Mentioned this briefly in-game, but I'll flesh it out a bit here:
For how many maps there are on the setlist, there really ought to be more variety in the maps played per evening; however, people tend to gravitate to the same ones. I'm thinking this is because there are actually too many options available, so anyone nominating gets overwhelmed by decision paralysis, and ends up defaulting to what's familiar.
Solution?
I don't know how feasible this is, but I propose having a limited amount of maps per game mode (no more than a page, two pages max - say, 14?). These maps could then be rotated with a new list every fortnight to a month. I think this would really help to 'trim the fat', see what maps are actually played, and by limiting the choices I think we'd actually see more maps played over time.
Thoughts?
P.S. I do already have an account on here (under Helmsman) but the account recovery isn't working for some reason, using this for the time being.
Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
Anything related to our servers, problems or suggestions.
Moderator: Admins+
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
[quote=Helmsman2 post_id=52358]I'm thinking this is because there are actually too many options available, so anyone nominating gets overwhelmed by decision paralysis, and ends up [/quote]
I don't agree, the majority of the people who play on the server are regulars and there is no paralysis.
People nominate what they want, there are some maps which are played every day because people like them (what for people who search for entertainment would mean playing boring map).
[quote=Helmsman2 post_id=52358]
I don't know how feasible this is, but I propose having a limited amount of maps per game mode (no more than a page, two pages max - say, 14?). These maps could then be rotated with a new list every fortnight to a month. I think this would really help to 'trim the fat', see what maps are actually played, and by limiting the choices I think we'd actually see more maps played over time[/quote]
I generally agree we should remove some maps (like 2_fort) from mapcycle which make problems or they havent been played even once but I think its material for other topic/post/discussion
Your idea theoretically would fix the problem with playing the same maps all time but it creates other ones:
1. To make server full or to maintain/sustain server and don't let people leave there must be maps which are played regularly (or just because people like them , for example badwater, upward, porneo borneo)
2. Who should create such maplist ? You need to have very good sense of the maps and the sense of the atmosphere of the server to create such list. I think its big challenging task, even for very old THG-dinosaurs. If you create ma list of "shitty maps", people just change the server on #2 or #3 and will play their maps there
I don't agree, the majority of the people who play on the server are regulars and there is no paralysis.
People nominate what they want, there are some maps which are played every day because people like them (what for people who search for entertainment would mean playing boring map).
[quote=Helmsman2 post_id=52358]
I don't know how feasible this is, but I propose having a limited amount of maps per game mode (no more than a page, two pages max - say, 14?). These maps could then be rotated with a new list every fortnight to a month. I think this would really help to 'trim the fat', see what maps are actually played, and by limiting the choices I think we'd actually see more maps played over time[/quote]
I generally agree we should remove some maps (like 2_fort) from mapcycle which make problems or they havent been played even once but I think its material for other topic/post/discussion
Your idea theoretically would fix the problem with playing the same maps all time but it creates other ones:
1. To make server full or to maintain/sustain server and don't let people leave there must be maps which are played regularly (or just because people like them , for example badwater, upward, porneo borneo)
2. Who should create such maplist ? You need to have very good sense of the maps and the sense of the atmosphere of the server to create such list. I think its big challenging task, even for very old THG-dinosaurs. If you create ma list of "shitty maps", people just change the server on #2 or #3 and will play their maps there
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
Why don't we do the occasional theme night for maps.
Playtest nights where we test out new maps in the pipeline see if they're viable for on going play.
Daft map nights, there's many many, even put in drinking games, eg for everyone who falls off a cliff.... DRINK and so on.
Also, we should do another fun HL game during the Christmas holidays with randomised teams, MAKE IT HAPPEN DAV.
Playtest nights where we test out new maps in the pipeline see if they're viable for on going play.
Daft map nights, there's many many, even put in drinking games, eg for everyone who falls off a cliff.... DRINK and so on.
Also, we should do another fun HL game during the Christmas holidays with randomised teams, MAKE IT HAPPEN DAV.
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
[quote=Haytch post_id=52360]
Also, we should do another fun HL game during the Christmas holidays with randomised teams, MAKE IT HAPPEN DAV.[/quote]
THIS!!
Also, we should do another fun HL game during the Christmas holidays with randomised teams, MAKE IT HAPPEN DAV.[/quote]
THIS!!
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
[quote=Haytch post_id=52360]Why don't we do the occasional theme night for maps.[/quote]
On my old community we used to have special "Custom maps event" on every Saturday evening and it worked. We played 2-hours only custom maps but people there were more open than THG players to play such maps
[quote=Haytch post_id=52360]
Playtest nights where we test out new maps in the pipeline see if they're viable for on going play.
Daft map nights, there's many many, even put in drinking games, eg for everyone who falls off a cliff.... DRINK and so on.
[/quote]
THG has 2nd FUN server (#3) so I would suggest play custom maps there and don't affect people who don't like rarely played maps. Let players play on #1 their well known maps and these who prefer more custom maps - on #3 server
There are 2 options:
1. without Dav's technical/config/server support on #3: Admins could manually creates votes for nextmaps. Technically players can also nominate them but the problem is, that people just don't nominate custom maps very often.
2. with Dav's technical support: The maplist on #3 would be modified - there would be definitely less maps and only custom ones / rarely played
On my old community we used to have special "Custom maps event" on every Saturday evening and it worked. We played 2-hours only custom maps but people there were more open than THG players to play such maps
[quote=Haytch post_id=52360]
Playtest nights where we test out new maps in the pipeline see if they're viable for on going play.
Daft map nights, there's many many, even put in drinking games, eg for everyone who falls off a cliff.... DRINK and so on.
[/quote]
THG has 2nd FUN server (#3) so I would suggest play custom maps there and don't affect people who don't like rarely played maps. Let players play on #1 their well known maps and these who prefer more custom maps - on #3 server
There are 2 options:
1. without Dav's technical/config/server support on #3: Admins could manually creates votes for nextmaps. Technically players can also nominate them but the problem is, that people just don't nominate custom maps very often.
2. with Dav's technical support: The maplist on #3 would be modified - there would be definitely less maps and only custom ones / rarely played
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
I make you right there Zap.
#1 is #1 playing crowd pleaser maps.
#3 used on specific occasions for silly maps/maps testing etc.
These would be event nights done for a specific date/time and afterwards #3 reverts to it's normal use as a home for us Greenwich Mean Time living folks who are still hard at work when #1 fills up.
#1 is #1 playing crowd pleaser maps.
#3 used on specific occasions for silly maps/maps testing etc.
These would be event nights done for a specific date/time and afterwards #3 reverts to it's normal use as a home for us Greenwich Mean Time living folks who are still hard at work when #1 fills up.
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
I hadn't considered that Zapo, and I can see what you're saying re the playerbase being mostly regs. I suppose my counter to that would be - what about about the non-regulars? I think I healthy balance can be struck in maintaining the server's identity but introducing new people to it. One of those methods could be via a map rotation, though of course, this is just a pitch/litmus test at this stage.
What you've got me stuck on though is your points regarding keeping the server full by not alienating those who want to play on the most played maps, and who would make the list (and by what method). I suppose this could be tested on one of the less active servers, though I'm not sure how reliable the feedback would be considering how sporadically those are played.
Regardless, I do think a culling of some of the never played/server killing maps is due, though that's a different topic entirely.
What you've got me stuck on though is your points regarding keeping the server full by not alienating those who want to play on the most played maps, and who would make the list (and by what method). I suppose this could be tested on one of the less active servers, though I'm not sure how reliable the feedback would be considering how sporadically those are played.
Regardless, I do think a culling of some of the never played/server killing maps is due, though that's a different topic entirely.
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
Good point H, we've not had proper custom map night for a while. From a technical POV they're straight-forward to do, they just need some planning and the community getting involved.
I think reconfiguring the map rotation for a specific night is the way to go. Players know in advance it's coming and can plan around it.
The highlander game we did last time was a lot of fun too, although we'd definitely want to mix up the teams each round.
Also, welcome Helmsman! And thank you for your donation. It's very much appreciated :)
I think reconfiguring the map rotation for a specific night is the way to go. Players know in advance it's coming and can plan around it.
The highlander game we did last time was a lot of fun too, although we'd definitely want to mix up the teams each round.
Also, welcome Helmsman! And thank you for your donation. It's very much appreciated :)
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
Keep in mind most of the maps played on the server actually are custom maps with only a few official ones thrown in. Newbies are often coming back because we are already playing maps they don't see in casual (in addition to the attraction of the weird people with pink hair and cliffside fetishes).
First set of new maps to try has already been started by z@po in one of the other threads - winter maps - so head over there and suggest some ready for december
First set of new maps to try has already been started by z@po in one of the other threads - winter maps - so head over there and suggest some ready for december
Re: Lots of Maps, Very Few Played - Monthly Rota?
[quote=Helmsman2 post_id=52366]I suppose my counter to that would be - what about about the non-regulars? I think I healthy balance can be struck in maintaining the server's identity but introducing new people to it. One of those methods could be via a map rotation, though of course, this is just a pitch/litmus test at this stage.
[/quote]
[quote=Helmsman2 post_id=52366]Regardless, I do think a culling of some of the never played/server killing maps is due, though that's a different topic entirely.[/quote]
That's why I proposed to play on #3 with reduced list of maps. As far as I remember, we do there occasional events.
We can try to organize on #3 "TOO MUCH FUN custom evening" (for example: experimental one time in a week and if it works then maybe more often), where a list with only "more" custom maps would be available (without borneo, camber and other maps which we normally play on #1). And I see Dav can help us with technical stuff
Example from yesterday from #1: we were able to play 3 maps (+1 new winter map) which weren't nominated very often and some of the players weren't regulars.
But as we agreed - the maplist for #1 is different topic
As Derfy mentioned, in the meantime you can propose some winter maps on December HERE
[/quote]
[quote=Helmsman2 post_id=52366]Regardless, I do think a culling of some of the never played/server killing maps is due, though that's a different topic entirely.[/quote]
That's why I proposed to play on #3 with reduced list of maps. As far as I remember, we do there occasional events.
We can try to organize on #3 "TOO MUCH FUN custom evening" (for example: experimental one time in a week and if it works then maybe more often), where a list with only "more" custom maps would be available (without borneo, camber and other maps which we normally play on #1). And I see Dav can help us with technical stuff
Example from yesterday from #1: we were able to play 3 maps (+1 new winter map) which weren't nominated very often and some of the players weren't regulars.
But as we agreed - the maplist for #1 is different topic
As Derfy mentioned, in the meantime you can propose some winter maps on December HERE