Why #1 is dying as of late

[SGT DEVILDOG Profile]

I don’t know if anyone has noticed but there is a significant decline in admins/regs as of late on #1. I can think of two reasons for this. One, people are getting burned out of BF. Two, people are sick of the complaints. I tend to fall in both categories. I would be all right still playing BF all the time like I have done for almost a year. I have missed maybe a total of 7 days in this last year. I have not logged into TS for the past 5 days, does that say anything? The amount of bitching from many REGs has reached unprecedented levels, and it is having a greater effect on the community than the cheat hunts of only a few months ago.
We have seen many veteran players and admins move to other channels because of this. It seems that the admins can’t please anyone. Either we are too harsh or we are to lacks. We put maps on that nobody can agree on. We don’t kick enough snipers or we kick to many snipers. We are on the same team or there are not enough admins on at a certain time. I could go on but I will not, I hope people get the point. What people don’t realize is that admins have a constant stream of request for kicks and bans and have to forfeit their playing time so that the regs can have a nice place to play. When we (ME, I CANT SPEAK FOR THE REST OF THE ADMINS ) are working so hard to keep an oasis in the smacker pub world, and all we hear is bitching it makes it very hard not to switch to a non-whining mod. I am not saying that concerns shouldn’t be voiced but there is a fine line between whining and voicing concerns.
We need to all remember that this is a free server provided by ECGN #1. If it doesn’t do its job and fails to show case what ECGN can do it will go the way of #2, anyone seen that one lately? If you don’t like how #1 is being run please switch to a clan server or another pub server and whine there. I am not specifically picking on anyone in this rant just trying to relate some of the feelings that I have heard as of late. Sorry if this took a bit, but I am trying to save the server.
To break it down bitching and whining is killing #1. The first ones to go are veteran regs then the admins. Then the rest of the regs are left with few admins and many EA rejects. I think we should all think about this.
Just my 2 cents

[Buliwyf Profile]

my 2 cents are the following

1: burnt out on vanilla BF for a bit. played every day since day one

2: anticipating Battlefield Vietnam

3: Playing and enjoying FH mod currently

4: The constant bitching and complaining turned my stomach from regs and non regs alike. A human can only take so much....

[Bossman Profile]

Although I have only been a reg on this server for the past 5 months or so I have, like Devil, played BF almost daily since it came out. Personally, it was the BOTR that got me. After actually seeing the way the game could be played when "smacker free" made the "normal" play less of a draw for now.

In addition, having the chance to play both the DC and FH mods recently, I found them refreshing. Maybe it was the new maps of FH, maybe the fact that there were mostly regs on the server and the games were more fun. Anyway at the end of the day I am still a big fan of #1, and with BF:V coming out I am sure that I will be right back on there, but for the next week, I will likely spend more of my time on CoE.

I do appreciate the fact that #1 is a public server, and one of the best I have ever played on. The admins have an admirable job and have really made this a preeminent server, my hat's off to you all!! I think that we are just in a lull, the game has been out for over a year and we know all of the ins and outs of each map. Finding challenging team play just becomes that much more difficult.

Regardless, I won't be going anywhere anytime soon. The level of talent I have found here and the friendships that have been developing will keep me coming back. Just my $.02.

[Bullhead]

I agree 100% devil. I'd probably play less if I had something else to do That being said, my play time has dropped alot since I picked up Dungeon Siege LOA, as well as when I grabbed Mech4. I miss the ol days of TS, when it was minority on TS (instead of the maj), and we would bullshit and have fun. I can't point any fingers at anyone, nor say I'm completely innocent. Hopefully BFV will not suffer from this as quickly, although I fear greatly there will be bitching quickly about:

1. this map lags, or it sucks, etc.
2. lots of tards (new games = new morons)
3.god knows what else

I can still vividly recall one night where two regs, both of whom have been playing on this server for well over 6mos, prob. over a year, were INCREDIBLY rude to an admin (actually, it was devil). One was demanding (and I'm not exaggerating here) that someone be kicked immediately, and when that admin kinda mumbled a response back (just wasn't loud, probably too far away from mic, or something), the other reg jumped in saying shit about how it's bullshit how the admins sit in channel but aren't around. I wanted to scream at them both.

REMEMBER, THE ADMINS:

1. DO NOT GET PAID FOR ANY OF THIS

2. THEY GET TO PLAY LESS, AND HAVE LESS FUN, AS A RESULT OF ADMINING.

They are not your lackeys, or you personal servants. Try to remember this next time you ask for something. HAVE SOME F'ING RESPECT.

my 2 cents on this.....

Ps, I apologize to anyone offended by my other thread, it was posted in a somewhat druken rage, and probably wasn't real well though out.

[Xythar]

I hate to complain about the rotation but its the small, vanilla BF rotation on #1 thats keeping me away. 2/14 maps on rotation are SW, and I love the expansion maps, including many regs. I mean...we have been hammering those vanilla maps for a long long time.

Just my 2 cents, I still always will support this awesome community!

[SGT DEVILDOG Profile]

Originally posted by Xythar
I hate to complain about the rotation but its the small, vanilla BF rotation on #1 thats keeping me away. 2/14 maps on rotation are SW, and I love the expansion maps, including many regs. I mean...we have been hammering those vanilla maps for a long long time.

Just my 2 cents, I still always will support this awesome community!

humm... do you realize that your first four words were "I HATE TO COMPLAIN" see if we switch to 12/14 SW maps then we will get twice the bitches. We cant win BTW it only took 4 replies before someone had a complaint:( Go else where to complain but dont prove my point. At least not on this thread. Thanks have a nice day

[Xythar]

Sorry devil I just wanted to get that out.

[MMmmGood]

The official map pack should be released any day now, and will add 5 new maps to the lineup. It should revive it bit a bit.

Devildog does have a point, I hate to say it but the #1 reason for having a public server is to showcase our capabilities for running game servers. We never intended to form a community and a following with it. Now dont get me wrong, i'm very glad that we have one, but that was not our goal.

When I would rather play on our public server under an alias or not on TS , then I know that we have a problem.

As far as maps go, bear in mind this is a 64 man server, and only half of the maps made for this game can run effectively with that many players.

[Sgt. Quentin Profile]

Devil Dog Don't lose faith. Things will come arround again, I have been staying out of # 1 as of late because I find the new mods fun and less crowded. I miss the regs in #1 but with large crowds everyone is eiter talking over each other or not at all.

I think with the large crowds your admin duties are doubled trying to keep the riff raff out. not to mention "skilodogs" or Guest 1's snorting vicaden and blabbering on ts to a minimum. hopefully they will clearout with new games coming out.

[Xythar]

Originally posted by Mr. Quentin
Devil Dog Don't lose faith. Things will come arround again, I have been staying out of # 1 as of late because I find the new mods fun and less crowded. I miss the regs in #1 but with large crowds everyone is eiter talking over each other or not at all.

I think with the large crowds your admin duties are doubled trying to keep the riff raff out. not to mention "skilodogs" or Guest 1's snorting vicaden and blabbering on ts to a minimum. hopefully they will clearout with new games coming out.

Heh, Skilo always gets the flames.

[Ralph Wiggum]

I think a big part of the problem is the sheer size of the regular base. The population of regs seems like it has at least tripled since I was playing almost everyday in late 2002/early 2003. When you have more people you will naturally have more jackasses. But more than that, the people who are on don't know the others who are on. They are more likely to get pissed over little things or to take something the wrong way. People just aren't as courteous when they don't really know you. They don't care if you think they're a jerk. Back in the day when it seemed like there were only about 20 people regularly on TS, it seemed like everyone was much more collegial.

All of the other things mentioned have no doubt contributed, but I think the population growth may be the biggest part of the complaining/general rudeness problem.

[Janlop]

Originally posted by Buliwyf
4: The constant bitching and complaining turned my stomach from regs and non regs alike. A human can only take so much....

I used to admin a couple of CS servers way back in the days when I played. The only thing I can say to any and all the admins here already, I'm very impressed with how well you guys do your jobs. It is a thank-less job and you all do it day-in day-out (maybe a break here and there ) without so much as a pat on the back.

I don't remember the last time you would have seen me on #1, though it probably wasn't for that long anyways. A round or two I can seem to handle, after that - I just don't understand how some people can cope/act like that. Hell even muting people on TS didn't seem to fully work, but oh well - c'est la vie. ECGN has come a long way from its roots - with rarely 20 people on TS at one time, to now having at least 20 people per side on TS. I can only hope that the provider behind the server is benefitting from all the increased traffic-flow. Playing on/with all of you guys has been fun and taught me many different things. Hopefully the future (BF:V/whatever else) can only improve on things.

I burnt out a good while ago on vanilla/rtr/crap sw but there are plenty of modifications and different ways to play this game. Playing in the GC tournament has been (and will hopefully continue to be) a good experience, enjoying myself in BoTRs has been great, and I only hope that you guys do realize. BF is a GAME, try to remember to have some fun every once and awhile.

[FarginMofo Profile]

This has at least something to do with it. I dug up this post by Buli from a couple of weeks ago linking to an article from ve3d.com about DICE sales....

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from ve3d.com

February 26, 2004 - Digital Illusions (DICE) today released their financial report, that contained a breakdown of the sales for the Battlefield 1942 series as of 31st December, 2003. At that time, the series had sold over 2.8 million copies:
Battlefield 1942 - 1,500,000 units
Battlefield 1942: The Road To Rome - 600,000 units
Battlefield 1942: Secret Weapons of World War II - 450,000 units
Battlefield 1942: Deluxe - 250,000 units
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The deluxe = Original + RTR. So....
Total copies of BF1942 = 1,750,000
Total copies of RTR = 850,000 (half the number of orig)
Total copies of SW = 450,000 (quarter of orig)

During peak hours, every time a SW map comes up the team counts drop down to around 20 and sometimes even less. This, the fact that the game has been out for over 1.5 yrs, Mods, and a few others factors pretty much explains the declining interest in the vanilla product.

[Chacal Profile Website]

There's 64 players on #1 now at 2 AM. Gameplay is decent, about 8 guys on each TS channel, 2 admins, Camel and myself. Looks pretty much like a few months ago.

I really don't see any problem at all with this picture. If people get bored, they should just move on. New players will take their place, with a fresh outlook on the game.

Rumors of the server's death are greatly exaggerated.

[Casus]

Turnover isn't a bad thing, people get to comfy and feel because they are a 'reg' they have control, more privs then others, etc.

This isn't a 'hangout' for 'regs', it is a public server, where the guy joining for the first time, has as many rights and privs as the 'reg' that has been playing for 1.5 years, as long as they follows the rules.

If w&c is an issue, kick/ban the guys that are w&c'ing. I sit in TS for many hours, and in game channels to listen in, and get very tired of hearing "KICK THAT M***** F***** HE JUST SHOT ME - HE'S A TK'IN MF'ER' etc etc etc, it gets old fast.

I don't care for the foul language, especially if I'm sitting in or around folks, kids, etc with TS turned on. I'm going to just start kicking people from TS that can't act mature enough and leave the foul language behind.

Don't let a few 'regs' ruin the fun for you, admin or player alike.

As for the admins feeling burnt out, take a break, play the game from the players perspective, leave the admining behind for a bit. When some idiot in TS screams and yells that someone just shot me, kick himmmmmmmmmmmmm tell him to go play on EA if he doesn't like it, you deserve your play time too.

Tom