Some complaints

[Chronos]

Hi all,

this is my first post and sadly I have not too many positive things to say . If you don't know me (well those 3 or 4 peeps ), I'm one of the major spammers on your 32p Onslaught server. I've always enjoyed your nice community on the server and hope that this will continue.

But sadly I think it got somewhat worse and I'd like to point out the problems that have arisen lately (at least regarding from my point of view):

1.) I don't think that this new "mod" of setting different points for winning a map was a good idea. A bad map is still a bad map even if you reduce the numbers necessary to win. You just shorten the suffering, but it's still suffering (e.g. Battlefront, map specific complaints later...). The other way around, where you basically lower the number of rounds on a good map is neither a good idea from my point of view. Even if it's going overtime, at least you can enjoy the time playing than suffering from the as aforementioned bad maps.
2.) Anti-TCC: Oh joy... I am aware of the problem of cheaters but I think this "solution" makes more problems than it solves. I just want to tell you two events: The first one was when I unplugged my external harddrive which resulted in a kick from the server. The second one was (as far as I understood) an idlekick for laboRHEinz, which banned him for the map being played. Furthermore it's not really fun to wait a half minute after joining just to get your files checked. I also suspect Anti-TCC to worsen the ping, but I'll complain if I have the same problems in some weeks (my internet connection is not "fully" installed by my provider atm). I think cheaters should be no problem (at least in ONS-mode, in freon it could be problematic, but, well, I don't play on sunday) cause you can't headshot my cicada and it's pretty obvious (I think) when someone is always hitting you that he's using a cheat. I trust the community on the server to kickban such a cheater (suggestion: make the kick then lasting for one or two whole maps) and then from the admin-side there's still the option of a permanent ban on an unreal-ID. Even if they change their IDs I think it's more effort for them to always change and get kicked after a while so that they'll grow tired of it.
3.) Server balance. Yes, I know, it's not possible to get everything right, but still, atm the way the player-balancing acts is pretty problematic. Let's assume there're just 4 people on the server (not too unrealistic nowadays :/ ), so that 4 bots join.
First problem: If they find out that it's pretty unbalanced because the two humans on red are much stronger than the two blue humans, well, blue sings the blues... and switching is not possible because the server instantly switches the players back to their original team (at least in the first round of the match). If it's one of those one-round-maps which have been created by 1.) I can pretty clearly predict the outcome of the match.
Second problem: assume 3 reds vs 2 blues (i.e. 1 red bot and 2 blues). One of the reds has to leave. This sometimes causes the server balancing to switch one of the blues to the red team which is then 3 vs 1 humans. Regarding the strategical skill of bots (0) I think it is again pretty easy to predict the end of the game... (btw. has the skill level of the bots been lowered (no longer godlike?), because I have less problems beating them...)
My suggestion is to make the server just fill up the slots up to 4 players per team and allow everyone to switch the way they want (if all 4 humans are switching to red, then the server should just fill up the blue team with 4 bots. It can be fun just to kill some bots in a team just for fun ^^).

Now to the maps:
a) Battlefront... remove it, Remove It, REMOVE IT, REMOOOOOOOOOOVE IT! T_T...
Ahem, in my eyes the map is not very fun. With balanced teams it will really become a battlefront, a static battlefront consisting of two lines of tanks and hellbenderturrets shooting on everything that has the other colour in the central area. Fun, fun, fun. Not really, at least not for me. There are no tactical options because you don't get to the enemy nodes or they are retaken too fast and you can't touch the core. Furthermore the shock rifle just at one node? Ok, there's still the sniper but still, on such an open area i want some weapon i can kill on distance without always having to zoom in. And then get killed by the aforementioned tank/hellbender turret -.-
b) Bridge of fate (ok, i haven't played that often on this map this month, but still). If you insist to keep the "mod" mentioned in 1.) at least make it 3 points on this map again so that we get at least a second round. Yes, I've read the statement of }TCP{the_1_the_only in the "Overtime maps"-thread but regarding the last matches, hmmm... perhaps Brock shares his point of view. Or Aryss. Perhaps even Gaargod... But even if the server gets crowded again (a state I'd really look forward to) I'd really prefer 5 overtime rounds on this map than 3 overtime rounds on battle... I mean on bridge there's not the simple combination of tank/hellbender turret, but many different styles of play: someone is going with mini, the other is a combo-wh***, the next is aiming with shock-rifle/lightning gun combined, the fourth is loading a full bio to destroy his enemy, and others are jumping around with their flaks. That's what i call variety! That's why i play ut2004! You need to adapt your behaviour quickly to survive enemy attacks and reach the next attackable node and destroy it quicker than the enemy does with your nodes. It's more interesting than in battle where you're in an open area where you've to worry to get instantly killed as soon as you approach the central area.
c) DSK-Gunshop, ToySoldiers, Storage Facility. Regarding the first two you could as well as remove them. At least remove the nukes. Well, when I have the doubtful joy to play on one of those two maps, in most cases I go to the nukes and use them so that on Toy this results in overtime since the teams then get stuck in one of the upper corners (depends on how the teams are balanced) waiting to get killed by boredom. In DSK there are at least multiple paths to conquer, so that the effect of nukes are weakened, but still, 5 nukes on that map? Is that really necessary? Regarding Storage: It's an awesome map with good fights and a nice game flow. But the central nodes are too attackable to include 2 nukes into this map, since with those weapons the fight will be restricted to the two middle nodes, because those instantly prevent a team to attack the nodes linked to the core. Furthermore it's (sadly) not completely symmetric. I mean you can aim with a tank (spawned at core and driven near the boxes where the porter to the nukes is) on one side both middle nodes, whereas it's not possible when you start from the other core. I'd suggest to at least remove the nukes. And don't tell me "there are nukes, but don't use them...".
d) THI-Tripleslap. Another map I really like. but if you look at the node setup, you see that it is not symmetric (on one side there's a connection between the base three nodes, and on the other there isn't) which gives one team an advantage (don't think I've to further elaborate). Just make it symmetric, please. If you don't want too long matches then make the nodes on one side, where they aren't connected, connected like they are on the other side.

I think these are all my sorrows regarding TCP-Onslaugt for now (guess what! While going through the maps on the server i got kickbanned for the map session where noone's playing! So perhaps I've missed some map I'd liked to comment on. Will edit if I have...) Hope that some points mentioned can motivate the admins to change the settings at least a bit and that some time I'll be playing on a full server of nice peeps again and having lots of fun. And now spam me with "tl;dr" . See you on the 32p-server,

Chronos.

[Marwin]

To point 2)
There is a new ons anti tcc out (created from Wormbo - the skript god ) with many new bug fixes. It is on the tech.com server now.

To 3)
The titan team fix work well and should solve this prpblem, i dunno but need u a root server 4 this mutator?

to the maps)
I think changing maps form time to time makes the server more interessting.


Marwin

[laboRHEinz]

Hi,
I agree with some of Chronos' complaints:
Winning scores:
Basically, it's a good thing, but the scores have been reduced on too much maps. Triple Slap, Toy Soldiers, Omaha Beach, Alpine, Maelstrom NV and Urban should be reduced, but some maps have become too short (Bridge of Fate e.g., as Chronos mentioned). Of course, it's very difficult to find the right balance, but overtime results mainly while there are very many peeps online. Sadly, this isn't the case very often nowadays

Anti-TCC:
A good thing as well, but not this way. Yes, I have been kickbanned twice for a whole match. Not while playing, but WHILE SPECCING! An idle kick while speccing would be ok, but not a ban!
The 30s delay before ur allowed to hop in is a problem, indeed: Usually, I try to play whole matches or none. As many others, I don't like too much late coming, changing and leaving. So I'm in at the beginning or I spec till the end. The only exception for me is, when a team wins a round and teams have become very uneven (because of leavers... ). But after hopping in, the Anti-TCC takes its 30s before ur able to "work". In this time, the first nodes have been built up and all of the vehicles are gone

I maybe have another suggestion for server improvement: Imao one of the reasons, why the server was full a year ago (and before) was, that you TCPs yourself played more often on it; there are not much players that like joining an empty server. But after there were two or three of you, others showed up by and by and the server filled up. Today, most of you start on the 12P server and the 32P stays empty. A few times, I tried to "open a session" in joining the empty server and indeed, some others joined soon. Now my suggestion is: Please try to do this "session opening" and start a bit more often on the 32P server. Only untill a few others are online *PLEASE* I want to have the famous crowded Funhouse back! There are still enough well known ONS players around, but all divided up on TechCom, Fair Gamers, Omni etc. But you won't see me e.g. on the TechCom server; the ping is simply too high.

Concerning bot skills:
They seem to have been lowered, yes, but I think, this is a good decision (sorry chronos ): Important is, that peeps joining an empty server are able to win, so they stay online more likely (and open a session that way ). This should be, even if you are a weaker player, so the bot skills should'nt be too high.

Cu, heinz

[Marwin]

[partydevil]

on the other hand
better players wont stay when they fight lower bots

bots on #4 are way to low xD

[Charly]

[partydevil]

funhouse 1 was great server 2

it seems that since we got #4
that the 2 other servers kinda died =(
for me it's hard to find good tam servers
i dunno what it is but i only liked the tcp server of all the tam servers

[NmS]

There are plenty of decent TAM servers imo. GGMJ, utzone, FFM and prolly some more.

[partydevil]

i know about them

[Chronos]

Hi again,

I just wanted to stop by to say thank you to that admin who removed the anti-TCC from the server (deliberately or not, I don't care, I'm happy with it ^^). I join much quicker now and my ping (at least how i feel) got better . Well, there weren't many peeps around (max 6 with me ^^) but I can claim that I haven't spotted a single aimbotter . Ok, there were Cyclops and Kaela, but...

Regarding botskills: Yes they can be nerving on the godlike-level (especially in those turrets -.-) but I think that it's the basic intention of ONS to NOT have to rely on uber aimskills to succeed but on strategy/tactics and teamplay (well, seldomly seen but I swear by my shockrifle, it exist!).

And Charly: Perhaps it might be never like "in the good old times" again, but I'll still play UT2004 ONS just if there are 3 nice guys just playing for the fun of it on the server. So, hope to see you sometime, greetings,

Chronos.

[}TCP{Carnage]

Took the antitcc off for now

I will have to look in the other things u mentioned this weekend or next week
Doing some home painting and stuff so i do not have much time.

But thanks for the input

[}TCP{Wolf]