- Joined
- May 13, 2008
- Messages
- 2,897
I would like to make an attempt to bring the Avalanche server into Top 5. It is not hard, we need a coordinated effort and some precision targeting of the drop times. This must be a team effort, and communication is crucial. Here is the plan.
Terminology
Drop time. This is the time of day when the server drops bellow 20 players and keep dropping.
Up time. This is the time of day when the server begins to fill back up and reaches 20 players.
Dead time. This is a characteristic of the player population and depends on the location of the player population. If most players are from the US dead time is usually between 3:00 AM and 8:00 AM.
Player population. This is the population of the server. It includes the player which are aware of our server and have played at least once.
Game population. This is the total number of player which play DOD:S.
Drop rate. The rate at which players leave the server. For example, two players left in the last 10 minutes, then the rate is .2 per minute.
Join rate. Join rate. The rate at which players join the server. For examples two players join the server in the last 10 minutes, then the rate is .2 per minutes.
Server rate. This is the difference between the join rate and the drop rate. For example if in the last 10 minutes two player leave and two join the server rate is .2 - .2= 0. If 5 players join and two leave then the server rate is .5 - .2 = .3
Objective
The main objective is to shift the player drop time of the from the 10:00 PM time to 3:00 AM, and keep the up time close to 8:00 AM. The shift in drop time and a consistent up time will make the Avalanche server go up in ranks. This is a long term goal, it will not happen in a week, but may take a few months.
Two things are important for this to happen.
First, we need a sustained effort. That means we need to do something consistently for a few weeks to see solid, permanent results.
Secondly, we need a sustainable player population. This comes with exposure, or higher ranks, longer fill time, or having the server full at times it is presently not, and admin presence. Admin presence makes a difference.
The psychology of a player
Players are human beings. And human beings are creatures of habit.
A player will frequent a server regularly if the players needs are met. The most basic need is having plenty of other people to play with. Having between 20 to 25 players is enough to keep players happy, and sometimes it is preferable as 32 can get fast paced and hectic at times. 20 player is our low target. This will keep people from leaving for another full server most of the time. 25 players is our high target as this will keep us in the top when others search for a server.
Players get hooked on a server also. Most players will use a server all the time. It takes more than one session on a server to get hooked on the server. It takes one bad session to make a player avoid a server. Admin presence is important. A player does not have to be harassed to have a bad experience. Seeing others being harassed can have the same effect as being harassed. Admin presence is important. Attend admin school and ask questions if you are not sure. eGOs are here to help you learn.
Professionalism is a huge thing. When you warn, use Please and Thank you. Others are watching and not to react is impossible. We are human beings, and we are wired to be social creatures, and our social programing makes us respond to what is happening to others.
Analysis of the server
If you look at the Avalanche server on the left and Donner on the right you can see the difference. Donner begins dropping at 12:00 AM, and at 2:00 AM it dropped to 18 players. By 12:00 AM Avalanche is at 12 players, and by 2:00 AM it is at 0 players. That is two hours and 18 player difference between the servers.
If we keep it full until 12:00 AM then the server will have a later drop time.
Also, we need a team of dedicated server starters which will help fill the server consistently in the morning. Up time is somewhere were we can gain players and rank as well.
Dead time, drop time, and up time
Dead time is a characteristic of the location of our player population. Since most players are in the US, our dead time is between 3:00 AM and 8:00 AM. During this time the server will be bellow 20 players. There is not much we can do, people sleep.
We are working on the drop time, at night. But we also need to work on the up time. Up time is the time of day when the server begins to fill back up. We need to have the server above 20 players by 8:00 AM.
Server rates
The server rate does not need to be known exactly like i did in the example. But if you notice people leaving and no one joining then the server rate is negative. If people join more than leave you have a positive server rate. The server rate is related to the player population. Stable server have low serve rates. Meaning people leave and join over long periods of time, or a low fluctuation in the number of players. Unstable servers can go from 30 players to 20 quickly and go back up or even lower to 6 players.
Stage 1
As of now the drop time is around 10:00 PM. The first objective is to keep the sever above 20 until 12:00 AM at the least. Once we see that the sever is keeping up the numbers we can move it up to 1:00 AM.
If you cannot play idle in the server. If we have three idle people that is great. If the server is at 22 then this pushes it at 25. If we are at 25 this places us on the first page, and at night times in the top half, when you search for a server and arrange it by number of players. And that is where we want to be, on that first page of searches.
Stage 2
keep the sever above 20 until 1:00 AM at the least.
Stage 3
keep the sever above 20 until 2:00 AM at the least.
I thank you for the help. This is a learning experience and if we are successful we can expand this and make it more formal. But we need to show that we can do this and it works. I will be adjusting times as needed. Just do what you can, that is all i am asking. Every little bit of help makes a difference.
Terminology
Drop time. This is the time of day when the server drops bellow 20 players and keep dropping.
Up time. This is the time of day when the server begins to fill back up and reaches 20 players.
Dead time. This is a characteristic of the player population and depends on the location of the player population. If most players are from the US dead time is usually between 3:00 AM and 8:00 AM.
Player population. This is the population of the server. It includes the player which are aware of our server and have played at least once.
Game population. This is the total number of player which play DOD:S.
Drop rate. The rate at which players leave the server. For example, two players left in the last 10 minutes, then the rate is .2 per minute.
Join rate. Join rate. The rate at which players join the server. For examples two players join the server in the last 10 minutes, then the rate is .2 per minutes.
Server rate. This is the difference between the join rate and the drop rate. For example if in the last 10 minutes two player leave and two join the server rate is .2 - .2= 0. If 5 players join and two leave then the server rate is .5 - .2 = .3
Objective
The main objective is to shift the player drop time of the from the 10:00 PM time to 3:00 AM, and keep the up time close to 8:00 AM. The shift in drop time and a consistent up time will make the Avalanche server go up in ranks. This is a long term goal, it will not happen in a week, but may take a few months.
Two things are important for this to happen.
First, we need a sustained effort. That means we need to do something consistently for a few weeks to see solid, permanent results.
Secondly, we need a sustainable player population. This comes with exposure, or higher ranks, longer fill time, or having the server full at times it is presently not, and admin presence. Admin presence makes a difference.
The psychology of a player
Players are human beings. And human beings are creatures of habit.
A player will frequent a server regularly if the players needs are met. The most basic need is having plenty of other people to play with. Having between 20 to 25 players is enough to keep players happy, and sometimes it is preferable as 32 can get fast paced and hectic at times. 20 player is our low target. This will keep people from leaving for another full server most of the time. 25 players is our high target as this will keep us in the top when others search for a server.
Players get hooked on a server also. Most players will use a server all the time. It takes more than one session on a server to get hooked on the server. It takes one bad session to make a player avoid a server. Admin presence is important. A player does not have to be harassed to have a bad experience. Seeing others being harassed can have the same effect as being harassed. Admin presence is important. Attend admin school and ask questions if you are not sure. eGOs are here to help you learn.
Professionalism is a huge thing. When you warn, use Please and Thank you. Others are watching and not to react is impossible. We are human beings, and we are wired to be social creatures, and our social programing makes us respond to what is happening to others.
Analysis of the server
If you look at the Avalanche server on the left and Donner on the right you can see the difference. Donner begins dropping at 12:00 AM, and at 2:00 AM it dropped to 18 players. By 12:00 AM Avalanche is at 12 players, and by 2:00 AM it is at 0 players. That is two hours and 18 player difference between the servers.
If we keep it full until 12:00 AM then the server will have a later drop time.
Also, we need a team of dedicated server starters which will help fill the server consistently in the morning. Up time is somewhere were we can gain players and rank as well.
Dead time, drop time, and up time
Dead time is a characteristic of the location of our player population. Since most players are in the US, our dead time is between 3:00 AM and 8:00 AM. During this time the server will be bellow 20 players. There is not much we can do, people sleep.
We are working on the drop time, at night. But we also need to work on the up time. Up time is the time of day when the server begins to fill back up. We need to have the server above 20 players by 8:00 AM.
Server rates
The server rate does not need to be known exactly like i did in the example. But if you notice people leaving and no one joining then the server rate is negative. If people join more than leave you have a positive server rate. The server rate is related to the player population. Stable server have low serve rates. Meaning people leave and join over long periods of time, or a low fluctuation in the number of players. Unstable servers can go from 30 players to 20 quickly and go back up or even lower to 6 players.
Stage 1
As of now the drop time is around 10:00 PM. The first objective is to keep the sever above 20 until 12:00 AM at the least. Once we see that the sever is keeping up the numbers we can move it up to 1:00 AM.
If you cannot play idle in the server. If we have three idle people that is great. If the server is at 22 then this pushes it at 25. If we are at 25 this places us on the first page, and at night times in the top half, when you search for a server and arrange it by number of players. And that is where we want to be, on that first page of searches.
Stage 2
keep the sever above 20 until 1:00 AM at the least.
Stage 3
keep the sever above 20 until 2:00 AM at the least.
I thank you for the help. This is a learning experience and if we are successful we can expand this and make it more formal. But we need to show that we can do this and it works. I will be adjusting times as needed. Just do what you can, that is all i am asking. Every little bit of help makes a difference.
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