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Matchmaking Design in Heroes of the Storm

Blizzard posted a new blog about matchmaking in heroes of the storm!

Quote from: Blizzard

Over the past few weeks, we’ve seen several conversations pop up within the Heroes community in which some players seemed a little mystified by how the matchmaker is intended to work, and how it interacts with the regional game servers around the world. We’d like to shed a bit more light on matchmaking in Heroes of the Storm, and hopefully clear up some of the questions you may have.

Skill-Based Matchmaking Our primary goal with Heroes of the Storm matchmaking is very similar to the one we had with StarCraft II: To provide skill-based matchmaking that offers very even games in which players win around 50% of the time. We learned a lot while we continued to build and develop the StarCraft II matchmaker, and we’ve been pretty happy with that system’s ability to provide very even matches overall throughout the years. Unlike StarCraft II, which is largely focused on 1v1 play, Heroes of the Storm is a team-based game. Having to account for 5v5 play, as well as the variety of roles a player can fill in Heroes posed a whole new set of challenges for us in terms of matchmaking. We’ve taken the lessons we learned from StarCraft II and are improving upon our work there so that we can bring that same level of quality in matchmaking to Heroes. We aren’t finished, though, and throughout each testing phase we’ll continue to improve on the work we’ve already done in order to bring you the best matchmaking experience possible in Heroes of the Storm.

Team Compositions It’s no fun when your favorite Hero gets snatched up by someone else in a game lobby before you have a chance to make a selection yourself, which is why we allow you to select your Hero before you even enter unranked matchmaking queues. Once you’ve made your selection and entered the queue, the matchmaker will then create a balanced team for you by finding other players of similar skill who have selected Heroes in complementing roles. In addition to this, we’ve also added a number of rules to the matchmaker in order to help further encourage the creation of well-rounded team compositions.

  • No more than 3 Warriors.
  • No more than 4 Assassins.
  • No more than 2 Support.
  • No more than 2 Specialists.
  • No more than 3 Melee heroes.

However, there are also a number of ways you can override these restrictions.

  • If you’re in a full party, the rules no longer apply to your team and you can use any composition you like.
  • If you’re in a partial party, you can still create team compositions that fall outside of the matchmaking rules.
    • For example: A three person party that enters the queue as three Support Heroes is allowed. The matchmaker will do its best to round out your team, but your party will not be grouped with any more Supports.
  • Getting into a game quickly can often times be more important than waiting a long time for the perfect composition. So, if a party has spent six minutes or more in the matchmaking queue, the rules may be broken in order to find a match. We’ll be keeping an eye on this rule to get a feel for how it impacts matchmaking, and may make adjustments to it in the future.

We’ll keep improving on this aspect of the Heroes matchmaker so that you’ll continue to receive well-balanced team compositions as often as possible whenever you queue for unranked matchmaking.

Arranged Team vs. Random Team Arranged teams, or a group of players who enter matchmaking as a full party, are often able to better coordinate, communicate, and execute strategies than opposing random teams, which are teams made up of individual players grouped together via matchmaking. Though random teams can and do win against arranged teams, our win percentage data shows that arranged teams generally have a slight advantage over their random counterparts. We feel that better games generally come from matching arranged teams with one another, and random teams with other random teams, and the Heroes matchmaker actually prefers to create games this way. Due to the relatively low Tech Alpha population, however, we’ve configured the matchmaker in such a way that it currently allows arranged and random teams to play against one another if an opposing team with a similar-sized party could not be found. We’ve done this in order to get you into games faster, rather than making you wait when a more suitable matchup isn’t readily available. As the pool of invited Heroes testers is increased, these situations will occur less often. Eventually, the matchmaker will be able to consistently match arranged teams against other arranged teams and random teams against other random teams. Whether a team is made up of individual players, a group of five friends playing together, or any combination in between, you can rest assured that the matchmaker will always take the team’s overall skill into account in order to find even matchups.

Finding the Best Game Server for You We want all of our players have the most epic Heroes experience possible, and we’ve begun adding game servers located in regions around the world to help make that possible. Our end goal for you as a player is that you’ll never need to worry about what server to connect to for unranked play, and we’ve implemented tech which allows the matchmaker to find the best game server for you automatically. In order to make this process as seamless as possible, the Heroes client first determines your round-trip latency (a.k.a. “ping”) to all of the servers connected to the region you log into. Next, your ping information is used in combination with your individual skill rating to find and match you with other players of similar skill who also connect to your server. Making server selection automatic in this way allows us to easily add new game servers in the future, which will continue to improve responsiveness for players around the globe. This system is already in place for unranked play, but due to the limited pool of Tech Alpha players and ongoing development work, you may occasionally find yourself in a game that’s not quite as responsive as others. Keep in mind, though, that those situations should become less frequent as we continue to make improvements and invite additional testers from each region to play Heroes. Additionally, as we continue to design and develop ranked play, we’ll likely consider other server selection options which make more sense for that aspect of the game. We’ll always strive to find a great match for you both in terms of player skill level, as well as game responsiveness.

Future Improvements We’re constantly evaluating how our matchmaker is performing, and we’re always on the lookout for new ways to improve the quality of the games it finds for you. Stepping ahead just a bit, we’d like to give you a brief preview for some of the ideas we’re considering for Heroes matchmaking in the future.

  • We’re currently exploring ways to assess individual player performance with finer granularity than wins vs. losses, and adjust your skill rating accordingly.
  • We’re also thinking about how we’d like to find matches for players who frequently abandon in-progress games, and are considering matching so-called “leavers” with others who exhibit similar behaviors.
  • Finally, we’d like you to feel comfortable playing with all of your favorite heroes, even if you’re trying a hero out for the first time. We’re looking into ways in which we can potentially adjust your individual skill rating by allowing the matchmaker to take into account how much you’ve played using your selected hero thus far, and find even matches accordingly.

Hopefully, we’ve managed to help answer a few questions you may have had about matchmaking and regional play. If you’d like to share feedback on anything we’ve mentioned today, don’t forget to stop by the Technical Alpha forums to share your thoughts with us. Stay tuned right here on the official Heroes of the Storm site to keep up with the latest game news as it’s announced, and be sure to connect with us on Twitter by following @BlizzHeroes.

Garrison Building Perk Changes 8/8/2014

garrisons pic
This morning’s patch has, once again, brought some changes to some of the building perks for the garrisons. Here’s an overview of the changes:

Building Removed Effect Added Effect
Profession Buildings Level 2 Rewording Allows followers with the profession trait to work here, granting a unique bonus.
Inn Level 1 Recruit random followers every week Each day a visitor offering a quest will spend the day at your inn. These can be dungeon, world or raid quests.
Inn Level 2 You get to choose the traits for recruited weekly followers. Recruit random followers every week
Barracks Level 2 Raises follower limit cap by 5 Allows a follower with the bodyguard trait to accompany you as a guardian in Draenor zones.
Barracks Level 3 Allows a follower with the bodyguard trait to accompany you as a guardian in Draenor zones. Raises follower limit cap by 5

Gorgrond Rare Locations Guide

In Warlords of Draenor there are many rares in each zone, a lot of them are to kill while leveling to diversify the leveling experience. It’s a combined and improved version of leveling and the timeless isle. To help you keep track of them all we’ve compiled a list of all the rares we’ve been able to find. Remember WoD is still in beta, anything can change. If we missed any feel free to leave a comment with the location and name of the rare mob or event. Click on the map for a full size version.

Number Rare Name Image Comments
1 Stomper Kreego photo GorgrondRare1_zps9249d727.jpg
2 Sulfurious photo GorgrondRare2_zps285fa4cb.jpg
3 Gelgor of the Blue Flame photo GorgrondRare3_zpsd6bf8cb2.jpg
4 Rolkor photo GorgrondRare4_zps3038c3ef.jpg
5 Char the Burning photo GorgrondRare5_zpsd6d85e4d.jpg
6 Sylldross photo GorgrondRare6_zpsdff1cf3c.jpg
7 Hyve Queen Skrikka photo GorgrondRare7_zps10a29d29.jpg
8 Bashiok photo GorgrondRare8_zpse5b96f36.jpg
9 Riptar photo GorgrondRare9_zps36eeca6c.jpg
10 Sunclaw photo GorgrondRare10_zps6d22d86d.jpg Use the ropes to climb to the top. Or fly to the top with the Lumber Mill outpost Shredder ability.
11 Blademaster Ro’gor photo GorgrondRare11_zps6ec6eea1.jpg Level 100
12 Horgg photo GorgrondRare12_zps0b0428cd.jpg Level 100
13 Morgo Kain photo GorgrondRare13_zps69ab82f1.jpg Level 100
14 Hydra Vignette Boss photo GorgrondRare14_zpsfe269e8a.jpg Level 100, No unique name yet
15 Botani Trio Vignette Bosses photo GorgrondRare15_zps5b60bec8.jpg Level 100, No unique name yet
16 Mother Araneae photo GorgrondRare16_zpse72ed1c6.jpg
17 Stompalupagus photo GorgrondRare17_zps92c4e29b.jpg
18 Fossilwood the Petrified photo GorgrondRare18_zps18f39a9f.jpg

 

New World of Warcraft Comic: Gul’dan and the Stranger

Quote from: Blizzard
New World of Warcraft Comic: Gul'dan and the Stranger

The drums of war have begun to sound for Draenor’s orcs, and the power-mad warlock Gul’dan is the latest to play them. Brimming with fel energy, Gul’dan is convinced that his people will gain glory and strength if they only kneel to the demonic Burning Legion. But a hooded stranger has recently arrived in Gul’dan’s camp with a somewhat… contradictory vision.

The stranger has walked in places where terrifying war machines will soon shake the earth. From the smoldering ridges of Gorgrond to the hunting grounds of Nagrand, he watches over the orcish ranks, stoking their dreams of a united Horde: pure, free, and utterly dominant. And he has a message for Gul’dan.

We invite you to read and download the free comic, “Gul’dan and the Stranger,” written by Micky Neilson and illustrated by Alex Horley.

Learn more about Gul’dan’s past and future at Characters of Warcraft: Gul’dan.

Draenor Ability Perks Every Other Level, Hearthstone: Observer Mode And Next Content Release

The recent WoD beta build (that had a character wipe <editor’s tears rolling down the webpage>) changed the draenor ability perks to be gained every other level. Celestalon confirmed that the uninteresting ones were baked into the abilities.

In Hearthstone news, an observer mode is being worked on and the next content release will feature a new card set larger than 30 cards!

Zone Preview: Spires of Arak

Quote from: Blizzard

In our latest Warlords of Draenor zone preview, we turn our gaze upward to the beautiful Spires of Arak. Here, the winged arakkoa plot atop their high perches, well out of the reach of the brutal Shattered Hand orcs and the cursed wingless outcasts below.

Located in the southernmost part of Draenor, the Spires of Arak is a zone of soaring heights and shadow-drenched crags—but as with much of the planet, the beauty of this place hides something sinister. Game Designer Don Adams and Associate Quest Designer Johnny Cash fill us in on what to expect.

What awaits players among the Spires of Arak?

Don Adams: First of all, we love the arakkoa, and we knew players would be excited to see them again. The Spires of Arak is their home territory, so it felt like the right place to really dive in and explore their culture. We already teased the flying arakkoa at BlizzCon, but players might be surprised to find the familiar cursed arakkoa from The Burning Crusade there too, only with a fancy new model. We felt it was important to portray both sides of the arakkoa, and their duality gave us some interesting themes to draw on throughout the zone.

In The Burning Crusade, the arakkoa of Skettis had pretty much fallen entirely into evil, but in Warlords of Draenor we see them at a crossroads. They’re outcasts, hated and oppressed by the flying arakkoa who are torching their villages with an enormous beam weapon fixed atop Skyreach. To make matters worse, the Shattered Hand orcs have begun expanding into the region, killing anyone in their path. These arakkoa outcasts are caught between several enemies, and they really have nobody on their side before you show up.

Over the course of the zone, you’re helping this shady resistance group of cursed arakkoa to make their final stand. You’re learning about the curse they bear, the ancient gods of their land, and the very real threat posed by the Adherents of Rukhmar, the ruling caste of zealous arakkoa in Skyreach. Your adventure leads to two climactic events in the zone: one involving the plight of the outcasts against the flying arakkoa, and another focusing on the Shattered Hand fortress of Bladefist Hold.

What’s the zone’s ambience like?

Don Adams: You first enter the zone through a mountain pass that shows off some of the harsher elements of the landscape. Boulders are suspended overhead by huge thorny vines reaching out from the mountainside. As you progress down the path, arakkoa refugees push past you in a mass exodus from Skettis. You reach a dramatic vista to see Skyreach looming high above a forest canopy stretching out into the horizon.

Skyreach and its satellite spires maintain an imposing presence throughout the entire zone. You can look up and see them from pretty much anywhere—a constant reminder of the threat looming overhead.

Overall, the vibe in the zone is dire and dark, with hints of light scattered throughout. You are helping these underdogs, and they’re extremely shady and creepy, but you can sense some potential within them. Hopefully players will connect with the cursed arakkoa and forgive them for the whole “monstrous kaliri” thing back in Terokkar.

What are some of your favorite locations in the zone?

Don Adams: You can get a great sense of the look and feel of the Spires of Arak from the Artcraft post detailing the zone’s level design and environment art. The forested regions are dark and mysterious, while the sun-bathed coastal plains are blanketed in brilliant wildflowers. There are contrasting visuals throughout the zone, and yet somehow it all feels tied together.

One of my favorite areas has to be Skettis, with its narrow alleys that evoke the feeling of a bustling bazaar; the wild, uprooted terrain; and precarious walls. We wanted to show that a landslide had swept through the city, and you can actually follow the wash all the way down the mountain to find more ruined pieces settled in the ponds below. Skettis is such a great intro to the zone, offering a straight-on view of the glorious Skyreach from the dilapidated slums full of squatting outcasts.

I also absolutely fell in love with the Howling Crag, which is a bonus objective area on the northeastern side of the zone. The canyons, caves, and land bridges crisscrossing through the area create this very cool vertical element with several tiers of gameplay space. The place really feels hidden, and since we don’t explicitly send you there for quests, you get to discover and explore it on your own.

One last area I’d like to call out is Veil Akraz, one of the outcast villages blasted by the Skyreach beam weapon. It’s such a great display of the destructive power in the hands—talons?—of the Adherents of Rukhmar. You really get the sense that this was an idyllic little outcast village, and now it’s an inferno with a scar of glassed earth running through the center.

What outposts will players be able to build in the Spires of Arak, and how do they impact the Garrison?

Johnny Cash: Alliance commanders, your Garrison forces have established Southport on the western coast as your home away from home in the Spires of Arak. Horde, your forces have erected Axefall not far inland. Heroes of both factions, you’ll quickly find that your outpost is struggling to survive.

As you quest through the Spires of Arak, you’ll be presented with the choice to construct an Inn to help you house more soldiers and supplies or a Trading Post to establish trade agreements with friendly locals. Which building you choose to construct also leads to a unique quest line.

Based on your choice, you’ll receive a powerful ability usable within the Spires of Arak. The Inn lets you hearth to your outpost on a very short cooldown and also gives you the ability to gain rested experience anywhere in the zone. The Trading Post grants you the ability to call in a smuggling run, which lets you purchase rare and powerful goods unavailable elsewhere—you’ll find these very helpful as you battle the Adherents of Rukhmar and the Shattered Hand.

To the south of your outpost, Rivett Clutchpop has set off with the Steamwheedle Draenor Expedition on a daring drilling venture. However, something has gone terribly wrong, and you’re the only one who can help. After rescuing Rivett and his crew, you’ll receive blueprints to construct a Salvage Yard at your Garrison. Your Salvage Yard will offer you a daily selection of, well, salvage. Sometimes you’ll get vendor fodder, but there’s always a chance your hardworking salvage crew will find something truly tantalizing.

The zone has a little something for everyone, and there are tons of other surprises waiting as you brave its formidable terrain.