P4F server reduction

[SkinnyG]

Hi Guys,

PROBLEM:
As you have probably already noticed there is quit a bit of anarchy going on on our servers.
We see an increase in people misbehaving, people acting against the rules, people that start to argue with admins time and time again after being warned for not breaking the rules or being asked to speak English.
It turns out that when you enter a server when no other moderators are on, you first have to warn and kick a lot of players before it finally quiets down and you can finally start enjoying a fun game……

This is all because of not enough moderation on our servers lately, due to the dropping P4F members in conjunction with the increased amount of servers by means of voluntary donations.

This is not a good development and is not good advertising for OG, since we are known for well managed servers!
The lack of moderation and the lack of funding for extra servers can only lead to 1 conclusion: server reduction.


DELIBERATIONS::
Staff had a very long discussion on how to approach this. Do we go back to the 3 Community servers? If so, which maps do we keep on them? Will they be single map servers or servers with map rotations, and so on and so on.
We came to the conclusion that with 3 servers it would be too difficult to provide our members with enough maps they like to play. We also realised that a reduction to for example 4 would mean that it is still possible that the servers are still under-moderated.


PLANS:
We therefore decided that we need to plan to take down 1 Europe server. OG8 USA is still paid for by Hersh but will be subject to analysis.

Taking down 1 European server leaves us with 4 EU servers. This is still 1 more than is paid for by the Community.
Bumbum and myself will split the costs for the 4th EU server for the coming 2 months, after which we will evaluate if we feel the moderation level is acceptable or if we need to close the 4th EU server after all.

We plan to do the following:

OG1: Combat:
Community server, will remain.
Maps: Single map server, Sharqi - Basra, maps being changed periodically.

OG2: City maps:
Community server, will remain
Maps: Dual map server, Karkand - Mashtuur, 15 round rotation.
We realise that single map servers have better continuity in being filled, but we needed this to cater the Mashtuur map of OG7. This will be considered as a test. Because of the high number of rounds before map change, we hope that the emptying will not be irritating. We will keep this aspect under evaluation from the start.

OG3: 24/7 Oman:
Community server, will remain
Maps: Single map server, Oman

OG6: 24/7 Myanmar:
Server paid for by Bumbum and SkinnyG, will remain for at least 2 months (evaluation)
Maps: Single map server, Myanmar

OG7: 24/7 Mashtuur:
Server was paid for by voluntary donations, will be shut down at the end of march.

OG8: USA 24/7 Oman:
Server is paid for by Hersh, will remain for now but will be evaluated for possible problems due to under moderation.

We hope that with this approach we can solve the under-moderating problem for as long as the member numbers are low as well as still cater you lot with the necessary choice of maps.

Regards,
Gert

[de-pizzabezorger]

you just hit one of the things why is dont play p4f as i did before

its not only on the OG servers though it all over the game

always liked OG7 but time has come for it

[Taylor-Nova]

As a former moderator, and only just returned as many of you know, I quite agree that some changes need doing here. There is many more dedicated server maps, than when I was here last. But, these all need monitoring, or players, who believe there is no one to step in to help on an incident, will not respect =OG= ÂÂ*as it used to be.

Mods and Admins also want to play, and its not easy to play and deal with the many matters going on in Chat. It would help a great deal if there was a proper AFK button, maybe just for staff, senior members. ÂÂ*In Second Life Combat urban maps, Avatars wear meters above there head. An on screen Hud, gives choices, to non combat, afk, etc etc. ÂÂ* But admins on official business belong to an Admin group, which is given a tag. ÂÂ*When some submits a complaint by a ticket number in local chat, this is picked up by an admin, normally we use Skype for this, the admin, changes his tag, to "OOC admin", or something similar, and enters the area, to talk to the two or three parties involved. ÂÂ* Also verbally attacking, or shooting at an admin on official business, is highly illegal, leading to maybe 3-8 weeks ban, or ban for life on that area.

Without the same sort of more sophisticated Moderator tools, its always going to be hard to maintain order, and be able to go about official work in a map without being shot at, in my book, its ÂÂ*very unsatisfactory, and I think more pressure could be put on the Devs to give certain officers mods and admins immunity from being shot at. ÂÂ*A simple tag, that makes the person immune from taking damage, could easily be introduced, without to much work?

I still believe my old vehicle map I supported way back, ÂÂ*is easier to mod, rather, than having separate servers for each. ÂÂ* I look forward to watching this Thread with interest, and , as said on return, my offer to support my old vehicle server still stands, as and when, you believe it would be appropriate later, if any changes are made in ÂÂ*the future.

as active in TS now, will be only to glad to take part in any staff chat on all the above concerns outlined by Skinny.

Regards Mike

[TheIncredible]

wuhu!
welcome back taylor-nova!

[Taylor-Nova]

Thank you TheIncredible, Remember you as being a great asset to =OG= and your wisdom at times and help given to me and others, was always "Incredible" :D ÂÂ* ÂÂ*8)

[Pariz-One]

i agree with this post 8)

this is a good idea, but the only thing is that we have to play myanmar on other servers, even when that actually is one of the favourite maps of us, as far as i know... :D

Pariz-One | Marc

[bumbum]

i agree with this post 8)

this is a good idea, but the only thing is that we have to play myanmar on other servers, even when that actually is one of the favourite maps of us, as far as i know... :D

Pariz-One | Marc

Uhm as Skinny posted, Myanmar stay at it is for atleast 2 more months.

Mashtuur will be in a rotation with Karkand on OG2, so we will still have all maps we used to have!

[Taylor-Nova]

Well, we all have different tastes in our favourite map use:

I set up a vehicle server with help from RPG4you, because Dalian & Dragon valley were not only two of my favourite maps, which I had to play on other servers, because they just wasnt available most of time on =OG= servers, and some of my fellow players, still liked to play Dalian, although I know some didnt at the time.

My suggestions would be:

keep Oman on its own.
Mayanmar, Sharqui & Basra being put in a ÂÂ*close contact skirmish
Karkand, Mushtuur, Dalian, Dragon valley as vehicle server, with Karkand and Mushtuur having 4 rounds each?, with Dalian & Dragon maybe 2 rounds each.

Maybe, this would cut down the amount of separate maps, that mods are stuggling to cover, but the above includes two extra maps, that I think new OG members may be willing to use, 2011-2012 was a long time ago. maybe a poll on this matter would give an indication what members think or what ÂÂ*maps they would really like play, either on own on in a rotation map. Just my two penny worth input really ÂÂ*:)

[SkinnyG]

Hi Mike,

There are 2 things in your ideas that will cause some issues.

1.
Myanmar is a love or hate map. It is so different from the rest that it attracts 2 very distinct group of players. Mixing it in a rotation with Sharqi and Basra is therefore not a good option. The server will most likely completely empty when the map changes to Myanmar or from myanmar to another map.

2.
In general servers with map rotations are less well visited and less constantly filled than single map servers. The more maps, the less constant filling.
That is why we keep the "new" OG2 under evaluation.
It also means that a 4 map rotation is NOT what we should be looking for.
Add to that the fact that Dalian and Dragon Valley are less favorite maps for a lot of players of this game........

[Taylor-Nova]

no problem Skinny, Its wierd how Dragon Valley is liked by quite a few servers, and players, ÂÂ*but others just dont play it, which is a shame, cos, Its a large diverse map, with almost any class, having ÂÂ*a shot at getting some good Xp. I for one, have come 1st many times way back 8O . I love the lake in ÂÂ*the middle, which no other map has, plus wooded areas. Dalian, hmmm, when I first played this, I did find the base, a bit wierd in its build, would be better with more work done to it, very easy to crash out helicopters there. Good for engineers though, tank commanders like me etc. ÂÂ*

Dont think Dalian has ever been a loved map, for may reasons. I really would think, that should be replaced with a Sea map, something navy, with each destroyer having a flag to capture?. Bit like a captain Philips scenario try and board said enemy ship, with air support, even maybe by paratroopers. etc etc. ÂÂ*Did support heavily way back a guy who presented work he had done on a possible Sea map, maybe using some of the content from "Coral Island" carrier map on battlefiled 1943 , updated to 2014 would be a possibility? ÂÂ*but trying to get Devs to listen to customers and ÂÂ*submitting ÂÂ*ideas, has largely been ignored by all the game big players now, customers come last, money first, we dont have any say anyway in the TOS about almost anything now, let alone them listening to ideas, and most games are ÂÂ*aggressively put on DRM which I dont support, in fact, I am member of a number of official sites, ÂÂ*who petition in many countries against the use of DRM which has been proven, to be almost useless at preventing piracy, because as one admin on one site put it, all your ÂÂ*personal details and bank numbers are more of a risk of being hacked wholesale, than by the odd hacker trying to access your home computer. Thats why I never purchase games that need an account, only subscription ones like WoW ÂÂ*or Star Wars O.R. ÂÂ* I became a member of EA (origin) games, many years ago, before DRM was hardly thought off, so I have no way out of that, but "Steam" I wont even go there under any circumstances.

[SkinnyG]

Since there were no strong rejections of the plan we presented in the first post I hereby formalize those plans.

They will go into effect on 01-04-2014.

I will adjust the relevant OG and BFP4F forum threads accordingly.

[SkinnyG]

Announcement made in the P4F forum server thread:
http://battlefield.play4free.com/en/forum/showthread.php?tid=135104&pid=1797027#pid1797027