In R15 I had good games. In R13 I had mostly Destro games.
Now I would say, R13 games actually improved a bit. With more players farming for ships and using Guard/LRF mostly, R13 can be somewhat a PITA.
R15 games were mostly my domain last weeks, doing my R13 missions rather with that crowd. I feel like at least I was able to carry my weight (given that I compete with R15 in mostly R13 ships, I am glad, there is no CtB anymore). Destros in this queue are really rare, and usually, end up getting primaried to death.
(Btw. that brings up the point for me: I hope T5 destros will be only slightly stronger than T4 ones. Atm. R15 games with destros sometimes actually develop into some kind of strategic use, and sometimes can be quite fun. Seeing however, how the Destro from T4 fits into T5, I can only imagine horror to think, what if the jump to R14 Destros is as big as it was from R8 to R11 ones…)
So I can’t say, games have changed that much in solo content - nor skillwise. In fact, I would even suggest a slight increase in the pop skills in R13, and to me it felt like the pre-determined-outcome-games have reduced compared to when this system started, but they are still there. As many have stated, with so many different changes in the game in the last half year, it is really hard to tell, what is up. Also, because of course a lot of this is subjective, but I think subjective experience can be often more important, because it tells you what to look for in the stats.
I think, removal of squads is a morale issue, and of course also removed actually the more balanced games overall. So it did not just remove the squad overkill game, but also the positive aspects of them, the “good” games. Explanation follows.
If I say good game…
Not talking about winning or losing, just the experience, if it was “close”, and team seemed to have some kind of group play, so a good game is a game that had a good story for everyone. Horror games can also be fun, at times, in a masochistic way. Depends on what your mood is, if you do not care, R13 is the perfect place to be. It’s awesome in destros. Doesn’t matter if you lose or win, just go in.
Overall however, instead of reducing pre-determined-outcomes, which is the horror scenario everybody is mentioning about uber-squads squashing your team, since squads were removed, these games have overall increased quite feelably.
So to tell it clearly: with squads you had these few horror games, few good games, lots of inbetween.
then with removal, you had no squad issues anymore, but suddenly, games were becoming more chaotic and resulted often in a rushed game. You know, those hot-join games you join to see your team lose or win…
I think that is the most significant impact of squads, or their lack of. And that is why I say, the whole myth about squads being the main problem for players is coming out of this forum, and personal rage opinions, but overall, believing players leave a game for good because they lose against a team of other players who play together, is overall, excuses, and bowing to it was just a bad decision.
Yes I know, sometimes you actually don’t want to be unable to compete, but as long as the game gives options, and is fun, most of that anger will reflect back and make you try even harder.
I think its the responsibility of the game culture (community, devs, news, etc.) to show the fun of organised play, semi-organised play, etc. instead of a non-stop discussion over 3 years how to make a fair MM. Simply because, guys, it did not impact anything, anywhere.
Its true, you cannot “carry” teams, but personal impact, especially with a few supports in the deck is still possible.
If that is a reduction of quality depends really on how you see it: in R15 games with lots of vets, personal impact is also lower, because its simply not that easy to just rampage in a CO through the team.
But sometimes actually, there are games, where you basicly get the team carried for you. Overall however, the people get more casual in these queues, because they miss squads. Even the big solo-stars of R15 became casuals.
Reduction of population, I think other facts also played a role. Not everybody left anyway, a lot sleep.
There are also things which might need more talks.
Like interceptor blindspots killing RF and shrapnel off the game, leaving the ECM the most fun ceptor to play - which is kinda embarassing, because ECMs sometimes even survive, if you actually try to actively kill yourself…
Mostly i think it became a trust issue. The more a player plays, the more he starts to get interested into what is around the game. Starts to read the news. And if that news is always acting like things are so much better now, it really just makes them stop listening or caring. People started to distrust the ambitions of the game, and thats the biggest morale issue.
But they do it in total random games as well so I there is still no difference.
(despite the long wait times which could be improved on)