[H0ok3r w A P3n1s™]

I've noticed that after some settings were changed on the d2 DM server, it's been harder to get it populated.

1. ISSUE/OBSERVATION: The server now only has 3 bots per team (when server is empty); it used to have 5v5. At least for me, when there's only three enemies on a map the size of d2, you end up spending most of your time running around trying to find someone to kill... especially if they're all bots, cuz bots tend to stop/camp in areas for long periods of time. Since it's been hard to fill the server lately, I've been playing on some other DM servers as well. I've noticed that one of them tends to fill up quickly even if only a handful of people are playing, and (IMO) it's because they have 6 bots per team.. so that even if you're only playing against bots, you still run into targets frequently. I tend to stay in servers longer if there's a lot to shoot at, because I get bored just running around a map (which is also why I play DM pretty much exclusively these days).

SUGGESTED ACTION: Increase the number of bots on the server to 5 (what it used to be) or more, so that the server has 5v5 minimum at all times. Alternatively, maybe add a command [e.g. !bots] that allows users to vote to increase or decrease the number of bots. When all the players in the server are having fun knifing, for example, having bots shooting at everyone gets pretty annoying. Or to keep it simpler, just have the command allow users to vote bots on or off, and have it reset once the population falls below a certain number (e.g. when it's only 2v2).

2. ISSUE/OBSERVATION: The spawn protection time is just slightly shorter than it used to be, which makes it significantly easier to spawn camp. After spending some time playing with the current (lower) duration, I think that the previous setting was better. I personally don't have much issue with it, but some players (weaker/newer players) seem to get fed up quickly when they're getting spawn killed over and over again, and they fairly often end up disconnecting.

SUGGESTED ACTION: Increase the spawn protection duration just a little (maybe 500-1000ms), or to what it was before if you remember what it was. This action I wouldn't say is really that necessary, but I think it would help retain population a bit.

3. ISSUE/OBSERVATION: The random weapons option on the menu is fun sometimes, but being able to choose what weapons are cycled through would be even better! Whenever I choose random weapons, I seem to get guns like the autoshotty and UMP much more often than regular/common weapons like m4, ak, etc.

SUGGESTED ACTION: If possible, create a "custom random weapons" menu option. Here's a mockup of what I have in mind (modified/new items in orange and yellow text):

1. New weapons
2. Same weapons
3. Same weapons every time
4. Random weapons
[INDENT]1. Auto random weapons
2. Custom random weapons
[INDENT]1. ADD Primary weapons
[INDENT]1. Add ALL
2. Add SHOTGUNS
[INDENT]1. M3
2. Auto-shotty[/INDENT]
3. Add SMGs
[INDENT]1. mac10
2. TMP
3. mp5
4. UMP
5. p90[/INDENT]
4. Add RIFLES
[INDENT]1. Galil
2. Famas
3. AK-47
4. M4A1
5. Krieg (SG-552)
6. Bullpup (AUG)[/INDENT]
5. Add MACHINE GUNS
[INDENT]1. m249[/INDENT]
6. Add SNIPER RIFLES
[INDENT]1. Scout
2. G3 SG/1 (T Autosniper)
3. SG550 (CT Autosniper)
4. AWP[/INDENT][/INDENT]
2. ADD Secondary weapons (pistols)
[INDENT]1. Add ALL
2. Glock
3. USP
4. P228
5. Desert Eagle
6. Five-Seven
7. Dual Elites[/INDENT]
3. REMOVE Primary weapons
[INDENT]1. Remove ALL
2. Remove SHOTGUNS
[INDENT]1. M3
2. Auto-shotty[/INDENT]
3. Remove SMGs
[INDENT]1. mac10
2. TMP
3. mp5
4. UMP
5. p90[/INDENT]
4. Remove RIFLES
[INDENT]1. Galil
2. Famas
3. AK-47
4. M4A1
5. Krieg (SG-552)
6. Bullpup (AUG)[/INDENT]
5. Remove MACHINE GUNS
[INDENT]1. m249[/INDENT]
6. Remove SNIPER RIFLES
[INDENT]1. Scout
2. G3 SG/1 (T auto-sniper)
3. SG550 (CT auto-sniper)
4. AWP[/INDENT][/INDENT]
4. ADD Secondary weapons (pistols)
[INDENT]1. Remove ALL
2. Glock
3. USP
4. P228
5. Desert Eagle
6. Five-Seven
7. Dual Elites[/INDENT]
5. RESET/CLEAR ALL[/INDENT][/INDENT]
5. Random weapons every time
[INDENT]1. AUTO random weapons every time
2. CUSTOM random weapons every time
[/INDENT]

Or, if that is too complicated, just have the "Custom random weapons" menu display a list of all weapons, with checkboxes next to each... like

2. Custom random weapons
[INDENT]1. [ x ] Deagle [ x ]
2. [ ] AK-47
3. [ ] TMP
4. [ x ] Scout
5. [ ] M4A1
6. [ x ] AWP
7. ...etc...[/INDENT]

^in which pressing a number enables/diables that particular weapon ("x" for enabled, "(blank)" for disabled)... so a player with the above selection would have a Deagle as his/her pistol, and his/her primary weapon would switch between Scout and AWP (randomly). Alternatively, you could just have a number of presets/loadouts to choose from.. things like "Most Common Weapons," "Least Common Weapons," "SMGs + Pistols only," "Rifles + Pistols only," etc. Again, I'm not even sure if this idea is even possible to implement, but if it can be, I think it would be a cool feature to add (and would be unique to wL servers, as I've never seen something like that before).

4. ISSUE/OBSERVATION: Sometimes the server is restarted without warning, and when it does, the server almost inevitably dies out. For example, a week or two ago the server got up to a solid 10v10, and after it was restarted, only 3-4 people rejoined. I stuck around for another 30min-1hr to see if others would come back, but they never did.

SUGGESTED ACTION: Pick a time to reset the servers, like 12:00am CST, and reset them at that time every night. Have the reset time announced every so often in the in-game chat. Something like:

This server is restarted every night at 12:00am Central Standard Time.

If you get stuck on the "Connecting..." screen, type "retry" (without quotes) in console and press Enter to rejoin.

...and/or...

Announce that the server will be restarting 30mins, 15mins, and 5mins before it's restarted, so that players are aware that it's going to happen in advance. Both would be best IMO. Also, what I've seen done on other servers is that an admin will post a poll in-game asking whether or not players think the server should be restarted. I liked that idea too.

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I feel like I've forgotten a couple ideas I had, so if I remember anything else, I will update this post with additional ideas/suggestions (below).