Alternative Voting system

[iRobot]

I think those maps you mentioned killing the server are simply because they are boring. They are fun for the first couple of times, but after that, it's no longer a "trial", you've completed it many times before and doing it again is just a chore. The Venom Arena/Deck Arena are there to somewhat help with this, but not many people use them.

Couple that with the addition of trial vehicles, so there is no player contact whatsoever, makes people feel like they are in single-player, which IMO is more likely to make people fed up and leave. Don't get me wrong, trial vehicles was added with good intentions, but it really doesn't help the multi-player aspect of actually playing UT2004 online.

It might go back to the childish ramming, but I think removing trial vehicles would have more positives than negatives.

As for the late night assault killing the server, it's probably just because assault takes a while, over an hour for some. With it being that late, perhaps they don't have time for a full game, so elect to leave it rather than start it. Obviously some just don't want to play AS full stop but you can't really help that.

On a slightly unrelated note, I would motion for the re-addition of short blitz maps such as Deathrace3 and AnotherRaceZixxer, the RACE map pool is serverly limited right now, with over half of them being pretty much the same map. (The many versions of ScorpionRace, HellbenderRace etc.)

Maybe even fix some old maps, I don't know how long that takes, but people do enjoy new maps.

[darkelf]

On a slightly unrelated note, I would motion for the re-addition of short blitz maps such as Deathrace3 and AnotherRaceZixxer, the RACE map pool is serverly limited right now, with over half of them being pretty much the same map. (The many versions of ScorpionRace, HellbenderRace etc.)

Maybe even fix some old maps, I don't know how long that takes, but people do enjoy new maps.

I wouldn't mind fixing some old race maps. It depends on the map on how long it will take as some of these race maps were made out of Lego's placed together by a 3 year old.

[Coi]

I suddenly remember an idea that I saw on many Trials servers: the ability to vote for a random map for each gametype, besides the normal maps.

That way you would have an AS-RandomMap or RACE-RandomMap in the map voting list. If people can't be bothered to choose, this would be a good choice (and would bring more balance to the game, less overplayed or underplayed maps).

[Azarael]

iRobot, consider that many of these racers can't actually complete the trial maps they leave on. It's another case of "it's too hard for me so I'll rage until some easy rais comes on". As far as I can tell, people still quit on the EMP and Quantum versions of trial maps.

[iRobot]

I don't dispute that, but I feel its not as high as a degree of ragequitting, but personally I don't enjoy the trials version of the cars since it's so singleplayer orientated.

Bear in mind, I despise unarmed race with a passion, so this is like taking unarmed race, and doubling the boringness factor.

[Azarael]

On one hand, singleplayer maps aren't fit for a race server. On the other, trial maps shouldn't be armed and trial maps are the only skilled form of rais.

[iZumo]

I myself am not a fan of unarmed race either, simply for me there is more fun when there is more interaction.

More RACE maps is definitely a positive, regardless of visual shitness (on bearable levels!), there are still some that can be converted.

It's probably true about that there is worse reception on the trial maps for the reasons specified by iRobot, however only BlazingArena & WickedSickRace are the two maps that really need them. Aztec & Derby can be back with collision (actually if there is issue with trial cars with quits, it's on these two).

Random map voting would not go well, for reasons explained in one of the voting topics.

[bOnO]

Why not make a random vote for both gametypes? If you go to "downer easy trial" server, you'll see that they have categorized the maps (easy, shieldgun...) and they have one "random" option for each sort...

I also agree for removing trial cars for derby and aztec, it's less fun without any collisions.

[iRobot]

5 assault maps in a row = server full to empty tonight, all thats left is a few spectators who keep voting assault for some dumbshit reason.

[Azarael]

Server vote logs (backwards)

Obolus[F2] (Assault, short)
HotRace (Rais)
Glacier (Assault)
Protocore (Assault)
SkyRace (Rais)
Mercury (Assault)
BenderRace3 (Rais)
BenderRaceHardcore (Rais)
TheGreatRais (Rais)
Darknight (Rais)
C&C (Rais)
Krystalis (Assault)
Dagopa (Assault)
Zixxer (Rais, very short)
HappyScorp (Rais)
AxisTrack (Rais)
BenderWorld (Rais)
DeathRais (Rais)
Sunshine (Rais)
DeathRace2 (Rais)
WickedSickRais (Rais)
Gasoline (Rais)

My cup of care is empty