Ways To Get Your Server Busy?

greydmiyugreydmiyu Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9234Members
edited November 2002 in General Server Discussion
How does one get a server busy? I know that when people log into a server more people will log in. I saw it last weekend when my server had a good 6 hours of solid usage. At some point critical mass was hit and people just cycled in as fast as they went out. Since then I've made some changes which appear to have helped. However all I have to compare against are short stints of me logging in for a half hour messing around and one minor time with 2:2.

It's the ol' catch-22. When ya got players you get players. When you don't have players you don't get players. How does one get that initial cache of players to keep a server active?

Forgot to mention, non-clan server. Clearly if it is a clan server one could just hop on with clanmates and the server shows up higher in the list when sorted by players. But what of non-clan servers?

Comments

  • EpochEpoch Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1474Members
    Join your server, and sit there. Keep sitting there until others join. Eventually, hopefully, you will attract regular players who will do the same thing.
  • GelantiousGelantious Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 2576Members, Constellation
    If you have a good server players will come back to it.

    I've seen the same people on my server since I started it when NS got release about 2+ weeks ago.
  • Max1Max1 Join Date: 2002-11-08 Member: 7730Members
    Yeah, when mine's empty I'll join it sometimes and just wait, one person joins, then more until it fills up and usually stays that way. I have a lot of regulars on my server so it's usually easy to get it filled pretty quick, at peak playing times anyway.
  • SkWyReLSkWyReL Join Date: 2002-11-19 Member: 9360Members
    Easiest Way:

    Make friends! If someone joins, get them stay and join again.
    And yah, join your own server and get comfortable.

    .:SkWyReL:.
  • GoleXGoleX Join Date: 2002-11-07 Member: 7681Members
    My clan shares our server with a few others (one of which we actually ended up absorbing). Anyway I gave the other clans all admin powers and so now they stick to the server and ask their friends to join them. Also we are getting some damn good regulars, hehe.

    It takes time. Mine is full from about noon - 3am on average, need to find some Europeans <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/wink.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='wink.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • jc_fooliojc_foolio Join Date: 2002-11-12 Member: 8292Members
    With my server, I'll get one person to join with me, and within about 5 minutes a few more people will join. The max is at 8, but for some reason, I once you get about 3 players in, it will instantly fill up and stay that way until either a map ends and a lot of people leave at once, or my internet decides to slow down and people start to lag.
  • LiquidFusionLiquidFusion Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3139Members
    i see the same group of people that played on my server halloween night. I try to recruit anyone who gives me a hard time in game. Thats how my clan grows. Pisses me off when they're already in a clan.
  • DisturbedDisturbed Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6927Members
    There is a way to have "bots" on a server that will fill up, say...6 of 18 spots. When a real player joins, 1 of those "bots" will go away. But the other 5 stay, keeping the server appearing to have 6 players, but really has only 1. I have no idea how this works though.
  • SuicideDogSuicideDog Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 8104Members
    My two cents.. run a clean server.

    <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=8&t=11404' target='_blank'>Forum post</a>

    I try to keep my server llama, foul mouthed punks, and biggot free.

    People can complain about how not being able to swear and say whatever they want takes away from the game. All I now is that the biggest complaint I get is that my server is always full. If you put up a good server that runs a tight ship and has some good admins.. the regulars will join and wait for others to join if it's emtpy. Which doesn't happen that often on mine.
  • greydmiyugreydmiyu Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9234Members
    I am certainly trying. I can get a few good games going now and again.

    Ok, another question. What's the lowest you think a server should have. My machine isn't a powerhouse. I have no problems running a smaller server and I see that on Friday/Saturday night lots of servers "my size" and smaller are full or near full.

    Right now it is 6 on 6 but the pings as reported by the scorecard hit >300ms when 9 players get in. I've seen games go to the full 12 people for 6:6 and while the machine is pegged there are very few calls of lag though the numbers are hovering around 500ms on the scorecard.

    I'm looking at upgrading the CPU and dropping another in but only if I can keep eh 6:6 or maybe veture up to 7:7. Anyway, rambling, what's a good minimum team size?
  • EpochEpoch Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1474Members
    I started my server at 10 players with a 1.3 GHz Athlon T-Bird. I had not one complaint about lag. I've since moved it up to 12 players, and I have recieved some complaints about lag on ns_bast and ns_hera. Other than that, it's been peachy, and I might upgrade to a 1.73 GHz Athlon to make sure it stays that way. I won't be raising my player limit above 12 though.
  • NSCentralNSCentral Join Date: 2002-11-21 Member: 9527Members
    Add some bots, then, when you get a few people , pull the bots out <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/smile.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='smile.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • greydmiyugreydmiyu Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9234Members
    No. The bots thing is completely lame. If I wanted to play with myself I'd break out the porn, er, I mean I have about 2 dozen single player games here which are far more enjoyable than beating up some half-witted buggy bots (no offense to the bot builders, ya just haven't had enough time to get them to work with NS yet). I go online to play against people. Placing bots is a total misrepresentation.
  • cracker_jackmaccracker_jackmac Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6891Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin--SuicideDog+Nov 24 2002, 12:34 AM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (SuicideDog @ Nov 24 2002, 12:34 AM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->My two cents.. run a clean server.

    <a href='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/index.php?act=ST&f=8&t=11404' target='_blank'>Forum post</a>

    I try to keep my server llama, foul mouthed punks, and biggot free.

    People can complain about how not being able to swear and say whatever they want takes away from the game. All I now is that the biggest complaint I get is that my server is always full. If you put up a good server that runs a tight ship and has some good admins.. the regulars will join and wait for others to join if it's emtpy. Which doesn't happen that often on mine.<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    You don't HAVE to run a "clean" server.

    I only filter racial slurs on my chat and i kick ppl who work around it. No swearing on the voice com and thats pretty much it. And i have a TON of regulars who only complain about is not getting a reserved slot (LOL). I kicked a regular who worked around my filter by using spaces to tell a racial joke, i kicked his as fast as a cool. he wasn't happy, but i don't care that much.

    The solution is runing a strict server, not "clean" because i don't believe in that totally. But if you have rules, not even you can break them. Thats my ammendment to your comment (not a flame)
  • SuicideDogSuicideDog Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 8104Members
    edited November 2002
    I agree with you .. Cracker.. in the sense that whatever rules you set.. Nobody is immune.. not even the admins. But I do have to say .. servers that filter (or at least some of) the heavy stuff (like yours and mine) tend to get used a bunch! Just my opinion.
  • DemerzelDemerzel Join Date: 2002-11-18 Member: 9181Members
    three things clear out a server faster than anything else...

    1) lots of people leaving

    2) teams that are 8 v 4 or similiar.

    3) some idiot who tries to spoil your fun via cheating/spamming/etc...

    (1) you can prevent by keeping popular maps on it and if people leave and it's not because its 4am, then go on it yourself with friends to keep it busy until others join. (2) by making sure that admins are on the server reasonably regularly and that they keep it equal teams ( threaten to kick if necessary as that's often required to make some people swop ), and for (3) fair and clean ( they can't mess around either <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> ).
  • cracker_jackmaccracker_jackmac Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6891Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin--Demerzel+Nov 24 2002, 04:36 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Demerzel @ Nov 24 2002, 04:36 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->three things clear out a server faster than anything else...

    1) lots of people leaving

    2) teams that are 8 v 4 or similiar.

    3) some idiot who tries to spoil your fun via cheating/spamming/etc...

    (1) you can prevent by keeping popular maps on it and if people leave and it's not because its 4am, then go on it yourself with friends to keep it busy until others join. (2) by making sure that admins are on the server reasonably regularly and that they keep it equal teams ( threaten to kick if necessary as that's often required to make some people swop ), and for (3) fair and clean ( they can't mess around either <!--emo&:p--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/tounge.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='tounge.gif'><!--endemo--> ).<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    i work up late this morning (about 10am) because i was up all night.....went to my computer and my server was 11/14. not bad.....i didn't even have to do anything.....i was happy about that. tonight, it droped to 4 ppl!! mapchange+dinner+etc. but its full again in about 10 min. Its all about the Name of your server and its fun factor that keep it full. most of the time. and the other things listed above. Like at almost the end of a map i'll do "admin_vsay Marines are F'd?" ....... Option #1 won by 10/13 votes. hehehehe. ppl laugh at that and they enjoy it......but i might be on the marines when i do that....its just fun.....and ppl get a good laugh out of it.....it just reminds ppl that its JUST A GAME and that increases the "fun factor" on my server is by making sure ppl stay happy.

    If someone is causing a problem....everyone on the server tries to resolve it and not just the admins.....its really really really important to make each team feel that there is a team effort otherwise nobody is having fun.

    HAHA, i had a drunk guy on my server last night. Totally worthless for the marines, but great moral booster....we still lost, but thats not the point.
  • TilkorTilkor Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 8016Members
    One way to get people to come is to post the server ip on a forum. Then people can find the server and go through gametiger to get to the server <!--emo&::skulk::--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/skulk.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='skulk.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • tlarmontlarmon Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8701Members
    I add it to my sig, and have admins that frequent it often along with my forums.

    Being the lowest ping in-game for almost all players also helps <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo-->
  • cracker_jackmaccracker_jackmac Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6891Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin--tlarmon+Nov 24 2002, 07:39 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (tlarmon @ Nov 24 2002, 07:39 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->I add it to my sig, and have admins that frequent it often along with my forums.

    Being the lowest ping in-game for almost all players also helps <!--emo&:D--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif' border='0' valign='absmiddle' alt='biggrin.gif'><!--endemo--><!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    yes it does....since mine is jsut a cable server the pings are only "OK" but if i got business class it would drop them fast.
  • TilkorTilkor Join Date: 2002-11-10 Member: 8016Members
    Ill check urs Tlarmon, i bet it wont give me a good STABLE ping
  • tlarmontlarmon Join Date: 2002-11-15 Member: 8701Members
    <!--QuoteBegin--Tilkor+Nov 24 2002, 08:25 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Tilkor @ Nov 24 2002, 08:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Ill check urs Tlarmon, i bet it wont give me a good STABLE ping<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    If you're close to Chicago and you have broadband it should. It all depends on routing. There is a little bit of lag during extreme peak hours, but I never notice it. I get 30-60ms on the scoreboard at all times.
  • cracker_jackmaccracker_jackmac Join Date: 2002-11-04 Member: 6891Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Shadow
    <!--QuoteBegin--Tilkor+Nov 24 2002, 08:25 PM--></span><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Tilkor @ Nov 24 2002, 08:25 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Ill check urs Tlarmon, i bet it wont give me a good STABLE ping<!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><span class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    my pings are stable too. Only like 10-20 ppl out in this area with cable. out of like 400 nodes. So i'm very stable..


    Anti-cable freak. don't knock it before you try it.
  • James_CrivelloneJames_Crivellone Join Date: 2002-11-25 Member: 9877Members
    Talk to a large techsite, most will be more then happy to allow you to run a server for them.

    I already work for rage3d, however I have a server going for rage3d.com and genmay.net

    and its full most of the day. hehe
  • EpochEpoch Join Date: 2002-10-10 Member: 1474Members
    Not sure if this is an option, but once you get a few regulars, pick the most able player and give him or her some limited admin access, and let them work their way up from their. Being an admin on a server usually helps to ensure that a player will hang there.
Sign In or Register to comment.