Ok, so there is an obvious problem that has probably been mentioned before but I think that there is a really easy solution to this particular problem. I encountered it last night with a player going AFK in a match, thus leaving a 4v5 situation, or even a 3v5 due to unbalanced teams. He would get points by volunteering to switch to the other side. While never actually playing the game. He stayed there in that server all night. I asked everyone to report him for botting but knew nothing was going to be done immediately. Should of just switched servers but I was having some good matches when this particular player never joined.
The constant leaving of matches, auto balance, and going to spectate mode waiting for auto balance then unbalancing the team by joining the winning side is a problem. Now I know a solution is to just do Team or Solo arena but I prefer the slightly more relaxed atmosphere of Hot Join. So instead here is my suggestion.
When starting a match there should be a time limit on when someone can join. There should be a “Ready” button that indicates that you want to play but you have not picked a team yet. At the end of the timer you will automatically go to a random side. If there is too many players then you return to Spectator mode. This will resolve people not joining a team till one side already has a lead due to unbalance.
As for leavers there needs to be a harsher penalty for leaving a match multiple times. Having nothing happen to you just abuses the system and if things don’t go well for a player they just leave. Or leave, wait for auto balance, then rejoin. To fix this issue if your in a match and go back to spectator, you should not be able to re enter the match. You can either leave to go back to the mist, or wait for the match to end to join the next session. This can easily be done by removing that “Ready” button I mentioned previously. That way if there was a player that was ready to play but didn’t get into a match, then someone leaves, that person will take his spot. Rather then the player leaving trying to switch sides.
If no one decides to join and its an unbalanced 4v5 then that’s just the way it is. It happens. Though if its a 3v5 then auto balance should still occur. Better rewards for volunteers should probably happen so that even though the team that is most likely loosing the player that tried to help them out still win in his own way. For those that try to abuse the volunteer system a new report button for AFK special to the PVP system should be implemented.
All punishments for AFK or leaving a match already in progress should be 5 min or longer debuff that prevents them from joining a match. This worked in Guild Wars 1 there is no reason it can’t work in Guild Wars 2. If you stay in spectator mode then leave via the exit button then obviously you should not be punished. Same for if the match is over and you decide to leave. It should only occur if the match is in progress. I would say the 3 strikes your out rule. You get a warning after leaving twice, and if you do it again then automatic 5 min debuff. Thus discouraging leavers. This should be the minimum punishment cause we all understand that things happen.
For Afk the same rule in festival games should apply. If a person doesn’t move, capture a point, or attack a person within a certain amount of time they are automatically bumped to spectator mode with the ready button taken away so they can’t re join. Don’t hit the ready button if your not ready to join a match.
I believe these suggestions will greatly improve the way unbalance teams occur in Hot Join and any other mode of sPVP. Let me know what you think and suggest other ideas for this problem.