Naw, this has been gone through a couple of times now my post from last week still stands:
---copy/paste---
the main issue I can see being raised is that the dnagames server is getting more and more popular, with the popularity comes players of all types and abilities and without active playing admins this can get out of hand. While our server is online for the benefit of all players I can understand what it's like to being trying to play a game while the server have idlers or new players asking questions all the time.
So, what to do?
Option 1.
Keep the server passworded but only give the password to selected members (a guest list?) and change the password regularly.
Option 2.
Create a second dnagames server for 'experts' and leave the other one for 'newbies'. The newbie one without a password the other with a password that's only given out to players on the 'guest list'.
Option 3.
Erm...not sure I have a third one. Suggestions?
All the options so far have issues:
1. Where do I draw the line with who gets the password and who doesn't? I've not played Soldat for many weeks (perhaps even months now) so there are many good, reliable Soldat players about who's names I'm not familiar with. How do I tell them apart from N00bie McNewguy (or do i even want to get involved with the hassle of people coming to me to ask for the sever password via IRC, IM, forum etc)
2. How do i combat password leakage? If an undesirable player gets the server password, what do we do? Kick them, ban them? What if this new players sh1t hot and plays by the rules etc do they still get banned/kicked since they are not on the ' guest list'?
3. If I set up a second server then I would have to reduce the player limit. Soldat sucks as much bandwidth as the client requests, a 10 player Soldat server takes much more bandwidth than a 20 player CounterStrike player (
UTV Internet) is only allocated a limited amount of bandwidth to it, if it uses more that what I have been verbally allowed I've got to justify it, either because it's being using by paying UTV Internet customers or I get a kick in the balls from my boss and have to cut back. So if we have two servers would they still be as playable with say 3vs3 or 4vs4?
4. Back to the subject of the use of a 'guest list'. How could it be managed?
Do I only give the password to forum members who have over X numbers of posts? - Spammers get a good server to play on, [:-yuck]
Do I only allow players in clans that are known to me? - see my previous comment on my lack of activity in online Soldat play at the moment.
Do I charge a nominal fee, say $1 per month ($3 per month for clans), moneys from this would go back into the servers: more memory, pay my boss for more bandwidth and increase the player limit? - Smells like Pay-to-Play, which I, as a gamer, don't like.
Discuss.
Back to the subject of admins, yes it would be a good idea to have a couple of active players with remote access to kick players as needed, I always planned the forum moderators to this job, but none of them have ever contacted me about it. I am always available IRC, IM, etc to kick players as needed (I have direct access from home to the server console to do it from there). I would be happy(ish - no server admin likes sharing his power [:D]) to leave it to the community as to who gets these admin powers.