...so what would happen if someone dropped after the match started?
many times its possible that someone is either slow loading or crashed on load screen, so your going to make 11/12 people wait for who knows how long until the queue fills in that 1 slot when most people already dont like the fact they cant choose the BG type anymore?
for the timeout period do you mean the start timer? its not always 18 seconds, you happened to load in with 18 seconds remaining, ive played with people who used to load in with 1 second on that timer, or even a couple seconds after the match started, that timer is giving everyone time to load in on the off chance someone gets stuck in load screen hell
i have my main house (grand topal hideaway) listed in the housing tours, it has multiple target dummies, scribing altar, and grandmaster stations (in progress being filled out), as well as almost every antiquity furnishing on display to preview them