Something New . . .

[[Team] Kilemal]

. . . for the vanilla game. First off let me say that there are two huge differences between our vanilla game and everyone elses. These two differences are the reason this game has been the most popular BF2 co-op game in the entire world for close to the past year now I believe.

The first reason is the quality of players. Our game has some of the best BF2 players, and the best group of admins in the games anywhere.

The second reason is the number of players in the game. Now, give this idea some thought before you comment because it has been my belief from the beginning that the number of players in the game has probably made the biggest difference in making our games so popular. Keep in mind also - Battlefield 2 stock co-op maps are 16 player maps, or 8 players per team. That is how many players they were designed to support.

Most co-op games you will find out there put 32 players plus 32 bots - that's 64 bodies on a map designed for 16. That's 4 times as many players as the map maker intended. In my experience, that many players on such small maps leads to one thing - mayhem. There aren't enough control points for all those people to fight for, and there aren't enough resources for everyone to feel like they are participating. As a result you get teamkilling for many different reasons - simple boredom, irritation over not getting a vehicle, or having a vehicle taken from you, and you get lines of people waiting for vehicles to spawn.

Currently our vanilla game supports 16 players and 32 bots. Except for the rare occasions when there are less than 5 players in the game, all 32 bots are generally on the opposing team. Even in our own game, when there are 12 or 14 players in the game there simply isn't enough for everyone to do. You generally get three or four players who were lucky enough to score a vehicle at the start of the round getting scores in the hundreds, and the rest of the players just sort of run around trying to pick up a few scraps of score here and there.

It should be obvious by now where this thread is going . . . . I'm going to try an 8 player vanilla game with 16 - possibly 20 bots on the opposing team. I think it will be a major improvement over the 16 player game with 32 bots.

[[Team] Traz]

One game with 8 players or two games with 8 players each? I can understand your thoughts here as the speed of your computer, connection helps you get to the equipment first. I would hate not getting into the game due to the small number of players allowed in. Could affect the number of players coming to the site and playing which depending on one’s point of view could be a bad or good thing.

[[Team] Kilemal]

How many games we run really isn't an issue. We could certainly run 2 eight player vanilla games instead of 1 sixteen player game, or even 3. The server could probably handle 5 to 6 populated games, however I see no point in running games that we don't have the players to support.

[[Team] Traz]

[QUOTE='however I see no point in running games that we don't have the players to support.[/QUOTE]

I believe we would have the players for 2 vanilla games, especially on the weekends and evenings. I think we have never had enough consistent players for the other games, which is unfortunate as I would like more to play SF. And I am not arguing against getting rid of any other games. Anyway my thoughts at the moment.

[1-8th_Fury]

Team vanilla's current setup is awesome. Looking forward to trying out a new setup.

On the first-spawn = first-in-vehicle deal, some conquest games have a game-start delay where everyone spawns at once for first spawn? Perhaps this could work in our coops? I and many others have spawned in Dragon Valley many times when there are no vehicles left in base, leaving a long walk to a flag. There should be a special kick for a first-spawner taking an otherwise empty apc away from base.

[[Team] Jenifearia]

Is this in place of what we have already? because I like the setup we have. oh well you know you'll have my support.

[Ghotimeal]

Omoshiro! Let's see where it takes us. I have a bit of fre time now.

[MisterPWN]

Is this new server going to be running along side the other?

If it was down to just 8 players, that would pretty much Require teamwork and focused actions to take flags. I like the idea, the only problem with it being so much fun is that it would fill up haha.

So running this alongside the current vanilla server, or 2 of these variants + original might be the way to do it.

[Kilo]

I second that motion Kil.... It's precisely the reason I will not play on the vanilla server... too many players,too many opportunities for TK's and the inability to
procure a vehicle. I think a change of pace and dropping the player slots to 8 is an outstanding Idea! P.S I MISS PR! lol

[Korg]

I miss PR also. Seems that SF has less players on it than PR did. Also fewer Maps.

[[Team] Kilemal]

OK - we seem to be drifting off course again.

All I'm concerned about here is the quality of the game. I think it will be a major improvement. I'll run an 8 player game alongside the 16 player one for the time being but I will be expecting the 16 player game will soon become an 8 player game also.

I'll take the Project Reality thing under advisement . . . . .

:D

[Praetorian999]

kilemal;7860']i'll take the project reality thing under advisement . . . . .

:d

please please pretty please!
:d

[Kilo]

i would definitely love to try it :D

[Enderxenocid]

It will be interesting. However, with that few bots, i'd say increase the AI intelligence even more. It should be for mainly the elite to test their limits.

[Kilo]

Had a Great night on the new server! Was lot's of fun !!:D Thx Kil.

[Enderxenocid]

oh, and you might want to make a sub-channel in the vanilla vent channel for the 8 player server, cause it might get confusing with people from both servers transferring intel.

And it seems the links of the servers on the homepage are faulty for the vanilla servers. The first one leads to a dead end and the second one just links to the custom info.

[DJ_Orinoco]

I would advise you to keep the original and set up 2 new 8 player servers as you might get players who don't visit this forum thinking that you guys have gone.

Just my advice :)

DJ_Orinoco

[sniper_squirrelx]

can u bump up the number of bots?

24? 28? dynamics of the game are a little different with 20 bots, if you have 8 skilled players, and there are a bunch of good ones on here, they are kicking bot butt in short order, look at some of the results tonite.

not being negative, just wondering bout increasing the number of bots?

thanks for all you do to make this a fun place to be!

s squirrel

[[Team] Kilemal]

can u bump up the number of bots?

s squirrel


Absolutely . . . . yet the current 8 player game should be harder than the old 16 player game even though there are less players and less bots. The 16 player game full with 32 bots is only a 2 to 1 ratio, whereas the 8 player game with 20 bots is 2.5 to 1. I think the real problem is that the admins simply aren't accustomed to the new numbers yet, so perhaps the ratio isn't being set high enough. Another problem which I should have forseen I guess is that now we run another game but still don't have enough admins for all of them.

[sniper_squirrelx]

think more bots would make it better, just my 2 cents

like the eight player format, would just like to turn up the burners a bit

think more bots enhances working as a squad even more

[[Team] Kilemal]

How hard the game is is really relative also - I just watched a round in one of the vanilla games where the teams were 14 vs. 13 and the US side won by less than 10 tickets . . . .

For the next couple days the two vanilla games need to be watched even more closely than usual and I'm on that. The best settings will get figured out pretty quickly.

[tinybobdfa]

Sorry I have not been around kil had comitments at my daughters, I have become a grandad for the second time lol!!!!!
A little girl born on Monday at 9:04 AM UK time.

I hope to be able to make more time to be on here keeping me eyes open watching the games play smoothly LOL!!!

By the way I like the new game layout looks good I think even I will enjoy playing Vanilla a little more now !!!

[[Team] Jenifearia]

congrats on the new little one bob:)

[Kilo]

Congratz Grandpa! :D:D

[1-8th_Fury]

We might consider not stealing the enemy equipment in these reduced numbers games. 2 choppers and 2 tanks against less bots can remove the challenge from an otherwise good fight.