Degrading Game Quality

[P@ndel]

Hello everyone.

Today I will be writing about something that has become an apparent to everyone problem: the degrading quality of AC gaming. No, I am not talking about game style or features which used to be discussed with a great passion, but the large amount of public games and servers which provide no real satisfaction to guys like me who seek some real competitiveness. Even TyD and other servers reporting to TyD ladder have not been able to bring back the competitive atmosphere that was once highly successful on the so popular Hi-Skill servers. Unfortunately, after Drakas shut his servers down, there seems to be no good servers left where advanced players can meet to have some nice quality games like it was at the time when THE-HUB, Wotan and EUROZONE servers were around. It also seems that this game without a good ladder as HI-SKILL before it was closed, offers no more than just another means to kill some time as do those free online flash games. I don’t think that my point is an ambiguous one. A quick glance at player profiles we got today would be more than sufficient. Just let me ask you, what is the last time you saw great players like Matasar, Dam, Marriera, n0cu, guys from MA (old MA players) and 3i playing public games? Maybe a few times at most, not more, as opposed to probably everyday encounter with those ass-kicking guys on Hi-Skill servers in the past. I would like to stress that without some quality ladder and quality servers this game, no matter how fun it may be, will not offer much competitiveness and seriousness with which the aforementioned players used to approach this game. I would like to appeal to the developers, to realize this apparent problem, to leave behind the differences in the views on how this game should be developed, and give some credit to Drakas who worked so hard to make this game competitive, and did succeed in this with his once so popular Hi-Skill servers and ladder. I am more than confident that his involvement will only help this game grow, offering some serious competitiveness to some serious players. However, this rests in your hands.

Thank you.

P@ndel

[CicloN]

I agree, I've even stopped playing this beautiful. I think people play other games, like me. Because he lost the joke

[SKB]

stop whining
tl;dr btw

[ShieldyBear]

The Fact that you've managed to insult pwnage and his ladder is awful. I don't see you helping out to make a ladder and bring this "quality" back. I'm pretty sure a lot of people still get good games on TyD!'s ladder.

[P@ndel]

I want to make this loud and clear: my post's aim was to pour some light on how things are. I have absolutely no hard feelings to anyone, or anything, so I am not insulting anyone. I am just stating the facts. Of course, you may not like those facts, but still they remain. So, those who are aiming at making this something it is clearly not, please refrain of posting here. Else, your posts will be reported.

I am here to open a discussion on something that is real and bothering lots of people. Thank you.

[kitty]

"...you saw great players like Matasar, Dam, Marriera, n0cu, guys from MA (old MA players) and 3i playing public games? " ...

....

roflmao oh dudes. Seems like u fall in love with drakas? D: he is mine! u heared it? MINE!

[ShieldyBear]

Lol, it's quite obvious in your post that you're being harsh on Pwnage's efforts. I could name a lot of reasons as to why the TyD is better. Stop trying to cause arguments.

[ph4ntom]

I think people play other games, like me. Because he lost the joke.

+1
no more fun in the game, but swearing. =/

[Robtics]

Hey we're having a lot of good games with a lot of skilled and friendly players which makes the game fun!

Do you even play on others servers since your beloved hi-skill servers are offline? Regularly?

[P@ndel]

Hey we're having a lot of good games with a lot of skilled and friendly players which makes the game fun!

Do you even play on others servers since your beloved hi-skill servers are offline? Regularly?

Everyday.

[Woolly]

So the issue is what? The ladder is driving away people? The only argument I see here is that you don't like the TyD ladder and I don't see why:

They are busy 90% of the time, they offer servers from all over the world, it is updated regularly, and it has active admins keeping away team fixers/hackers/tossers and so on...

Perhaps you should be constructive and suggest something some improvements, or create your own ladder. Do what ever stops your tears the quickest.

As far as I can see well known players have been coming and going in this game for the past 3 years I've played, this isn't anything new and complaining that a proper ladder is the reason is baseless reason. There are plenty of servers which are consecutively full day in and out which have never had any part of the old ladder systems, or the one implemented now.

[kitty]

high skill server were normal server too, only that many ppl who activly played on it had admin and did a good job,so it happend more often that u found good games there cuz we admins banned out the crap. i dont think that the gone of high skill is a reason for any change witch happend in ac

[Boomhauer]

I would play on the TyD ladders honestly, if I could get a decent ping on them... I think pwnage has done great with the ladder, but no one is ever on them :( ....

[P@ndel]

I think pwnage has done great with the ladder, but no one is ever on them :( ....

True, he has done some amazing things. However, when you compare TyD servers with HS servers, you would see that HS servers were much more popular and competitive than TyD ones. And this in no way should be regarded as an insult to pwnage. After all, you cannot control what people would go for. It is a matter of preference, nothing more.

[CicloN]

Pandel is not insulting Pwnage . The fact is , we lost great players . And i think 2 Ladders would be better than just 1 . TyD ladder is great but Hi skill was too . Hi-Skill was a life of a lot of people in this game . (i am not saying TyD ladder sucks or anything )

[kitty]

maybe it is because behaviours of ppl and amount off ppl changed with new version and drakas' server were on the old one?

[MykeGregory]

i still feel there is enough competitiveness. but i'm not quite at a clan level of skill.
thats probs why.

[Woolly]

I find the TyD servers competitive. When the DESies and I noticed that we were closing in on TyD a few months ago we openly challenged and set out to beat them for the year. The battle for 2010 is over, but the 2011 battle has just begun and there are a lot of clans making huge leaps in points BC, iOD, and BME have all stepped up and are giving us who are watching the clanwar section of points a hard time.

Not the mention the overall sector where I'm constantly having return to ladder to hold my place with Apollo, Opensource and others right on my heels.

As for fun and competitive game play, I personally see it a lot. I recall this match being one of the most fast paced and fun I've ever had on ac when I was doing everything to pass Apollo on the ladder:

[jAcKRoCk*]

I can never seem to find anyone in the TyD ladder servers, i do play inters with some old friends, but still It's rare to find good games now.

I know My opinion may not have the same efect on people compared to one of You, however i see what P@ndel It's talking about, there are millions of new players yes but half of them have no clue of what a maprot is, or respect to other players, It's quite a shame to see this game everytime i Connect with Headshot City, ac_douze in CTF or DM or T/OSOK in most of active servers, and when i finally find a server with lets say ac_shine i got kicked or banned because thr people think i cheat or almost every few seconds there's someone trying to vote douze in any mode.
The fact that we have lost some good players It's really a shame, but I'm more scared of the lack of new ones, the only times i see good and fun games is in BC DES and TyD servers when an admin is in place (not Very often)
So yeah those are My feelings if anyone was interested

[ph4ntom]

ok
we will meet and play on some server, for fun
maybe all days or all nights, is the only solution
to remember old good times.
not worth discussing, those players are out of ac.

[pwnage{TyD}]

Even TyD and other servers reporting to TyD ladder have not been able to bring back the competitive atmosphere that was once highly successful on the so popular Hi-Skill servers.

The AC Ladder (or also known as the TyD ladder) existed long before the Hi-skill. It have existed for 3 years (with breaks), as it was originally written in the area of .93.
All my servers including the other servers that contributes keeps a very high standard from a well maintained blacklist, nicknameblacklist, maprotation, in game admins, and backend administration tools.

The competitive atmoshphere have always been here. For those of you who were here before the demise of the third ladder (then runned by Clown) in the end of June / July 2009 remember the games we had. And yet still have! With a much more growing playerlevels than before!

.. there seems to be no good servers left where advanced players can meet to have some nice quality games

orly?





I remember once posted on the hi-skill boards when RandumKiwi changed his opionion about his server contributions. I read a phrase that "No one plays the TyD ladder"

I would play on the TyD ladders honestly, if I could get a decent ping on them... I think pwnage has done great with the ladder, but no one is ever on them :( ....

Is that so? :O


http://ladder.tearyoudown.com/clanwar/totals.cgi
http://ladder.tearyoudown.com/1.0/clanwar/totals.cgi

http://ladder.tearyoudown.com/totals.cgi <-- scroll down to view total amount of players since August last year.

Perhaps it is just some individuals that doesn't see it. Maybe there are something specific things missing that you would like to point out Pandel?

True, he has done some amazing things. However, when you compare TyD servers with HS servers, you would see that HS servers were much more popular and competitive than TyD ones. And this in no way should be regarded as an insult to pwnage. After all, you cannot control what people would go for. It is a matter of preference, nothing more.

Like you say yourself, it's a matter of what people would go for. I feel that people picked my servers (and other contributing servers for that case) because the service we provided were the best, in many people's eyes. To be honest I love to fell into a good maprotation where I can get stuck for hours having fun competing with others. Without having to worry about tossers that wants to ruin gameplay or any cheaters for that matter. We have always had a very comprehended blacklist, which have managed to keep the majority of cheats away.

So you have to excuse me for not wanting to play at servers where it was a 5 map rotation for 10 months before it was something else than ctf mines, power, shine, and sunset 24/7. Thats' like having a car, and you're only driving it backwards.
And were many cheaters could connect whenever they wanted, because they knew if they were dynamic it was a very slim chance that they would get banned anyway.

[jAcKRoCk*]

That was My point they are gone but there are no new ones

[Woolly]

That was My point they are gone but there are no new ones

People come and go, it can't be helped. There is no possible way AC is going to please and cater to everyone one.

Just look at the current version, when that started tons of old players quit AC either temporarily or completely because they didn't like it.

The biggest reason for people leaving that I've seen in my time playing AC is life.

Luckily there is a constant inflow of new blood coming to AC many exhibit the same skills and traits which made all those "great" players so renown. We'll soon see a whole host of new individuals who will be the well known and top players.

[MorganKell]

The competitive atmoshphere have always been here. For those of you who were here before the demise of the third ladder (then runned by Clown) in the end of June / July 2009 remember the games we had. And yet still have! With a much more growing playerlevels than before!

|KH| will rise again! I remember us owning the Clanwar back in the day too. Time for a return to glory!

P.S. If the Hi-Skill were running we'd own that too. But that little issue with it being DOWN and all, TyDizzle is the obvious choice for awesomeness incarnate. They put up theirs and ask nothing in return. Hi-Skill doesn't. TyD has a maprot. Hi-Skill doesn't. As the ladder has become a necessary evil it is only natural that I go with the one best catering to it's users. As of right now that is currently TyD's.

[Joe Smith]

The HS server were pub games just with more notable people playing on them, any server out there can be a competitive server, it just getting people to play on them. Ac is supposed to be about fun. If people just suck it up and play then more people would be on those servers.

If would help if TyD severs actually said TyD server then people would know to flock to them, hello common sense, why do you think it was so easy for people to get on Hs servers, cuz it actually said Hi-Skill on them.

I dont think Ac needs or has to have a server for competitive gaming, i dont think AC had a solid laddar till HS, and how many people played. people are taking the Hs being shut down to far, and making it the reason to not play AC anymore, which is retarded.

The more that other play the more competitive it will be. It just getting those stuck up people that think there has to be a ladder for competitive play, to actually play.

I personally liked the ladder, and i thank drakas for putting his hard work into, but pandal you need to stop kissing ass man, either say something thats on your mind without brining him up, or let him say what he has to say.

HS is not a good reason for not playing ac, or a reason to play. Play ac for the reason it was meant for FUN. also clan matches have sky rocketed since and that is nice. that actually increases skill.

HS server were no dif than any other server, ( all it did was keep score ) it was just an easier landmark that people knew other player would be there. I could easily say hey every one lets start filling up LIMBO or another server. umm eventually people would have it full all the time with competitive play.

---i guarantee you if you put Hi-Skill server on a server, it would fill up with competitive players. Even if it didnt have a ladder attached to it. Think about it.

those are my opinions.

[P@ndel]

but pandal you need to stop kissing ass man, either say something thats on your mind without brining him up, or let him say what he has to say.

Couldn't stop laughing at that for a while. But...

1. Drakas did not know that I was going to post this.
2. What I posted was my personal view on how things develop in AC.
3. My post aims at providing a suggestion on how things can be improved from my point of view, which I shared with everyone, and do not understand how it can be "kissing ass", as you put it.
4. If Drakas sees, or told by someone about this topic, he may say something about it, but I doubt it.

I just wish people did not take everything so personal. I specifically asked to leave behind personal problems people have with each other, and make a neutral, meaningful discussion of the issue that bothers not only me, but a majority of other players that I encounter while playing AC, or just chatting on IRC. I ask that not for Drakas, not for w00p or TyD, but for AC.

[MykeGregory]

just had several games were people just LOOOOOOVEE to team kill me. thats the only thing that gets me down about this game.

[Orynge]

I love playing on the TyD servers, the problem is that because of my timezone, I don't see people on that much. :(

I think Hi-Skill turned some people into "people that play games for points", rather than "people who play games for fun".

[Mael]

Nothing but rederick.

[#M|A#Wolf]

I'm pretty sure that if there was a server called "{TyD} Server Ladder" with red and blue colors or something similar like the former HI-SKILL server, it would work as the main TyD server ladder and make more interest for people, just as HI-SKILL was for us.

I don't mean taking out every single TyD server and only having one main server. I mean leaving the ones we got right now, but change the name from one of them and make it represent as the main server from the TyD ladder.