Is it like this for everyone that solo matches into galleon crews?

@Soulless Rager said in Is it like this for everyone that solo matches into galleon crews?:

If I have to use resources outside the game itself to find an enjoyable session, that's a failure on the games part.

This is exactly the problem. For a game that promotes itself as a 4 man co-op experience I find the lack of an in game lobby pathetic. Rare has relied on Microsofts inadequate LFG system rather than doing the work themselves. It should be very easy for everyone starting the game to join the relevant queue and sail with like minded gamers.

My LFG experience. There's no way to filter the LFGs except by time so you're looking through a list of irrelevant posts with tags like Francais only or Deutsch only. You've then got loads of posts with no text or tags at all. Then a load of server hopping skull fort groups. Then a load of rather confused posts e.g. #EnglishOnly then write their post in Spanish. Loads using #StonersWelcome - you want stoned crewmates who refuse to work? Some from people who haven't played the game e.g. need 6 crewmates - what? How about "Need full team, stealing other peoples stuff" - errr no thanks. Or "Girl gamers here looking to make long time friends" - no this is not a dating site and we all know you're probably a fat bloke anyway.

But if you do manage to wade through all of that spam and actually find an LFG that looks like it might be useful you're now left in limbo. I've tried a number of times, requested to join a "starts now" LFG and messaged the poster only for them to completely ignore me. I assume because they're already at sea and were either too busy to respond or didn't know how to actually get me into their game.

Plus you can jump through all these hoops and still end up in a game with someone who thinks dropping anchor in the middle of a sea battle is a good idea!!!!

@soulless-rager I play about 50-50 solo/galleon I'd say, give or take. I've been successful most of the time, and when I wasn't, it was on me for not spyglassing, or taking too long to fight the infernal gold-skellies. If I'm pursued, I can usually out-maneuver them just by going into the wind. Sloops are the faster then, and another sloop won't be able to catch you, just match your speed.

As for your inability to find a crew, let me put it this way: What have you done to earn a good crew, instead of just expecting one to come to you? Most competent crews, don't want randoms joining their games, precisely because they're unreliable and don't want to join the party. So I'd suggest you stop crying that you're drowning, when the rescue rope is right freaking there, if only you'd grab it. LFG will find you friends, just have to look.

@soulless-rager nail on the head. In my experience, 1 in 15 matchmaking attempts at least has 1 person who knows the game. Most of the time you get clueless, mute pirates.

I had two random pickup groups on galleons yesterday.

Galleon #1: Started off with me and one other player completing a gold hoarder voyage that resulted in a couple of captain's chests. Soon afterwards we were joined by two more players. We decided to attack an active skull fort. A galleon was already there so we sunk it, killed the captain, and fled with the key just before the first galleon could return. They gave chase but the kraken took care of them. We returned to the fort, grabbed the loot from the vault, and turned it in for about 16K. Everyone seemed to know what to do and communicated pretty well.

Galleon #2: Joined a random legendary galleon with an Athena's quest. It was mostly just myself and one other player working through it. A third player was just idling on the bottom deck the whole journey. The fourth slot was an endless parade of randoms looking for active skull forts. This was a good reminder why I am not in any hurry to reach legendary. The voyages take way too long to fully complete and the constant waves of skeletons wore thin after a couple of hours.

Both experiences were focused on doing something. It was fun, but I do get tired of the ultra-focused crews grinding their way to... I actually don't know what they are all headed towards.

@soulless-rager

Agree the game could certainly make it easier.

@sir-rhavi

I'm glad that worked out for you but in my experience that's an exception to the standard it's about looking at the macro not small sample sizes of one time.

Also maybe take it easy with the lazy stuff theres no reason to be a d**k, I have tried creating posts before and they don't get responses very often and because you can't make your game invite only it's not like I can go solo till I get a response and add someone later.

@marlonngrando said in Is it like this for everyone that solo matches into galleon crews?:

@sir-rhavi

I'm glad that worked out for you but in my experience that's an exception to the standard it's about looking at the macro not small sample sizes of one time.

Also maybe take it easy with the lazy stuff theres no reason to be a d**k, I have tried creating posts before and they don't get responses very often and because you can't make your game invite only it's not like I can go solo till I get a response and add someone later.

No, I won't take it easy with the lazy stuff. You think i'm the exception? You think the LFG discord USUALLY leads into a bad match? why the barnacle are there 35 groups of 4 people sailing on the discord RIGHT NOW if the MAJORITY were bad groups? Why the hell would it even be a thing?

You had a bad experience with the matchmake, so you refuse to use a better tool? If there are 35 active groups AT THIS MOMENT and 10k online, 200+ legends, and you always have a bad experience, my friend, you are the problem.

You people come to the forums to complain, we offer solutions, you ignore them.

@Sir-Rhavi

35 groups isn't that many and if the majority of those are skull fort server hopping or requiring levels or different languages or little kids then yes it can be hard to find a game. I didn't say bad groups they just aren't what I'm looking for or I'm not what they are looking for. Neither did I say that I always have a bad time it can take longer than I'd like.

My timezone is HST so that also makes it tougher, there may be 35 AT THIS MOMENT but that isn't the case when I am able to get on, I suppose that is me being lazy or my fault or whatever. OP was the one who said he didn't use the tools and everyone dog-piled on, I was merely pointing out that using those tools doesn't guarantee a 100% solution either. I do use the tools available and still have trouble sometimes with getting a game going.

Rare seems to agree though that this is an area that needs to be addressed as they have stated that they are working on the matchmaking system in regards to invite only sessions. It would be great if I could make a post and start playing until I get a request or another friend logs on and I can have them join me, or when one crew member leaves a game the remaining people could lock that spot and make a post to recruit a new person instead of some random popping in.