EventMatchmaker(tm) needs work

It seems I'm stuck in a spot where EventMatchmaker(tm) doesn't work very well. I hear others are good, and I'm sure NML players are fine beating down weaker boats... but here's a good example of what I face nearly every match. I usually face 4-6 NML players in Events whereas I face 1-2 in ranked battles, usually all of which have 1-2k higher GS than I do. Events are supposed to be matched by Gear Score, but in my case Ranked matches do a far better job of that. This particular match is a little bit of an outlier due to the wide variety of participants, but it's representative of what I usually see.

Friends Unfriends

envylife GS: 10.8k, Inf: 3227 AmericanMarauder GS: 13.5k, Inf: 4000 (NML)
Darkgombess GS: 10.6k, Inf: 3935 (NML) Tetas GS: 8.8k, Inf: 3901 (NML)
johnnymarbles GS: 10k, Inf: 1216 New_Barba_Ruiva GS: 9.8k, Inf: 2859
Rob4fun2 GS: 9.7k, Inf: 2871 eddiez GS: 8.8k, Inf: 3649
killykilly00841 GS: 7.7k, Inf: 1796 SeldomScenn GS: 8.1k, Inf: 1490

Friends Total GS: 48.8k, Total Inf: 13k Unfriends Total GS: 49k, Inf: 15.9k

There are a lot of interesting things in this match, like a couple players obviously using non-standard GS and loadouts, but it's an event. GS is balanced side by side, as it always is... the question is how does it decide who gets in the match in the first place? I don't wait long for matches, and this particular match has less NML players than my usual Event, but AM's Gear Score is what must cause the interesting match diversity.

My questions:

• Is there not enough NML players for EventMatchmaker(tm) to match with AmericanMarauder? I think yes because my matches usually have 4-5 of them, this is low.
• Is it fair to throw in the 3 players with under 9k GS in a match with 3 NML players? Well ok, there is a 4th player under 9k GS but they are NML.
• Why the overly broad Infamy Spread?
• How did these 10 players get into the same match?

IMO EventMatchmaker(tm) got half the match right... 5 are around 10k... and a 10% variance feels right to me.
It feels like there are 3 or 4 groups of players that should all be in different matches: 3 players < 2k, 2 @2.8k, 2 @3k-ish, 3 NML is the Infamy spread, GS spread is 4@7-8k, 5@9.7-10.8k, 1@13.5k

Conclusions... Eventmatchmaker(tm)

• Ignores Gear Score when including participants in a battle, and the inclusion criteria appears to be based solely on Captain Level (9/10 are Max Captain, the 10th is L49)
• Balances players side to side by Gear Score once they get in the match.
• Assumes if you are fully trained that you also have the gear to back it up.

I think that last conclusion is the key to the the primary flaw in the algorithm. What do you think?

 

If they make matchmaking looser, the tradeoff is that people will start sealclubbing again. If they make it tighter, the tradeoff is people like you have wide gearscore spread games.

 

I'm not sure I follow. I'm asking to tighten up the participants in a match based on Gear Score.. to tighten up the Gear Score ranges. Matchmaking based solely on Captain Level makes less sense than both GS and Infamy matching.

 

Here’s my question... I like using events to try out my other ships/gear/loadouts without risking infamy drops in the process, but for example my speeder (level 30/gear score 8209) still gets matched against level 47 ships like my shooter (level 47/gear score 9069). I’ve also seem MANY games where my speeder will end up on a team with one or two other lower level ships facing a team with all level 47 boats...? I thought boat level was part of the calculation so what gives? I like being challenged but this doesn’t seem fair to me or my teammates.

 

As far as I can tell Events don't match boat level, Gear Score, or this fictitious Power Score. The sole matching criteria is very crude... it's simply Captain Level.

You can take whatever lower boat you want into an Event match, and you won't lose Infamy, but it also won't help you win games or contribute to Guild Quests as much. My L10 Interceptor is frustrating to play with.

 

I would also support this theory. Captain level seems to be the overriding factor in picking the 10 players for a battle, and then the teams are evened out by gear score.
I am typically always the lowest gear score in my battles and every battle I've checked all my opponents are captain levels 48, 49 and 50. Because my gear score is typically lower than other players at my captain level, I am frequently put into battles against 12,000+ gear scores, while I rock my solid 9K loadout.
The events are no longer for testing out new ships or weapons, unless you want to hurt your team.