Any Tips On How To Make Your Server Popular?
Quaunaut
The longest seven days in history... Join Date: 2003-03-21 Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
The longest seven days in history... Join Date: 2003-03-21 Member: 14759Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
Comments
Get your friends to play, once you have 4 players others will join.
Start a clan and have the server as clan home. For this you'll ned to know some teamplayers that aren't in a clan and want to be.
Get an awsome ping and the best server performance in your area. People often sort servers by ping and if they cant find one with an open game may join a low ping empty one and start off a game.
You can also get some publicity by writing useful mods, running a decent website and incuding the server address in your sig.
Shameless plug you say?
How about this:
<a href='http://www.gamer-guild.net/modules.php?name=Gameserver&type=detail&serverid=1' target='_blank'><img src='http://pages.infinit.net/storage/shameless_plug.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'></a>
Shameless plug you say?
How about this:
<a href='http://www.gamer-guild.net/modules.php?name=Gameserver&type=detail&serverid=1' target='_blank'><img src='http://pages.infinit.net/storage/shameless_plug.gif' border='0' alt='user posted image'></a><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How about putting the physical location and the current player count in it? <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
promise reserved slots to regualr players in there after while, seems to be working for sum ppl.
1) BE RELIABLE
Have your server on all the time. If it can't be up all the time, make sure that the times that it is up are the same times, the same time of day, the same hours, the same days of the week, and use a consgreet with your schedule in it, in a nice, clear, easily read format.
Make sure your server is as stable as a granite rug. Far better to have less plugins, doo-dads and twiddles, than to have crashes. Nothing will empty a server faster than a couple of crashes.
2) MAKE YOUR SERVER A SAFE PLACE
Have friends that you trust, that you know are going to spend some time there, admin the place. If you catch someone whining, or name calling, or just being a **** in general, give them one warning, then ban them if they repeat. Don't kick players, warn them once and ban them. If they are being enough of a jerk to deserve being kicked, you probably don't want them back anyway... but whatever you do don't get ban happy, don't ban people because you don't like their style of play, or their sense of humour, or because you happen to be in a bad mood that day. Try to kick or ban as little as possible, but when you do, make it mean something, be for a good reason, and go all the way.
Have a few simple rules in your consgreet, once again, in a format that is easy to read, don't put so much into your consgreet that it will disappear off the top of the console page. Suggestions for good, simple rules are pretty obvious:
- Don't get personal - personal attacks on anyone will not be tolerated,
whether they are racial, sexual, or just obnoxious.
- Don't cheat - if you are caught cheating you will never be allowed
on this server again, period.
- Have fun - love hard, live hard, play hard... and never take yourself
too damn seriously.
3) BE FRIENDLY
Say hello when someone new joins the server. Don't be an idiot about it and start cyber stalking your clients, but just be friendly, tell a stupid joke every now and again, if someone owns you in a particularily brilliant way, let them know you noticed their brilliance. "Good job... twit! <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->" or something like that is a good way to let them know you noticed their skillz, without making them thinking you're trying to pick them up...
4) A CATCHY NAME,
but not a goofball name, is also good. Call it Capricorn, or Solaris, or CUBE, or E-FIELD, or ZAK's, or Q, or STROBE... something short and snappy that evokes a certain atmosphere. Think about what kind of atmosphere you want to create. Are you looking for heavy scifi atmosphere? Then CUBE or SOLARIS or something like that might be good. If you're looking for strictly fun, go for ZAK's, or MUPPET-DOWN. GALAXY is good, if it isn't already taken. STARFIELD, GRAVBELT... whatever... If you call it L33t_2On3, I'll never drop by... but then, maybe that's what you want...
5) BOTS
If there ever is a decent bot for NS, that doesn't crash your server, grab it and install it. Usually Half-Life bots have a couple of cvars called min_bots and max_bots. Set them to something like 0 and 6. That means that there will always be at least 6 bodies on your server, and as human players join, the bots will get kicked. There is nothing that keeps your server busy like good bots... the problem is, that I don't believe there are any decent bots for NS right now, and NS is so complicated there is probably a very good chance there never will be a decent bot for NS, unless Valve buys NS and decides to put the resources into making a good bot that can be used in multiplayer games as well. The chances of this happening are slim and none, so don't hold your breath...
Basically it outputs the server information in real time to an image. But the image is not an image file, its a PHP file.
He went further and created a real time server monitor. Its kind of like "Server Spy" but its in real time and theres many templates/themes available, and its free.
1) Custom maps
Old lags'll frown at you, but everyone else loves custom maps. ns_siege007, despite being one of the lamest maps on the 'net, is also one of the most popular. So stick it on, and stick others on too. Don't be afraid to run early beta maps that perhaps don't look quite right. Players love trying new maps, and being able to show mappers how their map works in anger helps everyone out too.
2) Custom plugins
NS 2 is a very good game, but you can make it more interesting by adding in some metamod plugins. You have to run unstuck pro anyway, or people'll soon get frustrated and leave. Don't be afraid to write your own simple ones, using something like AMX. One of the most useful plugins that Skulkrush runs is a map vote plugin. That way, the players decide which map comes next.
3) Low pings and high slots
The better your net connection, and the better tuned your server, the more people will want to come back. The more slots your machine can handle, the better. I've had ours up to 33 slots (mmm ... dual-channel DDR xeons <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo--> and that filled up in no time at all.
4) Admin the server
Put a face to the server. Be yourself, and don't take any nonsense from noobs and script-kiddies. People play online to socialise as much as to play.
Above all, don't be afraid to be different. There's hundreds of drab, boring, standard NS 2 servers out there with little new to offer a player. Figure out what it is about NS 2 that jazzes you, and make your server stand out from the crowd.
Best regards,
Stu
but not a goofball name, is also good. Call it Capricorn, or Solaris, or CUBE, or E-FIELD, or ZAK's, or Q, or STROBE... something short and snappy that evokes a certain atmosphere. Think about what kind of atmosphere you want to create. Are you looking for heavy scifi atmosphere? Then CUBE or SOLARIS or something like that might be good. If you're looking for strictly fun, go for ZAK's, or MUPPET-DOWN. GALAXY is good, if it isn't already taken. STARFIELD, GRAVBELT... whatever... If you call it L33t_2On3, I'll never drop by... but then, maybe that's what you want... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Uh oh quau, the server is doomed. <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo-->
Dont be a ban happy admin. This game makes even the kindest people upset. Realize some will just be venting.
In your forums have a thread called Banned? or something similar so everyone has a chance to redeem themselves if they get out of line. Make it a community, not just a server.
It works for us anyway. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
Basically it outputs the server information in real time to an image. But the image is not an image file, its a PHP file.
He went further and created a real time server monitor. Its kind of like "Server Spy" but its in real time and theres many templates/themes available, and its free. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
That sounds pretty cool, I use w at the moment which I modified into a slightly more ns friendly template. So what is your friends server monitor called? Where is it if we want to take a look? (The download that is)
5) BOTS
If there ever is a decent bot for NS, that doesn't crash your server, grab it and install it. Usually Half-Life bots have a couple of cvars called min_bots and max_bots. Set them to something like 0 and 6. That means that there will always be at least 6 bodies on your server, and as human players join, the bots will get kicked. There is nothing that keeps your server busy like good bots... the problem is, that I don't believe there are any decent bots for NS right now, and NS is so complicated there is probably a very good chance there never will be a decent bot for NS, unless Valve buys NS and decides to put the resources into making a good bot that can be used in multiplayer games as well. The chances of this happening are slim and none, so don't hold your breath... <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Any suggestions Drek?
If you are really having problems try offering your server to a clan to have a closed scrim or two one evening if they post the server address on their clan website...
.....thats cheap.
.....thats cheap. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
.....but it works
Oh and if there was a way to allow reserved slots to constillation members that would get alot of people in.
And isn't "Rawrness" a cool name? Or is it not?
eg
0 people on server and its playing Veil it would change it to a map like eclipse as more people like that <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I'm afraid I have none. The only bots I have tried for NS have been brutally bad: buggy, unstable, nonexistant AI... I shouldn't be too hard on the coder though, NS would have to be the bitchiest Half-Life mod I have ever seen to code a bot for.
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I advise against bots or any other form of 'trickery' to get people to join your server. The bots can't play NS because NS is about human interaction.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
I do think it would be possible to code a good bot for NS, but it would have to be done by someone a whole lot smarter than I am... with loads of free time, and a good team behind him or her. I don't know whether NS necessarily needs to be about "human" interaction, what it IS about is team work, which would involve incredibly difficult and complex coding, and the comment is correct to a certain extent in that I don't think we have the ability to code the team work required for a game like NS right now. A highly skilled and gifted team of professionals could probably do it, but I very much doubt a single person working on their own, with coding based on Botman's work could do it, which is how most bots for Half-Life are coded now...
As for bots being a form of "trickery." Sorry, but that is ridiculous. If there was a good bot for NS, having a few bots to play against while you wait for other humans to show up wouldn't be "trickery", it would be a good thing. Empty servers are no fun, servers with bots give you something to do while you are waiting for your buddies to show up. And a good bot can be loads of fun to both play with and against. If you play DOD, Sturmbot is an example of a good bot, and it is fun to play with, and against. Not as much fun as human players, but certainly good enough to keep you from getting bored.
A good bot helps keep teams even, and keeps enough bodies on a server to keep things fun at non peak times. If you are the kind of person that has a home server that you like to start up for a few hours to have some fun every now and again, a good bot is the only way that I know of to do that. "Fakefull" is trickery, and I would be annoyed if I joined a server thinking there were 20 people playing, only to find it empty. Bots aren't trickery, they are the best kept secret to success in Half-Life server adminning.
* * *
<!--QuoteBegin--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->And isn't "Rawrness" a cool name? Or is it not?<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
How about just "RAWRRR!" The "ness" thing is kinda weak... IMHO... <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
I used bots for my old HLDM server because they ran around, shot at poeple and occasionally said stuff. They worked for a while and the server became busy. In NS they are just too obvously bots. If there were GOOD bots then yes but at the moment the best NS bots are still rather poor.
but they are full 24/7.
Go figure.
And once whichbot is working, RCB vs WB would be fun.
Stay tuned.