Burning questions...

[Chuck Bronson]

I decide to have a 2fort 24/7 server - we get some decent players who become regulars. People get sick of 2fort and want mapvote on - I get AMXX and install a mapvote with just the vanilla maps. Eventually, a few people are begging for custom maps and no bots....I get a fast download server and install custom maps....and the server goes from shooting up to the Top 20 in the rankings to jumping the shark like 'Happy Days'...

Are custom maps and zero bots a kiss of death to a server? It seems as if they're no bots, no one ever shows up. If there are bots, everyone asks to take them off. People ask for custom maps and give suggestions - you upload the suggested maps and the people who requested them disappear.

Before my server went to custom maps and no bots, we had 12-13 people on in a night. Now it averages about 5-6. I just figured I would you ask you guys here who are also server ops or regular players....what's the deal with bots? Do you ever go to a no bot server and try to get a game going? Do you filter out the servers that have bots?

Like everyone else who is running a server, I just want make sure I'm getting enough traffic for the amount I'm paying every month - which isn't much but still...

I'd just like to hear everyones opinion.

[tschumann]

I don't play often, but I'm happy to play against bots. I'll play on the best looking server available, regardless of whether it has bots or not.

[urban360]

No bots its a bad thing and so is too many bots. If your going to run bots 4 is the absolute perfect amount. You have at least 1 teammate per team, Gives you something to do while waiting for players to join, Become no bot game as quick as 4 real players join.

My server has only 4 bots with common regulars and custom maps. No one complain about bots yet no one gets near as bored while getting a game going vs No bots with no opponent at all to start with. My server is still holding in the top 15 servers.

suggested maps and the people who requested them disappear.

I know the feeling. I have been though that time and time again. Its annoying. You go and add the maps and do what ever was requested and go "what the heck?" when they never came back.

EDIT:
Some advice if you haven't already. Never accept requests from non regulars. Just keep the regulars you already got and not loose them for some ♥♥♥♥♥♥ bags making requests that wind up never returning back.

[PMY]

I personally get very upset when servers are filled with more than 1 bot per team. It's understandable that players don't want to wait on servers with 0 live players and 0 AI opponents. But bots often connect even though there are still live players in both teams which ruins all the fun. (e.g. 2v2 may be very fun without bots)

[urban360]

Originally Posted by PMY

I personally get very upset when servers are filled with more than 1 bot per team. It's understandable that players don't want to wait on servers with 0 live players and 0 AI opponents. But bots often connect even though there are still live players in both teams which ruins all the fun. (e.g. 2v2 may be very fun without bots)

Thats because the server operator never configured the bots correctly.

Never use min_bots to specify the ammout of bots. Make sure min_bots is set to -1 other wise bots will never leave.

max_bots is what everyone should specify bot counts with. max_bots sets maximum player slot for foxbot to use. max_bots allows actual players to replace the bots. Bots will leave as players come on to fill the spot.

Make sure bot_chat is set to 0 other wise the bots never shut up.

Make sure bot_team_balance is set to 1 so the bots can balance the teams.

Never use bot_bot_balance because it buggy so make sure its set to 0.


I don't know where you been playing that the problem you describe happens. Most bot servers are poorly configured but not all. Example my server 2v2 games with no bots is not a problem. Max_bots is set to 4 so 4 real players come in and makes it 2v2 no bots.

[PMY]

Originally Posted by urban360

I don't know where you been playing that the problem you describe happens. Most bot servers are poorly configured but not all. Example my server 2v2 games with no bots is not a problem. Max_bots is set to 4 so 4 real players come in and makes it 2v2 no bots.

Games-Inside.nl TFC Playgrounds
The Gas Chamber: 2fort or Vote
These are the most popular servers. But clearly their admins do not follow your recommendations.

[urban360]

An other thing too most servers still running out dated bot plugins versions which could be why my servers bots have a lot less issues and bugs if at all with smarter AI. Im guessing gas chambers and games inside are still one of the original foxbot versions and never upgraded for years.

[pizzahut]

Originally Posted by urban360

Im guessing gas chambers and games inside are still one of the original foxbot versions and never upgraded for years.

Unless a server has restricted visibility of public cvars, you can easily check this yourself. GI is running Foxbot v0.74 which is quite recent. TGC is indeed running an older version, but this doesn't necessarily mean more issues. It doesn't matter a lot anyway, as these servers rarely have bots present.

[urban360]

Originally Posted by pizzahut

Unless a server has restricted visibility of public cvars, you can easily check this yourself. GI is running Foxbot v0.74 which is quite recent. TGC is indeed running an older version, but this doesn't necessarily mean more issues. It doesn't matter a lot anyway, as these servers rarely have bots present.

I know that but i'm just pointing out possibility of bots not leaving can be a bug in the bots. I have noticed stuff like that too but more so depending on which version not so much with version 0.77. Also in my opinion not updating and long procrastination/slow on maintenance kinda shows lack of initiative/effort to fix a problem when one comes up and makes you look incompetent on running good clean server community.

See this is a big problem with the majority of the tfc servers. Admins abandon their own server communities and left them to rot to nothing yet they keep their servers up. My burning question is why do alot of people make server if they wont don't got the die hard ambition to run one?

Majority of tfc servers that still have a dependable player base are actively maintained by the admins. If someone has a busy life with little free time what the hell are they doing owning a server? Are people re`tarded? I mean why start something you wind up not committing too? If your no longer trying to run the server why not just retire the thing completely and so players can find servers not abandoned that get lost in the pile crap that we call the majority of the server list.

[orangensaft]

Originally Posted by urban360

[...] Also in my opinion not updating and long procrastination/slow on maintenance kinda shows lack of initiative/effort to fix a problem when one comes up and makes you look incompetent on running good clean server community. [...]

Why fix something that isn't broken? No need to update if everything works the way it's supposed to work.

[urban360]

Originally Posted by orangensaft

Why fix something that isn't broken? No need to update if everything works the way it's supposed to work.

Here let me highlight a specific key part of what I said.

Also in my opinion not updating and long procrastination/slow on maintenance kinda shows lack of initiative/effort to fix a problem when one comes up and makes you look incompetent on running good clean server community.

When one comes up.

Some admins are willing to let something broken sit that was for up to a month or 2 befor getting around to as so much as an attempting to fix it. Even if someting isnt broken does it hurt to make improvements? Like the RAWR servers for example befor they went out. Their bots were not broken but the AI was really really stupid the way they would repeatedly walk a few steps and stall every 2-3 seconds which I found as bit of an annoying turn off which doesnt match up with the consistent pace that this game is meant to have.

[Chuck Bronson]

Majority of tfc servers that still have a dependable player base are actively maintained by the admins. If someone has a busy life with little free time what the hell are they doing owning a server? Are people re`tarded? I mean why start something you wind up not committing too? If your no longer trying to run the server why not just retire the thing completely and so players can find servers not abandoned that get lost in the pile crap that we call the majority of the server list.

Agreed. I have a somewhat busy schedule with taking care of my kid and going to college - but I also have a server and I try to be there AT LEAST an hour to an hour and a half every day during the week. When its the weekend, after 8pm, I'll be on at least midnight or 1am with my wife getting a game going. Like you said, there's no point in running it if no effort is going to be put into it...my server costs probably $9 a month for 20 slots (God bless discount coupons!) but still - if I never played on it, it's still money getting wasted.

I like what someone said a few months ago. TFC would look more populated with about 40-50 servers than 150. I agree. I'd rather have 40-50 servers than 40 that have some sign of life and 100 that are no mans land.

[urban360]

See and you have a kid to take care of and college to attend. One of the most busy schedules someone can have yet you manage time aside to run a server. That I can respect.

I like what someone said a few months ago. TFC would look more populated with about 40-50 servers than 150. I agree. I'd rather have 40-50 servers than 40 that have some sign of life and 100 that are no mans land.

Thats exactly part of what im talking about. Irresponsible ownership that defies all logic and understanding. It really is the bulk of TFC's problems. Why bulk of the servers, the admins want nothing to do with them yet the still keep them up makes no sense what so ever.

$9 a month for 20 slots

Damn...
$9 for 20 slots? holy s**t. I pay $10 for 10. Where did find a server at that shocking low price for public slots? even tho there was a coupon where did you get it? Im always for lower prices so I can buy more with out paying more. .......Please not be linux servers(crossing my fingers)......