What a joke.

[RedX]

As usual, it seems a community is utterly ruined by rating. I just downloaded FaF, after playing on steam for a few days and playing on GPGnet a long time ago. So I have 0 rating. I figured I'd play some casual games before I wind down for bed. Only problem? I get kicked from every game because every game is specified by rating. Of course, they only decide to kick me after spending 15 minutes trying to get enough people and getting everybody to X up. What a wonderful waste of time.

I could play some ranked games, but that would eat up what little free time I have left tonight. Besides, I don't particularly enjoy 1v1 or ranked, I'd rather just play the damn game than get slaughtered by the kinds of diehard pros that reside in ranked, and then have it advertised for everybody to see.

I realize not EVERYBODY is like this, but it's things like this that really make somebody want to leave and not come back, especially when Steam multiplayer seems to be getting more populated and doesn't have these issues.

[SomeoneAUS]

There are normally plenty of noobs or all welcome games.... it wont take many games to get a rating up and if you are good it will go up fast... give it 10 games...

There is also a massive influx of new people at the moment so you may find people get frustrated playing with people that have completely no idea.

Make yourself known in the chat... have a chat to a few people... The community here is actually pretty good. The worst thing we have seems to be the anti Australian croud as there are plenty of Aussies with over 500 latancy to parts of Europe (main player base). But hey if its evening where you are ATM that is probably not going to be an issue for you.

Winning a few noob / all welcome games is not that hard. You will then start to get a ranking. The ranking it good... As a noob would you really want to join a game where you have no chance? Or as a pro do you really want to spend 10 mins getting in a game only to walk over the other team in 5 mins? Ranking helps games be more balanced and thus more fun. Unfortunately you have to play a few imbalanced games at the start to get your rating but after that you get balanced games. You would rather no ranking system and most games be imbalanced?

[RedX]

There are normally plenty of noobs or all welcome games.... it wont take many games to get a rating up and if you are good it will go up fast... give it 10 games...

Mostly on Setons garbage or filled with mods.

There is also a massive influx of new people at the moment so you may find people get frustrated playing with people that have completely no idea.

While that is fair enough, I think a game marked <1000 or 500-1000 should really be noob-friendly... And I did tell them I was not new.

Make yourself known in the chat... have a chat to a few people... The community here is actually pretty good. The worst thing we have seems to be the anti Australian croud as there are plenty of Aussies with over 500 latancy to parts of Europe (main player base). But hey if its evening where you are ATM that is probably not going to be an issue for you.

I can't figure out how to join the chat. The server tab comes up and it just sits there doing normal IRC server stuff, it never joins a channel.

Winning a few noob / all welcome games is not that hard. You will then start to get a ranking. The ranking it good... As a noob would you really want to join a game where you have no chance? Or as a pro do you really want to spend 10 mins getting in a game only to walk over the other team in 5 mins? Ranking helps games be more balanced and thus more fun. Unfortunately you have to play a few imbalanced games at the start to get your rating but after that you get balanced games. You would rather no ranking system and most games be imbalanced?

Even amongst people who supposedly similar in rating, my experience is that games are almost always a landslide. I've had more fun and balanced games on Steam than I can ever recall having on GPGnet. Grant you, I am not saying I'm good, and I did not intend it to come off that way, I'm really pretty garbage. But I'm not a clueless noob. However, apparently I'm not used to how the wonderful FAF community and their silly custom maps they love play. Not sure why the only maps anybody ever plays are stupid large or chokepoint maps where it's just air and exps that matter.

[E8400-CV]

There are normally plenty of noobs or all welcome games.... it wont take many games to get a rating up and if you are good it will go up fast... give it 10 games...

And a week... since now rating only updates once a week; on sunday.

He is kinda right though in that the low-rated games that get hosted have all kinds of crazy mods enabled. Read: Thermo + blackops + xx + xx

[SomeoneAUS]

Yes that is true... Lower ranked players tend to play gap, Setons and thermo.

I have seen a few twin rivers lately which I personally find good. That being said I am one of those lower ranked players and I don't mind gap and setons... Thermo puts me to sleep but some people like a grind fest.

Eh I'm not really fussed if you play here or play on steam. I personnaly think that faf is better. I find it more active and the game balance better. You may be different.

[nine2]

Noobs like noob maps. Just get a rating, play some real maps, enjoy the awesome, and stop bitching about little things.

p.s. i play with and against zero rated players

[Golol]

host your own games if you want 2v2s and 3v3s and there is nothing already. its not hard to fill such games.
and if you already played on steam you might get your rating over 400 in a few games.

[Aulex]

There are normally plenty of noobs or all welcome games.... it wont take many games to get a rating up and if you are good it will go up fast... give it 10 games...

Mostly on Setons garbage or filled with mods.

Host your own games

There is also a massive influx of new people at the moment so you may find people get frustrated playing with people that have completely no idea.

While that is fair enough, I think a game marked <1000 or 500-1000 should really be noob-friendly... And I did tell them I was not new.

again host your own games

Make yourself known in the chat... have a chat to a few people... The community here is actually pretty good. The worst thing we have seems to be the anti Australian croud as there are plenty of Aussies with over 500 latancy to parts of Europe (main player base). But hey if its evening where you are ATM that is probably not going to be an issue for you.

I can't figure out how to join the chat. The server tab comes up and it just sits there doing normal IRC server stuff, it never joins a channel.

chat server was down

Winning a few noob / all welcome games is not that hard. You will then start to get a ranking. The ranking it good... As a noob would you really want to join a game where you have no chance? Or as a pro do you really want to spend 10 mins getting in a game only to walk over the other team in 5 mins? Ranking helps games be more balanced and thus more fun. Unfortunately you have to play a few imbalanced games at the start to get your rating but after that you get balanced games. You would rather no ranking system and most games be imbalanced?

Even amongst people who supposedly similar in rating, my experience is that games are almost always a landslide. I've had more fun and balanced games on Steam than I can ever recall having on GPGnet. Grant you, I am not saying I'm good, and I did not intend it to come off that way, I'm really pretty garbage. But I'm not a clueless noob. However, apparently I'm not used to how the wonderful FAF community and their silly custom maps they love play. Not sure why the only maps anybody ever plays are stupid large or chokepoint maps where it's just air and exps that matter.

Honestly i'd say host your own games that's the solution, but if you have trouble getting your rating up you could talk to the trainer team in the "help me i'm a noobie" subforum

[E8400-CV]

host your own games if you want 2v2s and 3v3s and there is nothing already. its not hard to fill such games.
and if you already played on steam you might get your rating over 400 in a few games.

In the time it takes to get 5 more people to join for a 3v3 Ozone you can play an entire fullshare Gap game...

[lextoc]

I didn't had this problem when I start, I just started playing ladder straight away. But the range to match with ladder opponent has been reduced, maybe that has something to do with it