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Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution
Author	Message
lScorchl Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:18 am Posts: 20	Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution So I'm sure we've all seen how well the custom server scene has been going for a while now (ie: not at all). There is a fundamental flaw in the way custom servers are being presented to the players that is causing an absolute ghost town in custom servers at all times. That flaw is the fact that there is no exposure for normal players to custom servers. Currently the game presents you these ways to get into the game and in this order: Join Friends TDM CTF Arena C&H Custom Servers See the issue? Custom servers are not only not obvious, they are right down the bottom of that list, and I believe the majority of pub players don't even bother to acknowledge it. It is a rather silly way of presenting custom servers to the public, and it hurts the population of these servers dramatically when people can just click join friends and hop in with any of their buddies, or click their game type and go. Now onto the solution to this, We need more exposure for custom servers, and I came up with a couple solutions: A) Make the Server Browser the default screen for joining a game, with the join friends and quick join game type buttons added to this screen. This way you can make the custom servers exposed to all new players playing the game, and you can even add the main servers to the list, whilst still maintaining the quick join and friend join functions. This is what I am getting at: B) Make the server browser the ONLY way to join a game. It's more extreme, but it would be a simple change, add all normal instanced servers from hirez onto the server browser, and have custom servers on the same list, with added filters for hirez only servers, and custom only servers. Now, I'm not saying these are the only available options, but I wanted to start discussion on how hirez could improve the custom server experience, so that everyone knows they are there, and we can actually get people filtering into them so that our hard earned money doesn't go to waste. As a plus side, it will encourage more people to rent out servers if they end up being successful, as it is I see no reason for myself to continue renting a server out for long periods when it gets almost zero use (only times it does is for scrims and matches).
Mon May 21, 2012 5:04 am

Lewdeh Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:47 pm Posts: 26	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution I think this can be the foundation for an enjoyable change. Perhaps make each "standard" game mode the default servers displayed at the top of the browser (e.g. one per CTF, C&H, TDM etc.) and then list the remainder custom servers by geographic region underneath. Obviously players should still be able to sort and filter this list.
Mon May 21, 2012 5:10 am

Tazzie02 Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:40 pm Posts: 19 Location: Australia	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution Agreed, even matchmaking into custom servers would work.
Mon May 21, 2012 5:34 am

nk Regional Liaison Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:27 am Posts: 112	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution This is an excellent idea. I would be playing on custom servers far more if they weren't always a 3-man affair. Not that I don't enjoy 3-ways. It's just that 32-man is much more satisfying.
Mon May 21, 2012 5:37 am

Pkunk Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:42 am Posts: 351	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution The reason why the custom servers are empty is simply that there is no custom servers with a Tribes classic rule set. Or a spinfusor only rule set.
Mon May 21, 2012 5:38 am

Dose1 Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:50 am Posts: 12	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution Surprised we all hadn't clicked onto this earlier. Good find, take it on board. _________________ \|SpS\|www.spectres.org
Mon May 21, 2012 5:39 am

sheepishness Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:09 am Posts: 13 Steam Gamer Name: colabus	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution +1 you have my vote. Scorch for PM.
Mon May 21, 2012 5:40 am

miniKAD Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:03 am Posts: 546 Location: Australia Steam Gamer Name: miniKAD	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution +1. The only reason I haven't rented a private server or two, is simply because nobody plays them. (1 for the public, and 1 for friends). Doing this could only really have positive outcomes for Hi-Rez. (methinks) _________________ Sentinels: A guide to placing your Claymores: viewtopic.php?f=234&t=80784 (I know, something that you'd think would be obvious, yet so many people have trouble with it). Finally back after several months off
Mon May 21, 2012 8:23 am

AcidMantis Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:25 pm Posts: 179	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution If I thought I could have a consistently full server, I would have dropped gold a month ago. I don't know why they went with the zero info random join method they have now, but in the old games you would join games from a server selection screen with tickable filters, not ones where you have to type in value codes and hope you got them right.
Mon May 21, 2012 8:55 am

c0mad0r Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 12:54 pm Posts: 604 Location: San Diego, CA. USA	Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution Aside from some people using them for scrims and trying new things, Custom Servers are absolutely dead. This is rather sad since I know the Hi-Rez Team spent A LOT of time developing them to get them going. If anything, they need to have a single browse list per game type (e.g. CTF, CAH, TDM, etc) and list ALL servers fitting that category (including Hi-Rez servers). Perhaps they can use a designator such as color or ordering (checkbox) to only show Hi-Rez Servers. HEADER EXAMPLE: "F"avorite...................."P"rivate....................NAME....................TYPE....................MAP....................SLOTS....................PING....................RULES.................... "F" .........................."P" .........................My Hardcore...........CTF......................Crossfire..............9/16........................39....................... .................... CONTROLS: Filter controls at the bottom of Server list (move Filter by Gametype box here) CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Pure Hi-Rez Server Only CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Favorites Only CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Private/Locked Servers CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Empty Servers CHECKBOX: Hide/Show CTF CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Rabbit CHECKBOX: Hide/Show TDM CHECKBOX: Hide/Show CAH I don't think the "Level" column is needed personally. They also should re-arrange the columns to what is listed above as it is a more fluid grouping. _________________ Try My T:A TS3 Skin: Download Try My T:A Mumble Skin: Download (Mumble Note: Click "Download original" from top right or "File, Download Original") Last edited by c0mad0r on Mon May 21, 2012 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
Mon May 21, 2012 11:42 am

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Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

Author

Message

lScorchl

Joined: Wed Sep 14, 2011 7:18 am
Posts: 20

Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

So I'm sure we've all seen how well the custom server scene has been going for a while now (ie: not at all). There is a fundamental flaw in the way custom servers are being presented to the players that is causing an absolute ghost town in custom servers at all times.

That flaw is the fact that there is no exposure for normal players to custom servers. Currently the game presents you these ways to get into the game and in this order:

Join Friends
TDM
CTF
Arena
C&H
Custom Servers

See the issue? Custom servers are not only not obvious, they are right down the bottom of that list, and I believe the majority of pub players don't even bother to acknowledge it. It is a rather silly way of presenting custom servers to the public, and it hurts the population of these servers dramatically when people can just click join friends and hop in with any of their buddies, or click their game type and go.

Now onto the solution to this, We need more exposure for custom servers, and I came up with a couple solutions:

A) Make the Server Browser the default screen for joining a game, with the join friends and quick join game type buttons added to this screen. This way you can make the custom servers exposed to all new players playing the game, and you can even add the main servers to the list, whilst still maintaining the quick join and friend join functions.

This is what I am getting at:

B) Make the server browser the ONLY way to join a game. It's more extreme, but it would be a simple change, add all normal instanced servers from hirez onto the server browser, and have custom servers on the same list, with added filters for hirez only servers, and custom only servers.

Now, I'm not saying these are the only available options, but I wanted to start discussion on how hirez could improve the custom server experience, so that everyone knows they are there, and we can actually get people filtering into them so that our hard earned money doesn't go to waste.

As a plus side, it will encourage more people to rent out servers if they end up being successful, as it is I see no reason for myself to continue renting a server out for long periods when it gets almost zero use (only times it does is for scrims and matches).

Mon May 21, 2012 5:04 am

Lewdeh

Joined: Thu Jul 08, 2010 10:47 pm
Posts: 26

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

I think this can be the foundation for an enjoyable change. Perhaps make each "standard" game mode the default servers displayed at the top of the browser (e.g. one per CTF, C&H, TDM etc.) and then list the remainder custom servers by geographic region underneath. Obviously players should still be able to sort and filter this list.

Mon May 21, 2012 5:10 am

Tazzie02

Joined: Wed Nov 09, 2011 2:40 pm
Posts: 19
Location: Australia

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

Agreed, even matchmaking into custom servers would work.

Mon May 21, 2012 5:34 am

Regional Liaison

Joined: Thu Mar 01, 2012 11:27 am
Posts: 112

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

This is an excellent idea. I would be playing on custom servers far more if they weren't always a 3-man affair. Not that I don't enjoy 3-ways. It's just that 32-man is much more satisfying.

Mon May 21, 2012 5:37 am

Pkunk

Joined: Thu Jan 12, 2012 5:42 am
Posts: 351

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

The reason why the custom servers are empty is simply that there is no custom servers with a Tribes classic rule set. Or a spinfusor only rule set.

Mon May 21, 2012 5:38 am

Dose1

Joined: Wed Oct 12, 2011 2:50 am
Posts: 12

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

Surprised we all hadn't clicked onto this earlier. Good find, take it on board.

_________________
|SpS|www.spectres.org

Mon May 21, 2012 5:39 am

sheepishness

Joined: Mon Feb 06, 2012 8:09 am
Posts: 13
Steam Gamer Name: colabus

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

+1 you have my vote.

Scorch for PM.

Mon May 21, 2012 5:40 am

miniKAD

Joined: Sat Mar 03, 2012 5:03 am
Posts: 546
Location: Australia
Steam Gamer Name: miniKAD

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

+1.
The only reason I haven't rented a private server or two, is simply because nobody plays them.
(1 for the public, and 1 for friends).
Doing this could only really have positive outcomes for Hi-Rez. (methinks)

_________________
Sentinels: A guide to placing your Claymores: viewtopic.php?f=234&t=80784
(I know, something that you'd think would be obvious, yet so many people have trouble with it).
Finally back after several months off

Mon May 21, 2012 8:23 am

AcidMantis

Joined: Tue Dec 13, 2011 12:25 pm
Posts: 179

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

If I thought I could have a consistently full server, I would have dropped gold a month ago. I don't know why they went with the zero info random join method they have now, but in the old games you would join games from a server selection screen with tickable filters, not ones where you have to type in value codes and hope you got them right.

Mon May 21, 2012 8:55 am

c0mad0r

Joined: Thu Nov 03, 2011 12:54 pm
Posts: 604
Location: San Diego, CA. USA

Re: Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution

Aside from some people using them for scrims and trying new things, Custom Servers are absolutely dead. This is rather sad since I know the Hi-Rez Team spent A LOT of time developing them to get them going.

If anything, they need to have a single browse list per game type (e.g. CTF, CAH, TDM, etc) and list ALL servers fitting that category (including Hi-Rez servers). Perhaps they can use a designator such as color or ordering (checkbox) to only show Hi-Rez Servers.

HEADER EXAMPLE:

"F"avorite...................."P"rivate....................NAME....................TYPE....................MAP....................SLOTS....................PING....................RULES....................
"F" :?:

.........................."P" :?:

.........................My Hardcore...........CTF......................Crossfire..............9/16........................39....................... :idea:

....................

CONTROLS: Filter controls at the bottom of Server list (move Filter by Gametype box here)
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Pure Hi-Rez Server Only
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Favorites Only
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Private/Locked Servers
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Empty Servers
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show CTF
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show Rabbit
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show TDM
CHECKBOX: Hide/Show CAH

I don't think the "Level" column is needed personally. They also should re-arrange the columns to what is listed above as it is a more fluid grouping.

_________________
Try My T:A TS3 Skin: Download
Try My T:A Mumble Skin: Download
(Mumble Note: Click "Download original" from top right or "File, Download Original")

Last edited by c0mad0r on Mon May 21, 2012 11:45 am, edited 1 time in total.

Mon May 21, 2012 11:42 am

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Current state of Custom Servers: A Solution