Decreasing playerbase

[Aberiu]

1) Set a cap on the initial DL and cut any content not making it into that (without mercy), identify how much diversity I can maintain to stabilize the changes (BW has lived many month before just fine when there were no changes)

The download size can be actually greatly reduced in 2 steps:
1) remove all custom characters from the server. Everyone who has them downloaded will still see them.
~100 mb

2) reduce all 2048x2048 textures to 1024x1024 (5.33 mb -> 1.33 mb for DXT5). Can reduce package sizes up to 3 times for several weapons, including fssg, cx85, z250, r9a1, proton gun, akeron, cx61, xoxo, LAW, mk781, gauss rifle, MARS2, MARS3 and many others.
This will affect how weapons look in HD resolutions, but since we play the ugliest looking maps on the server every evening, I suppose not only nobody will give a shit, but it might also happen that nobody will even notice the difference.

Except me

This, by the way, might also be the ultimate solution for botbot's critical errors, gnat's low fps and whoever else complained about bad performance here.
Here's the difference between 2k and 1k:



The texture gets slightly more blurred. I think I actually support this, if it can bring us a couple of new players.

[BladeSword]

For characters it makes sense, in the environment you won't see the difference

[Aberiu]

I was talking about weapons, just used a pic I had for a while as an example.

[Greedisgood]

Ok, so i've found a pretty batch installer with all the stuff being set up in one click. Ill probably just modify it to add the current ballistic files as well. Now the question is, which files should i take? Is there a list somewhere or an up to date archive?

[Azarael]

I will provide one, minus system files as those are updated and will cause them to mismatch.

[ehihehih]

We don't need radical changes, and it certainly isn't too little, too late. The popularity of the Invasion server (the majority of these players have never joined the Freon server) can be provided as evidence stating that there is still an appetite for BW among the general populace.

As for 'constant changes', I think the opposite is in effect; the static balance discrepancies are now being discovered and exploited, whilst luck and 'spam' are being inadvertently rewarded to the detriment of precision shooting. Many players are simply getting bored and frustrated.

And so players leave. I stand by this opinion. The balance is broken (following is not a critique, trying to provide evidence):

• A73 Skirth Rifle alt-fire - 'ramps from 75 damage to 205 damage over 0.7 seconds' (https://ldg-gaming.eu/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=3171). Highly hip accurate, even whilst in mid-air. Can fire 6 bolts per magazine with a high fire-rate. Good players have easily dominated maps using this, especially when combining the powerful primary and melee capabilities.
• Longhorn primary fire - Capaco was shot down, but he's essentially correct. A direct hit of 150 damage, with the majority of shots from hip (the 'luck'). Failing that, the clusters strike (the 'spam'). The most popular weapon on the server for that reason, and it's frustrating a number of players.
• M46 Combat Rifle mines (https://ldg-gaming.eu/viewtopic.php?f=43&t=3147) - 120 damage when attached to a player, with no hope of avoidance. The explosion radius is too high. High damage, with multiple mines stacking (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXvQV6dSv-k). Explosions on death also attribute to the 'luck' factor.
• XMV-850 - (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jvb9oiOkPVs#t=101), with 1200 RPM and aim. Has contributed considerably to my personal frustration and boredom, especially when it's more efficient to move and spam than deploy.

And yes, it is easy to point towards my suggestion of adding back old maps while pointing to the list above, and cry 'hypocrisy'. As for the 'reversion to crap maps', I'm disappointed that you, Aza, highlight such as a reason for losing motivation whilst earlier giving your blessing for such to happen. Maybe gameplay will suffer a wee bit, but I'd rather try to stabilise the population and enjoy my evenings rather than continue to help finance an empty server.

Absolutely and completely (although oddly) agree with you...

[Capaco]

I would like to mention, that e-maxx, damn skippy, Gargol and me were playing on Core freon last sunday.
So there are some of the players... The server is full of spam, more spam than anything but hey its fun.

[Azarael]

If you want to spam, I can upload Ballistic V2.5 for you?

[Qriminal]

Can't wait for the big ol' content update that'll make lots of new life flow into the server.

[Aberiu]

lots of new life flow into the server.