Managing a server

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There was a post over on chrons forum, some good points but long so here's a summary.
I think its true that server management is the weakness most times if everything else is sorted.

Manage the server, have a plan. Don't just put it up and hope it all works out. Have "new content" ready don't put it all live at once. release more slowly.

Manipulate the game so that there isn't a group of people sharing chars out levelling everyone and dominating from week 2. This pisses ppl off and starts rumours of cheating corruption and staff incompetence.

have caps hidden caps, soft caps general sneakiness.

Once the pacemakers reach the cap (say 38) lift it but increase the exp and put in a levelling cave with subs for everyone else to catch them up.

Put in slave cave, fight cave for 38+ with boss that they can all go fight for. Control the drop file.

Don't tell anyone that your doin this of course that's why it's called managing.

Interestin ideas.
 

WargodSius

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I have an idea for my theoretical server, which I have sort of put in place which adds a server wide EXP Buff to lower lvl users, depending on what the average lvl (factored against highest lvl). So if top lvl was 40, players below that lvl would be given a scaling buff (lvl 10 gets 50%, lvl 20 gets 30%, lvl 30 gets 10% etc). The closer you get to the pacemaker, the lower the benefit becomes. The buff keeps getting bigger as the gap gets bigger.

Ultimately decided a system for it was too much hassle/work when changing the buff once per week manually was just as good mechanic wise.

I don't agree with keeping all this stuff sneaky though. Most players know that catch up mechanics are present, and necessary. As long as they aren't incredibly 'heavy hammer' then most won't care.

Nerfing/hindering top users isn't something that should be aimed to do. The content should already facilitate a steady pace without intervention. Changes/nerfs to slow unexpected curves/trends will always be required, but it's not something you should actively set out to do. Perception is important.

For example, Wow's rest experience mechanic. They didn't want people to play constantly, so introduced a penalty where the longer you played, the less exp you got. Players hated it, and they received a massive amount of negative feedback. They changed the system, to instead reward players for resting (giving them +exp after so much time offline). Players welcomed it, and they received positive feedback. Exactly the same goal, exactly the same end result, but massively different.

Bit of a tangent there I guess, but that example has always stuck with me.

EDIT: also as Daneo says, good read/thread. Thanks.
 

Chalace

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I made a post a while ago in regards to understanding core mechanics and design philospohies, so it doesn't need repeating here.

One of the biggest turnoffs for me aside from that is lack of varied content. While the game itself was designed in such a fashion that we expect no different, the thought of sitting in the same cave for months on end, then moving to another for a few more months just doesnt work for me anymore. There is really no excuse for it after 10+ years. Servers these days seem to burn through 20+ caves in a few days then your left sitting in one at the end with nowhere else to go.

Especially when it is so quick and easy to add a few maps, there are hundreds around. Even if it is comparable, simply offering alternatives and a change of scenery, at reasonable intervals goes a long way.
 

WargodSius

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I made a post a while ago in regards to understanding core mechanics and design philospohies, so it doesn't need repeating here.

One of the biggest turnoffs for me aside from that is lack of varied content. While the game itself was designed in such a fashion that we expect no different, the thought of sitting in the same cave for months on end, then moving to another for a few more months just doesnt work for me anymore. There is really no excuse for it after 10+ years. Servers these days seem to burn through 20+ caves in a few days then your left sitting in one at the end with nowhere else to go.

Especially when it is so quick and easy to add a few maps, there are hundreds around. Even if it is comparable, simply offering alternatives and a change of scenery, at reasonable intervals goes a long way.

Yet idle games are a massive part of online games :D I have just kinda accepted that Mir is just an 'interactive idle' game now, and love it for it :)

I agree however
 

blink

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Liked the WoW example and appreciated the linking exp to player progression server wide.

I don't think original poster meant game mechanics and coding.
Point was that "managing the server and player progression" isn't the same as clever coding and mechanics.
Once the pace setting group who want to dominate by being way ahead of the pack get too far ahead, put in a catch up cave for those that lag behind. This was ready before hand not hastily done as a reaction to demand. Annoying for the 16 hours a day levellers I agree.

My interpretation is that the aim would be to keep the actives bunched up at similar levels. Then pvp would be both more interesting for them and easier to keep balanced for the coders.
Class balance when everyone is level 33 is different from class balance when most are 48 .
That's what I took it to mean anyway.
 
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