Techious
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Announcements on the servers?
http://www.techious.com/forums/viewtopic.php?f=60&t=4885		 Page 1 of 1
Author:  Lord Metritutus [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 8:33 pm ]
Post subject:  Announcements on the servers?
Recently I installed an announcements system on the server.

It shows announcements at the top left, the chat window, and at the bottom in a hint bubble (transparent box).

It cycles through each of these at a rate of 1 every 30 seconds.

These announcements are intended to point out certain things to players on the server.

In the top left, it cycles through 'current map', 'next map', and 'time left'.

In the chat window, it points out !maprate, rtv, nominate, and the fact that dead player and spectator chat cannot be seen by living players.

In the bottom centre it cycles through advertisements for the web address, and asks for players to donate.


I can post the exact wording of the announcements here if people should wish.

Basically, I have heard that there have been a few complaints, so this poll has been created to clarify things.


The main concern seems to be that these announcements will encourage people to leave the server. Discuss.
Author:  Si [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:31 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
I think they should be removed, it will only cause people to rage and not rejoin. (Motd stuff is fine)

In summary:
Short answer: NO!

Spoiler for Long answer:
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!
Author:  Wynney [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:32 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
I don't like this at all tbh ><
Author:  Nannal [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:52 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
"
In the bottom centre it cycles through advertisements for the web address, and asks for players to donate.

"

Techious members donate because they like the community, nobody who has just joined the server will donate and I doubt anyone will donate if they aren't a member and every member understands that we need thirteen gold members to continue expanding.

so money comes from members, come from the forums, come from the servers.

advertise the forums in the chatbox (centrer box is in the way)
Author:  Lord Metritutus [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
Nannal wrote:
"
In the bottom centre it cycles through advertisements for the web address, and asks for players to donate.

"

Techious members donate because they like the community, nobody who has just joined the server will donate and I doubt anyone will donate if they aren't a member and every member understands that we need thirteen gold members to continue expanding.

so money comes from members, come from the forums, come from the servers.

advertise the forums in the chatbox (centrer box is in the way)


Is the bottom-centre one the only one you have anything against?
Author:  Nannal [ Thu Sep 24, 2009 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
I don't like the others, and if given the option I would get rid of them, but if you must have them, then take the middle ones out.
Author:  DHR-107 [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 9:31 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
I thought they were marginally too many :/ I think the timer should be a lot longer to make them less intrusive :/
Author:  McWill [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 11:13 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
I agree with Si and Nannal.

Adverts are highly unlikely to get random players to donate and only serve as a distraction or an annoyance when your trying to enjoy the game. Advertisements should stay in the MOTD and if someone wants to donate they'll get the necessary information there.

sorry to trail off here but if were talking about expansion and keeping the servers populated then why not.. I'd like to bring up custom maps and indeed any type of required server downloads. when i join a random server i don't want to have to wait and download 300 files to be able to play, in fact, when a random server informs me it must download X, Y and Z, I disconnect immediately. And I'm not the only one who does that.
to be fair, some of the maps we have are fun, but i think they should be removed from the auto map rotation but remain available to vote for. that way we can be sure at least half the players will remain on the server after a map change.

on the note of expansion and money. The reason TCHS isn't expanding much right now - and hence why donations aren't increasing - is because we don't actually play on our own servers much. I know we all have uni/college/school/work but if that means there is no time to play then why bother with dedicated servers at all? lets just join a random pub when we have time to play. we have more than enough donations to keep the forums running, if that's all were using then lets just enjoy this and save some money while were at it.

to expand we need donations
to get donations we need server regulars/clan members.
to get server regulars/clan members we need a fun and active server.
to keep the server fun and active we must use it, and it must be free of annoyances like unwanted map downloads and constant bombardment of advertisements.

we have a nice little community as it is, its mostly inactive, but it doesn't really need to change. we get enough donations to keep us going with or without advertisements. but if its expansion we want we must consider the above.
Author:  kyhas [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
I liked the time left one, but thats about it personally, i don't like the rest but knowing how long left of a map i find is useful.
Author:  Lord Metritutus [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:30 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
DHR-107 wrote:
I thought they were marginally too many :/ I think the timer should be a lot longer to make them less intrusive :/


The timer is currently 30 seconds. If we keep the announcements I will talk to you about increasing the interval perhaps? Perhaps a poll?

McWill wrote:
Adverts are highly unlikely to get random players to donate and only serve as a distraction or an annoyance when your trying to enjoy the game. Advertisements should stay in the MOTD and if someone wants to donate they'll get the necessary information there.


Are you saying you only hate the advertisements and do not mind about the announcements (next map, rtv, nominate, etcetera)? Or do you hate both?



On a related note, I put up a poll about the announcements on the server last night (71% liked them or did not mind), but I also talked with the players on the server. People either had not really noticed them, did not mind so much, or found them useful.

Remember, a lot of people who play on the servers do not read these forums. I did not see the announcements turning away players personally. However, I do not have the final word on this.


Lets get things straight, are people here anti advertisements but NOT the announcements, or against the whole thing?
Author:  Si [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:40 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
I am against anything both the advertisements and having stuff spammed too close to my crosshair. Top left fine, but elsewhere GTFOPL0X.
Author:  Lord Metritutus [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
Si wrote:
I am against anything both the advertisements and having stuff spammed too close to my crosshair. Top left fine, but elsewhere GTFOPL0X.


So for you basically, top left is fine, but you are anti the bottom centre website advertisements, and also the chat window messages?
Author:  Si [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 2:55 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
Yes, however i believe there is still use to be made of the motd
Author:  Lord Metritutus [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 3:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
Si wrote:
Yes, however i believe there is still use to be made of the motd


Perhaps, however I generally tend not to read MOTDs.

In fact, like many people I have my MOTDs disabled for TF2 to prevent crashes on map-changes or joining a server.
Author:  Skillers [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:03 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
Yeah, most skim over MOTD.

Though I think a few advertisements are good, just remind/inform people about our community/forums to perhaps get a more active community.

I agree with Si on positioning.

Frequenc shouldn't be too often.

All URLs should be in the chat for COPYPASTA purposes.
Author:  Lord Metritutus [ Fri Sep 25, 2009 10:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Announcements on the servers?
Skillers wrote:
Yeah, most skim over MOTD.

Though I think a few advertisements are good, just remind/inform people about our community/forums to perhaps get a more active community.

I agree with Si on positioning.

Frequenc shouldn't be too often.

All URLs should be in the chat for COPYPASTA purposes.


I will amend the advertisements text file and see how people feel about the changes.
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