Community retirement of RANKED

[DrD3ath]

I asked on OMS tonight would players continue to play if we went unranked. Of the 3 or 4 players that responded, they all said they would. But therein is the problem, server was full and only 3 or 4 players responded. And A_P is correct, people will join servers with other people on them before the will join an empty one. So if servers are to go unranked, what are the benefits. If there are benefits how do you get that across to the players that are unwilling to fiddle with downloading stuff and game files. Without losing them to the game. How do you go about addressing this issue. Thank f*** I am not in government Did someone say committee ?

[BioSnark]

That’s the whole point of this thread.

I mean systematic beyond what a bunch of server owners can do. A bunch of server owners can give their players a choice between playing on their favorited servers or playing for ranks and shinies but there aren’t enough players to fill both cups.

Actually, it does.

Then it’s a shame the game doesn’t use it effectively.

[Susefreak]

Then it’s a shame the game doesn’t use it effectively.

Define effectively, if you mean that it doesn’t offer downloads, well it does. If you mean it doesn’t allow ingame downloads, well it does.
I am having serious doubts you haven’t played anything besides on a ranked server, since you aren’t making sense right now.

[Apples]

[QUOTE=Susefreak;381543]Define effectively, if you mean that it doesn’t offer downloads, well it does. If you mean it doesn’t allow ingame downloads, well it does.
I am having serious doubts you haven’t played anything besides on a ranked server, since you aren’t making sense right now.[/QUOTE]

Effectively : without having to restart when you load a custom map maybe? Still wondering if you can only reconnect once with a custom campaign or if you have to restart anyway each time you swap from stock map to custom one. Think I tryed that one day and would have to restart at each switch, but was on qw pro.

Peace

[Donnovan]

Most people plays only vanilla not because of a self judgement of custom, but because they have not tried it.

I believe if we can put people in custom slowly, many of then will be really happy to find new maps.

[Runeforce]

Still wondering if you can only reconnect once with a custom campaign or if you have to restart anyway each time you swap from stock map to custom one.

It does not restart when switching between custom and stock maps. At least not if you configured your campaign pk3 correct. But it does restart once when first connecting to the server.
Another barrier to “white scrubs” could be the maximum-number-of-files-to-be-downloaded-at-once limit, but that could be overcome by an “official community” map pack (a coordinated effort.)

[DrD3ath]

“official community” map pack <--------- best idea yet

So to summarise this thread:

> Should servers go unranked

> Will server owners/admins agree, or at least enough of them

> How to introduce custom maps,what maps and technical issues

> How to help the less aware players to get hold of custom content and more importantly, make it playable for them

> How not to turn away the newbie players or those less willing to tinker with game files.

If i missed anything, point it out. Keep in mind that those who regualrly frequent these forums are a minority of the players.

[DrFunkenstein]

Thanks to Serenade for starting the discussion and everyone that provided input so far. I have my doubts about going unranked myself, but it’s good to see people talking about this.

Everything I say are just my 2 euro cents.

I hope it’s clear that I’m not against going unranked in itself, but I that have serious doubts about creating a viable server with custom content (in the broadest sense, not just new maps) unless you get a steady input of new players that want to try it out.

This is my main concern: how are you gonna entice people to join such a server? Relying on the people that read these forums and your in-game friends list, isn’t enough I’m afraid.

Why don’t we try to get one or two servers going in NA and Europe, come up with the same configuration for those servers, a place where people can download what’s necessary (be it on the servers or from a different location) and see how this works out?

I’d be more then happy to help something like this going. I suggest trying to get people play there in the weekends and see how much interest there is for something like that.

Dr. Funkenstein

[MoonOnAStick]

[QUOTE=DrDeath<rfa;381554]“official community” map pack <--------- best idea yet

So to sumarise this thread:
…
[/QUOTE]

I think you pretty much asked all the right questions.
community_campaign_01 would be great. Consistent additional campaign(s) across participating servers would be an ideal model for any custom content.

Advertising any change to unranked status in message-of-the-day text before switching also sounds like a good idea. If admins all used similar language, asking users to update their filters, then hopefully there shouldn’t be too many confused players.

Quick question: If a server were running the default campaigns plus an additional campaign, could people without the extra maps join up while the server was on the stock maps?

[Dthy]

Quick question: If a server were running the default campaigns plus an additional campaign, could people without the extra maps join up while the server was on the stock maps?

No, you would need to d/l all the maps before you can join.

[Apocalypse_Pony]

Something of interest I just remembered. Can’t believe I forgot about it really. BBA’s XP Save server. That thing’s been running unranked, very successfully, for as long as I can remember. It’s got the XP gimmick sure, but it’s proof people can find and will play unranked QW. I’ve seen many of the same people there that I see on the ranked servers.

[BioSnark]

Define effectively.

What apples said. I’ve had the pleasure of watching my game perpetually restarting and switching between a mod and vanilla trying to join either nirvana or a dusk server. It was hilarious… yet not. But hey, I guess the game handles custom content effectively if you if you don’t compare it to other games that can actually do it well and don’t have to restart to load each dl.

[Donnovan]

Restart to load each download?

Nirvana have tons of maps and restarts just on the first map you play, after that all maps comes with no restart.

[BioSnark]

[QUOTE=Donnovan;381634]Nirvana have tons of maps and restarts just on the first map you play, after that all maps comes with no restart.[/QUOTE]a distinction I didn’t bother making but okay.

edit: this poll allows guests to vote :rolleyes:… voted twice now, chicago style.

[Chris2]

What apples said. I’ve had the pleasure of watching my game perpetually restarting and switching between a mod and vanilla trying to join either nirvana or a dusk server. It was hilarious… yet not. But hey, I guess the game handles custom content effectively if you if you don’t compare it to other games that can actually do it well and don’t have to restart to load each dl.

Agreeing with Apples is never a wise choice.

You don’t have to restart on each download, the community figured out how to limit the restarts to just one, not ideal but it’s the best we have.

We’re getting side tracked again on custom content which this thread isn’t primarily about, the short comings of customs have largely been overcome, it’s not perfect but seeing as most potential unranked servers wont be running custom maps it isn’t much of a problem.

[Susefreak]

What apples said. I’ve had the pleasure of watching my game perpetually restarting and switching between a mod and vanilla trying to join either nirvana or a dusk server. It was hilarious… yet not. But hey, I guess the game handles custom content effectively if you if you don’t compare it to other games that can actually do it well and don’t have to restart to load each dl.

That’s how the engine works, not how a download system is functioning.

This is a hurdle for most users. I know that. In the past I helped new users evade those reloads by creating an extra shortcut with extra parameters. That way there is only one time you need to experience those additional loads.

[DrD3ath]

So, where are we now ? We don’t seem yet to have a consensus view about going unranked as yet. However , IF we were to try that it would be best implemented by some or all of the following:

Pre-Launch in server advertising for a while before hand
An official pre made downloadable map pack (community map pack)
Links to where people can get information on installing etc and where to download map pack from
Servers in US and Europe
We need willing people to populate these servers

OMS has some reservations about going unranked similar to DrFunkenstein’s reasons. We would be willing to help out tho.

[Chris2]

So, where are we now ? We don’t seem yet to have a consensus view about going unranked as yet.

The discussion has only been going for a few days, need some more server admins to pitch in.

I think it would be good to hold either an IRC discussion or some VOIP discussion between those who are wanting to make this a reality, come up with a full proposal and post it back here for comment.

[sereNADE]

people are still mistakenly equating unranked with custom content. that wasn’t my intention here and is actually an issue deserving a separate discussion. this is simply about lifting the restrictions of ranked from our favorite community servers that are still behind the iron curtain (ranked).

there are hindrances to admin of a server when it is ranked. there is no control of map pool or rotation (not talking about custom maps here). there is only one gamemode with ranked (no stopwatch).

good points to bring up are the ratio of etqw vets to new players and if that body of people could handle a world without etqw flagship servers tracking their stats and awarding them medals. that is the matter at hand, may we please stop talking about custom content? that is something related to a later step and is not a guaranteed outcome of an unranked status. (i want to get to that step but we are jumping the gun)

[Apocalypse_Pony]

Can someone just put up a temporary unranked vanilla server, with no bots?

Do this, put a few players on it, see what happens. I’ll be around Saturday night.