Servers

[snoogans.]

Okay, instead of continuing the topic of "New servers" why not old servers?

Removing servers
Many of regular maps like cp_dustbowl etc. get little to no traction and I'm pretty sure it costs Death a bit. Why not remove some of the list popular servers? Take note of which servers as some are just not popular due to time. Server 11 can be packed between the times of 3-11pm, but is kinda dead any other hour. I mean completely bone dry servers, barely 1 player a week type of server.

Idle kicking
I joined a server the other day with 5 people, going to have some tiny bit of fun, and it was filled with idles. One was in spectator for 7 hours, and then another point there was someone idle for 2 days.. Sourcebans helped me find that out. People like me go into those servers, quickly disappointed and KNOW to avoid those types of servers. I avoid certain SS servers because I know it's the idle nap-zone.

More events
Without having to add or remove things to the server, host more events? Other than that boxing league and the credit boost events. Or the ones that biscuit does. Something like a spycrab, lil mini contests, little challenges, a game of horse? Something to gather people on a server and get them to enjoy the servers more. The events shouldn't even require any sort of command usage, except calling a vote.



This is suggestions, not forcing or commanding ANYTHING. Give input on this, and don't let this post die just yet, spread this around. Hell, put a poll on it or something eventually..?

[Biscuit]

Well idle kicking is something we will never have... I mean the servers aren't just for trading, they're for idling as well. I mean it's in the name tags on the server browser window: "IDLE.."

[Peter Capaldi's Peter Capaldi]

I agree. Some of these servers could actually be used for something else. I'm not sure what they would be used for, but I'm sure there may be a lot of money going down the drain. Realistically, Loadsamoney doesn't really have loadsamoney. Any money that could be saved or conserved could probably be used for bigger and better features for more dense or populated game servers. It could also be used for securing the SwapShop forums via security by obscurity and security by correctness. (If you don't know what that is then: https://youtu.be/u4SEDzynMiQ?t=59s)

The money could also be used for the betterment of the forums' performance. It could also be used for bringing new and desired features to the forums. We have a boat load of ways to utilize the money and the servers. Death is kind of scrounging around for money these days. Trading is quite time consuming and he sometimes only gets a few cents for a few items.

In addition, can we get someone with some stats up in here so we can really see some of the issues with the servers from a statistical perspective? I mean, really! Apparently Death doesn't have logs or stats saved anywhere! I know we have the forum stats, but part of me feels like those have been tweaked either intentionally or unintentionally. Regardless, the forum stats should be respected. I'm baffled that no one else questioned the legitimacy of those stats.

With that said, SwapShop should be taking in more, or at least start taking enough, data from individuals who allow small companies- which includes SwapShop- to gather, record, and store data for the sake of analysis, historical contexts, improvement of performance, improvement of service, improvement of in-game quality, improvement of overall experience, etc. Don't complain about Big Data or use Big Data as a deterrent if you don't know how to keep yourself and your online experience secure and private. It's all on you and you should be looking into your privacy and security. Don't be ignorant to what's out there and don't make ignorant and poorly thought out decisions. But I digress...

The servers could also be used for replays. Because who doesn't like replays? Replays aren't dead. Right? Am I right? Uh... Guys? D:

In regards to more events: I'm with it. I like that idea.

I can understand the idling issue. However, some people are uber lazy and they just want to be able to instantly jump back into a game on the SwapShop servers. I know that's what I did a lot. The only difference between me and the other players you've been seeing is that I didn't just sit there for seven hours without a reason; at least I don't think I idled for that long.

Here's your daily dose of Youtube:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ON-7v4qnHP8

[Sixteen]

Death pays a certain amount to the hosts of his servers every so often. If he wants to add another server to the list, he will pay whatever amount he has to and then that is that. His payment to the host does not go up.
Therefore, if he were to take servers down, that is how he would lose money. He spent X amount on every server so if he were to take it down, that X amount would be a complete waste. At least with the servers that he does have up, for that 1 person who joins, Death is at least gaining a little bit of money from that ad revenue.

Removal of servers: Death loses initial X amount he spent to buy the server
Keeping the servers: Death gets whatever money he does from ad revenue

Never will Death be losing money (unless if he makes more money than he spends).

As for idles, half the servers are Idle/Achievement servers so... Also, a highly bought perk in the shop is the Spam Kill AFK's. Idlers won't be going anywhere. Just gotta deal, I guess.

Events? I highly recommend them. Only admins can hold events though. Many claps to SINS and Biscuit for holding events because no one ever does. I used to think "We need events because they bring people in and are a lot of fun so I should host one every Friday" but then I realized I had things always changing in my life and it was too hard for me to hold an event every Friday. Is it doable? Yes, obviously because SINS and Biscuit do events all the time. Is it likely though? No. Most of the administrators I have ever seen at SwapShop have never done any event.

If people want to have events or crazy fun server types on different maps, all can be done. We have the servers, we have the resources, we have the admins. Anything can be done, and I would highly recommend starting votes or finding maps/game modes you want to see be on the server and test it out for a month or so. It can all be done, just like anything else, someone has to do it.

Plus, if it works out, maybe it will grow the community and turn 0/32 servers to 32/32 servers. Who knows. After all of my time at SwapShop, I know I don't know.

~16

[mental]

Death pays a certain amount to the hosts of his servers every so often. If he wants to add another server to the list, he will pay whatever amount he has to and then that is that. His payment to the host does not go up.
Therefore, if he were to take servers down, that is how he would lose money. He spent X amount on every server so if he were to take it down, that X amount would be a complete waste. At least with the servers that he does have up, for that 1 person who joins, Death is at least gaining a little bit of money from that ad revenue.

Removal of servers: Death loses initial X amount he spent to buy the server
Keeping the servers: Death gets whatever money he does from ad revenue

Never will Death be losing money (unless if he makes more money than he spends).

As for idles, half the servers are Idle/Achievement servers so... Also, a highly bought perk in the shop is the Spam Kill AFK's. Idlers won't be going anywhere. Just gotta deal, I guess.

Events? I highly recommend them. Only admins can hold events though. Many claps to SINS and Biscuit for holding events because no one ever does. I used to think "We need events because they bring people in and are a lot of fun so I should host one every Friday" but then I realized I had things always changing in my life and it was too hard for me to hold an event every Friday. Is it doable? Yes, obviously because SINS and Biscuit do events all the time. Is it likely though? No. Most of the administrators I have ever seen at SwapShop have never done any event.

If people want to have events or crazy fun server types on different maps, all can be done. We have the servers, we have the resources, we have the admins. Anything can be done, and I would highly recommend starting votes or finding maps/game modes you want to see be on the server and test it out for a month or so. It can all be done, just like anything else, someone has to do it.

Plus, if it works out, maybe it will grow the community and turn 0/32 servers to 32/32 servers. Who knows. After all of my time at SwapShop, I know I don't know.

~16

Well said.

[Death™]

It doesn't matter if I run 1 server or 100 it all costs the same as I own the dedicated server out games are running on. I have other projects running on theses servers so as long as I don't run out of cpu and memory usage we can pile on the servers.

[Lunarium]

It doesn't matter if I run 1 server or 100 it all costs the same as I own the dedicated server out games are running on. I have other projects running on theses servers so as long as I don't run out of cpu and memory usage we can pile on the servers.

More or less, I feel they're presenting the idea of removing the maps that aren't working. I think they are suggesting maps rather than even more servers.

Ie: Remove the default maps and replace them with more custom maps.

Although the rest is entirely up to you.

[BloodRain]

The expansion of maps or servers may lead to an increase in popularity. Would also advertise itself, being a popular map and people wanting to join it.

[Biscuit]

I know we've made many polls in the past about what maps should be added, which resulted in the surf servers being added as well as some others. Maybe we should make another poll [public] to see what maps and game modes/mod servers the tf2ss community wants to see implemented. If you just go on the "Internet" tab when you click "Community Servers", just filter the "players" button so that it shows the servers with the highest number of players in them.

It's almost ALWAYS the Saxton Hale, Slender Fortress and Deathrun servers. I think we should add those to the poll if y'all think it's a good idea..

[BloodRain]

I know we've made many polls in the past about what maps should be added, which resulted in the surf servers being added as well as some others. Maybe we should make another poll [public] to see what maps and game modes/mod servers the tf2ss community wants to see implemented. If you just go on the "Internet" tab when you click "Community Servers", just filter the "players" button so that it shows the servers with the highest number of players in them.

It's almost ALWAYS the Saxton Hale, Slender Fortress and Deathrun servers. I think we should add those to the poll if y'all think it's a good idea..

Keep in mind whether or not we should keep the Shop implemented on those custom maps.

The shop could break the game modes.

[Peter Capaldi's Peter Capaldi]

I know we've made many polls in the past about what maps should be added, which resulted in the surf servers being added as well as some others. Maybe we should make another poll [public] to see what maps and game modes/mod servers the tf2ss community wants to see implemented. If you just go on the "Internet" tab when you click "Community Servers", just filter the "players" button so that it shows the servers with the highest number of players in them.

It's almost ALWAYS the Saxton Hale, Slender Fortress and Deathrun servers. I think we should add those to the poll if y'all think it's a good idea..

Keep in mind whether or not we should keep the Shop implemented on those custom maps.

The shop could break the game modes.

The shop can't break cp_container_v2.

[Sixteen]

I know we've made many polls in the past about what maps should be added, which resulted in the surf servers being added as well as some others. Maybe we should make another poll [public] to see what maps and game modes/mod servers the tf2ss community wants to see implemented. If you just go on the "Internet" tab when you click "Community Servers", just filter the "players" button so that it shows the servers with the highest number of players in them.

It's almost ALWAYS the Saxton Hale, Slender Fortress and Deathrun servers. I think we should add those to the poll if y'all think it's a good idea..

Keep in mind whether or not we should keep the Shop implemented on those custom maps.

The shop could break the game modes.

Change the servers first. Don't plan to be perfect. Let things fail and figure out how to make it work. If it doesn't work, then that map or game mode gets taken down. Simple stuff. We have time. Don't feel
rushed.

~16

[Peter Capaldi's Peter Capaldi]

I know we've made many polls in the past about what maps should be added, which resulted in the surf servers being added as well as some others. Maybe we should make another poll [public] to see what maps and game modes/mod servers the tf2ss community wants to see implemented. If you just go on the "Internet" tab when you click "Community Servers", just filter the "players" button so that it shows the servers with the highest number of players in them.

It's almost ALWAYS the Saxton Hale, Slender Fortress and Deathrun servers. I think we should add those to the poll if y'all think it's a good idea..

Keep in mind whether or not we should keep the Shop implemented on those custom maps.

The shop could break the game modes.

Change the servers first. Don't plan to be perfect. Let things fail and figure out how to make it work. If it doesn't work, then that map or game mode gets taken down. Simple stuff. We have time. Don't feel
rushed.

~16

We have to make sure we don't rush cp_container_v2. If we rush it, then we won't be able to make the experience perfect...

[BloodRain]

No you see guys, we just need to make every map hightower and everything will be okay.

[Sixteen]

Also if you are going to create a vote, make sure to to have links that provide downloads to all of the maps and also have links to the mods/programs the map needs, if it does need any. If your provide everything that is needed, it will show that you are determined to make it happen and can be put into action much more quickly. Most of the time in the past, votes would be made and then die out, even if a decision was concluded. Then, once a decision is made, inform Death of what the map/game mode is as well as what server the map will be overtaking and then provide him the download links he will need.
Then we can test the maps and fix it however we can, or abandon the idea, if necessary.

~16