I can't fathom why people who are happy and willing to so obviously abuse the system should be given any sort of accommodation.
On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 5:28 PM, Chad Hedstrom <[email protected]> wrote: > Heck, go one step further to the obvious solution > >>include check box/settings in the quickplay interface that allowed a player >>to set what kind of servers they would be willing to be placed in, For >>example: > > [X] Stock and Modified > [ ] Stock Only > [ ] Modified Only > [X] Obviously False and Misleading server population, mostly full of bots > > You might think I'm joking but TF2 is the epitome of modify, observe, > fix, repeat. If you're going to classify the servers and send the > operators threatening letters, you might as well make them an opt-in > (as opposed to opt-out!) search filter. I'll be honest, I don't play > as much TF2 as I used to, and one of the main reasons is it's a crap > shoot as to whether you'll get in a real server or one full of bots. > > I'm not a big fan of heavy handed big brother type stuff, but this is > the one bare exception I think 99% of your user base would appreciate > seen culled from the master server list. Having an opt-in check box > for these servers should be enough to pacify the remaining 1%. > > Valve has come up with some really solid, well rounded solutions to > some really difficult problems. The fact that four years later you are > just now tackling it makes me think that this is a deeper problem than > we're led to believe. I'd be interested to hear what kinds of debates > you've had on the topic. It would make for a great blog post! > > On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 3:38 PM, E. Olsen <[email protected]> wrote: >> I wonder if perhaps an easier solution (and one which would give the >> player's mroe input/control) would be to include check box/settings in the >> quickplay interface that allowed a player to set what kind of servers they >> would be willing to be placed in, For example: >> >> [X] Stock and Modified >> >> [ ] Stock Only >> >> [ ] Modified Only >> >> Have those settings stay persistent until changed by the player. As someone >> who both operates servers AND has in excess of 2000 hours in the game, I >> personally think the default setting should be "Stock & Modified", so as to >> allow players to be exposed to as many game types/variations as possible. As >> traffic to TF2 continues to slide, it gets hard and harder to fill servers >> consistently (even servers that have built a ton of "regulars" over the >> years). >> >> Frankly, what I would like to see most from Valve is the number of Valve's >> "official" server to be drastically reduced (simply taking the number of >> average number of new TF2 accounts registered should provide you with an >> adequate idea of how many servers you really need for new players), as well >> as taking action against the kinds of servers you listed above (fake >> clients, redirects, etc.) >> >> One thing I DO think needs to be changed is the penalty against servers that >> exceed 24 slots. I know the game/original maps were designed around 24 >> slots, and I can see Valve's point of view regarding servers that exceed >> that number. However, as someone who has been running TF2 servers for 4 >> years now, I can say without reservation that 24 slot servers are >> exceedingly difficult to get and keep full, even with an army of regulars. >> On a 32 slot server, at the end of a long match, when 12 people leave the >> server, you're still looking at a nice 10 v 10, and the population will >> usually recover. With a 24 slot server, when a dozen people jump ship after >> a long round, now you're down to 6 v 6, and the server will most likely die. >> Hardware has improved vastly since our first TF2 server (we run dual quad >> core boxes with plenty of juice), and handle 32 players without any issues. >> >> I love that you guys are doing what you can to help us get players to the >> servers, I really do....but as it stands, you're telling us that the only >> way you're willing to do it is if we strip out everything that make our >> community servers unique to our players, and give them the same experience >> they can get everywhere else....when the decision as to the >> quality/experience on our servers should always (IMHO) be left up to the >> players (which I think the scoring system currently in place is a great >> indicator of). >> >> TF2's traffic is dwindling....one need look no further than Steam stats to >> see that. I'm sure it will reach a base of "hardcore" players similar to how >> CSS did - but those of us who have supported TF2 and Valve for years should >> be given a better choice of "be vanilla, or get left out in the cold". If >> the vast majority of the player base wanted vanilla, that's what most >> servers would already be. >> >> Thanks. >> >> On Thu, Dec 8, 2011 at 4:07 PM, T Marler <[email protected]> wrote: >>> >>> Hi Fletcher, >>> >>> Does this change in stance mean we will some day see quick >>> matching/quickplay for nocrits/disable damage spread/disable weapon spread >>> servers? Competitive people like fresh blood too. >>> >>> >>> >>> >>> ----- Original Message ----- >>> From: Fletcher Dunn <[email protected]> >>> Date: Thursday, December 8, 2011 2:00 pm >>> Subject: [hlds] Let's be honest >>> To: "Half-Life dedicated Linux server mailing list >>> ([email protected])" <[email protected]>, >>> "Half-Life dedicated Win32 server mailing list >>> ([email protected])" <[email protected]> >>> >>> > We all know that some server operators run mods specifically >>> > designed to falsify information sent to the Valve backend and to >>> > their players. These mods inaccurately report the player >>> > count and whether players are human or not. They conceal >>> > that significant modifications to gameplay have been made. >>> > This is detrimental to players' experience. >>> > >>> > Perhaps some server operators would actually prefer to not run >>> > these mods, but feel that it is necessary to compete and >>> > maintain their community. For this reason, Valve has made >>> > the decision not to take any action against any server operators >>> > at this time. >>> > >>> > We will be directly contacting some of the "institutional >>> > offenders" who are using these mods on multiple servers. >>> > However, whether we contact you directly or not, this email >>> > serves as warning to all server operators that we do have the >>> > ability to detect this class of behavior, and, going forward, we >>> > are going to be more aggressive at policing it. If we >>> > determine that you are modifying the network stream or otherwise >>> > circumventing basic security measures, we will take the actions >>> > needed to maintain a positive environment for our players. >>> > >>> > To be perfectly clear, here are some examples of the >>> > modifications and behaviours which we consider especially >>> > harmful to our community: >>> > >>> > * Forging or >>> > modifying network communications used to describe server >>> > properties to the backend or directly to clients. >>> > >>> > * Concealing the >>> > fact that bots are bots, and making them appear as human >>> > players. (Running bots is OK, as long as no modifications >>> > are made that make it difficult for players to identify which >>> > players are bots and which are humans.) >>> > >>> > * Interfering >>> > with the mechanisms that advertise modifications to gameplay >>> > rules in the server browser. (For example, nocrits, >>> > gravity, respawn times, etc.) Experimenting with gameplay >>> > modifications is encouraged, but any mechanisms in the engine >>> > designed to alert players to those modifications must be allowed >>> > to function. >>> > >>> > * Listing the >>> > same game server multiple times in the master server. >>> > >>> > Thank you, >>> > Fletcher Dunn >>> > >>> > >>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >>> please visit: >>> https://list.valvesoftware.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/hlds >>> >> >> >> _______________________________________________ >> To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, >> please visit: >> https://list.valvesoftware.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/hlds >> > > _______________________________________________ > To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please > visit: > https://list.valvesoftware.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/hlds _______________________________________________ To unsubscribe, edit your list preferences, or view the list archives, please visit: https://list.valvesoftware.com/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/hlds
