Non Xmenu servers?

chadypuchadypu Join Date: 2004-04-15 Member: 27951Members, Reinforced - Shadow
Don't get me wrong, I'm a diehard classic player but every now and then CO is fun. I can't seem to find very many servers other than tacticalgamer that don't have xmenu. I don't mind extralevels but xmenu is just stupid. So does anyone know of some good servers that actually get populated that don't have xmenu?
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Comments

  • TheGuyTheGuy Join Date: 2003-08-09 Member: 19295Members, Constellation
    It's a sad situation. Xmenu just switches skill for skills. Throw your hp at them. It doesn't matter if you get hit. You have way too much hp or armor anyhow.

    Tacticalgamer is pretty much it. But it's hardly even on combat maps. Most people have switched over to the cesspool that is xmenu. And then they wonder why they aren't very good at ns.

    But hey, at least it's not as bad as buildmenu..
  • AhnteisAhnteis teh Bob Join Date: 2002-10-02 Member: 1405Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    3.2 beta servers. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
  • tigersmithtigersmith Join Date: 2004-11-11 Member: 32749Members, Constellation, Reinforced - Supporter
    <!--quoteo(post=1589742:date=Dec 17 2006, 11:26 PM:name=chadypu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chadypu @ Dec 17 2006, 11:26 PM) [snapback]1589742[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Don't get me wrong, I'm a diehard classic player but every now and then CO is fun. I can't seem to find very many servers other than tacticalgamer that don't have xmenu. I don't mind extralevels but xmenu is just stupid. So does anyone know of some good servers that actually get populated that don't have xmenu?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    /Hate xmenu
  • JohnieJohnie Join Date: 2006-10-09 Member: 58062Members
    Actually, my clan's server doesn't run xmenu.

    Most players just don't even try to play it, as theyre used to having their usual 50 levels + xmenu and to ignorant (?) to try 10 levels, which is much more fun and balanced.
  • AlignAlign Remain Calm Join Date: 2002-11-02 Member: 5216Forum Moderators, Constellation
    I was in a 25 player server yesterday(all the good servers were full or empty), and oddly, despite having xtralevels etc in the name, it didn't actually have the plugin. All it had was an irritating amount of advertisement, and that liftmod that works for jps and lerks both.
  • Goldenbird05Goldenbird05 Join Date: 2006-12-16 Member: 59088Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589767:date=Dec 18 2006, 08:22 AM:name=tigersmith)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(tigersmith @ Dec 18 2006, 08:22 AM) [snapback]1589767[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    /Hate xmenu
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
  • FFSkyriderFFSkyrider Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58211Members
    To be honest, I have the extra levels plugin as well, but only for the reason to make people to come to my server more often.. And because I like to have extra levels as well, 10 is not enough for me.
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589742:date=Dec 17 2006, 11:26 PM:name=chadypu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chadypu @ Dec 17 2006, 11:26 PM) [snapback]1589742[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Don't get me wrong, I'm a diehard classic player but every now and then CO is fun. I can't seem to find very many servers other than tacticalgamer that don't have xmenu. I don't mind extralevels but xmenu is just stupid. So does anyone know of some good servers that actually get populated that don't have xmenu?
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    <!--quoteo(post=1589761:date=Dec 18 2006, 01:48 AM:name=Ahnteis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ahnteis @ Dec 18 2006, 01:48 AM) [snapback]1589761[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    3.2 beta servers. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":)" border="0" alt="smile-fix.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Love it or hate it, it remains the most popular AMXX plugin on all NS servers. And it IS available for v3.2 as well.
  • FFSkyriderFFSkyrider Join Date: 2006-11-02 Member: 58211Members
    Besides, gaining more then level 10 and have extra skills makes things more interesting.
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589860:date=Dec 18 2006, 01:18 PM:name=milosis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(milosis @ Dec 18 2006, 01:18 PM) [snapback]1589860[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    sorry but cara cloaking redemption onos with lvl 5 thickened skin that survive 3 full hmgs clips are not interesting.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Did the marine have Level 5 StaticField and Level 5 Uranium Ammo? I think not.

    extralevels 3 <b>CAN</b> be balanced, <b>IF</b> the server op leaves the default settings as is, or at least attempts to balance them himself. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
  • JohnieJohnie Join Date: 2006-10-09 Member: 58062Members
    Eventually, in the end of the round, it's just one team getting crushed versus unkillable enemies.

    With 10 levels, you can still keep it fun for everyone(including late joiners!).
    I find the default settings of extralevels allready to overpowering.
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589870:date=Dec 18 2006, 01:32 PM:name=Johnie)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Johnie @ Dec 18 2006, 01:32 PM) [snapback]1589870[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    I find the default settings of extralevels allready to overpowering.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Then adjust them - it's <b>TOTALLY</b> configureable.
  • DroggogDroggog Random Pubber Join Date: 2002-11-01 Member: 3293Members, Constellation
    You destroy NS. <-- i'm being serious here

    Die. <-- i'm <b>NOT</b> being serious here <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tounge.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=":p" border="0" alt="tounge.gif" />

    To the thread owner; you could probably do a custom All-Seeing Eye filter to bypass all the xmenu/retarded plugins servers and just let them rot.
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589876:date=Dec 18 2006, 02:00 PM:name=Droggog)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Droggog @ Dec 18 2006, 02:00 PM) [snapback]1589876[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    To the thread owner; you could probably do a custom All-Seeing Eye filter to bypass all the xmenu/retarded plugins servers and just let them rot.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Doubt that's gonna happen - as already noted extralevels3 is the most popular plugin out there, and it is for valid reasons.
  • chadypuchadypu Join Date: 2004-04-15 Member: 27951Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    15 replies and zero servers posted that were non xmenu, but half the posters dislike the plugin. It really shows the plague that this plugin is and server admins are forced to put it on their server if they want any traffic.
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589911:date=Dec 18 2006, 04:04 PM:name=chadypu)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(chadypu @ Dec 18 2006, 04:04 PM) [snapback]1589911[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    15 replies and zero servers posted that were non xmenu, but half the posters dislike the plugin. It really shows the plague that this plugin is and server admins are forced to put it on their server if they want any traffic.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Yeah, brilliant deduction considering the brevity of this thread. <img src="http://www.nsmod.org/forums/style_emoticons/default/rolleyes.gif" border="0" alt="IPB Image" />
  • DrummerDrummer Join Date: 2004-02-18 Member: 26654Members
    well, its obvious that theres a need for a vet combat server. i suggest talking to some people in #ansl or the scrim channels and asking if someone can set it up. i know meb created the idea for the combat plugin here: <a href="http://www.nsmod.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2079" target="_blank">http://www.nsmod.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=2079</a> that makes combat more like competitive ns
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589917:date=Dec 18 2006, 04:24 PM:name=milosis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(milosis @ Dec 18 2006, 04:24 PM) [snapback]1589917[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    youre the only one defending xmenu besides ffskyrider
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    Merely stating the facts - the numbers speak for themselves. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
  • Cereal_KillRCereal_KillR Join Date: 2002-10-31 Member: 1837Members
    In a general manner, people who enjoy xmenu are totally lost in ns_ or even in vanilla co_ and it irritates me greatly to see people say /xmenu when we're losing precious ground, or who accuse us of using too many upgrades on an classic map.

    Now I really don't mind if people love the game with xmenu, only please don't consider yourself Natural Selection players simply because you play on xmenu servers. It's a different game entirely. A good game to some extent, perhaps, but definitely not the same.
  • uk_jauk_ja Join Date: 2002-12-20 Member: 11245Members, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1589920:date=Dec 18 2006, 04:36 PM:name=Depot)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Depot @ Dec 18 2006, 04:36 PM) [snapback]1589920[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Merely stating the facts - the numbers speak for themselves. <img src="style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/wink-fix.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid=";)" border="0" alt="wink-fix.gif" />
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Of course, everyone knows that the majority is always right.
  • CeloisCelois Join Date: 2004-08-25 Member: 30886Members
    I honestly blame /xmenu for catalyzing part of NS's decline. I remember when you could easily find 60+ mostly full CO servers (<100ping, Has Users Playing, Not Password protected); but then extra levels and later xmenu started coming around which incidentally coincided with the slow decline in CO servers. Now you'd be hard pressed to find 5 or so CO servers with people on them; let alone any without ridiculous plugins.

    /xmenu just adds terrible crutches and really sucks away the replay value. Players never get better at the game on /xmenu servers except with using /xmenu. It drags games out for 40+ minutes, which Combat is not meant to be played at and even back in 3.0 Beta1 games would last only about 10-20ish minutes, which was about right. I actually still stand by the fact that 3.0 B1 combat was by far the most balanced (No gorges, 1 Point HA, Best spawning system, Weaker fades, etc) version.

    /Xmenu just unbalances the games through total imbalance and makes comebacks almost impossible as once you start leveling you just keep getting stronger so the other team has no chance (Slippery slope effect ahoy!), but even then most servers have xmenu unbalanced in favor of aliens anyways. An example of one of the only CO servers that has people playing now--185 Combat (Not the terrible 187 Server where they ban anyone on marines with 1:1 or higher ratio) has Thickened Skin setup to give with a max of 6 max levels:
    - +30HP/Level for Skulks; 250/30 Skulk
    - +40HP/Level for Lerks; 365/60 Lerk
    - +50Hp/Level Fades; 600/350 Fade
    - +60HP/Level Onos. 1060/950 Onos
    Yet UA is 2 points and static does something like 5% per level with 4max. Its terrible.


    But as absolutely terrible as /xmenu is, /buildmenu is the <i>god damned</i> devil. Buildmenu is an abomination upon the lord that is causing the universe to unravel and all heretics who follow the terribleness that is buildmenu shall perish in hell. I'd like to give a big thanks to whoever created /buildmenu for making THE WORST COMBAT PLUGIN EVER.


    And to answer the OP: no, you won't find a server without /xmenu, least one with players actually on it.
  • EmanonEmanon Join Date: 2003-05-13 Member: 16254Members, Constellation
    edited December 2006
    heh I'd just like to add that extra levels and xmenu cannot be balanced. Once a decent player gets on a roll they just keep piling up the upgrades. If the player continuously uses every single upgrade that player becomes light years ahead of the opposing team and will crush them. This is why there NEEDs to be a cap so the rest of the players can catchup and not be steamrolled.

    As it is 10 levels for aliens is too much. 7 or 8 is plenty due to the close proximaty of the hive to combat and the balance of the upgrades, yes I ran a combat server like this and it was much more balanced but not "fun" so it died.

    Depot you're smart and talented amxx programer but please come to your senses and dont update the plugin for 3.2. Some things are better left undone. If you cant do that then just keep it internal and have your own specialty server.
  • AhnteisAhnteis teh Bob Join Date: 2002-10-02 Member: 1405Members, NS1 Playtester, Constellation
    <!--quoteo(post=1589958:date=Dec 18 2006, 04:14 PM:name=Emanon)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Emanon @ Dec 18 2006, 04:14 PM) [snapback]1589958[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    heh I'd just like to add that extra levels and xmenu cannot be balanced. Once a decent player gets on a roll they just keep piling up the upgrades. If the player continuously uses every single upgrade that player becomes light years ahead of the opposing team and will crush them. This is why there NEEDs to be a cap so the rest of the players can catchup and not be steamrolled.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->


    Why should they be able to catch up? They should lose instead of being able to catch up.

    And FWIW, *I* haven't seen any 3.2b servers with extra levels.
  • CeloisCelois Join Date: 2004-08-25 Member: 30886Members
    edited December 2006
    <!--quoteo(post=1589966:date=Dec 18 2006, 06:27 PM:name=Ahnteis)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Ahnteis @ Dec 18 2006, 06:27 PM) [snapback]1589966[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    Why should they be able to catch up? They should lose instead of being able to catch up.

    And FWIW, *I* haven't seen any 3.2b servers with extra levels.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    Because every server with /xmenu inevitably has something equally as lame as 3 second spawn invuln. so the game drags out while one team just keeps getting stronger for 30minutes and the other team can't even get out of base. So it eventually comes down to something like 400kills on team vs 200 on the other but it drags on far longer than it should because the plugins compound into some cesspool of retardation. Typically aliens will usually just be getting more overpowered faster while marines barely gain anything as xmenu and extralevels heavily favors aliens.

    Even without spawn invuln, it basically comes down to who has more "WyAt6969s BoMbeR DuDE" who just continually feed the other team while blocking you so soon they have 9 upgrade fades and web vs your level 8 JP/SG and they'll just get 5 levels of thickened, hunger, and charge onos by the time you get level 3 weapons just because your team sucks. Without /xmenu, it at least caps off to where the continual feeding from the WyAt6969s has little effect in overpowering the other team.
  • DepotDepot The ModFather Join Date: 2002-11-09 Member: 7956Members
    <!--quoteo(post=1589958:date=Dec 18 2006, 06:14 PM:name=Emanon)--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(Emanon @ Dec 18 2006, 06:14 PM) [snapback]1589958[/snapback]</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->
    heh I'd just like to add that extra levels and xmenu cannot be balanced. Once a decent player gets on a roll they just keep piling up the upgrades. If the player continuously uses every single upgrade that player becomes light years ahead of the opposing team and will crush them. This is why there NEEDs to be a cap so the rest of the players can catchup and not be steamrolled.

    As it is 10 levels for aliens is too much. 7 or 8 is plenty due to the close proximaty of the hive to combat and the balance of the upgrades, yes I ran a combat server like this and it was much more balanced but not "fun" so it died.

    Depot you're smart and talented amxx programer but please come to your senses and dont update the plugin for 3.2. Some things are better left undone. If you cant do that then just keep it internal and have your own specialty server.
    <!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
    It can be balanced, by anyone with reasonable intelligence. It is designed to be completely customizeable regarding strength and cost.

    Evidently the latest release works fine on NS v3.2.
  • kiddiegrinderkiddiegrinder Join Date: 2004-01-09 Member: 25181Members, Constellation
    Im not exactly a massive combat fan although it can be fun like when its 4 on 4 an too few for classic but seriously xmenu at times does just take the biscuit....
  • MachiavelliMachiavelli Join Date: 2003-07-27 Member: 18468Members
    The only server I know of that doesn't have co plugins, such as extra level and xmenu, is Tacticalgamer.

    The reason I dislike extra levels because it removes the cost of upgrades. With only 10 levels, you can't possibly get everything. If you take one ability you face the opportunity costs of not being able to get another ability. Extra levels removes that opportunity cost by just making it take more time to gain the levels needed for the other ability. While xmenu may seem broken, I think the cause of the problem is extra levels, not the special abilities xmenu provides.

    As for xmenu being modular, for balancing purposes, this is a double edged sword. Just as a server owner can adjust xmenu to provide for superior balancing, so too can another server owner adjust xmenu for the worse. When one person can control the balancing for a game, it is often a recipe for disaster. A single person rarely has the breath of experience required to make correct choices about game balance. There is a reason the vast majority of games are balanced by a team of people.
  • Electrical_TapeElectrical_Tape Join Date: 2003-07-18 Member: 18257Members
    edited December 2006
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->youre the only one defending xmenu besides ffskyrider<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I love Xmenu.

    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Buildmenu is an abomination upon the lord that is causing the universe to unravel and all heretics who follow the terribleness that is buildmenu shall perish in hell. I'd like to give a big thanks to whoever created /buildmenu for making THE WORST COMBAT PLUGIN EVER.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I also love /buildmenu. Im not sure why so many people dislike buildmenu....

    Xmenu and buildmenu combined is absolutely awesome, too.
  • TheGuyTheGuy Join Date: 2003-08-09 Member: 19295Members, Constellation
    There's 2 reasons for buildmenu being crap.

    1. Buildings don't belong in combat.
    2. There's no reward or penalty for killing/dropping the structure. They can just redrop it.


    The problem with xmenu is consistency. Each server has their own values and you're pretty much not playing anything close to the same game. If you say it's so balanced, then why bother making it easy for people to change the values? If it's balanced then you shouldn't need to.

    Mods are fun sometimes but they've become the norm. Xmenu and buildmenu have pretty much singlehandedly destroyed what little integrity that combat had.
  • Electrical_TapeElectrical_Tape Join Date: 2003-07-18 Member: 18257Members
    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->There's 2 reasons for buildmenu being crap.

    1. Buildings don't belong in combat.
    2. There's no reward or penalty for killing/dropping the structure. They can just redrop it.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    1: They dont belong in combat... according to you. To me, and I suspect at least a couple others, structures do belong in combat, simply because we want them there for various reasons. One reason I like structures in combat, is that, to me, it adds more life to the game, more choices, and less redundancy. This goes for Xmenu too.

    2: I agree, this should be tweaked.

    <!--quoteo--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE</div><div class='quotemain'><!--quotec-->Xmenu and buildmenu have pretty much singlehandedly destroyed what little integrity that combat had.<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->

    I liked original combat when it first came out, but it got old after a bit. Maybe the problem for me, was that original combat WAS balanced, or at least was more balanced than Xmenu/build is. But balance is boring. If I wanted to play a balanced game... I could play Pong. I like chaos. Xmenu and Buildmenu add chaos potential to the game, eliminating redundancy and adding replay value.

    As for integrity... well, the integrity of an intangible thing is relative to the individual. The intangible being: the best way to play Combat.
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