The hunt for a high KDR and a place in the top-whatever has become “counterproductive”. It leads to people not wanting to get killed anymore. They then form on one side of the server (often called: “pros vs noobs or the like) and basically slaughter the other side. Players on the other side leave, with three or so remaining, at least one of'em not moving anymore. Then this turns into a spawn-kill feast, which gets their KDR up.
This drives people away from your game. If they happen to get into such an “unfair game” repeatedly (where they really don't even get to move), they simply leave and don't ever come back.
I noticed that there are high rated players playing anonymously in order not to affect their KDR negatively in a “normal game”.
I always try to balance both sides and join the weaker team when possible. This makes for a more interesting game. I had “self-proclaimed pros” leaving the other side, because I (apparently unexpectedly) killed them too many times, thus threatening their good KDR.
To solve this problem and keep this “KDR obsession” from scaring away players, there should be an option for the servers to turn the KDR counting off. That is, playing on those servers should NOT affect the KDR, while still getting you XP, of course. There should be at least a few of those servers around.
You might also consider “auto balancing”. People seldom play in real teams and if so, it's mostly one side only (which then happens to “murder” the other side easily). There should be an option for auto balancing for the servers. If the score of the teams becomes too uneven, good players should be moved to the weaker team after they get killed. Having balanced teams makes for a more interesting game. It keeps people playing, whereas unbalanced teams drives them away.
My personal views on this problems come from the same conclusion but I prupose a completly different solution.
Players seek high KDR's because its the only progression system that we are able to compare across time and profiles, hence allowing them to compare and compete against each other. This ultimatly leads to the two problems that you stated, which is also harmfull for the players avoiding to play in games that their KDR can drop, they ultimatly need to choose between a good KDR and less fun, or more fun and a lower KDR (some blessed ones can have both).
So why not give them another progression system? like the option to play a Ranked match*? this would kill two (1 & 1/2) birds with one stone, less obsession with the KDR, a proper progression system and randomized teams.
*This Ranked match would create some sort of monthly table that would reset after each month, avoiding the stagnation we see with the 'top 100' rank
They focus on both, unfortunately. People who can't reach one, will focus on the other. Adding more won't solve anything, therefore. It's not a rational thing. It's like telling people that rubbing coins on automats doesn't change a thing. Manufactorers eventually gave up being educative and instead added a little metal plate, so that people could rub their coins in vain. ;-)
you're kinda mixing supertition with focus, you barely hear ppl say "he is a pro cause he is X rank"
Usually they say "he is a pro cause he has X Kdr", however mathematically speaking the more you play, the better the rank, therefore ppl not giving a good player credit cause of his rank, but rather is KDR.
My goal is basically give them a metal plate, smth they can actually focus on, smth that they direct their energy onto
There are players who are viewed as pros cause of their performances on server like Sky, do you want to remove sky as well?
KDR (alone with just a few) is one of the few progression system we have, remove that and you remove an important mechanic, even if it is optional.
either ppl wouldn't use it, or would use it too much
I actually heard that a lot recently; bragging about being in the Top-10 and such...
I'm rather new to this. I don't even know what you are talking about, when you mention a "server like Sky". ;-)
The KDR system is fudged as it is, because of people doing what I described above, which you know too well - already is - reality.