Re: where is every one

**Brennus** · 12-10-2007, 03:14 AM

I joined up when I first got ArmA, and I played here whenever I got the chance. At the time, I would switch over between here (Tactical Gamer), and SimHQ (Magnum). Now, I only join in for 'Military Monday' (SimHQ), which really isn't by choice, but rather the constraints on my free time. I had no idea that the TG server was declining, as it was going quite strong by the time I decided to dedicate my free time w/ the folks over at SimHQ! (I still wear my |TG| tags, and I pimp 'Tactical Gamer' whenever I get the chance.) It's the nature of the beast I suppose, as the majority of people are probably moving on to newer games, as this has been a productive year for gaming, and for shooters especially. I think, that in order for the Tactical Gamer server to remain popular, it will have to find a way to keep things fresh. We are using the "6thSense" mod over at SimHQ, and It's helping to move things forward in the right direction.

It really is just a matter of keeping things from getting old I suppose...

**Yanu** · 12-10-2007, 04:18 AM

Originally Posted by AMosely

Also remember that just signing in to teamspeak is enough to signal a willingness to play. For example, sign in to the co-op channel and hang out while you do something else. I tend to use teamspeak to see who is playing what and where, so if I see players logged in to the ArmA channels, I'll hop on and see what's up.

I’ve found this to be true over the last week or so. I’m only on for 10 to 15 min before a few other people join in. I’m sad to say I haven’t seen much of the “Pre-USA release Crew” on TS much less ArmA lately. (However, I did get some games in with Panzer yesterday) Maybe enough time has passed to weed out some of the less teamwork oriented players. It looks like we’re all feeling the same way and thinking the same things. I’m saying the time is right for an ArmA revival. If you want to play, be the person to start it and see who joins in.

If anyone is interested, I’ll try and be on around 10:00 AM CST on Monday for a few hours. (I know 8 hours isn’t much notice. I need to get to sleep.)

**Taxi** · 12-10-2007, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by TheBigC

This thread needs to happen. If someone has taken issues with any manner in which ArmA is played here, by all means discuss it. I encourage each and every one of you to participate so we can make improvements that help TG and the community.

We have offered several forms of gameplay here, so you ALL have choices. If the 2 choices do not suit your needs, than so be it. TG is not for you. Please do not sit there and be hyper critical of half the issues while at the same time ignoring the other half of things here.

The variety here is not to be found anywhere else. If there is something more we can do to accommodate all of you, please inform us.

That being said, any slanderous remarks about anybody else will head this thread into oblivion.

I'll just add one more thing. The way I see it you can run a tactical gaming community like TG with games ranging from arcady (COD) to sim (ArmA) in two ways:

1 You let each member decide what game play you want with each game.

2 Take the game play of each game and move it up considerably towards teamwork, tactics and simulation, despite of what the average member would like.

As far as I can tell, TG now runs a model like the 1st, although SOP's keep gameplay above a certain threshold. It's pretty logical and democratic to run things like that, after all it's the members that make the community. However the downside is that with a game range running as wide as from COD to ArmA, the average players game play preference for sim games like ArmA will not be more tactical than the average gameplay you find on most servers, perhaps even less. You thus run the risk of alienating the more hardcore sim players, while the more casual players will frequently play less hardcore games, since they suit their game style better in the first place. In the end the on (ArmA) server time of both groups will be limited.

I'm not saying it's the wrong way of running things, just pointing out what I feel what the effects may be for the more hardcore games like ArmA. I don't think splitting up the different game styles over different servers will help that much since it will just split up the player base. If you want attract decent numbers and keep attracting them for a "hardcore" sim game like ArmA you need to make sure that "hardcore" players know TG offers the "hardcore" game play that suits the target group of that game right from the start. In my view that game play is, little to no respawn, no evo, no Sharani Life, little vs. AI, rigid and well developed chain of command etc. Although, to be honest, I think at this stage of ArmA's life switching to that game style might not help much, since most people have already chosen their preferred servers.

Again, this is not meant as critique towards TG or ArmA admins, not even as constructive criticism. It's easy to criticise the people running the show, from the sideline. Just a point of view on why hardcore games like ArmA may see low numbers on here.

**jex** · 12-10-2007, 03:56 PM

TG was conceived on the back of a more team orientated, tactical experience. There should be no democracy here because that will lead to a pubby element that TG was initially set up to avoid. It seems to me that people think that TG caters for all people and I don't think that is the case at all. TG should be catering to a minority because it is the minority that want to play tactically and it seems this ethos is loosing it hold.

**Protoman-swe** · 12-10-2007, 06:25 PM

I had a fun time on the server just this friday, i know Gin, Fiddlestix, AirTrans, and some other guys where with me (Sorry for not remembering your names

), and some other joined later on, playing on the Coop server on Friday. My suggestion is to get on the team speak, play something ells until more people join.

"edit" and to prove my point i will stay on the Teamspeak and play until i can play with more people.

**Brennus** · 12-10-2007, 10:12 PM

Everyone on the server should be on 'TeamSpeak' to begin with. That should be mandatory, especially for COOP!

**Protoman-swe** · 12-11-2007, 01:53 PM

Originally Posted by Brennus

Everyone on the server should be on 'TeamSpeak' to begin with. That should be mandatory, especially for COOP!

It is mandatory to be on teamspeak already, have you noticed someone who wasen't you tell a admin.

**tHa_KhAn** · 12-11-2007, 02:45 PM

Originally Posted by Protoman-swe

It is mandatory to be on teamspeak already, have you noticed someone who wasen't you tell a admin.

Yes, I second that. Not only is it essential for comms, but as mentioned earlier it is a great way to seed the server without actually being in game. If you are playing a single player game or a multi that has good in game voice, idle in the coop channel. Even if you're not able to play right away one or two people in channel gets the ball rolling.

**Ivan_the_bad** · 12-11-2007, 03:28 PM

Hey guys thread is looking good, some good discussions and opinions, also seeing some new people here, we definantly need to get the server going again i think we'll have some great numbers, and good times lool !

**blackmain** · 12-11-2007, 05:05 PM

I'm around but I want to get a new video card before I play ArmA again. So in a week or two I'll be coming back.

**Protoman-swe** · 12-12-2007, 07:27 AM

Ive had some nice missions these last nights, its nothing like "the golden days" but its still fun, even if we only are 3 to 5 players on at the same time and the coop missions are looking good and more and more missions for less players are out there.

**loyalguard** · 12-12-2007, 07:48 AM

Originally Posted by Protoman-swe

...the coop missions are looking good and more and more missions for less players are out there.

This is true and we are actively seeking good coop missions for fewer than 10 players (or thereabouts). If anyone comes across any good candidate missions, post it and we will check it out.

On a side note, I have begun working on my own combat coop mission that will hopefully have two important features that focus on flexibility:

1) Random and varying objectives: the same mission will have multiple spawn points and objectives so that it varies each time it is played.

2) OPFOR numbers a directly tied to the number of BLUFOR numbers. If only 2 players are playing a mission than there is a corresponding number of enemy oppopents. If 10 players are playing a mission, then there is a larger number of enemy opponents.

The goal is that the mission never gets boring and doesn't require a specific number of players before it can be succesfully played. By combat coop I mean a combat oriented mission and not spec ops such as infiltrate, destroy equipment, target, etc.

No promises on a release date (it will be several months and probably be released in stages) but I hope to make it very comptabile to game play here.

**KoopaTroopa** · 12-12-2007, 08:17 AM

My theory as to the decline in playtime of ArmA is tied into what Loyal is doing with his mission.

The typical ArmA COOP experience is static, does not change, usually requires a specific number of players to be fully realized, and pits the player against robotic AI that show limited tactical awareness and react the same way each time. Same base map, same terrain, same experience, same decisions each time as to how to tackle the mission (given that most missions are on-the-rails experiences that play out the same way each time).

It's a limited experience, and many players are simply bored of the core game itself, not of anything we offer here at TG (or what anywhere else offers). That's the only way to explain the loss of players across the multiplayer community as a whole.

There will be pockets of humanity left, such as here at TG or at SimHQ or at ShackTac. We'll just hold on and keep our heads above the water until the sequel is released.

**Long Bow** · 12-12-2007, 10:24 AM

Good luck loyal. I think that is exactly what we need here at TG. I have only played Arma here for a few months but rarely do I see double digits on the server.

The key is going to be dynamic missions that cater to very small amounts of players. The ability to scale is nice as well. I know I have taken a look at the server and seen it is at 5 of 5 and didn't want to wait around for a spot. If the mission scales well this could be the solution.

I haven't played Arma in several weeks now, I really need a good night of it

**GinSoakedBoy** · 12-12-2007, 01:38 PM

Why not upload the Virtual Training Space mission that has been discussed here. It allows for near infinite variations for almost any number of players.

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