Question about multiple game servers rotating days

[Zervun]

So I have this idea -

Basically it would be something like this - just an example so don't look to deep, just make suggestions


Server runs TF2 primarily Sat, Sun, Tue, Thurs
Wed Night - NS1 classic
Friday Night - Maybe DOD:S or CS:S or Knights and Pirates or Empiresmod

I'm verclempt talk among yourselfs

[TrashedDT]

I honestly believe if you want to reach the goal of having this server populated everyday you shouldn't change the game on it. If you can pull-off two games running simultaneously on the server that would be better, because if players see Phlorph up one night in the TF2 queue and down the next they are just going to assume that the server is having reliability issues. We lost a lot of potential "regulars" during the hard drive/mobo mishap.

If you really want to pull this off you're going to need to get more participation in the forums so players are informed. I don't believe "enough" people that play on Phlorph are reading these forums. *hint* maybe it's time to spice up the forums. ;)

[Zervun]

Well I'm working on the site in fact phlorph was originally going to be just a gamers gear review site, it's just finding the time for the web development.

We have a top of players that are on the server that don't even probably know about the forums, perhaps I should get the advertisements to display more.

[Worry]

I agree with TRashed. switching things up will probably lose more people than it might gain.

I think the days of players rushing (or even crawling) to hit the forums of their favorite server/s are behind us. Game forums really don't offer much value other than a place for idle chit chat (with the exception of excellent hardware support offered on phlorph by a number of you, but gamers won't know that unless they came here).
Having a site that draws them in, then having them hit the game server has more potential imo.
Accomplishing that would take a major commitment; both time and money. A lot of the techniques used in affiliate marketing could apply but it is not easy.


Or, lots of free porn. Provide 5mgs of free porn download for every hour played. problem solved.

[-={ICE}=-Cobra]

Or, lots of free porn. Provide 5mgs of free porn download for every hour played. problem solved.


Honestly, I don't need 1.8 gig of porn. I can watch the same 3 meg file that plays for 45 seconds and I have 24 seconds to spare. Actually I don't think I have ever seen the second half of that video.

[Worry]

Honestly, I don't need 1.8 gig of porn. I can watch the same 3 meg file that plays for 45 seconds and I have 24 seconds to spare.

LoL.

Actually I don't think I have ever seen the second half of that video.

someone throws a leaf of alfalfa over the fence and the horse trots off screen.

[TrashedDT]

someone throws a leaf of alfalfa over the fence and the horse trots off screen.

ROFL

[Worry]

ever since this post I've started having a craving for a game of NS. maybe just once a week would be fun (if we could get all the regulars to play). would be fun if we could manage not to have a bunch of regular NS players on making us all look bad.

you were saying it won't run thought zervun or that it would but you would have to work out some bugs?

i'd commit for once a week. all we need is another 29 or so :cool: (small numbers in NS = marine slaughter).

[Mephisto]

mmm i thought your server now has enough power that you could probably run two games at once (as well as host the website off of it). That would kind of split the community though.

ns2 is sure taking a long time...

[Zervun]

mmm i thought your server now has enough power that you could probably run two games at once (as well as host the website off of it). That would kind of split the community though.

ns2 is sure taking a long time...

Unfortunately, yes I could probably run a ton of servers, for a stress test I loaded up 8 32 person Tf2 servers with bots, and still have cpu to spare (memory would have been overloaded if actually people were on as I have 4gig).

The thing that I am limited by is bandwidth. A TF2 server at default settings of 20 people uses about 2.8Mbps. My feed is 1.5Mbps 95th percentile with burst to 3.0. To just raise my speed to 2.0Mbps would cost an extra 100 bucks a month.

I've tweaked the server so much that I am able to sustain a full server around 1.3Mbps, giving some room for my webhosting and other things.

A NS 32 person server (or Tf2 for that matter) would require around 3.0Mbps - 5.0Mbps sustained.

Most people run their server off like a fios connection, or go through game hosting where there are no "bandwidth" costs. In the datacenter realm when you own your own server, bandwidth is excrutiatingly expensive.

I have my own "business" also running on the server, so datacenter was a necessity.

[Worry]

*grumble*

Well, what is the slackest time for the server, within a reasonable time for people to actually be available to play?
We could switch over to NS at that time, assuming we've arranged with everyone to show up, and no harm is done.
We get to play, and no possible-new players, who are searching for TF2 servers, are turned away.

Or, anyone know someone with an NS server who would just let us rent it for a few hours or swap? that would be simpler.

Guess it should be asked...is there more than a few people interested in us all playing NS once in a while? (it's free).

[-={ICE}=-Cobra]

wth is NS?

[Worry]

Natural Selection is a Half-Life mod (http://www.moddb.com/mods/47/natural-selection)
little video there.

Marines vs Aliens

it's the ginchiest.

With a good commander on the marines, you can find yourself in awesome battles that can last over an hour (we had one last over 3), but unlike a long battle on warpath in tf2, it's dynamic in multiple locations. very intense.

Flipside of that...with a bad comm., the aliens will wipe out the marines within minutes.

You can't beat wrapping a marine up in your web, then spitting on him repeatedly until he's dead. (not sure if they still have webs but...it was fun).

[Infiltrates]

I miss NS....they've made alot of changes though

lurk ftw, though

[Zervun]

*grumble*

Well, what is the slackest time for the server, within a reasonable time for people to actually be available to play?
We could switch over to NS at that time, assuming we've arranged with everyone to show up, and no harm is done.
We get to play, and no possible-new players, who are searching for TF2 servers, are turned away.

Or, anyone know someone with an NS server who would just let us rent it for a few hours or swap? that would be simpler.

Guess it should be asked...is there more than a few people interested in us all playing NS once in a while? (it's free).


I have no issues, blocking out a bracket for NS on a night - I could support up to possibly 24 people with tweaks -

I'd be up for it, NS is my all time favorite FPS (I loved commander)

[Worry]

I have no issues, blocking out a bracket for NS on a night - I could support up to possibly 24 people with tweaks -

I'd be up for it, NS is my all time favorite FPS (I loved commander)

Lets do it then. You obviously would like to do it, and you're then one putting in all the time/cash to bring us this server so....maybe once a week people will show their appreciation by showing up for a little NS.

Lets try a simple poll.

Who appreciates zervun and would like to play NS once a week to show their love?
Who hates him and will play something else while it's set to NS?

That's one of those 'always sunny in philli' type questions.

[Salt Lick]

I vaguely remember disliking NS but am willing to give it another try.

[TrashedDT]

Lets do it then. You obviously would like to do it, and you're then one putting in all the time/cash to bring us this server so....maybe once a week people will show their appreciation by showing up for a little NS.

Lets try a simple poll.

Who appreciates zervun and would like to play NS once a week to show their love?
Who hates him and will play something else while it's set to NS?

That's one of those 'always sunny in philli' type questions.

Or C. Show your love for Zervun by Kickin' Worry in the arse!!! :D

[Worry]

ya....kick my arse in a game of NS. It's as easy to do as it is in tf2. it'll be fun.

[Mephisto]

i actually think i still prefer ns...

[Kefka]

I would play NS on weds nights. Though I am probably gone for the summer.

[Worry]

Wednesday does look like a slow night for server traffic, but .... that's a bad day for me as thursday is a busy day for work and most often I'll not be able to play on a Wednesday. we have to keep in mind that a game of NS can fall apart if people come and go like they do in tf2. it can be extremely frustrating if just one player who is, lets say, good on the jetpak, just suddenly leaves and an hour of hard work for your team is wiped out. commitment to stay is very important in NS.

Best for me to be able to commit is Friday and it is one of the slower nights.
Still, I'll do my best to show up on whatever night you all choose.

We still have to see if the people who've never played it, even like it. we should just schedule one night to try it out and see if we even need to worry about scheduling repeat nights.

[Mephisto]

well, phlorph could just run combat (co_) maps, which would shorten game time and allow more people to come in and out. it may attract people from the ns community (ive not played in awhile so i dont know how alive it is...)

[Upholder of the [BFG]]

A question...how much bandwidth do you need for an NS server? This is my home speedtest...with torrents going, and Protector playing TF2...
http://www.speedtest.net/result/261632493.png
and here's my work speedtest...
http://www.mkindustries.us/261632910.jpg

[Zervun]

You would be cutting it close without some serious tweaks depending on numbers. It took me about 5 months to get tf2 server to run at what I have it now 1.4~ Mbps for 20 - 22 people server. NS has a bit more network traffic.

I'd be happy to share my tweaks. Upload is everything, and you also have to throw in if you have cable/dsl you don't have that "true" speed as your connection is not ethernet (it's funky asyncronous cable/dsl). Fiber is doable I think I can get 24 - 30 person running at around 1.5ish - 2.0Mbps fairly easy.

I am planning on having this server do NS for a night, I'm on 95th percentile so going over my 1.5 every once in a while won't be an issue.

[SATAn]

i'll play it if it's free. But I cant really commit to a wednesday night, because I usually try and go to sleep at like 9, a wednesday afternoon I could do