Matchmaking Configuration

Matchmaking is split into two locations:

Global settings (matchmaking.yaml) - Recent opponent avoidance
Per-format settings (season_presets/*.yml) - ELO range rules per format

Recent Opponent Avoidance (Global)

Prevent the same players from battling repeatedly. This applies to all formats:

# matchmaking.yaml
recentOpponentAvoidance:
  enabled: true
  avoidCount: 3
  expirationSeconds: 300
  relaxAfterSeconds: 120
  minimumQueueSize: 4

Setting	Default	Description
`avoidCount`	`3`	Number of recent opponents to avoid
`expirationSeconds`	`300`	How long opponents stay on avoid list
`relaxAfterSeconds`	`120`	Seconds before rules relax (longer queue)
`minimumQueueSize`	`4`	Don’t avoid if queue has fewer players

How Avoidance Works

Player A battles Player B
Both players are added to each other’s avoid list
For the next 5 minutes (300 seconds), they won’t be matched again
After 2 minutes (120 seconds), avoidance relaxes if queue has 4+ players
Avoid list entry expires after 5 minutes

Relaxation Behavior

When the queue is small, waiting for a perfect match takes too long. The relaxation feature helps:

Before relaxation (first 2 minutes):

Strict avoidance enforced
Players wait longer for matches

After relaxation (2+ minutes, 4+ players):

Avoidance rules relaxed
Faster matching at cost of rematches

Example scenario:

Player A and B battle
Both rejoin queue immediately
After 30 seconds, system won’t match them again
After 2 minutes with 4+ players queued, system may match them again
After 5 minutes, avoid entry expires completely

Per-Format Matchmaking (Season Presets)

ELO range settings are configured per-format in season presets:

# season_presets/default.yml
singles:
  matchmaking:
    enforceEloRange: true
    initialRange: 200
    expansionDelay: 30
    expansionRate: 50
    maxMultiplier: 3.0
    immediateMatchRange: 100

Matchmaking Settings Explained

Setting	Default	Description
`enforceEloRange`	`true`	Require similar ratings to match
`initialRange`	`200`	Starting ELO range for matching
`expansionDelay`	`30`	Seconds before range expands
`expansionRate`	`50`	ELO points added per expansion
`maxMultiplier`	`3.0`	Max range = initialRange × multiplier
`immediateMatchRange`	`100`	Instant match if within this range

How range expansion works:

Player (1500 ELO) joins queue
System looks for opponents in 1500 ± 200 (1300-1700)
After 30 seconds: expands to 1500 ± 250
After 60 seconds: expands to 1500 ± 300
Max range: 1500 ± 600 (200 × 3.0)

Immediate match:

If two players are within 100 ELO, they match instantly
No waiting for better matches

Format-Specific Settings

Each format can have different matchmaking rules:

# season_presets/default.yml
singles:
  enabled: true
  matchmaking:
    enforceEloRange: true
    initialRange: 200
    expansionDelay: 30
    maxMultiplier: 3.0

doubles:
  enabled: true
  matchmaking:
    enforceEloRange: true
    initialRange: 150      # Tighter range for Doubles
    expansionDelay: 20     # Faster expansion
    maxMultiplier: 2.5     # Lower maximum

triples:
  enabled: true
  matchmaking:
    enforceEloRange: false  # Disabled for Triples

When to Disable ELO Enforcement

Set enforceEloRange: false for:

Smaller player bases
Casual formats
Testing environments

Trade-off: Faster matches vs. less balanced matchups

Tuning Tips

Goal	Setting Change
Faster matches	Decrease `expansionDelay`, increase `expansionRate`
More balanced matches	Increase `initialRange`, decrease `maxMultiplier`
Reduce rematches	Increase `avoidCount`, `expirationSeconds`
Faster matching in small queues	Decrease `minimumQueueSize`