Universal readyroom

Racer1Racer1 Join Date: 2002-11-22 Member: 9615Members
I've always thought the idea of a server readyroom was a good idea. How about take it a step farther and have a universal readyroom (UR)? It could be implemented as a set of rooms with many doors, where each door would lead (connect) to a different ns2 server. The server could potentially support hundreds of players.

For filtering, each room could be a different type of game (e.g. mods, map types). Additionally, each door could somehow indicate player count, map information, settings, etc. -- for example, an impassible forcefield could indicate the server is full, a hologram could indicate the map, and certain door colors could indicate additional settings. Facing the door could display additional server details to the player. Servers could potentially make their own unique icons to register with UW. These icons would be prominently displayed above the doors.

As a way to make the UR more interesting, players might even be able to select and customize the character that they become when they are connected. Clans/leagues might even be able to have their own rooms, which they could customize (and maybe even host separately).

Of course, there would be limitations. Notably, there might have to be multiple instances of the UR if the number of players or servers got too high. This brings up potential issues with hosting, which would presumably have to be paid for by UW. If this is too expensive, the idea may not be viable.

P.S. It would still be possible to use a server browser. However, the UW could become the de-facto place for ns fans to meet and chat even when they don't want to play.

Comments

  • locallyunscenelocallyunscene Feeder of Trolls Join Date: 2002-12-25 Member: 11528Members, Constellation
    That's a pretty cool idea.

    It might be too many shades of MMO, it would be difficult to support that many players, and if there's any sort of public chat it would be absolutely destroyed by bots, lamers, and all the other problems MMO chat's have.
  • spellman23spellman23 NS1 Theorycraft Expert Join Date: 2007-05-17 Member: 60920Members
    I would rather there is support in the external client for this functionality. Loading this into the in-game seems a bit overkill, as cool as it might seem.


    Basically, provide appropriate chat regions outside the game engine where you can talk and socialize and peruse the server list. Then, join a more private server to join an actual game. This also allows people to simply load up the chat/server portion of the game without being forced to load all the caching required for the actual game. This is similar to things like XFire, Garena, BNet, PVP.net, the Heroes of Newerth client.... you get the idea.
  • schkorpioschkorpio I can mspaint Join Date: 2003-05-23 Member: 16635Members
    its a cool idea - especially if the room had some kind of activity center where you could jetpack around, gorge slide etc while you are waiting for your friends to come online - instead of waiting in an empty server room while a game is in progress.

    you might have to make one universal ready room per major continent however due to lag and player numbers
  • AtoneAtone Join Date: 2009-09-21 Member: 68839Members
    While it is a very cool idea, I just don't think it's practical.

    Hard to communicate with friends due to the mass of people. Need for private chat channels, etc.
    A lot of people in one place to be handled by a server.
    I imagine the whole "walk into a door to go to your desired server" thing would be hard to implement.
    Would make it harder to run a server, and the UR would probably need to be updated every time there's an addition.
    Definitely not worth pushing the release date back for.

    Still a cool idea, though. :p
  • -Diesel--Diesel- Join Date: 2009-09-13 Member: 68769Members
    edited October 2009
    That is cool, but my idea would be more practical.


    Make a room that you spawn in, it is like a command center of the ship. You can walk up to a large computer screen and when you use it the screen turns into a server list. Then for example you can also walk to a bunch of knobs and buttons and such... when you use this, this will be your options screen. If you want to exit... you just take the door leading out of the room and the game exits. etc , etc..

    Kinda like the way the new starcrafts screen is going to be I believe.

    The same as Starwars: The clone wars menu on XBOX 1. The difference is that in this menu you weren't free you just pushed a button and the camera went to the different screens.


    If this is done right NS2 will get alot of attention.
  • SirotSirot Join Date: 2006-12-03 Member: 58851Members
    Who would host these servers and how many players per server? I don't find it practical.
  • ghost in the shellghost in the shell Join Date: 2008-09-28 Member: 65094Members
    Cool idea, but logistical might be hard.
    I also wouldn't want to be forced into it, so keep the old menus handy too
    Kind of like L4D matchmaking in that it helps speed up finding a good server

    how would we represent an unknown and possible limitless amount of server?
    I would suggest:
    A a repeatedly tiling dungeon that can extend/retract as to the server load,
    B no high polygon player models

    Maybe each server could have its own little ns1 style RR, with a portal to the master RR?
    that would keep the same structure ( server list -> server -> RR -> game) and maybe even segregate skill levels... pro-land

    ps didn't someone make a crappy siege map with an awsome playground-like RR
  • HeymanHeyman Join Date: 2005-03-29 Member: 46895Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1730519:date=Oct 3 2009, 05:54 PM:name=ghost in the shell)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ghost in the shell @ Oct 3 2009, 05:54 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1730519"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->ps didn't someone make a crappy siege map with an awsome playground-like RR<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    The one that comes to mind is digsiege.
  • kcbnackcbnac Join Date: 2004-01-19 Member: 25484Members, Constellation
    Cool idea, difficult to scale.

    When I first saw 'Universal Readyroom' I was expecting some sort of standard Ready Room layout, that every map uses - then have say, displays on the walls detailing the map and server info.

    Would make for a standardized start to the game, with perhaps 'stations' you could walk to and 'use' to change any preset loadout configs, game settings, etc - plus would make for an easier time of "where's the marine spawn?"
  • ThaldarinThaldarin Alonzi&#33; Join Date: 2003-07-15 Member: 18173Members, Constellation
    Not going to happen for an FPS where lots of customer servers come and go. Nice idea for maybe an MMO.
  • RobBRobB TUBES OF THE INTERWEB Join Date: 2003-08-11 Member: 19423Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited October 2009
    <!--quoteo(post=1730459:date=Oct 3 2009, 06:11 PM:name=-Diesel-)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (-Diesel- @ Oct 3 2009, 06:11 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1730459"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->That is cool, but my idea would be more practical.


    Make a room that you spawn in, it is like a command center of the ship. You can walk up to a large computer screen and when you use it the screen turns into a server list. Then for example you can also walk to a bunch of knobs and buttons and such... when you use this, this will be your options screen. If you want to exit... you just take the door leading out of the room and the game exits. etc , etc..

    Kinda like the way the new starcrafts screen is going to be I believe.

    The same as Starwars: The clone wars menu on XBOX 1. The difference is that in this menu you weren't free you just pushed a button and the camera went to the different screens.


    If this is done right NS2 will get alot of attention.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    --- rephrasing quote ---
    In Engine Main Menu, similar to the Unreal backdrop flybys on main menu
    --- /rephrase ---

    I've seen it in front of my inner eye...
    Player's frozen in stasis until startup is complete (pre-rendered quicktime (fluid transition from intro to engine?) or simple image).
    Player's climbing out... on first run, he's prompted to do a "medical check up" (Tutorial), on following runs able to skip.

    I really like it.

    ...server browser as spiralling <a href="http://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/apod/image/0501/milkyway_garlick.jpg" target="_blank">milky way</a>...
    ...options are presented in "engine room" (pun half intended)...
    ...to quit, you climb back into the chamber, press "self destruct" and/or jump into an rescuepod...

    Yes, one may be crazy to suggest, but I want to dream of better worlds than the one I'm in.


    Anyway, the Masterserver/Serverbrowser may be used as rallyroom, but as all the people above me stated already there is to much load as the server needs to keep track of the servers, keep in touch with them <b>AND</b> the players? no, that's not going to work.

    maybe a distributed tree-roots-leafed system could be able to pull this off, but that's still costing a fortune.




    if it will be possible at one time in the future, the masterserver's map should be a military shuttle hangar with shuttles and large freighters and gunboats and crap docking and undocking all the time, loading passengers (people wanting to join that server) or being shot down (disconnected, full, etc).
    and vicinity text & voice ONLY. It will be an almost perfect illusion of a space station this way.
  • SopsSops Join Date: 2003-07-03 Member: 17894Members, Constellation
    totally impractical.
  • ghost in the shellghost in the shell Join Date: 2008-09-28 Member: 65094Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1731756:date=Oct 11 2009, 09:30 PM:name=Sops)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (Sops @ Oct 11 2009, 09:30 PM) <a href="index.php?act=findpost&pid=1731756"><{POST_SNAPBACK}></a></div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->totally impractical.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    qft
    but I can imagine an unruly mob of pub players swamping servers
  • aNytiMeaNytiMe Join Date: 2008-03-31 Member: 64007Members, Constellation
    Second Life: Natural Selection.
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