well as it works, we have been switching to classic earlier and earlier, and just BSing around (alltalk on, letting both sides cap nodes, etc...), but we really just try to start the server on combat simply because combat was designed for small amount of players. We are actually one of the few servers that actually use combat appropriately with regards to its original intent.
Since CO is designed for smaller games, and we are currently advertising that the game will switch to NS when there is enough people, I think that combination effect should be enough to stimulate growth on the server.
<!--quoteo(post=1595481:date=Jan 6 2007, 12:23 PM:name=glimmerman)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(glimmerman @ Jan 6 2007, 12:23 PM) [snapback]1595481[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> People play G4B2S because of how <b>vanilla</b> it is. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<!--quoteo(post=1595455:date=Jan 6 2007, 04:04 PM:name=Firewater)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Firewater @ Jan 6 2007, 04:04 PM) [snapback]1595455[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> You seem to be in the minority with that respect, we had the server in the beta and nobody connected.
Now its still pretty popular even while playing the last official released version. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd--> Heh, those who develop the game like the current stuff. I know I went through that for other games ;D
But frankly 3.1.3 is a "stable" version as far as balance is concerned The beta isn't.
Also, a lot of players are not interested in being beta testers, they just want to play the game.
On a side note
This thread is is primarily for the promotion of the NSArmslab/NSAgames server(s). I want to make it clear to anyone who is interested in promoting the server will be rewarded with reserve slots to ALL of our servers, present and future.
Promotion of the server includes the following:
1) seeding an empty server, waiting for players to join.
2) staying in the server until it is near, or completely full
3) getting others to do the same.
I'm not really interested so much with regards to promoters who will join when the server is 16/21, I am interested in the people who will consistently populate the server when it is empty.
I used to play a lot on NSA, had a lot of fun there. I'll try to help with the seeding, I got lots of free time right now. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
Set up an easy to remember link with a bare-minimum of interface, no ads and no clutter. The page shows an up-to-date table graph of how many people are in the server, what map it has, who is in the server with how many kills, etc. Advertise the link so that anybody who plays on the server once knows it.
With many multiplayer games that aren't wildly popular, I find I'm often having to make the decision of what game to play, whether or not to load up steam, start the game and then check the server list to see if anybody is playing. If that information was available with just one click and two seconds in your browser window, I imagine significantly more people would be deciding that they wanted to play NS on your server.
ssjyodaJoin Date: 2002-03-05Member: 274Members, Squad Five Blue
i prefer a 1 on 1 classic over Co any day. NSA used to always do classic and it still filled up at the end of the day when ppl were gettin outa work/school. lot of people filter out co, so u'll get lots of co players, then it switches, and they leave... drops back down to co. you really would be easier off with just classic.
Seeding a server on 1v1 ns_ is really slow and painful. Even with the people who leave when it switches to ns_, combat is faster. Just make sure they know it will go to ns_ when theres enough. Most of the combat only people will get the message with that, and the fact that there is no /xmenu (though last I knew it still had normal extra levels).
Seeding NS classic with a few people is difficult, especially when its usually one person at a time trying to accomplish the task.
I find seeding combat to be much easier, and then change to NS. Some of the CO people drop thats true, but its usually not enough to change it back to co.
Even if it stays on NS with like 8 players, the people who then filter out CO will join. The difficulty is getting those 8 players to join, which is why we use CO to do that.
Stopped by and had a try,seemed fine to me,server 10vs10+ all the maps i was there for. might stop by again later
i had fun,at least ppl were sorta nice to me,so ill put it in my server favorites <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
but having 150+ ping and having shaky hands because of it being so cold here,doesnt really help my gamingstyle <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1596169:date=Jan 8 2007, 12:40 AM:name=Firewater)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Firewater @ Jan 8 2007, 12:40 AM) [snapback]1596169[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> Its tough for European players because our server is located in Central America, if it were located in the east coast it would be better.
I'm glad you had a good time though. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
you were there,you should know <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
<!--quoteo(post=1596324:date=Jan 8 2007, 04:51 PM:name=milosis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(milosis @ Jan 8 2007, 04:51 PM) [snapback]1596324[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec--> i live in ny and i felt as if i was playing on a euro server with a ping of over 100. <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Same here, living in north VA.
It was a bit worse than my experiences with yoclan, and pings worse as well. I don't remember that being the case in the old days..
One of the things that killed NSA when I was last played was the marine stacking where everyone would just go marines, run in a straight beeline to the hive and attempt to spawncamp and if they died they'd yell at the comm (if they even had one assuming they all didn't run into a straight beeline to the hive) and rage. I think at any given time on old NSA you'd have most of the server trying to join marines except on the rare occasion and people would just start to drop. It was also the only server where you could find 12 lerks raging at each other because they had no chambers. Although I shouldn't be talking, I played marines 95% of the time on NSA just because I can rape with them on pubs.
If you want to help prevent server from emptying and keep sever more interesting, add an autoassign-plugin at the start of the game and F1/F2/F4 disabled till after 30 seconds into the game (they can 'retry' but who cares, if they're willing to 'retry' because they can't play aliens then they're bad). I'd actually play there a lot more.
Firewater get your box out of ThePlanet. Do a repetative traceroute to your server like the one included in HLSW and watch. The planet uses 8 routers (ok maybe not 8 but a rediculous amount) and changes the routing of your data so often during communications its stupid, I've watched it change by 25 ping within a few secounds and it was all the fault of their internal routing.
I really suggest softlayer, (www.softlayer.com) server administration(especially their web interface) service and pings are alot better and consistent, approx 10-15 lower than ThePlanet's average. Prices are a bit cheaper too, the funny part: softlayer is in the same building as ThePlanet.
Well we have a long standing relationship with the planet. Also you are incorrect about the prices, I can get a better machine at insomnia365.com than I can from softlayer for the same price.
I honestly don't see a problem with the pings, I mean I get around 50-60 from the east coast which isn't bad for central america.
Their support and customer service is awesome as well. The planet for us right now is the best deal.
<!--quoteo(post=1594826:date=Jan 4 2007, 01:06 PM:name=ubermensch)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(ubermensch @ Jan 4 2007, 01:06 PM) [snapback]1594826[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->What really sealed NSA's fate was when you changed it to CO with xmenu and NS with sieges, 32 slots, with giveres, and all that other nonsense.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I agree.
The vanilla setup seems to attract the most people. The noobs don't know the difference, the combat "lovers" stay away, and the people with taste will be thankful.
I'm looking for a small server, maybe 16 people, without too many plugins. I completely skip over 24+ slot servers. The more players the more important team work becomes--especially for aliens, who are already at a res disadvantage. Aliens rarely are able to pull it together (in my experience) in big servers. A noob marine might rambo a little, but he can still aim and shoot most of the time but a noob alien is completely worthless.
Blockscripts 0 is a must. Not because I need scripts but because bs 0 servers seem to discourage good players that script from joining.
If the server is mostly ns_ map oriented I'll tolerate a few co/siege maps--even xmenu.
A tourney of sorts would be good for generating interest in NS and probably your server.
I like the other suggestion about free reserved slots for players that are dedicated, or even adminship The most important aspect to getting a player base is having a seed player base. People don't join servers that don't have any people on them. For a few weeks hop on IRC and advertise. After enough people have had fun at your server, they'll start coming back for more. If I really like a server I'll join when there are 0 people and pistol whip bots or something until more join.
I'll be sure and join today when I get off work. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
Comments
I just went on your NS classic server. Seems good, nice and vanilla with the essential addons.
I'll be looking over that server to see if there are any players/
Since CO is designed for smaller games, and we are currently advertising that the game will switch to NS when there is enough people, I think that combination effect should be enough to stimulate growth on the server.
People play G4B2S because of how <b>vanilla</b> it is.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
30 players isn't vanilla ns ok
I do not want this thread to be closed as I am getting an idea of what the general public on these forums look for in an NS game.
You seem to be in the minority with that respect, we had the server in the beta and nobody connected.
Now its still pretty popular even while playing the last official released version.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Heh, those who develop the game like the current stuff.
I know I went through that for other games ;D
But frankly 3.1.3 is a "stable" version as far as balance is concerned
The beta isn't.
Perhaps 3.2.2 will be stable.
On a side note
This thread is is primarily for the promotion of the NSArmslab/NSAgames server(s). I want to make it clear to anyone who is interested in promoting the server will be rewarded with reserve slots to ALL of our servers, present and future.
Promotion of the server includes the following:
1) seeding an empty server, waiting for players to join.
2) staying in the server until it is near, or completely full
3) getting others to do the same.
I'm not really interested so much with regards to promoters who will join when the server is 16/21, I am interested in the people who will consistently populate the server when it is empty.
I'll try to help with the seeding, I got lots of free time right now. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
People who seeding the server will be rewarded with reserve slots once we feel that we are ready to charge for them again.
30 players isn't vanilla ns ok
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
It's vanilla enough <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
With many multiplayer games that aren't wildly popular, I find I'm often having to make the decision of what game to play, whether or not to load up steam, start the game and then check the server list to see if anybody is playing. If that information was available with just one click and two seconds in your browser window, I imagine significantly more people would be deciding that they wanted to play NS on your server.
Seeding NS classic with a few people is difficult, especially when its usually one person at a time trying to accomplish the task.
I find seeding combat to be much easier, and then change to NS. Some of the CO people drop thats true, but its usually not enough to change it back to co.
Even if it stays on NS with like 8 players, the people who then filter out CO will join. The difficulty is getting those 8 players to join, which is why we use CO to do that.
might stop by again later
i had fun,at least ppl were sorta nice to me,so ill put it in my server favorites <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
but having 150+ ping and having shaky hands because of it being so cold here,doesnt really help my gamingstyle <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
I'm glad you had a good time though.
Its tough for European players because our server is located in Central America, if it were located in the east coast it would be better.
I'm glad you had a good time though.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
you were there,you should know <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":D" border="0" alt="biggrin-fix.gif" />
a lot of people have been looking for reserve slots, I am having a meeting tonight with some other guys that are involved to see what we can do.
Do you have cable or DSL
i live in ny and i felt as if i was playing on a euro server with a ping of over 100.
<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Same here, living in north VA.
It was a bit worse than my experiences with yoclan, and pings worse as well. I don't remember that being the case in the old days..
If you want to help prevent server from emptying and keep sever more interesting, add an autoassign-plugin at the start of the game and F1/F2/F4 disabled till after 30 seconds into the game (they can 'retry' but who cares, if they're willing to 'retry' because they can't play aliens then they're bad). I'd actually play there a lot more.
I really suggest softlayer, (www.softlayer.com) server administration(especially their web interface) service and pings are alot better and consistent, approx 10-15 lower than ThePlanet's average. Prices are a bit cheaper too, the funny part: softlayer is in the same building as ThePlanet.
I honestly don't see a problem with the pings, I mean I get around 50-60 from the east coast which isn't bad for central america.
Their support and customer service is awesome as well. The planet for us right now is the best deal.
I agree.
The vanilla setup seems to attract the most people. The noobs don't know the difference, the combat "lovers" stay away, and the people with taste will be thankful.
I'm looking for a small server, maybe 16 people, without too many plugins. I completely skip over 24+ slot servers. The more players the more important team work becomes--especially for aliens, who are already at a res disadvantage. Aliens rarely are able to pull it together (in my experience) in big servers. A noob marine might rambo a little, but he can still aim and shoot most of the time but a noob alien is completely worthless.
Blockscripts 0 is a must. Not because I need scripts but because bs 0 servers seem to discourage good players that script from joining.
If the server is mostly ns_ map oriented I'll tolerate a few co/siege maps--even xmenu.
A tourney of sorts would be good for generating interest in NS and probably your server.
I like the other suggestion about free reserved slots for players that are dedicated, or even adminship The most important aspect to getting a player base is having a seed player base. People don't join servers that don't have any people on them. For a few weeks hop on IRC and advertise. After enough people have had fun at your server, they'll start coming back for more. If I really like a server I'll join when there are 0 people and pistol whip bots or something until more join.
I'll be sure and join today when I get off work. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />