This is the much anticipated change for online multiplayer that introduces a new points/ranking system for this new game mode as well, so it also includes a new "Top 50" Leaderboard for competitive matchmaking. You will still have all of your points from the "old" multiplayer points system (and that system continues unchanged here), those points are just now called "XP" (basically, experience points). Similarly, your old level in multiplayer will now be called your "XP Level". The name for these games is now called "Classic", to show the difference between that and the new game mode called "Competitive Matchmaking". We have also removed the "Lobby Chat" tab, as frankly it was rarely used and taking up valuable space.
In competitive mode games, you will now see your Competitive Rank (CR) and the corresponding level for that (CR Level). Before you can rank in competitive play, you have to be at least an XP Level of 5, and then play at least 5 competitive matchmaking games (placement matches) to earn your rank. Once completed, you will be awarded a rank and level based on your performance in those placement matches against others of similar CR/CR Level.
Some of this may change as we go through the beta, but right now here are the basic rules of Competitive Matchmaking.
All Competitive Games Are:
- Best-Of-3
- A single game is just not enough of a sample to determine your skill versus your opponent
- Automatic Counting
- Your skill with selecting discards and playing your cards is what we care about
- 10 Sec. Turn Limit
- Shorter than anything possible through the classic games, so think fast
- Start Automatically
- Nobody is responsible for "starting" the game, all automatic
- Disconnect/Quit is Always a Loss
- Don't try to get away with quitting, dropping your connection, etc. It won't work, and you will lose as a result
- Classic XP Level of 5+ Required
- You have to play in the classic mode for a little while to familiarize yourself with the game before you jump into competitive play
Finally, we will be having "competitive seasons" with this as well, just like you would see in a professional sports season. This means that on a regular basis (actual timing TBD), a new season will start and give everyone a chance to come in and participate on equal footing to see if they can take the title of the best player of the season!
We are very excited to get this release out to you for beta testing, and really want your feedback and suggestions if you try it out. We do need enough players to join the beta so that we have enough players to regular do the matchmaking with as well, so if you join please also encourage your friends to join and give it a try too. We plan on running the beta for a little while to gather as much feedback as possible, before we release this out to everyone in the general release.
