Server Mods In 1.04 Test Servers

Narfwak

<div class="IPBDescription">Ug.</div> When you run a test server, please do not run any game-altering server mods; better yet, try to run as few mods as possible. You are testing a new version after all, and you don't want to corrupt that experimental environment with lots of difficult to control variables. Just my two cents.

cracker_jackmac

<!--QuoteBegin--Narfwak+Jan 3 2003, 12:41 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Narfwak @ Jan 3 2003, 12:41 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->When you run a test server, please do not run any game-altering server mods; better yet, try to run as few mods as possible. You are testing a new version after all, and you don't want to corrupt that experimental environment with lots of difficult to control variables. Just my two cents.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
i think he has a point.

Caucasian

I agree.

Arkaine

That's a very good point, there must be a control. It is also a good idea to test it in different conditions for compatibility reasons. I'm not sure what you mean by game-altering server mods, though; all I've seen is Admin Mod and Clan Mod...but those <i>alone</i> don't alter gameplay.

cracker_jackmac

<!--QuoteBegin--Arkaine+Jan 3 2003, 02:32 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Arkaine @ Jan 3 2003, 02:32 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->That's a very good point, there must be a control. It is also a good idea to test it in different conditions for compatibility reasons. I'm not sure what you mean by game-altering server mods, though; all I've seen is Admin Mod and Clan Mod...but those <i>alone</i> don't alter gameplay.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
i think he was refering to LaserMods mainly.

Zdrone

I disagree. Plugins (such as adminmod) still need to be tested. If enough servers are running the beta's, you should get a well rounded view of the additions out there.
Granted the idea of a beta is to test changes and by adding the plugin variables, you make it much more difficult to know where a problem lies, but knowing that the majority of servers use an add on for administration purposes begs the question; should it be part of the testing process to check the add ons?

A better solution perhaps would be to find those people that have multiple servers and configure one with a plugin (adminmod for example) and one straight hlds with a complete default config and compare the 2.

cracker_jackmac

<!--QuoteBegin--Zdrone+Jan 3 2003, 02:45 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Zdrone @ Jan 3 2003, 02:45 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I disagree. Plugins (such as adminmod) still need to be tested. If enough servers are running the beta's, you should get a well rounded view of the additions out there.
Granted the idea of a beta is to test changes and by adding the plugin variables, you make it much more difficult to know where a problem lies, but knowing that the majority of servers use an add on for administration purposes begs the question; should it be part of the testing process to check the add ons?

A better solution perhaps would be to find those people that have multiple servers and configure one with a plugin (adminmod for example) and one straight hlds with a complete default config and compare the 2.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I have a pretty mod-heavy setup

MetaMod>
AM
LogD
killingspree.amx (logd)
knifekill.am (logd)
antiflood.amx
bugfix.so (thanks!)

i would do HPmod for logd but cl_autohelp 0 really defeats that purpose and if is was on, it would really spam.

Supernorn

"our research has shown that 9 out of 10 playtesters say they prefer 1.04 without game altering mods to the leading game altering mod brand"

er...couldnt help it...hehe..sounds like a dog food advert...

Caucasian

Having adminmod and a few others like cracker are fine. I think the point he was trying to make is have like 40 plugins for admin mod running. Try to strip it down to the bare minimums.

Narfwak

I was mostly bitching about the lasermod MM plugin. It significantly alters gameplay, and makes the patch nigh-impossible to test out. The other test servers I tried out were ridiculously laggy, and the game wasn't even playable (despite the fact that I'm playing from 1.1 Mbs DSL). I made the first post general as any other server mods that alter gameplay would not be welcome. Simple mods like metamod and adminmod must be tested, and do not affect gameplay in any significant fashion, so my post was not directed towards them.

BTW, anything I may have said in the praise of a laser beam for the marines is wrong, and I take it all back. Stupid me hadn't tried it yet; now I know better.

j0e

i am on the 1.04 test and the whole point of beta testing is to make sure it's bug free in a real-world server environment, which means i need to run all the mods i normally would. that used to include hullu's lasersights but 1.04 seems to have balanced the game to where the aliens don't need the help, so i removed them. but the point of beta testing is not to "burn in" the default settings; it's to make sure the new version works on everyone's servers (among other things).

cracker_jackmac

YAY! a good response! thank you.

Insidious

As a would-be tester, though, I have a problem with these mods. The servers that run the beta are few and far between in my experiance, and the only ones I've ever been able to get on run the laser mod. It's hard to get a feel for a new version when you first have to get a feel for a new mod. Even if it's a balance issue (adding the lasers for the aliens benefit), a test server is the wrong place for that, because it's while a patch is in testing that balance changes will be made. Those changes are going to come slower if the problems are glossed over because the testing server uses a mod that affects balance.

I do see the value in testing the widest variety of mods possible to make sure everything compatable, but I think because of the small number of servers to test on, just plain NS would be the best to run. The compatability issues can be worked out later (and have been, so far, such as making NS adminmod compatable).

Arkaine

<!--QuoteBegin--Insidious+Jan 5 2003, 10:54 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Insidious @ Jan 5 2003, 10:54 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->The servers that run the beta are few and far between in my experiance, and the only ones I've ever been able to get on run the laser mod. It's hard to get a feel for a new version when you first have to get a feel for a new mod.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
If you can get in, Vadakill's NS doesn't run any game-altering mods. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->

<a href='http://www.vadakill.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.vadakill.com/</a>
208.28.184.222 (Just do <b>connect vadakill.com</b> in the console.)

cracker_jackmac

my server doesn't run any game altering mods either. the game is 100% intact. Just says multikill and stuff <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->