New Scenario Matchmaker Test 27/01/2026

[leftayparxoun]

Sacrificing the spirit of the game should not be our first option when it comes to improving scenarios.

The spirit of the game is to actually enjoy and have fun playing the game. Back when Ranked was still a thing I found myself in a number of SC's playing with the opposing faction. It was fun, unique, something different than the continuous, monotonous and predictable grind.

Lighten up.

I don't know man, there is literally 0 reason to expand mixed-faction matchmaking to regular scenarios if regular matchmaking and perhaps reward-revamping is enough by itself to make them a healthy gamemode.

*I'm not even gonna be discussing here how the balance of the game is designed around same-faction teams, and how enabling cross-faction matchmaking can actually end up breaking different balances and make scenarios themselves inherently imbalanced depending on comps. Let's ignore that for now.

I will agree that the purpose of the game is to have fun. But fun doesn't mean breaking the fundamentals of the game just for the sake of it. Fun can always be found within the restrictions of the game and the restrictions themselves are in many cases the ones enabling fun to be had. And please don't argue with me that faction separation is not a fundamental of WAR/ROR. "Account-bound" items and mails are still faction-seperated as an example. It's been that way since the conception of the game and has been maintained that way until Ranked started dying. There is no* reason for it to be that way besides Lore, sure, but Lore is actually important to a lot of players (see BT, Freebootaz).

And it's not like applying mixed-faction matchmaking would enable something new for the game. It's already available for people who want to try it via solo ranked.
P.S. if mixed-faction matchmaking was indeed fun, then you'd be seeing a lot more people wanna participate in that content just by the virtue of the experience and not just due to the rewards.


Keep in mind that I'm not saying that cross-faction matchmaking should NEVER be enforced in scenarios. If the choice is between choosing whether the scenario gamemode dies or whether we enable cross-faction matchmaking to let it live, I would personally understand it if the devs go with the latter.
However we are NOWHERE near that point yet. The matchmaking system is still being developed and the reward structure has not been touched for years now.
All the "I want cross-faction teams in scenarios and I want them now" takes in my eyes seem to come from people who are either disappointed with the current flaws of the temporary matchmaking test, or are sad they could not farm as many pugs with their premade due to having less sc pops for them during the temp matchmaking test, or alternatively, in rare cases, by 4000 h old veterans who don't really care about much since they can only find their fun by twisting how the game is designed/meant to be played due to refusing to organize and play competitively.

[Martok]

First, know I respect your opinion and thank-you for responding.

I will agree that the purpose of the game is to have fun. But fun doesn't mean breaking the fundamentals of the game just for the sake of it. Fun can always be found within the restrictions of the game and the restrictions themselves are in many cases the ones enabling fun to be had. And please don't argue with me that faction separation is not a fundamental of WAR/ROR. "Account-bound" items and mails are still faction-seperated as an example. It's been that way since the conception of the game and has been maintained that way until Ranked started dying. There is no* reason for it to be that way besides Lore, sure, but Lore is actually important to a lot of players (see BT, Freebootaz).

This is actually kind of profound and I agree with most of it. However:

Account Bound items isn't in the same category as cross-faction queing. One is perfectly logical and, in my opinion, necessary. I would (rightfully, I believe) argue against any player being able to take items gained by their SM and mailing them to their Witch Elf. Or their Black Guard, whatever. However queing my SM and occasionally finding myself fighting along-side someone else's Witch Elf I just found kinda cool. It doesn't mean Witch Elves or SM's need to be re-balanced to allow for such, it just means every now and then one has to spontaneously adapt to a different situation. I call that variety of content, not game-breaking content.

And it's not like applying mixed-faction matchmaking would enable something new for the game. It's already available for people who want to try it via solo ranked.

Yeah but unless there is some secret 'fight-club' group of ranked-solo players still active, ranked-solo is kinda dead. I que for it every time I play, but it has been three years or more since my last ranked match.

P.S. if mixed-faction matchmaking was indeed fun, then you'd be seeing a lot more people wanna participate in that content just by the virtue of the experience and not just due to the rewards.

I'm not sure that many within the current player-base has experienced cross-realm queing fights. So, you could be right and I could be wrong or I could be right and you could be wrong or the planet could explode tomorrow.

Keep in mind that I'm not saying that cross-faction matchmaking should NEVER be enforced in scenarios. If the choice is between choosing whether the scenario gamemode dies or whether we enable cross-faction matchmaking to let it live, I would personally understand it if the devs go with the latter.

That is where I am on the issue. I love Scenarios in this game, I always have. From my perspective, I have been watching that game-mode die in real-time over the course of the last two to three years. My desire is they not only survive but see a resurgence in participation. And its now or never.

[Culexus]

If a scenario weekly is added alongside the matchmaker more players will queue for the rewards, reducing pop times and making the whole cross-realm discussion irrelevant.

Keep the weekend event as well to keep players queuing during higher population times on the weekend. The big draw for the rework, beyond more balanced parties, is fewer premade vs pug scenarios. Once all the players who refuse to join groups catch wind that they're not going to be put up against premades as often, they'll start queueing again and the pop time will reduce.

[gisborne]

No, a game reliant on 2/2/2 absolutely needs matchmaking, there's no ifs or buts, or wiggle room.

The game isn't reliant on 2/2/2 for scenarios, it is an artificial setup for warbands because of the massive incoming damage when there are a large number of enemies in a small area, and a 24 person cap for AE damage. It's not even the same role distribution as the game provides (1/2/1 for each race).

The best scenarios I've ever had were with no healer on either side. I'd say the only mild requirement is that there be 1 tank, 1 healer, and 1 dps in each group.

[gisborne]

Sacrificing the spirit of the game should not be our first option when it comes to improving scenarios.

The spirit of the game is to actually enjoy and have fun playing the game. Back when Ranked was still a thing I found myself in a number of SC's playing with the opposing faction. It was fun, unique, something different than the continuous, monotonous and predictable grind.

Lighten up.

How's ranked going?

[Martok]

How's ranked going?

I addressed that in my prior post.

[Bozzax]

Don’t think there’s a way back for scenarios. Behaviour of the players that did scs is changed by the system put in place by devs to feed groups with a steady flow of bad comps of solos.

So the few that is still playing aren’t likely to return to a sc queue.