I cant think of a good reason why we would delete DM from ranked. Based on its history it has proven to be good. There always has been a DM ladder on Voobly (and probably also on even more earlier versions). Also there has been multiple high level DM tournaments in the past. So even it is currently not that popular, i still would not delete DM from ranked.
On the other side we could add new game modes to ranked as well and give them its own seperate ladders. I mainly consider the following options for new game modes for ranked:
- Empire Wars. This game mode is new, get some attetion from the pros in the Red Bull tournaments and the devs tried to push this game mode in Quick play. This wasnt a success in quick play, but that is because quick play is a big failure. I would even suggest removing quick play from the game, but that is a totally different idea (i already had a thread about this topic: How to make Quick Play useful?)
- Battle royale (or in general a custom ladder, so you can add also CBA and things like that). BR is a new game mode and the devs wanted to push this as well in quick play. Personally i dont really think this will popular, but the devs can give it a chance. So i give it the benefit of the doubt.
Other game modes have prove to not be popular at all. Yeah, there are some regicide or KOTH game, but those are mostly played by friends, clans of community games of streamers, … Ranked isnt made for such games. If you are with 8 friends and just want to play a FFA KOTH game, then you wont need the match making feature. Also games against the AI have no place in ranked in my opinion.
I do think ranked need the way to go. The lobby is for playing thing friends, clans, community games, tournaments, … Kind of all the games with already enough players to start your own game.
I am still surprised that there are still that many players that play unranked. Based on the number of players it is very large. In the lobby i expect a lot of players who play against the AI, a lot of players that are just play very infrequently and those who only play with and against friends. If there are big other groups still playing in the lobby, then we should look on how to integrate those game into ranked in my opinion. In the end ranke should be the way to go for most games and the lobby is for some niches.
Complete disagree. If i compare my average Voobly game to the average DE game, then i can just draw only one conclusion: Match making very much improve the balance of games.
Only issue at DE are team games. The TG elo is bugged since release.
After a fix, the TG ratings will also be fine too. I am pretty sure about this statement.
I dont think the lobby is the place to start for newbies. You will never have balanced games. Newbies get stomped over and over again. In ranked you end up at your true elo after some games and you play against other players of equal skill. You cant really have that in the lobby.
Best way for newbies is to play Art of War to understand the basic and play some games against the AI to see how a game in this game is played. After the basics you can join ranked.
I think it is more likely to be an issue with the name. If it wasnt called ranked, but match making, then the fear for the ranked would be much less.