PC vs. Console "Matchmaking" : Left4Dead
In my last post, "What the X-Box Should Have Been", I took a blatant shot at console "matchmaking" vs. PC networking capabilities in games. I also said that console gamers have no idea what they're missing, so I figured I'd illustrate with Left4Dead since it's got such following on both platforms, and it's networking/matchmaking capabilities were obviously nerfed for whatever reason.
On every other game Valve has made, you are able to browse every server that is running, anywhere, and get all kinds of useful information on each and every server to pick where you want to play, including:- What mods are running
- Your ping to the server
- Every other player's ping to the server
- How many players are playing
- How many players are allowed in total
- WHO is playing
- What map is being played
- What each player's current score is
This is stuff we've been doing for 10 years on the PC, so what's the deal? Console tech can't accomplish this? Someone thinks console gamers either don't want this or can't handle it, or what?And as far as Valve is concerned, SHAME! You people are one of the pillars of the PC gaming industry, you should know every PC gamer would HATE this.
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5 Comments:
Amen! L4D is a fantastic PC game but the matchmaking...? HORRENDOUS!
L4D differs from every other game Valve has made in that it's more important (almost essential) to play it along with friends. And when you do that, it's important to start the game at the same time as them. A traditional server browser does not make it easy to accomplish this.
I think they were on the right track, taking into account the needs of the game and trying to make life easier for stupid gamers, meaning more $$$ for Valve. Unfortunately, they just managed to botch the execution horribly. It's sad, but nobody's perfect. I doubt they lost out on too many sales over the matchmaking system anyway, though.
Interestingly, they've actually had a traditional server browser in L4D from pretty much the beginning. You just have to bring up the console and type 'openserverbrowser'. It's not exactly a well kept secret, but really - they should've put it into the menu system somehow by now. I wonder if someone at Valve considers that admitting defeat and won't do it.
Tom, if I want to play a versus game with my buddy, and just want to get going, I am not going to start a new game and wait for 6 other people to join. Certain times of the day, maybe it's pretty fast, but not always. So I'm going to try to join a server, and have my friend follow me in. Doing that is sooooo frustrating with the current system, because who knows if there will be space in the game you're joining. A server browser would be woooonderful, ESPECIALLY with friends!
No, they lost no sales. But so what. People have to not buy the game because of the server browser? That's not very customer-centric, and is certainly not how companies like Valve and Blizzard get to be so successful.
The console thing you are talking about, I had no idea. I will definitely try that out.
The main point here, though, was to use Left4Dead to illustrate how the PC is different across MOSTLY ALL multiplayer games. Most console games use this same Left4Dead-type matchmaking, while most PC games give this additional functionality.
Like, COD4 on the PC is completely different for trying to play MP games from its console version.
A server browser is pratically useless in the console enviornment. Because you really dont have dedicated servers on consoles the server list you are looking at would not quite have the same meaning as on a PC. You would see a bunch of servers but the only real difference between any of them are what map they are playing on. The hardware is the same for all of them and everytime you looked it would be a different list completely. Yes it might make it easier for your friend to get into your game but there are better ways to accomplish this.
You are correct though that the system on L4D is pretty bad. It basically follows the "standard" simplistic matchmaking guidlines that Microsoft mandated from the start of live.
Just like in the PC realm there are some games that put in a minimal effort and some that go much more.
Look at the Call of Duty series for a good example of a well done console matchmaking system. You can hook up with your friends before getting into a game and then very quickly take yourself and your friends into a game. No waiting around for more players as you are usually put into a server that is full.
Sure not as much control as a PC but as I stated before just by virtue of not having dedicated servers a lot of the utility of a server list goes away. I have personally implemented a server list in a previous game of mine. It was a big misteak for a variety of reasons. This is one of those areas where you dont want to be the same as a PC.
Microsoft is coming around to better ways of doing matchmaking. With their NXE update they have the concept of parties built directly into the OS. This makes it incredibly easy to hook up with your friends even if you are not playing the same game.
Emma, not having dedicated servers negates only some of the things you get from a server list. You'd still benefit from knowing much of that info, IMO (how many players, their ping, what level/map, scores).
I agree that probably different games have different levels of relevance here, which is why I picked Left4Dead. It's super-relevant.
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