Yes, the SRB2 Master Server is gone.
- Thread starter Spazzo
- Start date
- Status
But here's the problem, Chisuun. With the Master Server, you'd immediately know which servers were currently online, what WADs the servers had, what mode they were in...everything! With IP connect, you'll only be able to check to see if the one or two servers you are familiar with are running.
I am very disappointed by this decision. It feels as though Cue is proving to becomming more overpowered and restrictive. I myself had never had a problem when I used to play and I really don't think times will have changed that much.
I mean you had a rule about no sa-city. The fact you had a rule for a map just seems ridiculous to me. It just cuts down on the freedom players had with the multiplayer. The server itself would not be bad if it had players on. Hosts would learn not to make such a server if there were no players and I don't think it was creating a problem.
Im just gonna take Valve as an example here. If they policed the every server like the SRB2 staff did then there would only be about 1 third of the servers available. The only thing I beleive they are doing is to filter out servers which fake their player count which seems reasonable to me but I don't see them filtering out achievement servers which ruins Team Fortress 2.
And I don't think the idea of other players making their own master servers will catch on very well. For a start it seems unlikely players will have noticed that the current MS is down and half could probably not figure out how to change MS in the first place. Further more community MS are likely to to unreliable and will most likely not stay arround any longer.
I agree with Glaber with his point. This is going to encourage users to join the community in order to set up servers. It will be back to the old times with people always failing to set servers up over the forums due to timezones.
It seens even more stupid you pulled a stunt like this when this new super awesome mega better version of SRB2 is comming out. I mean people will have been waiting years for this and now with no MS how are they surposed to test the new match system and give their feedback to it.
Well I think im gonna find a good server on Team Fortress 2 now since they have no policies on servers which allows me to find just what I want. =)
I mean you had a rule about no sa-city. The fact you had a rule for a map just seems ridiculous to me. It just cuts down on the freedom players had with the multiplayer. The server itself would not be bad if it had players on. Hosts would learn not to make such a server if there were no players and I don't think it was creating a problem.
Im just gonna take Valve as an example here. If they policed the every server like the SRB2 staff did then there would only be about 1 third of the servers available. The only thing I beleive they are doing is to filter out servers which fake their player count which seems reasonable to me but I don't see them filtering out achievement servers which ruins Team Fortress 2.
And I don't think the idea of other players making their own master servers will catch on very well. For a start it seems unlikely players will have noticed that the current MS is down and half could probably not figure out how to change MS in the first place. Further more community MS are likely to to unreliable and will most likely not stay arround any longer.
I agree with Glaber with his point. This is going to encourage users to join the community in order to set up servers. It will be back to the old times with people always failing to set servers up over the forums due to timezones.
It seens even more stupid you pulled a stunt like this when this new super awesome mega better version of SRB2 is comming out. I mean people will have been waiting years for this and now with no MS how are they surposed to test the new match system and give their feedback to it.
Well I think im gonna find a good server on Team Fortress 2 now since they have no policies on servers which allows me to find just what I want. =)
JEV3
There and back again~
While it may be difficult to properly run the Master Server, I think that removing the feature altogether is the wrong way to solve the problem, especially with the advent of a new release.
While it is true that there are possibilities for other Master Servers, it is not possible for everyone to host and properly advertise their Master Server. An alternative Master Server for clans or for RP is one matter, but for the primary source of online play there are several drawbacks, the most significant of which being that one is less likely to find a game on one-of-several networks than on an official network.
Arranging games exclusively by IP has drawbacks too, the most significant of which being that not everybody will be able to arrange an IP-based game, and this is ignoring the issues with trying to set up a game with an idle chatroom or on a forum. I've heard people say that it is just as easy to host an IP game by IRC, but there are far more users that frequent the boards than those that are active in the chatroom, and even more actually play SRB2 and casually check the website.
Furthermore, those complaining about roleplay not being allowed on the Master Server should probably note that the official gametypes are based around an open community and that the ideal RP would be based around a closed community... not the other way around.
Lastly, it has been discussed many times what should be done about the whole reporting issue. Before listing other potential solutions, I would like to mention that with SRB2ME coming, we will probably see many more legitimate games than we have in the past. One of the admins has stated that they believe the problem is lack of interest in SRB2 rather than the existence of bad servers. However, because there still may be the question as to how the Master Server will be best handled, it is sufficient as a temporary solution but only as a temporary solution.
My solution would be to give a handful of other users the ability to handle reports and sift through the ban logs, a job which is probably overwhelming for a single host, but likely less demanding from a moderating team. There will always be drama with regards to the master server, and not everybody will be dealt with, but I see at least some measure of control better than none at all.
An additional solution would be to make host-by-ip the default choice, but making the option of the master server publicized enough that it still remains a viable option. Additionally, by being an "official" master server, one would be less likely to confront problems such as not being able to find a server across a splintered pool of master servers (provided that enough members even bother hosting one to begin with).
------------------------------------------
****TLDR users, start here****
I personally think that the Master Server should definitely come back in some form or another by the time SRB2ME comes out. I know some of the older SRB2 members like the idea of going back to exclusively ip-based methods, but I'm willing to bet that in those days only a small portion of the community even used multiplayer at all. Judging from what I've seen, multiplayer was hardly worth any further attention back then anyway. After making so many significant changes and improvements to the multiplayer system for SRB2ME, I consider it counterproductive and illogical to limit it so drastically. Perhaps some simply like the idea of multiplayer being a closed-community feature, but I don't think that should be an option with a major release pending. Multiplayer as a closed-community feature is the eventual result of multiplayer game whose userbase has died, probably as evidenced by the last year or so of Master Server behavior where the main surge in gameplay was the match beta which was still limited access.
While it is true that there are possibilities for other Master Servers, it is not possible for everyone to host and properly advertise their Master Server. An alternative Master Server for clans or for RP is one matter, but for the primary source of online play there are several drawbacks, the most significant of which being that one is less likely to find a game on one-of-several networks than on an official network.
Arranging games exclusively by IP has drawbacks too, the most significant of which being that not everybody will be able to arrange an IP-based game, and this is ignoring the issues with trying to set up a game with an idle chatroom or on a forum. I've heard people say that it is just as easy to host an IP game by IRC, but there are far more users that frequent the boards than those that are active in the chatroom, and even more actually play SRB2 and casually check the website.
Furthermore, those complaining about roleplay not being allowed on the Master Server should probably note that the official gametypes are based around an open community and that the ideal RP would be based around a closed community... not the other way around.
Lastly, it has been discussed many times what should be done about the whole reporting issue. Before listing other potential solutions, I would like to mention that with SRB2ME coming, we will probably see many more legitimate games than we have in the past. One of the admins has stated that they believe the problem is lack of interest in SRB2 rather than the existence of bad servers. However, because there still may be the question as to how the Master Server will be best handled, it is sufficient as a temporary solution but only as a temporary solution.
My solution would be to give a handful of other users the ability to handle reports and sift through the ban logs, a job which is probably overwhelming for a single host, but likely less demanding from a moderating team. There will always be drama with regards to the master server, and not everybody will be dealt with, but I see at least some measure of control better than none at all.
An additional solution would be to make host-by-ip the default choice, but making the option of the master server publicized enough that it still remains a viable option. Additionally, by being an "official" master server, one would be less likely to confront problems such as not being able to find a server across a splintered pool of master servers (provided that enough members even bother hosting one to begin with).
------------------------------------------
****TLDR users, start here****
I personally think that the Master Server should definitely come back in some form or another by the time SRB2ME comes out. I know some of the older SRB2 members like the idea of going back to exclusively ip-based methods, but I'm willing to bet that in those days only a small portion of the community even used multiplayer at all. Judging from what I've seen, multiplayer was hardly worth any further attention back then anyway. After making so many significant changes and improvements to the multiplayer system for SRB2ME, I consider it counterproductive and illogical to limit it so drastically. Perhaps some simply like the idea of multiplayer being a closed-community feature, but I don't think that should be an option with a major release pending. Multiplayer as a closed-community feature is the eventual result of multiplayer game whose userbase has died, probably as evidenced by the last year or so of Master Server behavior where the main surge in gameplay was the match beta which was still limited access.
Chabo, your reasoning behind TF2 is based on the assumption that 90% of the servers are unplayable garbage. Valve doesn't care about an achievement server. They are ALREADY making a profit off their players, and couldn't care less how you decide to advance in their game. Besides,
the overwhelming majority of TF2 players actually want to, you know, PLAY the game.
/nutshell
the overwhelming majority of TF2 players actually want to, you know, PLAY the game.
/nutshell
SSNTails said:
YES. I would totally agree with this... if silly people didn't feel obligated to boss around 12 year olds for no real reason other than them magicially corrupting other "more vital" members from "enjoying" the game. Their consistent whining was getting annoying, however.
I greatly commend BlueWarrior for really trying to put through an effort to host a new master server for everyone to join. If this continues, I would suggest implementing a more community-centric system so that people can find such an obscure master server with little effort. Even for starters, we could just post a small DOS tool on the SRB2 website for everyone to use to update to this new server.
One of my original ideas was a locked part of the forums that would be like a master server list - each MS owner can request a locked topic containing the info/rules/forum/# of servers up on the MS and the rest of the liability of the resulting joiners could just head off to the owner to take care of. If they do anything illegal or such, we can always just kick them off our list and leave them liable for their actions. SRB2MB would probably come with newbie-friendly instructions so they check this list immediately/easily and play online.
Honestly, I feel should be catering to the newbie and "no so intelligent" group more often, so I also understand why removing the MS could be an issue with that...
Cue
ALAM STOP BREAKING THE S
Flame said:
Indeed, I'd need to edit the MS to actually resolve the hostname but it would work.
Another idea I've been pondering is having server 'profiles' of some sort, possibly with the ability to Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down certain servers so they'd go further up/down the list. It'd be on the new site (when it's done) but hey.
Spazzo
Member
As novel as that idea is, Cue, you know it'll never happen.
Either way, if the MS is to return, I'd really suggest that you (Cue) just remove any rules that require constant policing, just limit the rules to "no hacked EXEs that enable cheating" or something. Even if you do that, have people come to YOU, not vice versa.
Either way, if the MS is to return, I'd really suggest that you (Cue) just remove any rules that require constant policing, just limit the rules to "no hacked EXEs that enable cheating" or something. Even if you do that, have people come to YOU, not vice versa.
Okay, I feel like I haven't properly addressed my grievances against No Master Server. I'm going to spell out what the problems I have with it.
1. People keep saying that we should just IP-connect. Well, that's all very fine, BUT even if I do learn how to do that, how the heck am I supposed to know information about the server anymore? I won't know what mode it's in (and that's crucial for me because I freakin' HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE COOP!!!!!), what WADs are in it (meaning I can't even know if I can join), or, worst of all, whether the IP address I'm trying to reach even HAS a server up and running!
2. Another suggestion people keep making is to host our own Master Servers. The big problem with that method is that without an official SRB2 Master Server, the concentration of servers will be much more thinly spread out over the Internet. I mean, how many people are going to join a small, mini Master Server some guy we've never even heard of sets up? We'd have to check 50 Master Servers just to play a simple game of CTF or Match.
3. As people brought up in previous posts, we'll have an upsurge of SRB2 fans who played the Master Server but weren't on the MB, signing up just to ask where their Master Server is.
1. People keep saying that we should just IP-connect. Well, that's all very fine, BUT even if I do learn how to do that, how the heck am I supposed to know information about the server anymore? I won't know what mode it's in (and that's crucial for me because I freakin' HATE HATE HATE HATE HATE COOP!!!!!), what WADs are in it (meaning I can't even know if I can join), or, worst of all, whether the IP address I'm trying to reach even HAS a server up and running!
2. Another suggestion people keep making is to host our own Master Servers. The big problem with that method is that without an official SRB2 Master Server, the concentration of servers will be much more thinly spread out over the Internet. I mean, how many people are going to join a small, mini Master Server some guy we've never even heard of sets up? We'd have to check 50 Master Servers just to play a simple game of CTF or Match.
3. As people brought up in previous posts, we'll have an upsurge of SRB2 fans who played the Master Server but weren't on the MB, signing up just to ask where their Master Server is.
Okay I know I'm late for this response, but I just want to say what I feal about "join by ip". The thought about Joing by ip being easy is a myth. It is no more easy than Nintendo's friend code system and even then you wind up with a cluttered file of codes or ips that just takes up space.
Calling Joing by ip easy is the same as calling Nintendo's Friend code system easy. Sure it's easy to get the code, but when it comes time to enter it most SRB2 users may not know how to enter the ip the easy way, if there is an easyer way than typing it in whith SRB2 running. For that method you'd need SRB2 running windowed or have the ip printed out making it slightly harder then Nintendo Wifi.
Another thing is people may forget to record the ip somewhere for future use, making them have to hunt down the same ip again. Of course to continue the comparsion of "join by ip" to Nintendo Friend codes, the various games that use the friend code system automaticly save the code for future use so the person doesn't have to hunt down the code again.
What the Master server did was give an easier time for finding people for a game. Granted there was the downside, but it could not be advoided as everything has a downside, some larger than others. But the over all result wound up making SRB2 Multiplayer better than Nintendo Wifi.
Now since I don't know when it first came online I left out my thoughts about why the other game modes came into play.
TL:DR
SRB2 IP system = Nintendo Friend codes!
Calling Joing by ip easy is the same as calling Nintendo's Friend code system easy. Sure it's easy to get the code, but when it comes time to enter it most SRB2 users may not know how to enter the ip the easy way, if there is an easyer way than typing it in whith SRB2 running. For that method you'd need SRB2 running windowed or have the ip printed out making it slightly harder then Nintendo Wifi.
Another thing is people may forget to record the ip somewhere for future use, making them have to hunt down the same ip again. Of course to continue the comparsion of "join by ip" to Nintendo Friend codes, the various games that use the friend code system automaticly save the code for future use so the person doesn't have to hunt down the code again.
What the Master server did was give an easier time for finding people for a game. Granted there was the downside, but it could not be advoided as everything has a downside, some larger than others. But the over all result wound up making SRB2 Multiplayer better than Nintendo Wifi.
Now since I don't know when it first came online I left out my thoughts about why the other game modes came into play.
TL:DR
SRB2 IP system = Nintendo Friend codes!
I've noticed lots of hangout or role playing servers are co-op, so we could get rid of co-op. That way, if someone decides to host a hangout or role playing server in race mode, just remove race. I don't know very many people who ever play race anyway. And then, if they host a server in match mode, we could just shoot them until they stop!
Maybe the SRB2 MS Launcher could check all of them for us?
fawfulfan said:
Maybe the SRB2 MS Launcher could check all of them for us?
- Status