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The dark side of HALO 2 matchmaking

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The dark side of HALO 2 matchmaking

Old 11-22-04, 01:22 PM
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The dark side of HALO 2 matchmaking

After many small clan and team skirmish match-making games, I'm starting to see a real downside to the process. It's nice to have games set up quickly and easily, but the frequecy with which we get pitted against trash-talking, abusive, immature players is getting annoying.

I guess this is life on XBOX LIVE,. It's been so long since I've played with people NOT on my Friends list that I'd forgotten all about it.

The anonymity gives people free license to say what they want and personally it ruins the game for me. It's one thing to joke around if you know them or have played with them before. It's an entirely different thing to curse and degrade people after a game. Sad really, I guess I'm sticking with the custom games from now on.
Old 11-22-04, 01:38 PM
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I like to play one on one... I always get matched with people- start whupping them and they quit. I haven't been able to complete a single one-on-one match without someone quiting. when they quit does it not count towards their ranking?
Old 11-22-04, 01:39 PM
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I haven't noticed that problem. I guess It's because I've mainly been playing with people from the dvdtalk clan and the only time that I've heard anything from a non friend is in the lobby, or when they are within earshot (proximity voice).
Old 11-22-04, 01:39 PM
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I have no problems with the system. I think it has been setup beautifully with matchmaking people of equal abilities. Counterstrike on the other hand would pit you against people who were far above your skill level.
Old 11-22-04, 01:42 PM
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Originally posted by mmconhea
I like to play one on one... I always get matched with people- start whupping them and they quit. I haven't been able to complete a single one-on-one match without someone quiting. when they quit does it not count towards their ranking?
I've played 25 matches and that has not happened. If they do quit it does count towards the rankings.
Old 11-22-04, 01:47 PM
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well, again... i don't understand why people are suprised that they run into ill-behaved people on live. i mean, if people are throwing beer and ice during sporting events, then they're certainly going to be cursing up a storm during live matches.

even people on my friends list curse... especially when they're po-ed and losing. i don't take it and drop them from my list.

look for the rare ones that don't curse... add them to your friends list.
Old 11-22-04, 01:49 PM
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Thankfully, I have yet to play any online game where voice communication is built in (don't own an Xbox), so all I'm used to is written stupidity (and people who don't understand the concept of the game, of course), but I must say I'm surprised that people are just as stupid over voice chat as they are over typed chat.

I guess I always thought that people felt a little "safer" being complete morons as long as they weren't saying stuff out loud, but I guess that's not the case. Exactly how bad does the trash talking get?
Old 11-22-04, 02:36 PM
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I do wish they'd let you do a rematch if you find a good group to play against. It's hard to add new friends through this system since it's one game and out.

As for how bad it gets, maybe I've just been unlucky but this has been the worst experience on LIVE so far. I don't mind a little trash-talking especially if they can back it up, but I've seen teams that get beat or barely win start cursing us out. Pretty bad.
Old 11-22-04, 02:54 PM
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Best way to avoid this problem.... other than ditching the headset, I've found out, play after 11pm. The kiddies with parents of average parenting skills will have them in bed by then. The only time I have a problem is before then.

As for quitting, I've been in team matches where one guy quits out. Leaves the team short a man and that team usually loses. It sucks, but what are you going to do? Maybe their dog or kid was getting into something they shouldn't have? Maybe the wife came home early from work and they have to get the girlfriend sleeping next to them out of the house.

I've had a couple of times though, problems with teammates killing me. I mean real morons. Not an accidental rocket up the keister, but blatent, no one else around shooting me with a gun and lobbing grenades at me. On one big team battle, me and another guy hopped into a warthog, while this third man hopped in to drive. He drove right into the ocean killing us all. Totally intentional. what an idiot. I think he may have been with some friends on the other team and ended up on ours somehow b/c he kept knocking out our teammates until we booted him. Maybe he was provoking us to kill him so that he could boot us out? Who knows.

Fortunately all these complaints are minor since I have never been matched up to the same group of people twice.
Old 11-22-04, 02:55 PM
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I agree you run into some idiots on Xbox Live and certainly Halo 2 attracts it's fair share but I actually like the matchmaking system Bungie has implemented. For me, it's only been a few bad apples spoiling the whole bunch. I've actually had far more good games with opponents who were good sports win or lose. Sure, you get the occasional game with immature jerks in it but it doesn't happen often enough for me to rule out playing matchmade games altogether. I've actually gotten more annoyed in custom games where you may be playing against opponents above your skill level who consistently beat you and rub your nose in it. At least with Bungie's matchmaking system, you know you will play against other players near your skill level with a legitimate chance to win everytime. That's more important to me than whether someone is a trashtalking jerk.

As for the rematch option, it would be nice but there is a way to accomplish almost the same thing. You have the ability in the postgame carnage report to invite any of the other players into your party and continue to play with them. Then, if you decide you like them, you can always send them a friend invite. Not quite the same as a one button rematch option but still effective for finding new players for your friends list.
Old 11-22-04, 03:02 PM
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Originally posted by finbogg
As for how bad it gets, maybe I've just been unlucky but this has been the worst experience on LIVE so far. I don't mind a little trash-talking especially if they can back it up, but I've seen teams that get beat or barely win start cursing us out. Pretty bad.
You should try SW: Battlefront. I heard more garbage in my week of owning that game than I ever had before.

That's the main reason I like the push-to-talk button in Halo 2. I'd say it's cutting out at least 50% of what you would hear if it wasn't there.
Old 11-22-04, 03:06 PM
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Originally posted by Michael Corvin
Best way to avoid this problem.... other than ditching the headset, I've found out, play after 11pm. The kiddies with parents of average parenting skills will have them in bed by then. The only time I have a problem is before then.
That is probably why I haven't run into any problems.
Old 11-22-04, 03:29 PM
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I have been playing a few days now and haven't noticed to many of these people yet. I am sure I will though.
Old 11-22-04, 06:55 PM
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Originally posted by finbogg
I do wish they'd let you do a rematch if you find a good group to play against. It's hard to add new friends through this system since it's one game and out.

That is what I hate most about the matchmaking. A lot of head to head games I've been losing have been by one or 2 kills, then I there is no way to get my revenge. They really need to let you keep playing with someone if you enjoyed playing with them.
Old 11-22-04, 07:21 PM
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I haven't noticed anything but that's because I've been playing with fellow DVD Talkers and don't have a headset.

I guess if you don't have a headset you don't get to hear all of the wonderful chatter.
Old 11-22-04, 07:26 PM
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I think the system is incredible. But I kind of knew what to expect of people after playing Crimson Skies on live a lot.

I don't know if it really does anything, but I've started reporting people that are really bad. Go to previous players, highlight their name, and it lets you select from foul language, screaming, and a few other things.

Obviously I don't report every single person who swears or anything (this game is rated M any way so there should be a level of acceptability), but the ones who stand out for their bad behavior. You know what I mean. Anyone have info on whether this actually accomplishes anything?
Old 11-22-04, 07:27 PM
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Originally posted by menaz
They really need to let you keep playing with someone if you enjoyed playing with them.
They do. You just joing them in their lobby or add them to your friends list. Then you can continue with matchmaking or whatever you are playing, just not head-to-head matches.
Old 11-22-04, 07:31 PM
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I was playing with this one guy skillzunlimited once who ran around calling everyone a *****, that was one of my first experiences. The rest have been pretty good cept the time I was in a game with a bunch of 8th graders who learned some new swear words. I thought the game was rated M for a reason!?
Old 11-23-04, 02:17 AM
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Played team skirmish earlier with 2 dudes who kept calling everybody the "n" word, and yes they were white. We were playing ctf and I was on their team. I got pissed and started team killing. The two guys then started calling me a "damn indian" when my gamertag was obviously japanese and american combined. Anyhoo, the two morons were about to score and I waited for them on our base. Once I saw them come in, I started throwing bombs and killing both of em. They got pissed and I had a good laugh. Afterwards, they were crying how their ranking will go down, since we lost the match. I laughed even more.

Moral of the story: when they piss you off and you're playing ctf, team kill is ur best strategy.
Old 11-23-04, 05:31 AM
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Last night must have been tool night, as almost every match that I went into had fools swearing up a storm, calling peoples *********** and such. As posted before, yes they were white.

Now I know why I wait in the lobby to see when a DVDTalk game forms. I cannot let my daughter play with the headset beause I am worried what she will hear comming out of some fools mouth.

I have no problem with a dropped word in the heat of battle, as I do that all the time (if you sucked as bad as I do you would to). I just do not like having those words directed at other people.
Old 11-23-04, 08:06 AM
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I played for a few hours last night, after 11pm. No probs.
Old 11-23-04, 10:00 AM
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I don't know if it's been mentioned before, but I wish bungie would have
included a matchmaking system like Project Gotham Racing 2. That was so easy and smooth. The way it is now, when I play with a guest, I'm at the mercy of other peoples games.

Unless I really don't understand the matchmaking setup, but I can't really create a game where anyone can join, right?
Old 11-23-04, 11:02 AM
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I think the worst thing is the voice disguising, there is no need for it. What, are you going down the street one day and hear 2 guys talking and you go " I know you, you kicked my ass at mechassualt" No, don't think so!
I was playing a good game of Burnout 3 with about 7 guys and someone joined and was using the baby voice and just kept on making crying noises. This of course wound everyone up and they were shouting at him to shut up. And you know what? he didn't, he got what he wanted and was acting a dick on a saturday night.
Old 11-23-04, 11:25 AM
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Originally posted by Draven
You should try SW: Battlefront. I heard more garbage in my week of owning that game than I ever had before.

That's the main reason I like the push-to-talk button in Halo 2. I'd say it's cutting out at least 50% of what you would hear if it wasn't there.

I've noticed that most Star Wars online games attract douchebag retards. I actually like playing online with younger kids because often they're good, they'll share playing tips, and they don't talk too much shit.

However, I believe the worst group is between the ages of 16 and 22. The "finding their balls so they think they own the world" punk asses who talk mucho smack.

BTW, if I can recommened a very cool online player...if anyone here runs into an older player with the gamertag "Clubside" add him to your list. He's a great player, a happy go lucky guy(whether you're on his team or not he's cool when it's all done), a great guy to be on a team with, and he's got the best smoker's laugh. Anyway, he's on my friend's list and he's my favorite. Tell him i said he was cool.

Last edited by Giantrobo; 11-23-04 at 11:27 AM.
Old 11-23-04, 11:47 AM
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The majority of my time in matchmaking has been positive. I have had my share of negative experiences too though. Lots of "you guys are gay" type comments. The worst is when they find out that they were just beat by a girl. They don't seem to like that too much.

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