I saw this post last week, but didn’t have time to respond to it. I’ll do that now: when you go into a game, the only variable that affects who your opponent will be is your skill rating.
Matchmaking works as follows:
We use a formula to assess player skill. After every game, the formula looks at if you won or lost and uses your current rating, your opponent’s rating, and your rating history to generate your new rating. We call this rating MMR for short. In casual and at Legend rank, we pair players with similar MMRs. In Ranked below legend, we pair people with similar star ranks instead of similar MMRs. Your rating is the only input that the matchmaker receives. It doesn’t know what deck you’re playing, what deck you just played with or against, or anything else, except for your rating.
When you press ‘play’ you enter a queue for your chosen game mode. The matchmaker looks at your MMR and compares it to the MMR of everyone else in the queue. If it finds someone else with the same MMR as you, it pairs you into a game. If it doesn’t, it will wait a few seconds and look again. The second time, it doesn’t look just for someone with your MMR; it will also look for someone with an MMR that’s almost the same as yours. If it still doesn’t find a match, it waits another few seconds and looks again. The bound for what MMRs are considered a good match keep widening the longer you’re in the queue; this is to ensure that you don’t have to wait too long to play. Usually a match is found so quickly that the widening bounds never really matter. After the game, your rating is updated, and the process is repeated the next time you queue up.
NOTE: the above was written before they changed it to make you less likely to face the same opponent twice in a row, so that's now a factor in the match making.
I realize some won't accept this and are convinced the game is rigged. I'll listen if an analysis of 100K+ matchups by a statistics collection site by unbiased competent people show there is statistically significant matchup bias. It's too easy as humans to suffer from comfirmation bias especially with a small sample size.
For the record I fell out with Blizzard during WoW days and told them I'd never give them money ever again (I haven't). So I wouldn't consider myself part of their fanbase :)
How are you? You may recall I wrote to you shortly before the Saviours of Uldum expansion release, prevailing on your benevolence for favorable pack openings results for myself, and my fellow forum members.
As you are no doubt aware, Descent of Dragons will shortly be unleashed, and many many packs will be opened. Though I appreciate you will have your algorithmic hands full, I would again politely request good results all round if at all possible. The Innkeeper does like to exclaim legendary! (and golden legendary causes him to have a "special moment"), and given the festive season is almost upon us, I wonder if your golden light could shine upon us.
As always any opportunity for an advantageous card distribution synergyzing with my card collection would also be much appreciated.
If you could extend a similar courtesy to my fellow Out of Cards site members I expect it would be well received.
Rather like Santa, I know you will be busy on the big day and simply ask you to keep us in your good book of RNG.
At the end of the day, it's commendable to see it like you do no matter how you put it, and I joined this thread purely out of love for arguing since I fully realize no amount of discussion here will influence anything. But I don't think this debate will ever reach a satisfying conclusion, since ironically both sides accuse each other of being selfish and both have a reason to do so.
+1 mate
I got Tyrande too back in the day and think it's good players who couldn't/didn't are getting her.
Would be nice if Blizzard gave a nod to those who already had her even if it was just a pack. But hey, not going to worry about it and certainly not arguing they have to.
Even tho I'm not grand prize winner I'm still pretty happy to be a runner-up. This is the best community giveaway I participated in. It was fun doing it!
Same here - 2nd place and was great to see so many people get involved :) Grats to the 1st place people
Crafting BEFORE gives me more chances to drop in packs some legendaries I'd like to try, but I wouldn't dare to craft.
Basically, that way I end up with some less dust, but more legendary cards to toy around.
So you're consciously using a non optimal strategy in order not to feel bad about having some niche legendaries in your collection? I mean, I'd still prefer to maximize my chances and get the most out of my dust, but if that makes you feel better I'm no one to criticize you.
Yes this way just means you have potentially less choice about the legendaries you end up with - but again no criticism on my part. Opening packs can be fun and exciting and whatever works for you mate. Good luck to all with their openings!!!!
Officially stated by Team 5.
From https://www.hearthstonetopdecks.com/matchmaking-works-tyrandespecial-promotions-max-mccall-yong-woo/
(the bold is my emphasis)
NOTE: the above was written before they changed it to make you less likely to face the same opponent twice in a row, so that's now a factor in the match making.
I realize some won't accept this and are convinced the game is rigged. I'll listen if an analysis of 100K+ matchups by a statistics collection site by unbiased competent people show there is statistically significant matchup bias. It's too easy as humans to suffer from comfirmation bias especially with a small sample size.
For the record I fell out with Blizzard during WoW days and told them I'd never give them money ever again (I haven't). So I wouldn't consider myself part of their fanbase :)
Yarr :P
Suddenly a million agro players called out and were silenced.
Great article - so much effort. Have a free arena ticket so will need to read up!
NA 100 packs
8 Legendaries (actually got another on free pack 101).
19 Epics (2 golden)
EU 100 packs
6 Legendaries (2 golden)
21 Epics (2 golden)
Asia 100 packs
5 Legendaries
26 Epics (2 golden)
Epic!!!!!
Crafting will actually be even harder if they are going to release 35 new standard legal cards later on.....
Hearthstone deck tracker with PackTracker (https://github.com/MGK82/PackTracker)
It doesn't support multiple regions though.
They won't be - no legendaries given for free usually are.
Dear Pack Opening Algorithm
How are you? You may recall I wrote to you shortly before the Saviours of Uldum expansion release, prevailing on your benevolence for favorable pack openings results for myself, and my fellow forum members.
As you are no doubt aware, Descent of Dragons will shortly be unleashed, and many many packs will be opened. Though I appreciate you will have your algorithmic hands full, I would again politely request good results all round if at all possible. The Innkeeper does like to exclaim legendary! (and golden legendary causes him to have a "special moment"), and given the festive season is almost upon us, I wonder if your golden light could shine upon us.
As always any opportunity for an advantageous card distribution synergyzing with my card collection would also be much appreciated.
If you could extend a similar courtesy to my fellow Out of Cards site members I expect it would be well received.
Rather like Santa, I know you will be busy on the big day and simply ask you to keep us in your good book of RNG.
Best Regards
outgoingzero
Great we can buy wild packs with gold now - already did on my NA account (which hadn't even opened GVG or TGT).
Though wish adventure wings were still gold purchasable again - maybe one day :)
Good luck to all with those DoD packs!
+1 mate
I got Tyrande too back in the day and think it's good players who couldn't/didn't are getting her.
Would be nice if Blizzard gave a nod to those who already had her even if it was just a pack. But hey, not going to worry about it and certainly not arguing they have to.
Same here - 2nd place and was great to see so many people get involved :) Grats to the 1st place people
Yes this way just means you have potentially less choice about the legendaries you end up with - but again no criticism on my part. Opening packs can be fun and exciting and whatever works for you mate. Good luck to all with their openings!!!!
In the fifth free pack of game cards, Hearthstone gave to me, 5 golden cards!!!!
ok probably not
Wow - YES!
Hmm, seems unlikely this will be crafted by many people!
Good option to have depending on meta.
Yeah it's fine - could help classes with less class dragons available.
It could be good depending on meta I guess - will see. Doesn't excite me though.
Nice!