In the multiplayer shooter Arc Raiders, helpful players have formed their own community. Their goal: to perform heroic deeds.
Even when Arc Raiders was first released, two groups of players emerged in the multiplayer shooter: while some are primarily interested in fighting other people, others enjoy friendly encounters.
Many friendly raiders therefore wanted a separation: in their opinion, those who are interested in shooting at other players should end up in a match with like-minded people. This wish has actually already been fulfilled, as Patrick Söderlund from the development studio Embark in an interview.
Birds of a feather flock together
According to Söderlund, Arc Raiders takes three key factors into account when matchmaking: our skill, whether we play alone or with allies, and also our behavior towards other players. Players who mainly fight against the Arcs and rarely pick fights with other humans are more likely to end up in lobbies with other friendly players.
However, this aggression-based matchmaking
is a very new mechanic. According to Söderlund, it was introduced less than two weeks ago. So anyone who has been frustrated by constantly getting into fights with other players should now have the chance to enjoy much more peaceful rounds.
However, Söderlund does not reveal exactly how the aggression filter works in the interview. It is questionable, for example, whether the game recognizes when someone is only defending themselves against an attack by another raider. Is the battle then considered self-defense or simply a PvP encounter, which increases the chances of aggressive lobbies?
The new matchmaking mechanic is also interesting in light of previous statements by the developers: They repeatedly stated that the danger posed by other players provided much-needed excitement. One player on Reddit explains why this does not necessarily contradict the new mechanics:
I rarely do PvP unless they shoot first […] and 90 percent of the players I encounter are super nice. […] But because of the other 10 percent, you’re still on your guard all the time.
Even in friendlier lobbies, battles can still break out at any time. In the interview, Söderlund explains that you are more likely
to end up in a round with PvE players and that it is not an exact science. So there is no guarantee of a peaceful gathering.
Regardless of matchmaking, however, many players have been trying for some time to keep aggressive raiders in check: a dedicated community, the Rescue Raiders, was recently founded on Reddit. Around 16,000 fans have committed themselves to keeping the peace here and want to help other players first and foremost.
