Redd_Wiggler

well, after a crappy chaotic round with little, to no, comunication, i would just like to say; i would rather play a mission with 4 people who comunicate, that 20 people who dont.

lock 'em both, but say in the server name where to get the pass.

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Taxi

But the that's the thing, there is no resurgence of the game (not more than say 10-20%), there has been a resurgence of the game at TG. If it was solely due to VON the others servers would have grown by the same amount, but they haven't. I think the resurgence of the game at TG is cause by the combination of VON, good leadership/organization using it and no password so there are people to experience this great gameplay.

A while back I decided to check out the TG server again and was flabbergasted by what I saw. There was a full server, with some of the ST and TG crew leading the squad and fireteams. There was clear planning, chain of command and extensive use of VON, I was thrilled and all that on a public server. I wouldn't underestimate the impact sessions like those have on the popularity of the server. In my view that's the gameplay many are looking for but can't easily find.


Well I feel I'm being too outspoken already (not being a SM) and as said I can imagine there are good reasons to password the server again, I just reckon that thinking that the password has nothing to do with current high server population is not really accurate. I'm just afraid you'll be throwing the baby out with the bath water. With only say 2 public days I don't think the server will have the same attraction, but you can always try.

jex

It does make me wonder how many of the new guys here would in fact be here if the servers were already passworded. We've had some great players sign up and become regluars here - were we running a PW server I doubt that would be the case.

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Jex

Shafik

As I see it, the password isn't there to block or prevent new people from joining. It is there as a reliable way of encouraging them to at least get to know the site, rules and other information. When the server wasn't passworded, but TS was still required, the effect was the same: players had to register on the site for their TS info, and then (hopefully) read the SOP's. TS is no longer required, there is no password, and new players join by finding the server in-game.

I would agree that seeing 30 players every night is satisfying. But restarting a mission three times because people can't stay away from the gear menu, or having to delete markers off the map because someone decided it'd be a great place to play tic-tac-toe, or itchy "I'm-in-a-hurry" types that take off during briefing, those are all down right annoying, and effectively ruin the experience for everyone else. I truly believe the sort of players we want to see here would be happy to take that extra step in finding a password and reading basic rules in order to play, but if not, I'd still be happier playing with 10 team players than with 30 Halo players.

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tHa_KhAn

I agree on the TG experience, but I think people will still be able to find their way to the website for the password if it is clear in the server name. I also agree there would probably be less growth if they had been passworded. However, I feel that most if not all of the new regs that really understand teamwork would have been willing to look up a password. Like my reference to the past, people found it then and I'd imagine they would find it now if they wanted to play. Let's be honest, it's population that first attracts people and using the password to weed out anyone extremely lazy helps the experience. The new players stay for the experience.



I do not think you are being too outspoken. I consider you a valuable member of our community, remember TG is a community of like minded gamers not a specific members only clan. I still remember you brought out one of the first homegrown TvT missions. Good times testing that mission, especially the first major test with the instant respawn at death location

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Gen.Joe

[PRETEND QUOTE(no idea how to do it)] I agree on the TG experience, but I think people will still be able to find their way to the website for the password if it is clear in the server name. I also agree there would probably be less growth if they had been passworded. However, I feel that most if not all of the new regs that really understand teamwork would have been willing to look up a password. Like my reference to the past, people found it then and I'd imagine they would find it now if they wanted to play. Let's be honest, it's population that first attracts people and using the password to weed out anyone extremely lazy helps the experience. The new players stay for the experience.[/pretend quote]

Again, the problem with having people find the password is that your average player looking for teamwork will have no idea that the TG server is any different from your average sniperfest evo server. And the population may or may not always be at the top of the server list if they do end up putting a password on the servers, so we can't count on that to bring in new players. Having a no-password night(s) would definitely solve the problem of getting new people though.

ednos

Use [quote=name][/quote] or click on the "Quote" button at the bottom of a post.

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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~ Bertrand Russell
I have a tendency to key out three or four things and then let them battle for supremacy while I key, so there's a lot of backspacing as potential statements are slaughtered and eaten by the victors. ~ Magna Centipede

jex

I generally filter out PW servers - out of sight...

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Jex

Gogeta

Now theres a good point....

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|TG-4th| Gogeta

ednos

So if we ever want to keep Jex out of things...

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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~ Bertrand Russell
I have a tendency to key out three or four things and then let them battle for supremacy while I key, so there's a lot of backspacing as potential statements are slaughtered and eaten by the victors. ~ Magna Centipede

Vic

I've recently noticed a quite interesting behavior: when AI is disabled in a no-respawn mission, you can't JIP, but you spawn as a seagull. This tends to lure out impatient server hoppers, who'll join, see that the mission is relatively slow paced and doesn't look like ending anytime soon and disconnect, while people actually willing to play on TG simply wait for it to end. This leaves a reasonably small chance that troublemakers can hop in at mission screen and it has resulted in much more enjoyable games with a full cooperating fireteam for me to lead.

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ednos

If we're to "keep the servers open and allow people to come in and experience TG", you need to find some way to guarantee that they're actually experiencing TG. A mission with no resurrection means absolutely nothing if you don't have a good leader and sane players. People who don't know the rules or the way TG works can ruin an experience when they flood a server--and they have flooded ours in the past. The server is enjoyable when the TG and Shack Tactical people get there *first*. Putting a password on the server and hiding it like they did before with the Evolution password means that most of the people who join will have at least been on the site and read a little bit about how we work. Normally I'm optimistic and like to think the best about people, but when it comes to the gaming community, I have trouble because of all my experience in CS:S, BF2, and ArmA.

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The trouble with the world is that the stupid are cocksure and the intelligent are full of doubt. ~ Bertrand Russell
I have a tendency to key out three or four things and then let them battle for supremacy while I key, so there's a lot of backspacing as potential statements are slaughtered and eaten by the victors. ~ Magna Centipede

Fenian420

Why not just do password nights? They get great organization and the fact that players become interested in them. Just change the server name to TG PW Night, next day people will be curious about what it was, find out and possibly join in next time..

TheBigC

I really appreciate all the quality discussion on this topic, it will definitely help in the final decision.

Now let me throw a a curve ball at you....

What should server 2 be?

Same as it is setup as now or possibly something different?

Should it be a mirror of server one, but just with a password?

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tHa_KhAn

Depends on the something different. Based on past experiences here it is very easy for one server to get all the attention if they are not the same. However, there a many options that are currently not available at TG that I personally would like to see.

If the servers stay as they are now(essentially the same except for population) there might be a lean towards the passworded server for a less interrupted gaming experience. The assumption being if someone went through the trouble to get the password they might have a better grasp of teamwork and proper procedures than someone who saw a high population and wanted in on the fun in the unpassworded server.

If server two had other options like RTS or join in progress/persistent missions there might be a issue with finding a quality COOP game as server one would be unpassworded and require more effort to get people up to speed or using comms than the passworded server. However, most people in favor of unpassworded servers feel that is not a problem. I do feel that any deviation from standard coops must be on a passworded server to avoid some of the issues that arise with different types of missions.

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