By request: Stock + Custom Payload server

[Failhorse]

This is it. You've asked for it. Now you must work to make it successful.

Snowcickle's Payload +
69.175.33.148:27015
Hlstats and everything else you'd come to expect.

Server does run different than the others. By default Badwater will always be in the vote. We need to work to "pop" this server and it will help.
The voting system and maps are separated by type of payload. Stages, long, custom. ect ect.

Code: Select all

{
    "Badwater"
   "pl_badwater"
      
   "Long Payloads"

    "pl_upward" {}
    "pl_frontier_final" {}
    "pl_badwater" {}
    "pl_barnblitz" {}
    "plr_hightower" {}
   
       "Stage Payloads"
    "pl_goldrush" {}
    "pl_hoodoo_final" {}
    "pl_thundermountain" {}
    "plr_nightfall_final" {}
   "plr_pipeline" {}

   "Custom Payloads"
    "pl_minepit" {}
    "pl_manngrove_rc5" {}
    "pl_cashworks_final1" {}
    "pl_outback_rc4" {}
   "plr_panic_b2" {}
   "pl_cranetop_b8" {}
   "pl_borax_rc2" {}
   "pl_boundary_final1" {}
    }

More maps will be added depending on how this server goes. The IP has never been registered. So the server score is low. This means starting out popping the server will be hard. If we pick up, we'll add more maps, cycle out stocks, and hopefully have a slaybox type custom map server.

Have fun!

[doller]

Any chance of more....common custom payloads?
pl_barnblitz_pro
pl_swiftwater_ugc

[Failhorse]

Any chance of more....common custom payloads?
pl_barnblitz_pro
pl_swiftwater_ugc

Baby steps. I'll edit the main post to reference this a bit more up top. But the main goal to start is to build the server score. Currently it'll take a lot to get the server popped, which is why badwater is all over the voting. Custom maps have never really worked with this community. We don't have an audience built in. The voting is split to give people a stock first kinda thing, with the option to mix custom maps between maps that will repop the server. As we move a long I'll add more custom maps, eventually splitting them into long and stage maps. Figure if it actually works ( it has failed 4x) eventually we can switch to a 100% custom slaybox style server with all game modes. For now, Payload brings the kids.

I'll be adding in the map rate feature. So we can cycle out the crap. Less minepit of course. That's my vein attempt at bringing in the funbox peoples.

[Cash]

I honestly really like this idea, despite the difficulties of getting a custom map server to mesh with this communities (as noted in previous failed attempts). However, I really do believe that this is the best way to get it started. We will need to run a good number of stock maps at first to try to build up the server popularity, but if we do this right, we can have a really interesting mix of stock/custom maps. I have always been a huge fan of custom maps. It's awesome to see how creative people can get with map making. Plus, you all have to admit that it gets old to play the same maps over and over again.

The main point here is that we NEED the community to support this server. Without the help of regulars to promote this, it will die pretty quickly. Please please please make an effort to help pop this, and it would also help if you told other people about this project whenever you are playing on the slayboxes or the funboxes. I really want this server to be a reality, and it will be tough, but it can be done if people like YOU help out.

[Rosey]

I honestly really like this idea, despite the difficulties of getting a custom map server to mesh with this communities (as noted in previous failed attempts). However, I really do believe that this is the best way to get it started. We will need to run a good number of stock maps at first to try to build up the server popularity, but if we do this right, we can have a really interesting mix of stock/custom maps. I have always been a huge fan of custom maps. It's awesome to see how creative people can get with map making. Plus, you all have to admit that it gets old to play the same maps over and over again.

The main point here is that we NEED the community to support this server. Without the help of regulars to promote this, it will die pretty quickly. Please please please make an effort to help pop this, and it would also help if you told other people about this project whenever you are playing on the slayboxes or the funboxes. I really want this server to be a reality, and it will be tough, but it can be done if people like YOU help out.

Not that I don't enjoy censorship as my post was deleted, but there's a reason that this has failed 4 times before, because people in general just dislike custom maps. Whether it's that they don't want to install the map, or learn something new, or whatever the fuck. And we only play the same maps over and over again because people constantly vote for the same ones. There are tons of official maps now, it's just we don't vote for them.

I don't see this server really going that far in the future, imo

[LegendarySurgeon]

Not that I don't enjoy censorship as my post was deleted, but there's a reason that this has failed 4 times before, because people in general just dislike custom maps. Whether it's that they don't want to install the map, or learn something new, or whatever the fuck. And we only play the same maps over and over again because people constantly vote for the same ones. There are tons of official maps now, it's just we don't vote for them.

I think, rather than that they don't like custom maps, people don't like to play on unfamiliar maps. What this amounts to is that whenever the server goes to a map like junction, yukon, hydro, or harvest (the four least played non-event maps) people get more or less confused and quit because they'd rather play on a server with maps they recognize. One thing that might work is limiting the custom maps to only be vote-able with server pop > 20/24 and and force stock maps in between custom maps as cool-down.

[Balubish]

Thanks Failhorse. Hope it will be a hit. I've noticed that several ppl like it. But worth a try and see how it goes. Hope for the best.

Also hope it will work. Personally I would like a Custom slaybox very much, if u get tired of playing the regular maps. I know u have lovenest etc but that are not my kind of games.
I still want the action and competition that are in the slayboxes.

Will join after work help pop that shit up.

[Failhorse]

Not that I don't enjoy censorship as my post was deleted, but there's a reason that this has failed 4 times before, because people in general just dislike custom maps. Whether it's that they don't want to install the map, or learn something new, or whatever the fuck. And we only play the same maps over and over again because people constantly vote for the same ones. There are tons of official maps now, it's just we don't vote for them.

No abject negativity in the news thread. Custom maps isn't what made the server fail in the past. It was the process. And we always decided to give it a go, and Valve would do something that made us reclaim the server for something else. New map rollout, Halloween, ect. We also didn't have things like quickplay and steampipe to help us along. A 40meg map download is about 14 seconds now. And if we stay on stock maps quick play will send us more players.

If anything we'll have a dedicated payload server. A thriving server will bring more regulars. And we can always use more of those. The 'pro' model the server was on, was also not working. For as much pain I hear about crits and spread. Everyone would rather be punished by crits, than work to on making a server stand on its own.

But Cashworks. That's all i should really have to say. That map has been around for ages, and never got any recognition. It's probably the best custom map out there.

[Maringue]

This might work better if there was no voting option and the server had a set map rotation. Of course people could always rock the vote if they really wanted to.

Maybe a stock payload map every other map. That will keep people coming in and now that Steampipe is around, maybe people won't even really notice the map download (unless they have terrible internet) and will stay around once they get in.

The main issue with this kind of server is that all the servers in our community are dependent on random people showing up to fill up. Anything that messes that up (like all custom maps) equals a server that never really pops.

[Failhorse]

This might work better if there was no voting option and the server had a set map rotation. Of course people could always rock the vote if they really wanted to.

Maybe a stock payload map every other map. That will keep people coming in and now that Steampipe is around, maybe people won't even really notice the map download (unless they have terrible internet) and will stay around once they get in.

The main issue with this kind of server is that all the servers in our community are dependent on random people showing up to fill up. Anything that messes that up (like all custom maps) equals a server that never really pops.

The voting is currently setup so every map can be nominated. No waiting a few maps like the other servers, and gives the option to extend the current map. I fucked up and didn't originally put in a minimum player requirement for the custom maps, but it's added now. Server needs 18 people before custom maps will show on the nominate list, or in the voting. I'm not really a fan of rotation servers unless there are 4 or fewer map options. And to make it viable the rotation would be like: 1) badwater 2) upward 3) badwater 4) pipline 5) badwater, ect ect.

Admins are free to adjust the next map via sm_setnextmap if in the server & it's going to a bad map. Right now population and score are the most important function.

[Rosey]

today i learned a question is a source of abject negativity

Also the main problem with rtv is that the threshold is simply too high for it to work, at least on the slayboxes. I've only ever seen a rtv work once, and that was when it was full with regulars.

[Balubish]

Server needs 18 people before custom maps will show on the nominate list, or in the voting.
.

Think u need to restart the server then cause I can nominate custom maps when I am the only one on the server.

[Cash]

Not that I don't enjoy censorship as my post was deleted, but there's a reason that this has failed 4 times before, because people in general just dislike custom maps. Whether it's that they don't want to install the map, or learn something new, or whatever the fuck. And we only play the same maps over and over again because people constantly vote for the same ones. There are tons of official maps now, it's just we don't vote for them.

I think, rather than that they don't like custom maps, people don't like to play on unfamiliar maps. What this amounts to is that whenever the server goes to a map like junction, yukon, hydro, or harvest (the four least played non-event maps) people get more or less confused and quit because they'd rather play on a server with maps they recognize. One thing that might work is limiting the custom maps to only be vote-able with server pop > 20/24 and and force stock maps in between custom maps as cool-down.

I think this sums it up pretty well, but I want to add a comment or two. Part of the reason that maps like junction, yukon, etc don't get played is because many maps simply are not as well-made as maps like badwater or goldrush (or at least they aren't considered as fun to some people). I believe that this leads people to think that any map that doesn't get played often is automatically a bad map, which means that they won't even give custom maps a chance.

Another issue is what you were referring to: playing on a new map sucks. You will all notice that you play much better on maps that you are familiar with. When you know where health packs are, where the best sentry/sniper/camping spots are, and other info like that, you will perform better. This applies to good/bad players alike. That means that when you play on a new map, you underperform according to your own personal standards that you have set based on playing maps you are accustomed to.

These are just a couple of the struggles of starting a server like this, but it can be overcome if people in the community actually support it. That is a major reason we have failed in the past. We have also had trouble on the administrative side, but we think we have fixed that, so now it is up to us as a whole to help out. If you don't think this server is worth starting, that's fine. Just don't actively dissuade people from at least giving it a chance. If we are going to grow as a community, we need to add servers, and I really don't think we want a bunch of simple reincarnations of the slayboxes. We should mix it up, and this is a good way to start.

[Beartato]

We also didn't have things like quickplay and steampipe to help us along. A 40meg map download is about 14 seconds now.

How do QuickPlay and SteamPipe help this? I haven't played TF2 in about a month so I'm honestly out of the loop here. Do they compress a formerly 40 MB map into a smaller package? Because otherwise, that 40 MB download is going to take a lot longer (try 5.5 mins) for people with internet as bad as mine.

That said, if there were a way to download the custom maps ahead of time (with instructions on where to put them, etc. for idiots like myself), it'd be nice to know. I know I'd rather download custom maps while eating dinner rather than while playing on the server.