u/Cyborg800-V2

I'm exploring an idea of mine using Godot that blends the light and sound stealth mechanics of Splinter Cell and Thief with classic Resident Evil's exploration and Metal Gear Solid's dynamic overhead camera that transitions and changes based on player position. Inspired by MGS2, I've implemented corner peek and first person aiming (with the player unable to move and only able to look 90 degrees left and right).

I love the cinematic camera angles of classic RE, but recognize that tank controls are a barrier of entry to newcomers, so I feel that MGS2's camera is a middle-ground.

For me personally, I feel passionate about using this camera style because it lends a unique cinematic feel and doesn't provide the player the power of a traditional third person camera. It'd encourage the player to be more methodical and feel more vulnerable. Following Thief's AI behavior rather than the binary alarm states of MGS and SC coupled with the light meter should ideally avoid the frustration some have with classic MGS's camera and stealth.

I'd like to see a second opinion on this. What are the positives and negatives of my choice of camera? How would they impact the gameplay of Thief and Splinter Cell?

I'm exploring an idea of mine using Godot that blends the light and sound stealth mechanics of Splinter Cell and Thief with classic Resident Evil's exploration and Metal Gear Solid's dynamic overhead camera that transitions and changes based on player position. Inspired by MGS2, I've implemented corner peek and first person aiming (with the player unable to move and only able to look 90 degrees left and right) that allows for shooting limbs and facilitates scouting.

I love the cinematic camera angles of classic RE, but recognize that tank controls are a barrier of entry to newcomers, so I feel that MGS2's camera is a middle-ground.

For me personally, I feel passionate about using this camera style because it lends a unique cinematic feel and doesn't provide the player the power of a traditional third person camera. It'd encourage the player to be more methodical and feel more vulnerable. Following Thief's AI behavior rather than the binary alarm states of MGS and SC coupled with the light meter should ideally avoid the frustration some have with classic MGS's camera and stealth.

I'd like to see a second opinion on this. What are the positives and negatives of my choice of camera? How would they impact the gameplay of Thief and Splinter Cell?

I've been trying to improve at the multiplayer despite the low population and I reached as far as halfway through Diamond 3 and increased my KDA from 1.6 to 1.8. This streak of games where I was consistently going positive and winning, resulted in the matchmaking struggling to find matches for me.

Today, the system basically broke and I lost nine games in a row before winning my tenth. Queue times were longer than usual for an already ten year old game with a dwindling population. When I did find matches, it was against premade stacks, often all Onyx, while my team was often held back by one or two poor players who I and sometimes one other teammate were expected to carry.

I switched to balanced matchmaking for my last two games and I suddenly started finding games faster. Ironically, by limiting the pool of players through balanced matchmaking, I was able to be matched faster than with expanded which compares me to the entire pool of players.

It seems like expanded matchmaking gets stuck trying to force you into a lobby where you're meant to lose. If you're a high KDA solo player getting stomped by stacks, consider switching to balanced, as expanded might be hurting queue times and your win percentage.