serverlist enhancement

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hlfmnhlfamazing
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serverlist enhancement

Post by hlfmnhlfamazing »

When you search for servers, the list is displayed in order from those which have the most players to least by the listserver. Which is fine. But all the servers show up in one list..........

In other words, have the servers put into their own lists. CTF in one list, rabbit hunt in another list, and free for all in another. So as you're browsing servers, up and down will choose between the next server in the list, pressing left and right will select between different server types.

Have the client open up with a different list each time you launch it. If I open the client now and it shows the CTF list, it would remember the setting and choose rabbit hunt next time. The third time I open the client it would show the free for all list. Rinse and repeat.

It would bring more maps to the forefront.
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that exploding tank
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Post by that exploding tank »

The developers have been thinking about this, and I think that there is an old thread on this matter, but I can't remember where... :book:

EDIT: Here it is:http://my.bzflag.org/bb/viewtopic.php?t=9160 :D
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Post by Bentusi Elite »

Or what if you could just use the left and right keys to move between lists instead of restarting the client...
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Re: serverlist enhancement

Post by Saber »

hlfmnhlfamazing wrote:In other words, have the servers put into their own lists. CTF in one list, rabbit hunt in another list, and free for all in another. So as you're browsing servers, up and down will choose between the next server in the list, pressing left and right will select between different server types.
Isn't there a small colored star next to the server name to help you? It's red for CTF, yellow for FFA, white for HTR and teal for replay server. I think you can easily find the way you would like.
hlfmnhlfamazing wrote:Have the client open up with a different list each time you launch it. If I open the client now and it shows the CTF list, it would remember the setting and choose rabbit hunt next time. The third time I open the client it would show the free for all list. Rinse and repeat.
I don't see what it would add to the game.
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Post by Grace F »

[quote"hlfmnhlfamazing"]Have the client open up with a different list each time you launch it. If I open the client now and it shows the CTF list, it would remember the setting and choose rabbit hunt next time. The third time I open the client it would show the free for all list. Rinse and repeat.
[/quote]

I see where your getting at, but like Saber said "I don't see what it would add to the game.

I personally wouldn't like my server list to open Rabbit Chase only because it opened up FFA or CTF last time, it would get annoying :P I usually go on BZ knowing which server im going to go to.

IMHO- I like the way it is, in order of most pop to least pop. Although, the first idea of having their own seperate lists would help organize it a bit better.
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Post by BinarySpike »

hlfmnhlfamazing wrote:Have the client open up with a different list each time you launch it. If I open the client now and it shows the CTF list, it would remember the setting and choose rabbit hunt next time. The third time I open the client it would show the free for all list. Rinse and repeat.
That would be complicated and confusing for the user.
Bentus wrote:Or what if you could just use the left and right keys to move between lists instead of restarting the client...
He meant you could change the lists with the left and right keys, but every time you quit, it would move right one, so when you get on it would come up with another window.

It would be complicated and confusing, but the rest of the idea might already be in the works.
Grace F wrote:IMHO- I like the way it is, in order of most pop to least pop. Although, the first idea of having their own seperate lists would help organize it a bit better.
Each list would be most pop to least pop, and if a feature like this does get put in bzflag, they are probably gonna have a favorites list (I'm wishing!)
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Re: serverlist enhancement

Post by hlfmnhlfamazing »

Saber wrote:Isn't there a small colored star next to the server name to help you?
Yes, there is, but that's not my point. The colored stars are actually very helpful. My point is not so much for more obvious server-type identification but rather to bring more servers up to the top of the list to attract more players. There's alot of good maps in the 200+ available that don't get played much because they're so far down the list. I see this as a way to bring more maps to the top of the list instead of the same old tired maps.

How many times can you play "THE TWO CASTLES!!!!" before it gets old?(which is a great map BTW, don't get me wrong. But everything gets old) This map and the mofo-free-for-all map are usually in the top list as well.

I was going to suggest a longer list, but then the text would have to be made smaller and I don't think it would be a good thing.

It's just a suggestion. *shrug*
Saber wrote:
hlfmnhlfamazing wrote:Have the client open up with a different list each time you launch it. If I open the client now and it shows the CTF list, it would remember the setting and choose rabbit hunt next time. The third time I open the client it would show the free for all list. Rinse and repeat.
I don't see what it would add to the game.
Define "adding something to the game". It would expose more people to more maps. IMHO, that adds more to the game. That adds quite a bit to the game. People who get tired of the same maps stop playing BZ.

But again, it's just a suggestion.
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Post by hlfmnhlfamazing »

BinarySpike wrote:Each list would be most pop to least pop, and if a feature like this does get put in bzflag, they are probably gonna have a favorites list (I'm wishing!)
A favorites list would also be good. Though having four lists would bring into issue "how would that be visualized on screen?"

As I said to another user, my mindset is bring more maps to the forefront; map diversification.
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Re: serverlist enhancement

Post by macsforme »

hlfmnhlfamazing wrote:How many times can you play "THE TWO CASTLES!!!!" before it gets old?(which is a great map BTW, don't get me wrong. But everything gets old.
Perhaps everything gets old after a while, but for some maps it takes a LONG WHILE. For instance, some people (myself included) would play the silvercat maps Overlord and Babel day after day for many months. Personally I would not like to leave it up to a computer to decide when it is that I will get tired of something. Besides, some servers are just of a higher quality than the rest (as far as latency, map choices, admins, etc.). It would be hard for a computer to determine all of that.
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Post by Saber »

I agree some really good servers are lost on those 20some pages. I really liked that rain'N'frogs map with the huge cannon and the camping tank. :cry: I know there is the -solo thing but it ruins the fun to play against bots.

I agree that even the top list maps are getting old. I'm never playing on those maps becose, for me, it's just getting the same all the time. There should be more maps with secret stuff and not just a spawn'N'die map.

But I still think the serverlist is ok and if you really want a server, just go in it with some friends and believe me it will come up, even if it's only for one hour.
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Post by BinarySpike »

Constitution
I think we all agree a single list server that every time you start has a different game mode is silly, but think outside the box for a minute and think if you could re-do the lists so that FFA, CTF, and RH were all removed from something.

It's like opening a candy jar and there being all kinds of candies mixed together, you get one kind and hate it so you goto another kind and it's good. So you just pick that kind till it's gone.

Now think if you seperated all the candies into three main jars based on brand, then you could find each one of the brands and find the candies you like.

Aka there would be more people playing Rabbit Hunt because all the top rabbit hunt maps would be on top.

I think this would be a nice feature, maybe a little confusing for the pro's when they first get the game.

[quote=hlfmnhlfamazing]A favorites list would also be good. Though having four lists would bring into issue "how would that be visualized on screen?"
[/quote]

I'm thinking tabs. Hit left and right to move through the tabs, and down and up to scroll (and if it isn't already implemented, page up and page down to scroll pages)

The favorites server should be systematically pinged when you view it, to see which servers are online and which aren't :) (just in case you added a private server to the list)
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Re: serverlist enhancement

Post by hlfmnhlfamazing »

Constitution wrote:Perhaps everything gets old after a while, but for some maps it takes a LONG WHILE. For instance, some people (myself included) would play the silvercat maps Overlord and Babel day after day for many months. Personally I would not like to leave it up to a computer to decide when it is that I will get tired of something. Besides, some servers are just of a higher quality than the rest (as far as latency, map choices, admins, etc.). It would be hard for a computer to determine all of that.
Those are all good points but I don't see how they relate. People are still going to play the good maps and the rest will still be left at the bottom as they are now. But instead of there being one list with a primary choice of 10, there'd be three meaning primary choice of 30.

(Overlord is a great map too BTW)
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Post by hlfmnhlfamazing »

BinarySpike wrote:
hlfmnhlfamazing wrote:A favorites list would also be good. Though having four lists would bring into issue "how would that be visualized on screen?"
I'm thinking tabs. Hit left and right to move through the tabs, and down and up to scroll (and if it isn't already implemented, page up and page down to scroll pages)
I like it. Kind of like the info box is now. Just put the server list in the infobox, and have the tabs correspond to the type of server............ CTF, FforA, RH, and favorites
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Post by Triumph of the Soul »

Binary Spike

Tabs might be a good idea, but I find flaw in your candy jar analogy.

There are already servers at the bottom of the list that no one is on, has been on in a while, or will be on in a while. If you separate the candy, it will only add to this phenomenon because it will be easier to avoid servers that you don't and would never play at, and easier to play at your favorites. And in these respects, candy and servers are alike. But there is one main difference between them: If you don't eat the candy it will stay in the jar forever. If you don't play on some servers, they will be removed/replaced by newer and/or better servers, as is the nature of the internet is to save space, and bandwidth (and sometimes money). So by separating the servers into groups, you will be speeding up the natural selection of the list. The majority of players may not care about this, but there may be a small number of players who like to play exclusively at a server that no one else plays at. Because of your grouping, server owners will become discouraged, remove the failure server, eliminating the small group of players' favorite map, causing them to leave BZFlag forever. Of course this is an extreme but in theory it is possible.
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