final card to scrape back a 14 point lead, he plays Falibor and Phillipa.
It was like he tech'd a deck specifically to ruin my day haha.
I gave him a GG at the end.
But it did nothing for my dislike of the matchmaking algorithm
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No wonder you got PUNISHED
It happens all the time. Deck of that guy is obviously anti-meta. And the Geralt tilt... Who uses Geralt above rank 20 lol?
I lost last game needed for rank 2 once with Harmony against Soldier Ball packing Igni. NG Soldiers. Packing Igni.
And that's what matters.
- It's like saying 'you won't have a fever if you smash the thermometer,'. Simply no. The problem is not with taunts themselves, but the way people use them, and when they're used the way I mentioned earlier, then these people don't deserve a GG.
- You can tell when people are doing quests/missions and when they're trying to show their deck off or trying to prove their superiority just because. I don't like either of these behaviours, hence no GG.
I decided to post a new reason as to why someone might forgo pressing the GG button. Over the last week or so, I've noticed that a couple of people actually abort the game after realizing that they've lost the match. I'm already a little unhappy that some players forfeit on a fairly regular basis, especially since I generally don't play meta decks or intentionally stall, but it is truly unacceptable to have your opponent sit through the disconnection process just because you're a sore loser. And understand that I'm reasonably certain that it wasn't a normal disconnection; the timing is too just too peculiar with the disconnections always happening in the third round and with only a few cards left to play.
That’s certainly your prerogative, but you can always start up another game and get your achievements then. Playing cards after your opponent passed when you’re up in points is wasting your opponent’s time and piling on, which frankly is poor sportsmanship.
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I think many of these disconnects might actually be mobile users. Once they realize the game is done, they push the home button and move on to the next app to text or whatever, and they might not actually be aware that it is a nuisance for the opponent. I don’t think most people would force-close the program on purpose just to spite the opponent. But I agree, it would be useful to have a little warning sign in the mobile versions that jumping to a different app forces a disconnect.
To wait for a player to complete playing cards to progress on a quest takes maybe 15-30 seconds — if I’m able to play at all, I can afford that. I’ve not seen anyone excessively drag out a game by slowing playing once you’ve passed a clearly decided match. After all, it is their time as well.
Most players give GG though. I usually get those even when I play those hated NG decks. So I think this entire thread is a bit of a strawman from personal experience. It's more unusual to not get GG than the other way around.
Sorry, but I’d rather move onto my next match, thank you.
Perhaps CDPR should create some additional contracts or quests to incentivize good sportsmanship.
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In unranked, it's perfectly okay, no faux pas, to spam cards after pass. This mode is commonly used to progress quests. But to do that in ranked - not cool imo. Last card, maybe, especially when there is some vitality/bleeding going on and you don't want to waste time counting that so you just play the card to make 100% sure you win (I lost once because I passed on "win" but it wasn't win)
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Am I correct in thinking that you don't get crowns for rounds won in casual unranked play?
You do get crowns in unranked. Only difference between ranked and unranked (as far as I can tell) is that you don’t level in unranked.
Casual does give exp. The only difference between it and ranked is ranking.