The game feels miserable to play bc. of griefing such as smurfing. Now you can´t see players´ history to see what their experience is with the game, are they playing higher ranks in other roles f.ex. and even though they should be banned from lower elos, where they make the games miserable for everybody, it is harder to know if reporting is called for. Blizzard has implemented it to prevent toxicity, but there is still toxicity regardless.
I don’t think they should remove them. But they should rework it so there is some basic details like last 10 match results (then you can see if they’re deranking) and most played heroes in last 10 games.
Whilst also hiding enemy profiles until after the match.
Another option could be to have private profiles only active during the match. After, if you want to check something they’ll be open. But there’s nothing in there that’ll help you during the match.
I don’t understand the private account function, what is it for?
This feature does nothing, but cause problems in identifying smurfs.
You’ve just identified one reason it was brought in.
People get titled and hunt for someone to blame. Often mislabeling people as smurfs when they aren’t.
Nothing in that profile is going to help you as a player once you’re in that head space.
But, i think it should be removed. Just disable the ability to look at profiles during the match.
If you think something is up. Check the vod after and look then.
Yes, but people are hunting other players for all sorts of reasons as per my OP.
So take a hypothetical: One player, endorsement level 3, with standard skin on a genji. Comparing the player´s mechanics in a vod to the other players in your rank which is significantly better. And if you could see the player´s profile. Only played Genji 2 seasons and for 10 hours total.
Another scenario is a Genji with very good mechanics compared to his rank and carries his team. Actually playing significantly better than the rest of the players in that game. In his profile you see endorsement level 4, but he also has standard skin. He is a Genji OTP, has played 15 seasons, with start in bronze in season 1 through 7, and after has slowly climbed one rank at a time to his current rank.
In both cases I could report them both, just to be sure, that both are being evaluated. Or I could have a look at their respective profiles and decide to report the first one and not the second, bc. the 2nd player seemed completely legit. I could decide to avoid the 1 st player and be more sure, that I was in the right to report the player. I´d be sure that if he got banned, everybody´s games would be more fair and enjoyable. And if both profiles looked legit I would hopefully be more open to see what i could learn from them.
True. People are pretty sad and will look for any crumb to blame everyone else for losing.
If you’re getting to the point of noticing peoples endorsement level, something’s gone wrong and you’re not focused on your job.
That isn’t the only reason. It’s also a way to combat third party software like Overbuff, OW Tracker… since they rely on public profiles to make their own stats.
I don´t think so, as you can try getting some answers of the very limited access you have. Remember an endorsement level 1 stomping the whole enemy team smells fishy to me, And if you feel something is wrong, you should investigate. There might be others after you, that experience the same type of games. But it is time consuming, watching the VOD and getting as much information as you can. But shouldn´t you try doing something if you got the time for it?
Fine I get that. But, what does knowing that do to help you…
You’re still getting stomped. Knowing what endorsement level someone is doesn’t change the fact that you still need to play better to beat them.
During the match, it isn’t really of any benefit. You should know if something looks fishy without needing a profile. If you’ve been X rank for awhile, you should know what players who are also that rank are likely to do and how they’ll position.
If you’re just watching the vod to find something fishy. Don’t bother. Just report them as soon as you suspect it and crack on. Saves yourself a lot of time.
Save the vod reviewing for self improvement.
Yes, I agree to the point that I have to play better to RANK UP. I accept that I´m the rank, that I am. What I won´t accept is smurfing. Smurfing is a player roaming lower ELO lobbies and stomping the enemy team making the games miserable for everyone else in the process. Sometimes even making me lose so much that I a lose a rank, that I otherwise am playing quite comfortable in. And it takes time and effort to rank up again. I accept that I could lose ranks, if I don´t carry my own weight. But I won´t accept losing ranks because of smurfs.
How would I know if something is fishy without investigating either profile or VoD? I am not able to “know” such things during a match. You might be able to. But I have to look at VoD and profile after match.
I agree.
I agree
If you have no suspicions of something fishy, why would you be looking at the vod…
No one in their right mind accepts it. What should also be called out is false accusations of it.
It is pretty boring seeing people being accused of something malicious just because they’re having a better match than someone else, or because they are playing on a 2nd or 3rd account. That’s behaviour needs to go just as much as actual smurfing does.
I agree. I cant know for sure whether it is a player my rank having a good day, and it is not up to me to follow up on reports. But smurfing is cheating/griefing and the company want to deal with that issue bc. it can make the game feel miserable to play and players will lose interest in the game if nothing is done. And there is no way to get around that there are smurfs out there who shouldnt be doing what they are doing in lower elos. It is not my responsibility to enforce whatever rules Blizzard, but there are rules to be followed and the only way to enforce the rules is if players report strange or bad behaviour. And as a player I feel an obligation to respond to “bad” players and report them. Otherwise they will make my future games and others´ miserable. Why else have a reporting system in the first place if it isn´t to let them investigate each report.
If you mean that a behaviour of showing hate to players should go, I do agree. But there is not a big chance to know for sure if we mistakingly reported one of the good guys. But still there is a reporting system for a reason, namely to develop a high quality gaming experience. And the technicalities how to investigate behind the scene is not the players job to do.
Agree. Smurfing is scummy behaviour. But it is no where near as prevalent as some will have you believe.
But then, people are angry, they tilt easily and need someone to blame. That Cass that’s having a good game and not missing shots… Must be smurfing.
Yes. Other players who are angry use comms, text messages and report other players to blame them for losing. And still the reported players aren´t banned. So that argument is beside the point. Actually, from a player´s perspective, whether they are or aren´t smurfing, is really also beside the point. And if I´m tilted or not is also beside the point. The way the reporting system has been built should negate the variable of me being tilted or just hating other players bc. they get a lot of that kind of reports. And you said yourself, that I shouldn´t be looking at their profile or their VoD, just report, and that is also what I recommend others to do. It has always been Blizzard´s responsibility to enforce their rules and try to make the game as good an experience as possible for everybody. It is up to Blizzard alone to investigate these reports. It should have been constructed so that if there is justified suspicion, you just report, and Blizzard deals with it.
My point is, that griefers/smurfs and cheaters ruin the game, sometimes to the point that I lose rank and interest in playing/practicing. My solution is to use the means Blizzard has given us players - just report and let´s hope it will be increasingly harder for smurfs to play in lower elo lobbies.
The best way to deal with it. Just report them and move on.
These types of people exist in every game, and every part of real life too.
I agree with Roku here.
Thing is, if you favor a/some hero/s strongly, it is very likely the enemy team will see that and try to hard counter it with picks.
I dont mind ppl seeing how good or bad I am, I just dont wanna run up a hill every game. Im all for “soft profile” let me choose what I show.