Chivalry 2 just dropped its most significant update since the introduction of horses. As with previous updates, Duel of the Fetes brings in some fresh maps (three for deathmatch), enriching the gameplay of this beloved first-person medieval combat experience. But what sets it apart are two major additions: skill-based team balancing and support for unofficial servers.
Whenever the term “skill-based” arises, it tends to spark discussions. However, in this case, player feedback focuses less on debating the principle and more on its functionality.
Unlike traditional skill-based matchmaking seen in many multiplayer shooters, Chivalry 2’s new system doesn’t aim to fill entire matches with players of similar skill levels. Instead, it strives to create evenly-matched teams from the available pool of players in a match.
Upon entering a match, the new system shuffles the teams while considering players’ global ranks and premade parties. It endeavors to keep parties intact and isn’t solely focused on achieving a 1:1 balance based on global rank. However, it seems the system has encountered issues, with players reporting instances of one team being significantly stacked with high-ranking players.
Acknowledging the problem, Torn Banner’s community manager announced on Reddit that they’ve temporarily disabled the feature until the issue is resolved.
Once the skill-based team balancing system operates as intended, it won’t be active in every match. It’s designated for the 64-player objective and 40-player mixed mode matchmaking queues but not for standalone servers running those modes, which Torn Banner views as “a more social space for playing Team Objective and Team Deathmatch.”
Regarding servers, players can now rent unofficial servers from Nitrado, priced at $13-$79 per month based on the supported number of players. Hosts have the freedom to customize map rotations, class limits, and other server settings, offering a tailored gaming experience.
In addition to these updates, the Duel of the Fetes patch introduces a matchmaking region selection option, new cosmetics, and various bug fixes. For the complete patch notes, refer to this link, and stay tuned for updates on the reactivation of skill-based team balancing.