What would be YOUR initiative to make it happen ?

UncleCrunchUncleCrunch Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos
edited March 2015 in NS2 General Discussion
Hi,

I'm a little bored by "the game is dead" threads. So instead it's may be beneficial to share some ideas about how to get the number to a stable level. Here is the thing. Everyone explain his idea and "agreed" and "awesome" make the votes.

For visibility sake; i post here.



Make people play more maps than the S.T.V. (Summit Tram Veil) shortlist
Why ? : People think custom means bad quality most of the time. I tend to disagree.
How ? : Maybe if maps weren't tagged as custom it may be better than what it is today.
They would be more likely to vote it like any official map.


Make servers with more than 18 slots exclude rookies. Say 100hrs limit.
why ? : They won't learn anything with that. My PC have some FPS drops when everyone is in a hive (not happening anywhere else) . So i guess a rookies will undoubtedly having more lags/FPS drop than me.
How ? : Configuration
Rookies do need some kind of preparation before getting in that kind of server. It's a little messy to say the least. Also it would force to seed the other servers. More crowded server is more pleasing the eye in the server list. It would be a goal to reach for them.


A boot camp system
why ? : Learning the game with vets or experienced player is better than being alone and pretend not to be a noob. Or worse being silent.
How ? : It takes developments.


Server with bots
Why ? : Rookies could fight against bots. So they can test on their own weapons lifeforms
How ? : We have the bots. I believe it would not take years to develop a solution for that. We saw many kind of it until now (pre game etc). 1 team of rookies against a bot team. No stats. They would not learn the mechanics fast but at least be more ready than what we see today when they go on server full of rascals.



2015-03-29: Title change, people get it better
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Comments

  • Perman12Perman12 Campuchia Join Date: 2015-01-31 Member: 201130Members
    If a player leave server >> replace with a bot

    if a player join >> Kill that bot and replace with new connected player ^^

    Good idea , and if im developers i will do match making like CSGO ( simple is put everyone that have test ping <250ms to one server)
  • d0ped0gd0ped0g Join Date: 2003-05-25 Member: 16679Members
    edited March 2015
    F2P relaunch. Use low-cost methods to publicise it. The priority for the patch it should be released on needs to be performance/stability above everything else, to avoid the repeating the nightmare/lost-opportunity that was NS2:Reinforced. Make rookie-only servers available for high-population regions that could potentially sustain them (i.e. America and possibly parts of Europe), and add hours-played limits to a few servers in such regions. Create mentor program that allows people to earn s5 badges by commanding on rookie-only servers. Perhaps release one more skin pack if possible, with money going to CDT and the skinner/modeller.
  • IronsoulIronsoul Join Date: 2011-03-12 Member: 86048Members
    Going F2P won't help ns2 in the long term, it might boost player numbers for a week. I have no facts to back this up, just gut feeling intuition.

    Games don't succeed because they're free, they succeed because they're good. 500 players peak may not seem like a lot, but some other games get barely 10 players: http://steamcharts.com/app/96300

    The game needs a new way for people to get into games.
  • d0ped0gd0ped0g Join Date: 2003-05-25 Member: 16679Members
    edited March 2015
    After watching youtube clips of that game, it's not hard to work out why it barely gets 10 players.
  • TurbineTurbine Join Date: 2012-09-13 Member: 159160Members
    edited March 2015
    Performance is a major. Also no skill based game should allow the sorts of exploits this game actively thrives upon. UWE never understood balance != who wins 50% of matches. That's only a portion of it, the portion which shouldn't be addressed. You can just pick your teams and win every game pretty much. NS1 was a great game, this game is sub-par.

    Most matches barely last 10 minutes. Trashy game.
  • IronsoulIronsoul Join Date: 2011-03-12 Member: 86048Members
  • StardogStardog Join Date: 2004-10-25 Member: 32448Members
    edited March 2015
    1. New order/designation system to replace individual waypoints, with a notifications system so noobs always know what they should be doing.

    Individual waypoints should become the last resort, with the new system more like designating how many people should go where. They should appear on everyone's map.

    XcCooXT.png

    2. Change gameplay and implement features such as iron sights.
  • MephillesMephilles Germany Join Date: 2013-08-07 Member: 186634Members, NS2 Map Tester, NS2 Community Developer
    edited March 2015
    This game is awesome when you play it with people you know and play well together. Apart from the fact that competitive play does this already I would like to see more communities like TAW. I mean we also have non competitive players who still play the game with us. Oh and ofcourse an easier access to those communities so rookies can find them
  • UncleCrunchUncleCrunch Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos
    Pls no F2P stuff.
    It's the UWE decision and only their decision. It has been discussed many times and always go to the same end. It's not the topic.

  • PelargirPelargir Join Date: 2013-07-02 Member: 185857Members, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, WC 2013 - Silver, Forum staff
    Pls no F2P stuff.
    It's the UWE decision and only their decision. It has been discussed many times and always go to the same end. It's not the topic.

    Seems clearly on-topic to me.

    Nothing could be done before some issues such as hitreg aren't fixed. Once done, you might try to bring back players with advertisings or something, and so forth. No need new content, besides maps at most.
  • UncleCrunchUncleCrunch Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos
    Pelargir wrote: »
    Seems clearly on-topic to me.

    Nothing could be done before some issues such as hitreg aren't fixed. Once done, you might try to bring back players with advertisings or something, and so forth. No need new content, besides maps at most.

    The final word is on UWE. And if i can speak my opinion on that : NS2=23€ (25.37USD); PC to run it smoothly =>1000€. Pls refer to those F2P thread also. The topic is well covered.

    Let's focus on what can be done not only by CDT/UWE but also somethings that modders/mappers/vets can contribute to. It won't be the effort of one person and / or 1 bug fix that will make new players come (and come back for those who left).
  • TheriusTherius Join Date: 2009-03-06 Member: 66642Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    And if i can speak my opinion on that : NS2=23€ (25.37USD); PC to run it smoothly =>1000€.

    This is complete nonsense. My PC was able to run the game at a decent framerate at launch, when the game was much more poorly optimised than now, and nowadays I get 100 FPS in early game and 60-70 in late game. My PC cost me 1300 euros when bought FOUR YEARS AGO, and downtoning things like an overkill PSU, overkill case and an SSD that the game isn't even installed on, the price would have dropped well below a 1000 euros. Today, the parts relevant to run the game smoothly would go well below 500 euros.

  • UncleCrunchUncleCrunch Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos

    You may have noticed that the Euro has been lowered (purposefully) recently to get closer to the dollar. So every part in a PC that i bought in 2013 is now more expensive (as they are imported). I have I7-3770k and it is close to be 1.6 times the price i paid in 2013. This kind of things has its importance, especially in this era of economic despair.

    Still... 500 > 23. The price isn't relevant at this point. If you can invest that money in a PC (or 1.3K€ as you said), you can pay a 23€ (25$) bill. This price isn't even close to the price of a "good restaurant".

    We don't need more players, but more player that will actually stay.

    Pls let's get back to the topic at hand. I'm sure it didn't escape your eagle eye sight that we probably have to organize concerning the "decrease in the numbers".

  • TheriusTherius Join Date: 2009-03-06 Member: 66642Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    So your argument is that the price is irrelevant since people who have bought a computer can afford to buy the game? Hoooo boy.
  • d0ped0gd0ped0g Join Date: 2003-05-25 Member: 16679Members
    Just because you don't want F2P doesn't mean it's off topic. If anything, all of this derail is off topic. Lets get back to proposing solutions rather than bitching about whether F2P options belong in this thread (they do).
    Obraxis wrote: »
    Just going to put this here.

    F2P is not being worked on right now. It's not in any plans we have at this moment in time and the CDT are not working on it. However, if the playerbase drops to dangerous levels, it's something that can't be taken off the table and we would be negligent to do so.

    However, for now, I dont see it being needed. It is always great to have options though, rather than no choices. Glad we're in a spot where this is possible and we can discuss ideas.

    Playerbase is at dangerous levels (as evidenced by Aussie community dying). That's what prompted this discussion. F2P belongs here just as much as any idea. So lets get back on topic.
  • MauvaisVitrierMauvaisVitrier France Join Date: 2014-04-10 Member: 195291Members, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Diamond
    The game is already cheap, discounted on many occasions. The rookie waves never live long. And I don't think F2P will help in any way. Maybe 2000+ players will pick it up if it's free but what will be their interest level ? Will they just pick it up because it's free and want to try it out ? How much involvment will they put into really trying to play the game when they stumble upon that high learning curve ? probably less than people who actually bought the game.
    CDT is trying to improve performance and hitreg, which is the better thing to do right now, along with the new discounts and advertising and new content (maps). Let's just hope the game won't die before that
  • PelargirPelargir Join Date: 2013-07-02 Member: 185857Members, Forum Moderators, NS2 Playtester, Squad Five Blue, Squad Five Silver, NS2 Map Tester, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Silver, WC 2013 - Silver, Forum staff
    Let's just hope the game won't die before that

    That's the question.
  • UncleCrunchUncleCrunch Mayonnaise land Join Date: 2005-02-16 Member: 41365Members, Reinforced - Onos
    Therius wrote: »
    So your argument is that the price is irrelevant since people who have bought a computer can afford to buy the game? Hoooo boy.

    The game is cheap already. 'Been said many times by many.

    One thing F2P enthusiasts don't get is how "free" is perceived :
    -"If the game is free it is probably considered to be so bad that it has to be free". I wouldn't say that about NS2.
    -"It has a counter part like leaving an email and get spammed for the rest of the email address life". "Or getting to pay for having a better tank" etc. I'm afraid NS isn't about having the bigger gun because you bought it. And we already have skin/reinforced packs if you wanna buy something.

    Then :
    Who pays for what ? Do you really think all the on-line NS2 servers are actually paid by UWE ? I'm sure all server-admins would accept Paypal and Visa donations right now; no questions asked. Cost of a server for a year is about 400€. Not to mention the time needed to seed.

    Every F2P game has a mean to get revenue. What would it be if every server-admins say : "Hey you got the game for free, but not the server access. Visa number please...". Let's say we get a contract with UWE. Say they get 10% of all revenue on a server and you get the game for free... would you subscribe to that??? A tip : it's a trap.

    You have all this because gentle people are already paying for your entertainment while UWE don't get involved and don't get a cent if people play the game or not. Once a copy is sold it's over for them.

    Ho and, If you could provide (pay) for servers too and seed these servers when they're empty, it would be nice.

    So yes the 25$ NS2 price right now is irrelevant as :
    -Your PC worth wayyy more than that
    -This precise price do NOT cover for all expenses to make this game live more (actually). Meaning UWE would pay for more servers etc...
    -This game have been subject to "sales" on steam (2 to 5 bucks) and free trial (2 if i remember correctly). It's a good indicator that it's not working well (player retention). Rookies waves fading away in one week isn't getting the game anywhere, is it ?
    -Some special pack did provide an extra key that could be given.


    The price isn't the problem. It's far from being close to the core of it.

  • krOozekrOoze Join Date: 2014-04-24 Member: 195593Members
    edited March 2015
    Yeah, it's not dead. It has a dive in player count every February (people get depressed or dunno). Rich parts of the planet have 600 players on their free parts of the day (it can survive at least another two halvings of player count), the other poor or remote parts of the planet have less players... what ya gonna do...? Should we target them specificaly somehow, or what??
    But the more players the merrier, so:

    1)(based on steam reviews) Polish the game a bit. Loading duration is laughing stock on steam (especially the first map load after install takes 5 mins). Performance and hitreg will help (though admittedly people are tight basterds, when it comes to buying HW - I play it myself on Celeron and am proud of that :P )

    2)(based on steam reviews) Stop being jerk-faces when newbies go comm. Or make some technical solution to prevent conflicts. Maybe make part of the tutorial the proper procedure to go comm(announce going comm, negotiate being newbie comm, wait for players to join teams and balance, log-in). The newbies rage-quit the game and never come back, if they get kicked.

    3)(based on steam reviews) Some on steam do claim they bought it and it is dead. Yeah do matchmaking or some superior server finding. Stop these threads to perpetuate that reputation. Make the game free, cheaper, make bumper stickers or dunno - just make this claim go away by all and any means neccessary!

    4)(based on steam reviews) People rightfully make jokes this game is about waiting to start. Again i prefer match-making / lobby / smart quickjoin and team-making or however you want to call it. But again do anything to make this problem go away.

    5) Yeah make it free at least for a week. There must still be bilions who haven't even heared about the game. @UncleCrunch you underestimate the power of not haviing to pull your wallet out. When I buy a game I need to send money to my Paypal, wait indeterminate amount of time, convert it to dollars, find some server who offers the game for reasonable price to not get screwed by Steam, register, pay for the damn game, unlock it in steam, then play. Imagine that process goes away, the only thing I have to do is click Play in steam and then can enjoy it. Also it has advertising effect - it is more likely people are looking and considering having such game. Eagerness to pay lot of money to have a game works only when it is new and hyped up by massive advertising.

    6) Make three sets of servers. One for 0-100 h players (0-30 h are the most likely to quit the game, do expose them to somewhat experienced player, so the games have some culture but keep 1000 h boasting, arogant, stomping players out). Second for 40 h up for more serious games. Third training only servers - something like permanent pre-game.

    7) Get combat and other mods played again in the game. I havent played any since summer.

    8) All of the above and enjoy avg of 2000 players (am I naive?)
  • tallhotblondetallhotblonde Join Date: 2012-12-11 Member: 174770Members, Reinforced - Supporter, Reinforced - Shadow
    UWE and faultline messed up by making combat a standalone. People love to play combat ns2 but there is no such thing anymore.
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    The biggest problem in this game has been persistent through every single patch.

    Infestation and Power Nodes need to be un-linked from EXPANSION. These should be a CHOICE, which opens up distinct POSSIBILITIES, like more commander active ABILITIES. There's no reason that either team should be stopped from building anything, anywhere, at any time.
  • SantaClawsSantaClaws Denmark Join Date: 2012-07-31 Member: 154491Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    mattji104 wrote: »
    The biggest problem in this game has been persistent through every single patch.

    Infestation and Power Nodes need to be un-linked from EXPANSION. These should be a CHOICE, which opens up distinct POSSIBILITIES, like more commander active ABILITIES. There's no reason that either team should be stopped from building anything, anywhere, at any time.
    First of all, I don't agree that is a problem at all.

    Secondly. I will do anything you wish, if you can demonstrate that this is the reason the majority of players are not playing NS2. I find it difficult to believe that anyone would leave for that reason.
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    mattji104 wrote: »
    The biggest problem in this game has been persistent through every single patch.

    Infestation and Power Nodes need to be un-linked from EXPANSION. These should be a CHOICE, which opens up distinct POSSIBILITIES, like more commander active ABILITIES. There's no reason that either team should be stopped from building anything, anywhere, at any time.
    First of all, I don't agree that is a problem at all.

    Secondly. I will do anything you wish, if you can demonstrate that this is the reason the majority of players are not playing NS2. I find it difficult to believe that anyone would leave for that reason.

    Hard to demonstrate. Just makes the game linear and less fun. It's the biggest restriction placed on the game. I can't code though, so it's pretty useless to ask me to demonstrate, eh?
  • SantaClawsSantaClaws Denmark Join Date: 2012-07-31 Member: 154491Members, Reinforced - Shadow
    edited March 2015
    mattji104 wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    mattji104 wrote: »
    The biggest problem in this game has been persistent through every single patch.

    Infestation and Power Nodes need to be un-linked from EXPANSION. These should be a CHOICE, which opens up distinct POSSIBILITIES, like more commander active ABILITIES. There's no reason that either team should be stopped from building anything, anywhere, at any time.
    First of all, I don't agree that is a problem at all.

    Secondly. I will do anything you wish, if you can demonstrate that this is the reason the majority of players are not playing NS2. I find it difficult to believe that anyone would leave for that reason.

    Hard to demonstrate. Just makes the game linear and less fun. It's the biggest restriction placed on the game. I can't code though, so it's pretty useless to ask me to demonstrate, eh?
    You misunderstand what I'm saying. I want you to demonstrate or prove that your claim is accurate. I don't need you to code anything.

    sigh. what ever, nevermind.
  • KKyleKKyle Michigan Join Date: 2005-07-01 Member: 55067Members
    What would you do to keep it alive ?


    Don't do anything. Let it die. The playerbase is full of immature people uninformed on the basic concepts of communications, which results in lacking in the skill of self-expression, such as blatant insults of others and failing to perceive anything outside. In my 6 month experience of managing siege day to night and absorbing every inch of feedback coming across my way, it's no longer rewarding to maintain such an environment that yields no reward other than crafting something and having players experience my vision. Babysitting these people is a joke. I no longer have Siege set in the expected direction, and I don't care if it dies because I want the mod to be what I want it to be despite how others may feel.
  • FrozenFrozen New York, NY Join Date: 2010-07-02 Member: 72228Members, Constellation
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    mattji104 wrote: »
    SantaClaws wrote: »
    mattji104 wrote: »
    The biggest problem in this game has been persistent through every single patch.

    Infestation and Power Nodes need to be un-linked from EXPANSION. These should be a CHOICE, which opens up distinct POSSIBILITIES, like more commander active ABILITIES. There's no reason that either team should be stopped from building anything, anywhere, at any time.
    First of all, I don't agree that is a problem at all.

    Secondly. I will do anything you wish, if you can demonstrate that this is the reason the majority of players are not playing NS2. I find it difficult to believe that anyone would leave for that reason.

    Hard to demonstrate. Just makes the game linear and less fun. It's the biggest restriction placed on the game. I can't code though, so it's pretty useless to ask me to demonstrate, eh?
    You misunderstand what I'm saying. I want you to demonstrate or prove that your claim is accurate. I don't need you to code anything.

    sigh. what ever, nevermind.

    Can you prove that it's not the problem holding the game back?
  • TheriusTherius Join Date: 2009-03-06 Member: 66642Members, Reinforced - Shadow, WC 2013 - Supporter
    I guess the price of food no longer matters since my fridge is worth hundreds of euros.
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