Dedicated server software

[Romain42]

Your server maybe can be empty for 2 days, but in the 3rd it get some players, cause you work on it if you see no players, and add some new tracks.
I talk about the ghost servers. Where none go since 1 year! In italy there are at least 10 server where none go! aaahuahu! Why they don't close??? Another mistery!!

The free opening of servers was always a problem for the country that have low numbers of player.

Actually, i don't see the point. Why do you want to close "ghost" servers? Do they bother you? Why? How?

The fact is that those servers are, but everything happens like if they didn't. Imo, they don't bother... Thus, i don't see any argument to fight them.

And i didn't talked to pay server host, cause you already pay the server host, but i talked of buy officiality from Nadeo/Ubi.
If you don't like this idea, please, give another better than mine, that will be able to avoid empty servers and players booring.

Restricting the opening of new servers by the regulation you suggested would reduce the opportunities to play different and varied things... It could also harm lots of teams that want to have their own servers to play matches but not necessary have enough money to pay an extra tax to nadeo/ubi.

Therefore, i think any copper/money restriction for the opening of a new server is:
- useless.
- harmful for league racing, innovation and diversity.

In your first posts, you talked about ladder problems. Maybe such issues should be solved by ladder regulation rather than server regulation. But it's another topic. (And then i would agree, the current ladder sucks).

Well the uploader ingame i coded looking the example for manialink work well, they can show their maps on others servers. When they are ready to open a server and to be good admins maybe their server will be populated cause their tracks are already known.
The error is to give to a noob the possibility to open a server without knowledgements on TM.

How do you decide who is skilled enough to be authorized to open a server? Do the fact of having money to invest in the extra-tax provides more legitimacy?

Note : maybe we should split the server regulation discussion from the technical discussion?

[weerwolf]

Note : maybe we should split the server regulation discussion from the technical discussion?

These 2 seem to go hand-in-hand so i would not recommend that for now.

Gekko, i can also give you another reason why my servers are not always full. I, or better said we (LYNX) have perhaps the most strict rules about language in the servers. There has been a time long ago when we did not have that and i must say, the servers where way more popular back then.

After a time of discussion in this topic about the servers in general, i now have reached my final opinion. If there where to be any regulation harder to servers as it is now, it would mean the end of my Trackmania. It would mean the end of a beautifull dutch clan which is very very active, and the end of my GSP for Trackmania. Creativity is not commerce, but commerce can give creative freedom. (and yes this also means the freedom to have a server which is always empty)

[www.e-gekko.net]

Yes, i agree, but mine are only ideas. Like i said on the posts before this, ideas to wake up your ideas, or the discussion is hangin on.
Anyway ok, ghost serevr didn't nothing to me, but Nadeo must code a better server list.
Is absurde that a new player join the game for the first time and see the ghost server instead the real 1st page!!!! (They think the game is empty!!!! I know much players that ask how to accelerateeeeeeeeeeeee!!!! Wake up!!! )
This is the problem, not against ghost servers.

Are not 2 different discussions, dedicated server software is also how the master server will manage them. So are complementary.

Hmmm, i have a super bot against bad words and i never gone under 70000 players each month.
I think you don't have lol tracks, put on lol tracks and your server will raise again eheheh. (joking)

Well, finally i always ask 1 thing: No limit server. I understand much admins don't like this, but if we give the possibility to 8/12/16/20 players server, give also the possibility to do a infinite slot server, limit = bandwidth.
And please, refresh on client and not on dedicated callback.

[weerwolf]

Are not 2 different discussions, dedicated server software is also how the master server will manage them. So are complementary.

There are certainly potentional changes, but i would not regulate it automatically. For example: Lets say server scores some kind of LP by its activity. I think the enduser should choose what to see, like an option SORT.
Second question would be WHAT determines the activity of a server? Highest playercount or average playercount? 5 players 24 hrs, or 100 players just for an hour? Last change of the tracklist?
In this way the 'ghost' servers would be ending up at the bottom, but still they would be there~!
(OMG we're talking about a server ladder OMG)

[mammbos]

welll if someting like that happes it is oblious that there will not be that meny servers.
it is pointless for a team to have 10 servers its members play on other serves which happens a lot. this way there will be only be servers that are supported by the hosts and new servers will have a chance to go higher if people really like them.

also don't forget that in the beggining wil be only a few env so all servers will be prety mauch the same at start at least. so it is again pointless to have a tousand servers when only a hundrent have players in

[Romain42]

It depends... There are many reasons to open a several servers for a team. Just for example : team paf uses currently at least 4 servers (GC8 round N, GC8 round N+1, ESL OC1, mapping showcase), only for united. We could also have a ladder server or something other if we were interested in.

Even if lots of teams don't need more than 1 or 2 servers, i think more servers can still provide a bit of comfort.

Anyway ok, ghost serevr didn't nothing to me, but Nadeo must code a better server list.
Is absurde that a new player join the game for the first time and see the ghost server instead the real 1st page!!!!

When i connect to the server list, i see first the server where there is the most players currently connected. Then, all the others are ranked in descending order according to how much players are connected there. Thus, even on TMU i have at least to scan about 20 servers before to see the ghost servers.

My first page on Nations :

Free file hosting from File Den!

My first page on United :

Free file hosting from File Den!
Not at the peak hour ^^ But even if servers are not crowded, they are still the most busy and of course not ghosts.

Maybe i'm misunderstanding ? Maybe you use a country filter ?

If there are very few servers in a country, Nadeo could suggest to the user some servers in the neighbour or same-language (if exist) foreign countries ?

[www.e-gekko.net]

I agree for the 4 server that use your team, because your team admin them to be played.
There are some servers with 60000LP with 90 players that show only if in the server is present a skilled player.
This is strange.
But not a problem.
The proble is, go in Italy, for example, and look.
There are server empty from 1 year, and i don't understand why they pay the energy power for the pc, ahuaahua.
I pay 300$/month (only for energy power) to take my 10 servers up for 24h, and i don't talk of the rent for the servers themselves, they don't pay nothing??? Possible a boy open a server from home have free energy power?? Their parents don't read the monthly bullettin???
If i pay much , i do my best to return with costs, so sponsorshipments, tournaments, awards and much free gift to all!!
I code always something new etc, etc...
Returning to the list of server, why don't categorize, for country yes, but also for a good filter, giving for example in the config:
<server_mode>private</server_mode>
<server_mode>official</server_mode>
<server_mode>unofficial</server_mode>
Maybe this is possible putting password to server, but we need 1 more category to filter better.

Another strange thing, is when you do a new account, in your first page you see nothing!!! Ahahah, you see server that you never seen before, just ghost servers. With 1 players as server account. This is not good, that you need to reach 60K to see the right servers on 1st page. So much noobs, say : "LOL this game is empty, i uninstall it!!". Talking always about the players that sometime ask to me : "Gekko how to run TM???" ---- Gekko : "Clicking with mouse????". ahuuahuahu and a player is lost!!!

For United, eh, is another discussion.
I think in the months to come, Nadeo can do a thing like this:
TM2 Launch - Coast free for TMF
SM Launch - Island free for TMF
QM Launch - Rally free on TMF
This will give the possibility to all users to buy TM2 after they tried the ENV !!!!
Well only a marketing opinion.....


Of Topic : Now looking your images, i see my server in 1st position, with the name Technobase.FM live!, but i get nothing from Technobase, i don't like too much techno, but it is realy funny, and with the streaming we get more players. And is right that it was on the top. It have something more than the others (the stream). I shared the code to do it, and nobody used, is absurde!! Why servers admins don't want more players? I don't believe it!!

[Romain42]

The proble is, go in Italy, for example, and look.
There are server empty from 1 year, and i don't understand why they pay the energy power for the pc, ahuaahua.

I don't understand too. I guess some of them had an active server, but they came to not have enough time to manage it. Thus, people left, but admins are still in love with their server, because of the time they spend in before ?

It doesn't seems very rational.

Another strange thing, is when you do a new account, in your first page you see nothing!!! Ahahah, you see server that you never seen before, just ghost servers. With 1 players as server account. This is not good, that you need to reach 60K to see the right servers on 1st page. So much noobs, say : "LOL this game is empty, i uninstall it!!". Talking always about the players that sometime ask to me : "Gekko how to run TM???" ---- Gekko : "Clicking with mouse????". ahuuahuahu and a player is lost!!!

I never got this problem, but it seems really annoying. It seems strange, because i don't remember that when i started United. Maybe it comes from the new ladder ? No idea...

For United, eh, is another discussion.
I think in the months to come, Nadeo can do a thing like this:
TM2 Launch - Coast free for TMF
SM Launch - Island free for TMF
QM Launch - Rally free on TMF
This will give the possibility to all users to buy TM2 after they tried the ENV !!!!
Well only a marketing opinion....

I don't remember well, but i think Nadeo is still linked to Focus (the editor) for the dispatching of TMUF (at least in France). Thus, i fear Focus will not agree to free the game in order to make advertisement for its opponent : Ubi.

But if Nadeo could do such a thing, it could be great because it would also lengthen the life of TMUF.

Of Topic : Now looking your images, i see my server in 1st position, with the name Technobase.FM live!, but i get nothing from Technobase, i don't like too much techno, but it is realy funny, and with the streaming we get more players. And is right that it was on the top. It have something more than the others (the stream). I shared the code to do it, and nobody used, is absurde!! Why servers admins don't want more players? I don't believe it!!

GG ^^

[Pesky]

Why all bothering about other Server Admins or if they can pay their power-bill??? Its not our or Gekkos business to ask why there are servers or not.

One of the good things in TM is that Everyone can open up a Server, either on the home-Pc or as an dedicated server.
Its hard work to make it successful and takes some time sometimes...but everyone should be allowed to do it. Its TM-Spirit.

Each Serveradmin has his reasons to keep it alive or not. Its again not our business.

Also i like the fact that there are Servers with 12, 16, 20, 30, 40 Slots. Not all want to drive in a chaotic 255 player Server with a rushing chat and 150 idiots talking trash instead of driving.

Gekko knows how to fill up a 255 Server for sure but in my opinion these are the less interesting Servers (for me).
A good quality 12 Slot Server with great people on it giving me a good racing with a Controller which gives me only the needed functions for racing is the perfect server for me. And i dont care if there are 1000 more empty server in the List. As long as i can edit my favourite List i´m happy. As a new Player i get a List of Servers beginning with the most occupied one. So thats not a Problem as well.

Again...its a matter of taste. For me quality comes before quantity regarding players on a server. So i think for the minor number of Admins its important to have hundreds of players on a Server and to be No. 1 in the List. Maybe good for the Ego but not the best for gameplay

[www.e-gekko.net]

Why all bothering about other Server Admins or if they can pay their power-bill??? Its not our or Gekkos business to ask why there are servers or not.

Is not my or other business the prob, read better, is the noob unistall game after 10 minutes, thinking the game is empty!!!!!

Each Serveradmin has his reasons to keep it alive or not. Its again not our business.

I agree.

Also i like the fact that there are Servers with 12, 16, 20, 30, 40 Slots. Not all want to drive in a chaotic 255 player Server with a rushing chat and 150 idiots talking trash instead of driving.

Yes but better no ladder server divisions, but setting maxplayers!!!

Gekko knows how to fill up a 255 Server for sure but in my opinion these are the less interesting Servers (for me).
A good quality 12 Slot Server with great people on it giving me a good racing with a Controller which gives me only the needed functions for racing is the perfect server for me. And i dont care if there are 1000 more empty server in the List. As long as i can edit my favourite List i´m happy. As a new Player i get a List of Servers beginning with the most occupied one. So thats not a Problem as well.

I talk for all the admins who want 250 players on the server, and is the 90% of the admins.

Again...its a matter of taste. For me quality comes before quantity regarding players on a server. So i think for the minor number of Admins its important to have hundreds of players on a Server and to be No. 1 in the List. Maybe good for the Ego but not the best for gameplay

If the ladder is better calculated also the gameplay is better, cause is more fun!!