Bungie on Destiny matchmaking: “We believe there’s no substitute for a pre-made team”

Crazy though this may seem, it’s possible that Destiny shipped according to plan. History points to community as a crucial component, far from the contingency that many now suspect. Paul Davies spoke to Bungie for clarity.

[ThunderPulse]

Actually there is its called matchmaking and most titles have it unless the dev is either too lazy or too naive to have it in their game.

[xHeavYx]

Because of work and the gym, I only get to play around 1.5 hours during the week. Most of the people on my friend's list play every day for hours, so by the time that I have time to do Nightfall, most of my friends have already done it. (also, my time zone is Pacific time, so most of my friends are ready to go to bed by the time I get online)
Having the chance to be matched with random people to do Nightfall (like it happens for the Weekly) would benefit me a lot.
So, yeah, a pre-made team of buddies is the best when it comes to Destiny, but they should let users decide what type of team they want.

[DivoJones]

I had a similar issue with raids, my weekday time is highly limited so most my playtime is Fri/Sat nights. By then my Destiny friends have already done their nightfalls and raids. It's not much of an issue since most of them, myself included, have essentially stopped playing Destiny.

[emad-E-three]

I know i'll get disagreed alot but...after trying the matchmaking with the Heroic I actually hate it and don't want it with Nightfalls or Raids, its not that I don't want people like you to play them I mean im not an a**hole but I dont want strangers to join my game with friends and be forced to play with them! For example last week was doing the Heroic with friends and one of them got booted (server error) and as soon as he got kicked someone joined and toke his place so we had to start the whole thing again!! The way Bungie made is PLAIN STUPID it should have been optional, I don't want to leave in VoG to change my characters for the chest and just lose my spot for someone we don't know let alone Communications in raids is key.

As long as its optional it is welcome.

[PANDAB]

I do not believe this line of "no substitute for a pre-made team"- the fact is there have been persons beating the most challenging offerings in Destiny BY THEMSELVES.

Many persons have been watching the steps involved in getting through this game on youtube, twitch etc... so the "need" for doing it only with friends is a bit redundant. I'm still hoping for matchmaking in the Raids at some point in the future though.

[GameSpawn]

I agree and disagree (to both sides of the argument). I can see where Bungie is coming from because I have first hand experienced terrible lvl 28 Strikes through matchmaking because people didn't have mics or just didn't communicate resulting in a lot of wipes and checkpoints that could have easily been avoided. To have to deal with this on a raid would make me pull my hair out. A 15-20 minute strike taking an hour (due to "newbs") is one thing, but for a 1 hour long raid it would get stretched even further to the point people would be dropping constantly out of frustration.

I think matchmaking should be allowed on everything with an option to filter for mic users for those like myself that prefer the communication. They could also limit matchmaking by level for the thing being matched so that you need to be at least the same level or higher (ex. allow matchmaking on VoG Hard if your level is 30 or higher) - this way there is less chance of someone going into a raid woefully under-powered/under-leveled.

BTW, at least for VoG there are points where you MUST communicate. One such point is the Atheon warping, unless you want to split the three remaining people to hold open BOTH gates (a TOTAL waste of resources). It is easier for those who warped to quickly say "Venus" or "Mars" for the other three to quickly move to open the left or right gates. One of the three can even pop in to help in finishing off the Oracles (which will wipe the entire party if ANY are left).

[A LIVING LEGEND]

Lame reasoning
If you prefer tackling things as part of a pre made team,great.If you want to or are forced by circumstance to tackle the same things with a group of random people,great.Be prepared for a little frustration but you know that going in.

Good way to actually meet players who,although decent,aren't always able to form a full group.Of course you meet plenty of misanthropes as well but you know that going in.
The argument against matchmaking is nonsensical

[maybelovehate]

In this case I agree with them. I have done well over 100 raids, most with my clan and many with randoms.. Most of my experiences with randoms was pretty bad, although there is usually one person I meet that I can then invite to the clan : ).

[kstap33]

100 raids? I thought there were only 2 raids in the game. Or have you replayed the same raids over and over?

[GameSpawn]

He's referring to attempts. You can also replay raids as much as you want, but you only earn rewards/drops from them once per week per character per difficulty (hard/normal).

[SmokingMonkey]

How about giving us the choice?

[maybelovehate]

I do think this is the best solution. Choice can't be a bad thing. I mean, I think I will stick to LFG when I need to find a match just because I can at least find groups that seem prepared, but offering a choice is a no lose situation.

[A LIVING LEGEND]

Yep,completely agree.There is no downside beyond the frustration that often goes with unknowns attempting to form a cohesive unit.
It can take some time.

[SliceOfTruth888]

I have sunk many many MANY hours into destiny and i stopped playing about a month ago because I CANT PLAY THE RAIDS! I mean seriously this is so stupid i cant handle it. All this leads to is people going on the LFT websites and they end up with a bunch of jabronis anyway. I cant even get into a team because everyone has such strict standards and its just annoying. Not having it in game is just stupid

[maybelovehate]

Try posting on the Bungie Forums. There are a lot of guys there that find it fun to run new players through raids.

[LeoDDestroyer]

I feel sorry for you but I'm glad raid doesn't have matchmaking. I'm not to happy about about it being in the weekly strikes now. You really do need a team that you can communicate with and it is really not that hard to make friends on destiny.

[MysticStrummer]

Matchmaking should be an option. You wouldn't have to use it if it was available so why are you glad it isn't?

[LeoDDestroyer]

Because so fat bungie has not shown the ability to have a on/off option. It is either you do matchmaking or you don't. I can't play the weekly solo anymore b/c of it.

[GameSpawn]

Depending on how you advertise yourself on the LFG depends on who you'll get matched with. I don't know which system you are on, but the times I've had to resort to using the LFG for the nightfall or a raid I have gotten into some pretty friendly groups. It may be because I only target people with mics and the people I end up with are (1) willing to share strategies (2) willing to listen to new ones as well.

I can tell you if you are attempting a lvl 30 Raid with a less than 30 character you are immediately going to get overlooked in the LFGs. Also, make sure you have a FULL set of legendary gear and at least 1 exotic weapon (Icebreaker for VoG and Red Death for Crota) before attempting either raid (exotic armor can help too, but not needed for VoG Normal). If you can make it through all of either raid you'll earn a few weapons and armor that are very useful for playing the raid again or using in the other raid or on the nightfalls (an example is most of the VoG weapons have a bonus perk to do additional damage to the Oracles in VoG).

[corroios]

Its really simple. Give us the choice!!! both option should be available.

A - With your friends
B - Random

[kyzer1978]

Waiting for your friends to log on to complete Raids or a Nightfall can definitely be hassle at times so I totally get the comments. I think a solution would be for Bungie to have some sort of recruitment system in the game. Players can signup for Raids or Nightfalls by answering a classified ad that team leaders could post. Players could also recruit their own teams by putting up their own classified ad. Team leaders could put minimum settings for the team, as far as level goes and minimum number of players. Once the settings are met and the recruitment slots are filled, then the Raid or Nightfall would automatically start.

[Menkyo]

I joined a clan it died, I made a clan that now has 30 people who support each other and game often. I've never had a problem getting a raid team, nightfall etc from day one with out match making. Match making was added to the Weekly I now avoid doing if I don't have a full team of clan because routinely there is one doofus who joins to go afk. It's really bad in GTA with the on call crap as well. I don't want match making for raids and having to deal with douche bags going afk from the jump hoping we can beat it without them.

[MysticStrummer]

"I don't want match making for raids and having to deal with douche bags…"

Why do you think you'd be forced to use matchmaking if it was an option?

[Menkyo]

Is match making any option on weeklys? No its not just like its not an option for pvp. It won't be an "option" it will be added and if you don't have a full team you'll be matched just like it is now.

[hangdang]

It's absurd they don't put the option in there for people who want it. And then people who don't won't have to use it. Not to mention that after you do the raids a couple of times, they can be completed in u Der an hour with a decent team. bungie must have forgot that there's such a limited amount of content in that game that people know everything about the game like the back of their hand. But I'm sure a lot of people have stopped playing now that Bloodborne is out

[hangdang]

This is ridiculous since most people probably just use destinylfg.com, which is essentially teaming up with totally random people anyway. That's what I do and it works fine

[mochachino]

Yeah but it takes long and if someone quits yo u don't have matchmaking to replace them.

What is so wrong with options. How would that hurt Bungie's precious theory on how making would somehow ruin the experience. What do they even base it on? It's not like the bungie dev team is a representative sample.

[hangdang]

What takes long? I usually find five other people to raid with within minutes of looking on lfg. And if someone drops out, I can find someone to replace them just as easily.

If you read my previous comments, you would see them I am absolutely in favor of matchmaking, and the fact that I do essentially the same thing on LFG, is a testament to the fact that teaming up with random players is not an issue.

[Tetsujin]

Responses like this is one reason why I stopped playing back in Dec., and haven't looked back since. It wouldn't hurt to provide an option (with filters) to help with match making.

Another game I'm currently playing at least gives you the option to match make with randoms, friends, or play solo; which questions why some games who actually listen to the community can provide features that other games (Destiny) try to explain why it's not needed when the majority would like the option(s).

[A LIVING LEGEND]

I don't understand why anyone would actually be against it,outside of some selfish mindset that only a 'clan' deserves to reap the rewards.If a group of random people can do it,with less frequency and probably poorer execution,fair enough.
It isn't like anyone would be forced to use matchmaking regardless of the weird
picture some of the detractors try to paint.

[transamdude95]

I wonder if this guy realizes Bungie added matchmaking to Halo... So why is their stance now that they do not support matchmaking? I think it's laziness or stupidity. Better yet, laziness and stupidity.

[Cryptcuzz]

I feel like its best they don't have matchmaking for RAIDS and nightfall. To attempt anything in the game, you can do so even at three levels below what the enemy difficulty would be.

So the thought of being matched in a level 30 nightfall, for example, with two level 27 is not something I would want to do. Imagine a bunch of people at lower levels queuing the raids before the weekly reset and your matched with them?

It's just too much trouble for something that can be better resolved by finding like minded/regions/types to play with in the Destiny forums/LFG/etc. or even in the tower.

What I think Bungie should do is have an area in the tower with a bulletin where one would be able to post what they are wanting to do and other guardians looking to do the same can see who can they recruit to their fireteam. That way fireteams can be created in the tower and whoever is the fireteam leader can decide whether they would allow lower level guardians to accompany them on a RAID for example.

[ManAnimalX]

lmao, the lies just keeps spewing out, you spend that kinda $$$ on a game that's suppose to last 10 years and your telling me your hanging your hat on "Pre-made teams" type of consumers keeping it going?

lol, wow that's savy business thinking err NOT!, gtfo with that BS, Destiny is a shell of what it was suppose to be, it didn't turn out how they market the game to consumers, "You can go anywhere you see in the distance"....

blah blah, remember that quote?, they lied plain and simple. If you like Destiny and play Destiny well then good for you I guess, but I have higher expectations, and they were not met.

I Hope Destiny fails more than any other game ever, Bungie has betrayed many consumers, the best thing they can do is STFU, cause only Destiny Junkies would by in to any of this BS there saying.

[mochachino]

Bungie is making a mistake, matchmaking is far superior to manually going online to find people. Which is what most people have to do. Matchmaking is the same thing - paired up with strangers except manual match finding takes forever and youre screwed when someone quits. On that topic, you still find lots of people that quit, difference is matchmaking would find a replacement.

I just got back into the game but without raid matchmaking I've reduced playing and have movee on to other games. I need radiant materials but can't get any without RAIDS. Even if I could, after level 28 Nightfall and RAIDS are the only thing fun to play.

The best part of the game is RAIDS. Every thing you do is to build towards them, but they're almost impossible to do with any regularity because of the lack of matchmaking.

Why not just give people the option? Why ignore the wishes of probably more than half their fanbase? Bungie is acting like a dictator. What about the wishes of the fans that play and buy the game. The one that would buy a sequel and dlc. Bungie argument fails. Matchmaking or manual Interne trandoms makes no difference in terms of group reliabilty. Just make a headset a requirement and refill the fireteam if someone quits. Me and my two friends have been left stuck so many times because people have decided to quit. Matchmaking would fix that as it could just add more people.

There's really no benefit to not having matchmaking. Bungie are being foolish and perhaps stubborn.

EDIT: typed from my phone, I'm not fixing the s/g

EDIT 2: you know what, forget this game. If Bungie's founders think they know my tastes better than I do then I'll screw them. They have no idea how sht it is finding random online. Takes forever and they quit just the same. The only reason I've continued playing this game is in hope of RAID matchmaking. If it's not coming then there's absolutely NO point of leveling up my guy and no point in playing as a result. Seriously, what am I playing for exactly, Strikes? I should just trade it in then.