Offical Discussion about Arena Maps

[DarkNecrid]

So I take it Arena wasn't doing too hotly? I don't know how much interest there is in trying to preserve Arena, but I know we had some good suggestions floating around if the Council is interested in giving them a try before we ditch it.

Arena is doing amazing! It's seriously near full most of the time.

Something about Arena is that its a game type that will very rarely ever stay at "32/32" or even "31/32". The reason for this is generally the fact that at that point the game type is 16v16...and it's huge.

Almost every Arena server hangs around 12-28 (with the ego one tending to hang in the 20s). That's 6v6 (the preferred balance I believe according to Valve...), and 14v14 (which is a little too big but NOT too bad for all the maps). The game mode is just conducive to these player numbers, its not that it isn't popular, it just works best that way, really.

Even the most popular arena servers hang around these numbers, and if you pop the max players down, the # it hangs around goes down accordingly. They are almost never full. The arena server is almost always around these numbers all the time except during American school hours, and a bit before that.

Really I think it's doing just peachy, especially with mach updated to mach_2 (although some people want that removed, and just stick with the Valve Arena maps...), and is definitely one of the best Arena servers out there right now compared to the competition.

Really, if the Arena server goes or gets super drastically changed I'd be really disappointed. It's been doing really really strong lately, I love the playstyle, and the maps are really fun, and there's a strong community on it (I know most everyone who goes in there now, and that's a lot of people!). Everyone seems to always have a good time there, and I haven't seen too many problem causers or anything either. I definitely hope it won't be changed drastically or removed, I feel like it has hit its sweet spot except for KEEP MACH2 or remove it being the only "real" issue with it. :*(

There really isn't any other GOOD arena servers out there...not any that have as strong of a community as the Arena server does right now, imo.

I'd be pretty devastated TF2 wise. A majority of my hours comes from the Arena server, and most of my good times come from it. Be taking a pretty strong and large community away, and there isn't any good options for other servers. The only other 2 "real big" popular arena servers have no admins ever so it gets really...really...really....bad.

It's really the only Arena server with good admins that has its rules taken care of, that has fair play (ie: other servers have donators that can switch teams on a whim), uses the default game rules (crits on), that is near full most of the day and carries all the maps. There's absolutely no other big popular Arena server besides this one that meets those criteria.

 

[wasawiki.]

Nice! I love arena_badlands

 

[KuNai]

I've played Arena before, and didn't like it. It feels way too similar to Counter-Strike.. >.>

 

[Infiniteloop]

It was my understanding that the arena server did pretty well during most prime times. There was some map testing going on yesterday. Is the switch permanent?

 

[DarkNecrid]

Man I have 107 hours and 14 minutes there since I rarely visit other ego servers that's probably actually ~100 hours or so...

I only have 135 hours in this game so far total, so ~75% of my gametime has been on the ego arena server. There just isn't any other good Arena servers like the ego one. They either remove crits, have tons of racist/sexist stuff going on with absolutely no admins, have like 1 map only, or never have any players. Last night it was near full almost all the time and had more players than warpath half the time too!

I hope an admin will say this change isn't permanent and just testing and that it'll stay the way it is because I feel like ego has the best Arena server out there right now and it is what brought me here, was the Arena server's sense of community (people have to watch when they die, which means there is more time to talk and joke around, etc). Not just with eGO itself, but with the people actually there too, who go there very very often!

 

[ln(e)]

Arena itself is a nice concept, but Valve executed it horribly wrong. The influence of luck and randomness should be minimized as much as possible in a game mode that is supposed to be skill centric.

 

[Dare]

I actually enjoy playing Arena every now and then.

 

[Tattis]

Arena itself is a nice concept, but Valve executed it horribly wrong. The influence of luck and randomness should be minimized as much as possible in a game mode that is supposed to be skill centric.

That's why there were some people here trying to get it changed so there would be no crits. I'm sort of ambivalent on the idea since I usually play a medic, but I'm all for trying new things to help the server become more successful. Sometimes I don't think enough things are tried with a server before it's switched. (And I don't mean that as a harsh criticism of the Council. I do understand that sometimes a map change is necessary to increase a server's popularity.) With a server of this nature, there is a lot of flexibility in what could be done - namely because of the uniqueness of the play style - and some of it might draw more people in.

Ah well, it does look like we're losing this to Convoy according to the other thread:

Also this will be replacing the arena maps server.

 

[DarkNecrid]

That's why there were some people here trying to get it changed so there would be no crits. I'm sort of ambivalent on the idea since I usually play a medic, but I'm all for trying new things to help the server become more successful. Sometimes I don't think enough things are tried with a server before it's switched. (And I don't mean that as a harsh criticism of the Council. I do understand that sometimes a map change is necessary to increase a server's popularity.) With a server of this nature, there is a lot of flexibility in what could be done - namely because of the uniqueness of the play style - and some of it might draw more people in.

Ah well, it does look like we're losing this to Convoy according to the other thread:

I'd definitely be ok with no crit or at least trying it...my biggest problem is other Arena servers use like 1-2 maps, and have no admins ever, less so the no critting (It's liveable but I prefer the crits...).

I think your quote is in reference to if Convoy wins.

 

[Tattis]

I think your quote is in reference to if Convoy wins.

Ah, perhaps you're right. I was reading it as a definite.

Well, if that's the case, would the Council be willing to take some of these suggestions into consideration to try to reinvigorate the server before it has to be changed?

(And please don't take this as a preemptive "I miss ____!" post. I'm just trying to throw some feedback out that might make the Arena more popular.)

 

[Morbo]

I'd hate to see this server replaced.

Removing Mach2 and adding RTV might help it a bit.

 

[j. bendito]

I play on the arena server more than the other ones. A few suggestions:

1) Shorter map time. There's 1 other arena server I go to somewhat consistently, and it does something like 10 or 15 rounds and the map is changed. I think that is more appropriate, each map feels slightly too long how it is right now.

2) Remove mach. It's too small... when it gets past 20 players, each team just turtles because it's so easy to die by spam since there are only a few small exits to each base.

Most times I check, the server is pretty full. Only during school/work hours do I see it low or empty, not sure why this server would be removed.

 

[Jubei]

j. bendito is right, Mach is too small.

Maybe play test some user maps? I haven't read the whole post so I'm sorry if this has been suggested.

 

[Tattis]

2) Remove mach. It's too small... when it gets past 20 players, each team just turtles because it's so easy to die by spam since there are only a few small exits to each base.

Heh, one thing I've noticed on this server a lot is once the map changes to Mach2, you hear a lot of groaning. It is definitely not a popular map.

 

[DarkNecrid]

Heh, one thing I've noticed on this server a lot is once the map changes to Mach2, you hear a lot of groaning. It is definitely not a popular map.

It's definitely a lot less groaning than mach1 and some people even like it a little bit, but the groaning only stops when the server is below 20 players (which only happens at weird off times that all the other servs sans Dustbowl & 2Fort are low in) since Mach just can't support 32 or close to it.

According to GameTracker the arena server is doing pretty well, it's active almost all the time, and it's ahead of the Valve Maps server so I hope it won't be removed. *_*

 

[Infiniteloop]

mach2 is awesome

 

[OODA Loop]

mach is a server killer,

 

[koolaid]

i think its a good idea and more people will join as well

 

[koolaid]

dont get rid of mach2 by the way

 

[AWPerator]

In my opinion, arena supports teamwork.

Its the opposite end of the spectrum of Instant Respawn.

In IR, people rush in, regardless of you trying to organize something of a semblance to an actual military tactic that isn't the bum rush.
In Arena, you have time to plan with your teamates, and it really brings out the true skill of players.