An Idea for my server? (I think its good.)

[Dridmar]

So, I've been thinking since Thothie's server got the "Get DLL" thing in the name and whilst chatting to other people about new players that join the game. I've come to an idea of this, would it be a good idea to host a newb server?

My Ideas for the newb server
________________________
-Only have the maps Edana, Edanasewers, Thornlands, Heras, and Sfor.
-MOTD will have the name of this site and where do download the newest patch. (For the users that might of found it while searching Half-Life mods.)
-Could be up for most of the day (If I hosted it.)
-Give the new players hints and tips for the game. (See Below.)

Only those maps because the new players would get most experience training in those areas and they couldn't wander off or try and fight harder monsters. (Like a level 4 swordsman trying to take on Foutpost.)

About giving the new players hints. I remember seeing a thread somewhere here where there were pictures of Edana, and they had floating sprites which had hints on them. I think an Idea like that would be good to have on a server like this. Also, they could recieve help and hints from other players on the server and maybe even start up a friendship. =)

Thus, there is my idea and some reasons why I would think it would great idea for all the new players. Now that I've expressed my idea out to you guys and gals (If there are any.) I would like you to tell me what your opinion on this idea is.

P.S. Don't be afraid Thothie, I would like to see what you post on this idea.

 

[J-M v2.5.5]

Bad idea, because if one player manually tries to transition to a map you don't have, through a transition zone by use of hitting the enter key, the server will crash.

 

[pimpsta]

agreed! Just like the WW4 Map that isn't done yet.... GET THAT DONE!

 

[Dridmar]

Bad idea, because if one player manually tries to transition to a map you don't have, through a transition zone by use of hitting the enter key, the server will crash.

Well, isn't there a way that I could "fix" that, maybe by removing the vote or ripenting the maps and getting rid of the transition points to the harder maps?

 

[evilsquirrel]

you could ripent out the transitions you dont want in there...

actually sounds like a decent idea - since sometimes new players get forced onto maps they can't play and theres no servers running maps they can do things on.

 

[Thothie]

I really wish I had time to replace those old Edana Tutorial plaques. Those always seemed to help the nubs a lot.

 

[Dridmar]

Well, would it be okay for me to ripent out the transition points, or would there be some problem with FN if I do that? Just want to check before I go touch the map files.

Also Thothie, wouldn't it be possible to make some sort of Npc that the players would HAVE to talk to when they started a character? Like a tutor npc who would tell you where to get the newest patch along with other useful bits of information?

Thanks for your replies guys, I am fully committed to hosting a newb server if I could get all the loose ends tied up (map transitions, ect..)

 

[Thothie]

Well, since we've started updating the client.dll - there's not much point in having an NPC that tells them where to get the newest patch - cuz they won't see said NPC without it.

Semblim is supposed to tell players to come near when they spawn, but he's not doing it. He doesn't really have info on how to play the game in anycase.

I'm thinking I'm going to stick a special, invisible NPC at the that goes off when n00bs with 5hp spawns (or make 5hp players trigger an event when they spawn) that makes the plaques appear. Maybe make a console command to toggle them as well.

As for editing the maps in that way, FN shouldn't freak out about that currently, although it may in the future. I've nothing against you removing transitions you don't want, in anycase. If you use restrictive voting, you can keep the vote system intact without recompiling to ignore connected maps.

 

[Dridmar]

Well, since we've started updating the client.dll - there's not much point in having an NPC that tells them where to get the newest patch - cuz they won't see said NPC without it.

^^ I forgot about that, Oops. Would a tutorial type map work? By that I mean having the players go and do things while learning about how the game works. The map wouldn't have new npcs or anything and it would have those plaques that you were talking about earlier?

 

[Thothie]

Edana is the tutorial map.

Basically you wander around edana and see signs like these
(This is these are the old MS 1.35 signs, mind you)



...and my favorite...

Just cuz the last line is so ironic.

 

[Dridmar]

Just thought about the npc idea, you say how they would need the patch to see him. Couldn't you add him in a patch, then remake the installer with that patch? I think its about time to remake the installer, don't you?

 

[Thothie]

Client.dll will likely be changeing every month for the next several months.

Lord K's been doing a fairly good job of keeping the latest patch on the download page.

It is true it is overdue though, but I'm too swamped this month to build a new installer (preferably one with a self-installer and a warning about monthly updates).

 

[Dridmar]

Why not just make a .rar file with the msc mod in it and a "readme" which tells the players how to install and to check the downloads page or your site every month?

 

[Thothie]

Tis not much more effort to make the self-installer, but I've got two people making maps who could have them done by the end of the month, and they both need scripts. Plus a third who maybe done by the month after, and already needs some scripts for testing.

 

[Dridmar]

Okay. As for the newb server, I'll continue to host it with all the maps and everything, while slowly ripenting and removing those trans points. You got any other tips for me?

 

[Thothie]

BSPEdit would probably make a job like that job easier. You can just rename the classname of the unwanted transitions (like "disabled_msarea_transition"), should be safe to leave the spawns alone.

Can't... Actually find a link to BSPEdit by itself ATM... So, I'll host this one.

Set ms_votemap_type 1 to restrict voting, as if you use the standard vote, it'll let people vote for adjacent maps that you may not want them to go to. (Although it won't crash if you delete said maps, just fail to change the map)