Ns 2.0 Optimal Player Numbers + Vac
haven
Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8767Members
Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8767Members
<div class="IPBDescription">As the title says ...</div> More questions on the upcoming 2.0 release. Hopefully someone has answers prior to release but if not then I can wait.
In 1.04 there is an optimal number of marines vs kharaa to maintain a game balance. Less than 6-7 players tends to favour kharaa whilst >8 increasingly favours marines. This is based on my own observation and the comments of others that I have read.
Given the complete overhaul of the resource system, what is the optimal balance for 2.0 ? Do we expect to have some great 6 vs 6 or 12 v 12 scrims , or is it no longer an issue (I'd be surprised but pleased if it wasn't).
Secondly, I've followed the development in the beta forum and I've seen nothing posted about VAC compatibility and 2.0. Do we expect to still be relying on CD or will VAC support be implemented.
Any help/answers would be appreciated, its time to start planning the next server implementation (< 3 weeks till release) and the answers to the above would help in the planning.
Thanks
In 1.04 there is an optimal number of marines vs kharaa to maintain a game balance. Less than 6-7 players tends to favour kharaa whilst >8 increasingly favours marines. This is based on my own observation and the comments of others that I have read.
Given the complete overhaul of the resource system, what is the optimal balance for 2.0 ? Do we expect to have some great 6 vs 6 or 12 v 12 scrims , or is it no longer an issue (I'd be surprised but pleased if it wasn't).
Secondly, I've followed the development in the beta forum and I've seen nothing posted about VAC compatibility and 2.0. Do we expect to still be relying on CD or will VAC support be implemented.
Any help/answers would be appreciated, its time to start planning the next server implementation (< 3 weeks till release) and the answers to the above would help in the planning.
Thanks
Comments
To the best of my knowledge VAC will be enabled in 2.0
I can't comment on optimum player numbers though, soz m8.
Roo
Anyone have any thoughts?
As for CD Vs VAC. That's a conundrum I currently have. CD seems to be working great and I can't complain, except for the fact it might have contributed to less people playing on the servers (currently running 5). When 4 servers were being run without CD, 3 would be regularly full on a daily bases and all four of them full alot of the time too. But now with CD, only 2 out of 5 become full daily. Though this could also be contributed to some people becoming bored with 1.04. Some people also just don't want to run a client just for my servers (most other Australian public servers to my knowledge don't run CD) for various reasons.
As for VAC, my main worry about VAC is the ban lengths. VAC can be wrong and to incorrectly ban someone for 5 years is a tough sentence, especially when I believe they had admitted VAC does sometimes ban due to faulty hardware (E.g. memory).
I am actually considering running a few of my servers using CD and the rest using VAC. Unsure whether that would be a permenant or a temporary trial phase where users could then tell me want they want to use.
Anyone have any thoughts? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thats a good thing, right?
Anyone have any thoughts? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thats a good thing, right? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
It depends. Some people may have hacks on a machine to 'watch' demos with, but not use while playing. But then again, if you do that and not use a seperate machine your'e a fool and it's your own bad luck. But not everyone can afford a seperate machine.
Then there is always the past problem (unsure if it still occurs) where VAC could ban due to faulty memory etc, but I think even if that still occurs, the ban penealty for that is alot less.
VAC no longer bans for memory errors, it just disconnects you from the server.
Anytime they find out about false positives they remove all the bans since the last update.
The reason they are banning for 5 years now is because they are more confident with their system after a year of using it.
VAC or CD in NS2.0? Hard to say, CD is doing a great job, but what if the player numbers drop because of it? :/
It really isn't too much of a hassle, and considering the benefits for the server (better players since I installed it without a doubt), it seems silly not to have CD!
Add to that the fact that hullu is an NS player and on the United Admins team, CD + NS = Win!
Roo
VAC no longer bans for memory errors, it just disconnects you from the server.
Anytime they find out about false positives they remove all the bans since the last update.
The reason they are banning for 5 years now is because they are more confident with their system after a year of using it.
VAC or CD in NS2.0? Hard to say, CD is doing a great job, but what if the player numbers drop because of it? :/ <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Thanks for the correction. <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
Anything, above 16 slots should work, 24 players shouldn't have any problems balance wise...
These things might change in the public arena, but, I think you should be ok. Hopefully, none of this should be set in stone, so experiment with numbers if you can. Choose the number based on how epic you want your battles to be, how much the server can take, and your budget.
CD will remain as my favourite anticheat... it's quite good and players have no complaints about using it...
Cheating Death:
Players must have client to join a required server.
Optional servers don't stop anyone.
Cheating Death can ban from a single server.
Limits n00bs joining server, due to client download.
VAC:
Built in to server, so anyone can join and servers stay full.
Bans player for extended amount of time with their wonID. Global affect.
Servers stay fuller.
Personally, if Valve is confident enough to ban for 5 years, they have to have some pretty good stuff. They would get a lot of crap from people if they started getting 5 year sentences for a hardware mistake. And if this gets rid of a certain hacker in all servers I've got to say, my patriotism for that effect is high. Why just keep hackers out of your servers when you could keep them out of everyones? A question I have to ask all you CD lovers too is... have you tried VAC? I mean if you have that is great, but if you haven't and it is "doing a great job", then that means as much as "Its attracting hackers to my server". There is no comparison when bringing VAC into the picture if you haven't tested.
Someone said that if more server admins run CD, more people will download it. This is true, but I believe this ripple effect would be much more effective when people don't even have to download something you know? Then we only count on admins to aenable something and everyone who joins the server is automatically part of the anti cheat community. Just think through this anti-cheat battle, try and look past what you're used to, or works for your server. Do whats good for the entire NS community and most effective.
Anyone have any thoughts? <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yup its true, my HL is buggy. It dedected my mouse pointer in DoD and now im banned till 2008 on just about every Dod and CS server, switching to Vac means no more NS for me till 2008.
What did they say when you emailed them?
I can always use plan B:
Since i got HL Generations 2 it means iv a got a CS CD key thats valid. My friends got that tho, but he ows me.
My brother constantly uses hacks, a few time he has even installed them on my computer and re targeted my HL shortcuts to them...
So I go play CS, I'm not banned, but I realize that every time I fire I get a headshot... <!--emo&???--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/confused.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='confused.gif'><!--endemo-->
Anyways, I realize what happend, I went and, disable the hacks, uninstall them... and I never got kicked, banned or anything by VAC.
Yet people with buggy HL that shows their mouse pointers do...
Ya.. Valve really shouldn't be confident about VAC.
We run Cheating-Death and HLGuard (with WWCL blocking). This runs extremly well.
In my opinion Cheating Death is better than VAC. VAC has prooven time and time again to decrease server performance, and every server company is aware of the nightmare of the dreaded "VAC UPDATES" (happens about once a week, and usually leads to server crashes/people not being able to connect/dissapearing stuff)
Using teh cheating death addon is great too (you dont need CD unless you get a certain number of kills etc, then it will ask you to leave and return with CD).
zippy
Anyone have any thoughts? <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Yup its true, my HL is buggy. It dedected my mouse pointer in DoD and now im banned till 2008 on just about every Dod and CS server, switching to Vac means no more NS for me till 2008. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
you can always play on C-D servers even if you are VAC banned