Ban System Suggestion

Age of Empires II: DE II - Discussion
1

This is inspired from a reddit comment that u/ferchalurch made.

Regardless of what is in the map pool (which is obviously hotly debated), the bans within the pool should be made post pairing.

Assuming the pool is still 8 maps:

After the teams are paired (this applies to 1v1s as well). A randomly chosen team captain would get to choose to ban a map, or pick “No More Bans.” Each team captain takes turns until up to 3 bans for each Team has been chosen.

If there is worry that some maps will never get played despite having a niche, but strong following there is a solution as well. Before each Team Captain chooses a map, they can choose one that is Unbannable. I don’t know how this plays with the number of bans allowed, but it is a solution to things like someone just wanting to be able to hit Black Forest or something that might get banned a lot.

Pros:

  1. In this system the ranked queue is NOT slowed down in any way. It actually speeds up due to people getting in queue and can be paired to any similar ELO, without negating anything prior. Simply more pairing possible.

  2. It gives direct agency to players in more situations. The map pool ban system as it is currently implemented strongly encourages 1v1 play due to the ability to curate your experience better. 1 Ban for 2v2, and 3v3s and no bans for 4v4s frankly just make me not hop in the queue as often as I would like.

Cons

  1. The current map pool ban system is already implemented and this requires real resources to change.

  2. The current map pool ban system is attempting to appease everyone, and even if no one loves it, there is something to love in it for everyone.

  3. Doesn’t account for randomly selected team mates. I just didn’t think about what to do here, but the system in place can be modified to fit it. Perhaps remove Team Captain and add an each player ban system. Honestly the map pool size doesn’t support this as is, and awkwardly increasing the map pool size decreases player agency.

  4. People will complain no matter what you do.

Thoughts, ways to improve?

2

Idc about a map ban system - implement a player ban system.

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3

I would prefer to not see a ‘captain’ system, as from my experience most games are between random players and 1v1s, both from playing and spectating. It also would lead to a lot of stalls and discussion and quits prior to the game when the captain doesn’t ban what they want. Ideally, the map pool would be extended to ten maps to give 4v4 players a ban each and then increase bans for each other matchup so that in each the lowest possible maps not banned is still 2.

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4

Yeah, the more I stew on it the worse the captain system is. I think the original assumption that post queueing ban selection is better than prequeuing ban selection though.

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