As the topic description says, I'm a free weekend player and don't own the game quite yet. I've enjoyed the few hours I've put into it so far but the multiplayer feels... odd. Allow me to elaborate. Seeing as I'm new to the game I didn't expect to do amazing. I also skipped the campaign and wanted to jump right into the game with out really looking at the controls. Now the game runs pretty simply, there wasn't a whole lot too learn. The first two matches seemed way too easy, I was getting a K/D ratio of well over 10/1. Then I noticed that I might be playing against bots, seeing as the names all looked pretty simple. (No crazy symbols or "names" that are actually short sentences insulting my mother or what not)

So then I went back through the menu's and was surprised I actually had to figure out how to play online. The picture shows what I've been doing.
[img]http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q254/Velosal/11.jpg[/img]
I know, it may sound really stupid (wut idk how i play online halp ples!) but honest to god, I have no idea whether I'm playing online or not. I can't get a single person to even type a response to anything I say or even get voice chat to work. (I think, no one would respond to anything I said.) Anyway, I'd really appreciate a response. I've enjoyed the game so far and really am considering buying the game.

on a side note: Is there a way to always pick one side? I've been tossed between the two sides without any option (That I could find anyway) in which side I wanted to be.

While in match pull up the scoreboard...humans will have a connection status bar to the right (green/red etc. depending on their quality of connection to the host). The most common mode people play is free play/standard, make sure you have "my rank and higher" selected. You will spawn as your primary faction for your character 60-70% of the time...if you want to switch bring up the in game lobby/menu by pushing start, sometimes it will tell you you have to briefly wait before switching sides.