Reduce max player amount on servers to 10/12

(Reacto) #1

Played with both 16 players and <12 today, and the latter feels a lot more fun and balanced with the current maps. 16 could maybe work with TDM, but with the current push a cart objective it feels too messy and random. If the servers were changed to 10/12, maybe it could be possible to actually get two servers full during weekday nights and not just one as it is now (EU). Personally I’d say a max of 10 players would be best with the current maps, but I’d be happy if it was reduced to 12 too :slight_smile:

(murka) #2

Yes!
Plus people will get better FPS when only 10/12 players on server compared to 16.

(DarkangelUK) #3

I prefer smaller teams for smaller maps, 6v6 at most.

(warbie) #4

Agreed. The games I’ve enjoyed the most have had smaller teams of 4-6 aside. It’s fun being on a server with everyone - we had some good games tonight - but it all becomes very random and tdm with 8 v 8.

(Reacto) #5

This is what I mean, it’s like TDM, but only in the small area around the vehicle.

(amazinglarry) #6

I don’t have a real preference either way, but I think the default should still be 8v8. People who choose to host dedicated servers will likely be able to set them up however they like (There were 64 player RtCW and ET servers, which made for interesting times).

I’m sure most competition games will fall in the realm of ~6 players, and that’s all well and good - easily configurable.

Could even go so far as to prioritize matchmaking for looking for 5v5, 6v6, 8v8 respectively too… but I see no reason to reduce the max player amount in the overall scheme of things.

To clarify, I’m only saying that I don’t believe there should be a restriction. As long as it’s configurable, color me happy - whatever color that is. Fluorescent green, maybe?

(Reacto) #7

[QUOTE=amazinglarry;416722]I don’t have a real preference either way, but I think the default should still be 8v8. People who choose to host dedicated servers will likely be able to set them up however they like (There were 64 player RtCW and ET servers, which made for interesting times).

I’m sure most competition games will fall in the realm of ~6 players, and that’s all well and good - easily configurable.

Could even go so far as to prioritize matchmaking for looking for 5v5, 6v6, 8v8 respectively too… but I see no reason to reduce the max player amount in the overall scheme of things.

To clarify, I’m only saying that I don’t believe there should be a restriction. As long as it’s configurable, color me happy - whatever color that is. Fluorescent green, maybe?[/QUOTE]

Oh, I’m not saying there should be a restriction. I’m just saying that it would be nice if they changed the current servers to be 10/12 slot servers, because I find that a lot more suitable for these maps.

(amazinglarry) #8

Ahhh okay I misunderstood. Good call.

(Bananas) #9

No.

Anything lower than 8v8 is not good for pubs on fps games. Once you drop below 8v8 it feels like there is more pressure on you to perform. Also more players is just more fun for pubs. Your average player will want more people. It allows more people to play together and have fun.

If you guys want lower player counts, just play pugs. That’s what they’re for. We’ve been doing them on the NA and they’re really fun. I don’t want to play a 5v5 or 6v6 without having communication between the people.

(Rex) #10

I agree with Bananas here. If I play pub I want bigger teams and for comp I want them smaller. Less players on pub is less fun.

(Reacto) #11

[QUOTE=Bananas;416735]No.

Anything lower than 8v8 is not good for pubs on fps games. Once you drop below 8v8 it feels like there is more pressure on you to perform. Also more players is just more fun for pubs. Your average player will want more people. It allows more people to play together and have fun.[/QUOTE]

I don’t think you understand our point here, this is not about changing pub to something other than 8v8 permanently, it’s about changing the current alpha servers to being 5v5/6v6 because a lot of us feel that is a better, more controlled, and a way more fun approach to testing the game than the current 16 slot servers. Also, normally I would agree with you, pub is usually not fun with few players on a server, but this is really not the case in this game (with these maps).

(Bananas) #12

[QUOTE=Reacto;416738]I don’t think you understand our point here, this is not about changing pub to something other than 8v8 permanently, it’s about changing the current alpha servers to being 5v5/6v6 because a lot of us feel that is a better, more controlled, and a way more fun approach to testing the game than the current 16 slot servers. Also, normally I would agree with you, pub is usually not fun with few players on a server, but this is really not the case in this game (with these maps).[/QUOTE]I don’t think you understand that Splash Damage probably wants to see how 8v8 plays. Like I said, if you find it more fun, then organize a pug. Doesn’t really take that long to organize one.

The fact that you find the current maps bad on 8v8 is something that Splash Damage is probably looking at.

(SinDonor) #13

I’m with bananas here. I had the most fun with the 12+ players. I am not skilled enough to do well on a 5v5 or less. If they want to make one or two servers into some sort of Competition Mode for 5v5s, that’s fine by me. But not at the sake of killing the bigger matches.

(Anti) #14

We want to focus on getting the best balance around 5v5 and 6v6, and I’m sure at some point we’ll provide some kind of ranked/comp matched mode for more balanced PUG style matches, but we need to keep pubs around 8v8 for a couple of reasons.

The main one is churn. Servers don’t stay static and rarely remain full, people come and go all the time. To ensure we always have the fun minimal amount of players we need the server capacity to be higher so that the 15%-25% churn doesn’t impact the game too much.

Generally the chaotic madness of bigger teams is more popular for the casual/pub player as well, so 8v8 helps give them what they like to play without preventing us from offering the more comp/balance friendly smaller teams.

(amazinglarry) #15

Right, but exactly how do you stop other people from joining? I think they would just like to have a server that is a 10 or 12 player max, and people can host their pugs there and not worry about the balance being thrown off.

(Reacto) #16

It would at least be nice if the current 12 slot server would be updated and fixed so it works, then people at least have a choice.

(Loffy) #17

This helps us understand why the maps are so small. Well, at least why we perceive them to be small, compared to for example spacious RtCW and W:ET maps.

The question is if SD will create and release only small maps, once the game goes gold, or if there also will be a couple of larger ones. (Rethorical question.)

(Anti) #18

[QUOTE=Loffy;416825]This helps us understand why the maps are so small. Well, at least why we perceive them to be small, compared to for example spacious RtCW and W:ET maps.

The question is if SD will create and release only small maps, once the game goes gold, or if there also will be a couple of larger ones. (Rethorical question.)[/QUOTE]

The Camden map is already much bigger and plays quite well, despite the few balance issues. I’m hoping our next few maps at least will be a similar size to it.

The footprint of the current maps isn’t actually that small, but the playable spaces are too cramped for the way our gameplay is evolving. We may be able to fix this, or it may just be that these become our ‘small’ maps, we’ll have to wait and see.

(Reacto) #19

[QUOTE=Anti;416827]The Camden map is already much bigger and plays quite well, despite the few balance issues. I’m hoping our next few maps at least will be a similar size to it.

The footprint of the current maps isn’t actually that small, but the playable spaces are too cramped for the way our gameplay is evolving. We may be able to fix this, or it may just be that these become our ‘small’ maps, we’ll have to wait and see.[/QUOTE]

I feel another problem with the current more cramped maps are the high grounds and the linear way of the maps. I think it would be a lot more balanced for more players if there were more ways to get up to the high grounds and more ways/tunnels etc. where you could flank. At the moment it feels too forced.

(Anti) #20

On all maps?

I know people feel Whitechapel is very cramped, but the other maps have probably slightly too many routes at present to my mind, which is why there are so many people getting shot in the back.