Early Access

2014-11-26 CAT KARSKENS, SQUARE ENIX

Today sees the release of a brand new patch for Nosgoth, with some key improvements. This update includes our new Matchmaking alpha release, Steam achievements, and a brand new First Time User Experience. There's a lot of ground to cover, so lets jump right into all the juicy detail.

Matchmaking and Party Systems - Now LIVE!
Following on from our recent test, we're very happy to announce that today's patch includes the alpha release of our highly anticipated Matchmaking and Party system revamp! Our team have been hard at work to bring you some major changes to how matchmaking works within Nosgoth. As it is the first release of this feature, there will be bugs, but we are (as always) very interested to hear your feedback, so make sure you stop by our forums or use our bug report form to share your thoughts.

Matchmaking and Party Systems - What's New?
Previously, the system in use would have been based on your level, which mainly takes into account your overall play time. Part of our revamp includes the switch to an MMR (MatchMaking Rating) based system, to find and balance matches. This type of system may be familiar to some of you already as part of other multiplayer titles (from Riot, Valve, Blizzard, and on Xbox Live), and uses a hidden rating value that we calculate from your match results.

Inherently, matchmaking systems can be quite intricate and complicated, so Corey Davis (Nosgoth's Design Director) has pre-emptively answered some of your questions on our forum, in a detailed thread here.

It is important to note that everyone is starting at the default MMR when the system launches! It will take time for things to settle, for the system to assess your skills, and for "pro" players to move upwards on the MMR scale. We appreciate your patience and understanding if you end up in an imbalanced game while the system learns about all of you.

Steam Achievements
Another milestone for Nosgoth hits the game today, with the introduction of our long-awaited Steam achievements! Starting today, the achievements are now available to unlock in the game. If you're eager to find out what they are, you'll be able to view them through the Steam menu now, or on the Steam website here.

We've included a few hidden ones too. No spoilers. Luke, I am your father.

First Time User Experience
Joining a new game can be a daunting experience at times, so we have implemented a new flow within Nosgoth, to quickly help fresh players get to grips with the game. When you next launch Nosgoth, you'll be presented with our new introduction sequence, introducing you to the Hunter and Reaver. If you're an experienced player, you'll see these popups too, since they're a brand new addition.

Completing these tutorials will award you with 7-day items. You can, if you choose, skip these popups, and they will not appear again for you. If you change your mind and want to give them a try later on, you can find them any time within the Tutorials menu.

Tutorials have now also been moved to the Play tab, and are split by class. For now, you will find the Hunter and Reaver tutorials there, with others to follow soon.

This update is now out for Nosgoth and includes all these improvements - our full patch notes are available here. Make sure you jump in a match today, and share your (intensely valuable!) feedback with us. See you on the battlefields, my friends!