Left 4 Dead matchmaking details

AciD

AciD

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Eric Smith posted on HLDS(Half-Life Dedicated Server) mailing list very interesting informations about Left 4 Dead matchmaking.
Left 4 Dead will use the new matchmaking system we've been working on.

The new matchmaking system replaces the traditional server browser. By running a public dedicated server your server will be added to a list of servers available for clients to use when playing. Games are started from a Game Lobby by clients, who are then connected to a dedicated server when they start the game. When they're done, your server is added back to the list of available servers. Clients will be able to "Quick Match", "Play Online", and "Play With Friends" when they want to play a game.

You will still have access to the traditional Message of the Day for your server. For Left 4 Dead, we've added a banner ad you can create that will be displayed to clients when they're playing on your server. There is also a ranking system to show the popularity of your server.

This is the first version of what we've been working on, and we're going to want feedback from all of you once things start turning up tomorrow.
Click to expand...
It appears that VALVe took different approach to servers, and I personally like it.
 
That's AWESOME !! :LOL:

When I first read about the dilemma of how to go about the servers, I had the very same though of
"Having dedicated servers which link you to others listen servers". And now it's "Lobby servers".

I like it! I really hope though that there will be a minimum amount of lag because still.. we run over listen servers
(However the ranking system mentioned in this article sounds like a solution for this)
 
"Play with Friends"... excellent feature
 
i am already pre-loading the demo, can't wait to play it, but i mustn't until monday, i need to get some reports finished first :(
i know that if i start playing it today, i won't stop...

OT:
AciD said:
Are you sure?
Maybe you need to get a pair of glasses ;)
Click to expand...

it's still "Left for Death[...]" in my rss feed ;)
 
That's what happens when you post news half conscious ;)
 
It seems like there is a problem with the matchmaking. Cant find any dedicated servers.
 
So much for this. Every server i join lags. This is like Windows Live but with less reliable servers.
 
There are no dedicated servers right now. Its all peoples Listen Servers. No one can support this over a private connection. Wonder when the real servers will be up.
 
umm am i the only one who can't even start downloading the demo? I hit install demo on steam and nothing happens it just refreshes the page. I check my games and nothing is there downloading.
 
Very strange move. I see half of the logic, but then I see gaping holes. With no way to choose what server you're joining, how can L4D be formed? You may get popular servers, but the chances of seeing the same players day in, day out on those servers is much reduced because everyone wants to be on the popular server.

Surely there must be a workaround, like adding it to your favourites list or something similar?
 
Not that good :\

Been running LAN hosting all evening, and it creates a bit of lag on my computer when it has to both host and play the game.

I truly hope they add a server browser aswell. This is too much like the dreaded console matchmaking. God how I hate that system. It's nice however, that you can choose to play with only your friends. Now if we could just lock a server to a certain amount of people only?
 
I don't mind the matchmaking, however, I still would like there to be a server browser.
 
It's a really good idea, just a shame it isn't working properly... Personally, I thought the old way worked fine, this way seems like it does almost too much for you. I prefer having the choice of choosing, no doubt when the actual game is released it will be a lot better, hopefully!
 
What the ****?

This is a terrible, stupid idea.

I've tried and can't get a game. At least if there was a server browser, I would KNOW there are games there. And when servers do go up, I want to know what server I'm joining and what ping it has, so I can actually play the game without lagging up the ass and having to try a billion times to get a decent game.

Hell, I don't even care if they just slap in the basic Steam browser in addition to this experiment they have. I want to choose my damn game actually be able to find out whether there IS a game available instead of sitting in a lobby for half an hour.

VERY disappointing. This will make the game terrible no matter how well it's developed. If this isn't changed, I don't know if I'll shell out the money for another Valve game so readily, ESPECIALLY since they HID this from the community until the last second, KNOWING it would piss us off.

And this isn't even touching on the fact that there's no incentive to buy a server, so there will be no servers. Ever.

So please, don't bring Xbox Live to the PC.
 
I hate matchmaking on Xbox Live. I remember when I first play PGR4 and wondered, "Where are all the servers?!?!".
 
i hate matchmaking in general, but i have to admit it makes sense for the type of game this is.
 
The problem is, without matchmaking how are the games gonna work, for instance, if me and a friend wanna start playing, do we have to join a server thats already half way through a campaign? or an empty server in the same situation. Im also not sure how communities can form when the server only holds 4 people.

Its kinda like a ride at a theme park, lets say there is a great server with a decent ping whatever, but a team of friends is already in there, do you queue?, it just doesnt sound like it would work to me.
 
Lobster said:
The problem is, without matchmaking how are the games gonna work, for instance, if me and a friend wanna start playing, do we have to join a server thats already half way through a campaign? or an empty server in the same situation. Im also not sure how communities can form when the server only holds 4 people.

Its kinda like a ride at a theme park, lets say there is a great server with a decent ping whatever, but a team of friends is already in there, do you queue?, it just doesnt sound like it would work to me.
Click to expand...
True, but then again, for me i like rejoining a server i had been on previously in hope that i may see people id been playing with before.
 
Match making is good but it should never replace the server browser.
 
A crazy off the wall long term idea, would be to have 20ish man Lobby servers, with the 4 man games branching off it into instances, you chat and meet regulars in the sponsored lobby, and group up and start campaigns within the same box.

I bet thats impossible to do, I was just brainstorming.
 
Lobster said:
A crazy off the wall long term idea, would be to have 20ish man Lobby servers, with the 4 man games branching off it into instances, you chat and meet regulars in the sponsored lobby, and group up and start campaigns within the same box.

I bet thats impossible to do, I was just brainstorming.
Click to expand...
Kinda similar to this, but instead of an enforced matchmaking experience, what about an in-chat or in-group option for Steam users that allows you to form a L4D party.

E.g. #1
You're in a group chatroom on Steam. You click the chatroom menu and select:
>>> Look for players for game >> Left 4 Dead

You thereby create a L4D party and anyone else in the chat is invited to join. As soon as you have 4 players, you 'ready up' and a server is automatically selected for you.

E.g. #2
You want to play some L4D when you get back from work/school, so you go to a Steam Group you're a part of and click:

>>> Schedule an event >> Type: Game > Left 4 Dead

You set the time for your game and all from the group are sent invite messages when they log onto Steam next (or immediately if they're already online). When you get back from work, all the people who wanted to play are shown as a list for the event. You can then select the members of the L4D party from the people currently online and 'ready up' so you can be allocated a server.

These would be optional methods of getting a party together for L4D. Another option would be just 'find a game' to join a random party in your neck of the woods that is waiting for 1 or more people before they can begin. The final option would be manually selecting a server.

But I think this last option should always be available. I'm surprised this has taken so long to occur to Valve as a problem. It's fine for console gamers, but us PC gamers are used to customisation and choice. L4D is ostensibly a co-operative experience, and co-operative experiences are most fun with people you know. Why would we want to play with randoms? This clearly hasn't been thought through properly, like a number of bizarre design decisions Valve has come out with over the last 12 months.
 
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