Stagnation - Fixing it

[Labyrinthine]

Ok everybody in the past week we have seen a severe drop in the popularity of the server. Now, I don't know if this is just a phase the server is going through, or if there really is some serious problems. I can't really discern the previous statement either; I don't have enough time to play.

So please, tell me what you hate, dislike, are annoyed by, are critical of, etc... etc... on The oPg public 18 man server.

[Gidgidonihah]

I hate that every time contra or fire comes on one of the admins votes it away...

Sorry about the modify-I meant to hit quote.

[Jakestaby]

I love contra and fire and will always play it when I'm on.

[Labyrinthine]

I hate that every time contra or fire comes on one of the admins votes it away...

Admins. Please do not vote away a map without running a votequestion prior.

[Jedakiah]

I think we need to get tips on how to advertise the server.  Maybe make a topic on the matter?  Also, it might be kewl to stick a location name in the server's title.  On the servers I use most often this has really helped. 

[The Grandfather]

People that have played alot on the server would know that contra and fire leaves the server nearly empty. Point blank.

[dirrtyj]

People that have played alot on the server would know that contra and fire leaves the server nearly empty. Point blank.

  I defintely agree with killa on this. because in the last week we have had a full server and it will go to contra or cpl_fire and the entire server will leave execpt the 4 of us that are loyal to the server.  That Gid would be the reason why it gets vote maped away. 
 
    Laby everytime i have been on it has been a vote map. besides i don't think any of the debuty admins have the ablity to change it without a vote...

   I think that we just need to wait people will start getting into the habbit of playing on the server.  You just don't go to a server everytime you play just cause it was nice once.  I think that we have enough of a loyal following to keep the server have a few so that many will start to join.  I think as people start to realize the caliber of people that play here and the fun atmosphere it will become quite popular.

   These are just some of my thoughts...

   

Did you get the memo?

[Labyrinthine]

I think we need to get tips on how to advertise the server.  Maybe make a topic on the matter?  Also, it might be kewl to stick a location name in the server's title.  On the servers I use most often this has really helped. 

K we tried adding Denver to the server name last week. We experienced a 20%+ Population drop from the week prior, not too good. So we decided to remove the identifier, and people came back.

As for Fire/Contra, I'll seriously be considering removing/doubling the amount of time in between seeing them. From past experience they have been popular, but it seems that is not the case.

Deputy admins CANNOT change the map without a vote. And the vote they run is usually random. This is done because it was proven via the BoE servers that deputies with the mapchange ability changed the map about 10x as often as those who didn't have it. It became more of a "What map do I want to play?" rather than what's best for the server sort of thing.

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I'll watch the server population each time fire/contra comes on, and we may just try removing them for a week to see how population goes. I say it's worth a try.

[Gidgidonihah]

Okay, I wasn't saying the map was just changed.  But it seem like every time that map comes one we'll have at least 6 people playing there which is enough to have a game (people will join as long as there are a few) and up pops a vote "will blank be the next map?" "Map changing to blank in 5 seconds"

If everyone else wants to vote away the map I guess that's just a bummer for me.  But many times i've heard people say "I didn't know we were voting to end the map."  At the very least it should say "should the map be changed to blank" not will it be the next map.  That implies it will be set as the map after this one finishes.

[Jedakiah]

It has also been my expierence they are server boosters.  I have seen, once or twice, them empty a server.  But I have seen countless times, them bring the population from 1 (me) to 4-7. 

[Gidgidonihah]

Yeah usually when I play it and they actually leave it for more than 1 or 2 rounds people start coming in.

[dirrtyj]

    With laby being the all powerful techno God we'll just have to let him see what the server does.  Its probably the easist way for determination of what maps to play.  Laby will guild us!

[Labyrinthine]

Eh? lol

I'm just using the good old scientific method at the moment. I talked to Killa last night, and we're going to watch the server population with Fire, and Mill removed. If it changes for the better or worse then we know something is up.

Although if it does get better, what I say we do is wait until we have enough of a following to be able to handle the CAL maps, and then put them back on one at a time. What'dya think?

[jmo.]

can we maybe try putting FF friendly fire in the server name and see what that does. I know when im looking for a server and i want FFriendly fire thats what i look for of course.  I think not having FF and then having people come in and play they aren't going to stay very long if they don't like FF.  Also usuallly smaller servers are FF if u dont put that on i feel it might not attract anybody and most people dont like small servers so they might just ignore the server all together.

[Jakestaby]

Put CPL in the server name.  If you put it, they will come.