This topic is adressed to Master_G and other staff members who are taking part in developing SS on Voobly.I wanted to introduce you my view of automatch problem.Now we use direct host/direct join system to play so my ideas are based on this thing.But maybe my ideas can be useful even if u will change direct host/join to LAN system.I am not sure if all my ideas are possible to incarnate to life but i still think something can be done with ur coding skills
So let me start:
1)First of all in GameSpy before starting automatch player needs to set his race.So maybe you can do a special dialogue window when we can set certain race.Every race in dialogue window will be tied up by coding with it's twin in game;
2)People like to use their own army colors even in automatch so maybe you can try to add it to dialogue window under race string(at least set a code so when the game starts u get random army color scemes from your saved in game profile color scemes).By code means it will pick certain color u asked in dialogue window automatically;
3)Want to mention that it would be good if after clicking automatch Voobly will searchs us automatically random oponent with equal rank ( +200/-200 to urs),automatically hosts voobly match and automatically starts and then players automatically host/join game;
NOTE:TO PREVENT BUGS YOU CAN SET A WARN WINDOW WHICH ASKS PLAYER TO CLOSE SOUL STORM b4 STARTING AUTOMATCH
4)Picking ingame race may look same as u did automatically direct host/join so player doesn't spend efforts for picking race(we pick it in dialogue window - step "1)").to prevent changing race u code autotick (it's sign which says u are ready to play and u can't change ur race or army color) which u can't deny because of using macros stuff.Then when both autoticked after autojoin the game starts automatically and players can't deny the start;
NOTE:IF PLAYERS WILL LEAVE AUTOMATCH DURING START/LOADING DO SOME SERIOUS PENALTY POINTS IN AUTOMATCH LADDER(FOR EXAMPLE "-100" OF RANK POINTS) SO YOU CAN PREVENT MADNESS AND STATWHORING(WHEN ONE PLAYER LEAVES GAME TO NOT LOSE TO STRONGER ONE).I THINK IN AUTOMATCH YOU CAN EVEN BLOCK "ESC" BUTTON BY MEANS OF MACROS OR SOMETHING OTHER
5)Map must be decided by program which picks random map from certain discussed Mappool on RTS-Sanctuary and by means of coding sets it in game automatically b4 players will tick as i said in step "4)";
6)Automatch also need to be stable so i mean that in 100 out 100 games winner has to get the points he won and guy who lost forfeit them.Dunno how can it be realised but it is necessary;
So it is how i see the mechanic of Automatch in SoulStorm via dirrect host/join.Dunno maybe it can be somehow realised via LAN.Other important stuff like ranking system,mappool etc u can check at RTS-Sanctuary.I really don't know if all that i wrote is completely useless and impossible to incarnate,if its extremly hard and will take lots of time,if u are willing to do that.Anyways i really hope that you would found in my words some useful ideas for developing SS automatch.Looking forward for ur reply.
Best Regards,Maniac.

P.S Sorry if my English isn't good enough to explain you what i wanted to say lol