Move the practice arena to open as default when you start searching for a game, through a TAB scoreboard menu toggle you should be able to see your invite friends same as in your regular menus today, and change game mode and search game button. Everyone invited in the party is in that practice mode game, make the map a bit more interesting and make the bots run around. In the tab system have a switch, friendly fire on or off, so you are either just shooting the bots or you are shooting everyone. Practice mode while you wait, since I can wait maybe 10min, I at least get some game time. Add more portals in the practice mode, for portal practicing. Have the same menu music in the practice mode as background music.