The Hypocrisy of AutoQueue

Age of Mythology: Retold Discussion
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Since this is a debate still hot as of now, I wanted to give an explanation to why Devs are being hipocrites with the implementation of AutoQueue with an anecdote.

So, let’s take a new player. Joe. New Joe buys AoM Retold and starts playing the tutorial. The tutorial teachs Joe how to play the game. After learning the basics, Joe goes to the Campaign and after 2 weeks finishes it completely. There he used AutoQ for villagers and Military. He loved it completely and then jumped to mythical battles, then skirmish, and finally, our new joe went to Online quick matches. There he amused himself playing like hes used to and is in love with the game and everything goes smooth.

Our New Joe finally decides to test his skills in Ranked Ladder. He sees the option to Ban Military autoQ. He finds this cool because its like choosing to go Random on god selection: more options makes everyone happy.
He leaves Military AutoQ on because it’s how hes used to play and have fun. The games finds an opponent and the game starts…

Then, Joe remarks he can’t right click military units. Maybe he clicked on the ban of Military AutoQueue by accident so he just plays the rest of the game, he loses and when he search for another ranked game, hes sure to not ban the option. But, surprise: Its not really an option to play with a player that just like him decided or not to ban military AutoQ, but rather just a voting system where if even one players decides to ban the option in the matchmaking on a 1v1, 2v2 or even 3v3, then EVERYONE is forced to play withouth military AutoQ.

THIS is the hypocrisy of the AutoQ. Devs sure as hell WANT the feature to be played just like it was in The Titans and EE because it’s a feature the game Invites you heavily to do along with Villager Prioriry AI. But just because some people make videos fearmongering the ‘‘risk of not being competitive’’ Devs decided to make it ‘‘optional’’ while not being truly optional for what i said above: if a player bans the option, then YOU are forced to play withouth it.

AutoQueue is part of Age of Mythology since the moment it was an idea adapted in the Titans expansion. It was popular in Gameranger, Voobly and the Extended Edition. How come now in Retold, there has to be a discussion about leaving it on or off in ranked game? If someone doesnt want it, they just can not right click. And if they find it unfair, then they are wrong because everyone in the match is even-ground.

Hope Developpers stop cowering on the idea of implementing AutoQueue on ranked match completely and let us players have the fun we want in full.

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You know, if Joe end up playing too much withou AQ because most people are banning AQ, it means that majority of ranked players prefer playing without AQ.
He has a ton of options to play with AQ if he decides that the game is fun only if he can AQ military units.

Ranked is where people go for competition. I was an AQ user on Extended Edition, love the game and just got used to playing without this. In many cases, I think it makes the game better.

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As long as it doesn’t involve removing villager AQ, I’m fine with whatever outcome.

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Ranked is better without military autoQ because it is competitive environment and RTS competition comes from speed.

It sounds like this hypothetical Joe has no competitive spirit and wouldn’t stick around playing AoM ranked for long anyways.
kuva

:arrow_up: Solution to all Joes problems :arrow_up:

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Devs are in the right direction on the AQ topic IMO and maybe Joe from OP should stick to quick match and not ranked. Retold devs managed to achieve the best middle ground possible when it comes to AQ implementation.

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They should give Joe the ability to play ranked with only players who want to use military AQ.

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Not true. Say, in a 2v2 1 player bans it. Then the entire game plays without it. Where is the majority there??

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Not true. The problem is this: the vote of one player that doesnt, and rightly so, want Military AutoQ, is enough for a match of 4 or even 6 players to be played without it.

Why dont the dev just make it a real choice? You ban it, you play with someone that ban it too.

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This exactly. And THATs the hypocrisy. They force you on the choice of only one player because they are scared of the game being ‘‘not too competitive’’. Why not make it a real choice? It would be fair and square for every opinion on this topic.

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Is that really true? I would have thought it works the same way as the “prefer random” button in AoE2’s queue. I think that’s how it should work, anyway.

Because splitting the playerbase that way would make the already lengthy queue times far, far longer. It’s a terrible idea.

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Yes. if you hover over it , it explains the functionality. If the MM finds 6 players for a ranked 3v3, if one of the players bans the MAQ, then it deactivates it. The choice of the 5 other players doesnt matter since the ban seems more important for the system. This is what i find ridiculous. This game has always been positive on QOL changes, AQ being the biggest. Why make it an issue?

Why are players already used to play AQ being forced to play without it just because a minority wants it?

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Ok I have to say, I don’t like that. I think it should work like AoE2’s random option, where it’s enabled if a majority choose it. If exactly 50% want autoqueue banned, it should be banned, but if 4 players in a 3v3, or 5 players in a 4v4 want to have autoqueue, they should have autoqueue. That has the advantage of meaning that at a bare minimum there is guaranteed to be at least one player on both teams who wants it.

That said, my experience has only been playing 1v1s so far. I’d estimate maybe 20% of my games have autoqueue enabled? I actually prefer to play with it disabled, but I’ve turned off the “ban autoqueue” button in the matchmaker just because I want to see how many other people have it. I haven’t kept an exact count, but it feels like about 20%. That’s at about the 1100 Elo range in the Australian/East Asian zone, anyway.

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Yeah, that would be more fair. But right now it’s not the case.

I dont like how the devs make this an issue when the majority of AoM’s life is with MAQ on . Titans, gameranger, voobly, EE. All were cool with the feature.

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Personally I would like to have Auto queue, both military and economic, as a toggle option even for casual or custom game lobbies!

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The auto-q ban of one single player potentially disabling auto-q for everyone is very problematic.

I did play some 1v1 ranked and in the first matches I did not ban it.
I found the feature comfortable, especially since I am new to aom.
One match completely screwed up my production because the feature didn’t work and I had not even noticed it.
I had pressed alt-q in my barracks and when I checked my ressources and unit counts, no units had been trained I just thought WTF
This should absolutely not happen!

The matchmaking should NEVER match people who ban it with people who don’t ban it.
If someone is used to playing with it and then it is banned (out of his control ofc!!!), it is a hit in the face because you can’t easily change your muscle memory on the go.

The only workarround for me was to also ban the feature every time.
Because I don’t wanna be dependent on a feature that sometimes is enabled and sometimes not.
It would be absolutel hell to play like that.
So, in order to not be dependent on it and also for my oponent not to have an unfair advantage against me, I have no other choice than always disabling it.

Please do something about it Devs!
Only match people together who have chosen the same setting!!!

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I don’t think this is a hypocrisy, because by your logic they can never implement anything for single player only.

Like, if they want to adopt Auto-Queue and Villager Auto Priority in age of empires 2 just for single player and custom lobbies, by your logic they are not allowed to do that, because it somehow is an hypocrisy to not allow this in ranked.

I find this logic too problematic to agree, as I an a fan of multiple facilitation mechanics like auto queue and auto villagers for single player and custom lobby gameplay.

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only thing We ask. Match people together who have chosen the same setting.

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That’s what I was saying, exactly.

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This will split the already split player base. Devs should make up their minds about allowing it or not. this option needs to go. I personally dont mind either of them but i think allowing it would only make game more fun for newer players.