Decreasing playerbase

[Greedisgood]

I guess that kinda proves the necessity of some guidelines. So we can do loadscreens with massive tips and post them on forums for you to process?

[Aberiu]

Post a sketch first, then if it looks ok and useful I might help you with the visual part.

[Greedisgood]

[Aberiu]

The right size is this:
http://orig11.deviantart.net/d190/f/201 ... 8rfqsk.jpg
Don't forget that players will also see "loading" and map name on top of your picture.
Generally speaking if you want your text to be actually read it should be shorter (the one in my example is basically decorative and doesn't provide any useful information).
I used blueprint background for the recent loading screens, if you want to try the same approach (cause it would be a bit more consistent this way, we already have 2 types of BW loading screens + map screens), I can share .psd with layers and effects.

I think I'd pick the blueprint background, align text to the grid, make the turret screenshot look like an old photo lying on top of the blueprint
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/e ... ograph.jpg
and small wrench UI shot could be a piece of a film
http://thumbs.dreamstime.com/z/old-filmstrip-679686.jpg
Just suggesting.

[Greedisgood]

Ill try to adapt it on weekend. Not sure about the text amount, the problem is that a lot of players are simply unable to figure out how to build stuff. Many features also require additional explanation, friendly fire and permanent death among them. I even wanted to include some special tips like building underwater, shaking people off your gun and setting up traps but there is not enough space for all of that on one screen. Maybe i could split it. Adding countering guides would also be useful - i'd rather share these before constant failures to duel the turret like any other wep get it nerfed.

[Aberiu]

The problem is that in many cases maps load in several seconds, which isn't enough to read even some of the stock UT tips which are pretty short, so long texts cause frustration instead of being useful.
Try to split it in short and memorable parts maybe, so you can read one at a time and remember which one you already know.
I uploaded blueprint bg here http://sta.sh/01he8xmxgdq4

[iZumo]

This imo is the fundamental reason for the decline.

This server worked because it was constantly evolving and changing. That system suited us all very well when I was almost always available, but with me currently attending to another commitment, this server is stagnating. I do plan to do something about that, but I have to finish what I'm doing elsewhere before I can seriously commit to it.

IMO the situation is more complicated. There's was a group of players that became eventually annoyed by the constant changes (since those weren't just additions, but included overhauls or changes of the stuff people were used to), but it can be safely assumed those players are gone. Now there's a group of players that loves the changes, but if the changes stop, their interest will naturaly decline as well.

Another thing (and I don't want to grade that) is how n00b friendly the server is and how that changed over time. There are no real "farm servers" (for obvious reasons), which means part of the farming has to really be there to keep n00bs attracted.

The problem is that in many cases maps load in several seconds, which isn't enough to read even some of the stock UT tips which are pretty short, so long texts cause frustration instead of being useful.
Try to split it in short and memorable parts maybe, so you can read one at a time and remember which one you already know.
I uploaded blueprint bg here http://sta.sh/01he8xmxgdq4

Most people don't play UT2004 from SSD, which means with all the BW content to cache they'll see it for a long time

[iRobot]

Last night I saw some people leaving the server. It was tragic.

[ZioFede]

how did you cope with that

[Nardaq_NL]

revert settings from 2011 it was bussy 20/7. so i can get my shotgun back