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03-08-2022, 06:02 PM
There is no use in saying 'x must be fixed' or 'y should be implemented' and pretend like that is going to magically fix all the problems. It only leads to false beliefs about what the community needs. More often than not it is just one's own idea one wanted to voice. It is not helpful in any way and pisses off management/devs as much as it pisses the players off for feeling like they were not heard.
It makes most sense to solve this problem systematically:
First of all, there must be a defined goal. Without a goal there cannot be a problem. As official statements do not cross my mind as of writing this, I assume the goal to be that the community survives. For that it needs members (of which it has plenty) and a space to meet (which are forums/discord/server).
As I do not use Discord anymore, I will have to concede that field of subject to someone else.
As for the forums: They are actually great. One of the few websites i can browse without cringing too much at 'modern design principles'. It is proper text communicating over the internet, it has all the information a player needs. I wouldnt necessariy count it towards the mandatory requirements for community survival. That's the server's role. However, I would appreciate a bit more activity. Players will only go on the forums if there is something to do. As an example: If you allow them to make suggestions and interact with their ideas, they will make suggestions. If you block that, they won't post. Granted, it could use some activity, but I don't see why that couldn't come from the management role either. Suggestion: You have the roleplay category where players can share their roleplay stories. Why don't you use it to post about the RPs happening daily in some kind of 'newspaper' format. Just to inform the players that something is going on on the servers. It does not have to be that much of an effort, but could boost forum interaction and server interest.
Onto the server: This is the most crucial part as it is the main community interaction. Server survival necessarily means it has to be filled with players. Specifically two things are of utmost importance: player recruitment (e.g. how are new people going to find the server to play on it?) and player retention (e.g. why should they stay?).
For player recruitment, we might see a grim future. Garry's Mod is an old game and not exactly popular at the moment. Everyone is anticipating S&Box which will in the long term take over Garry's Mod's playerbase anyway, so you should look out for possible ventures there. As for staying on Garry's Mod (which I feel is like trying to keep an old CS 1.6 server alive when everyone is playing CS:GO), you will need to recruit new members: The server needs to be known and easily accessible. That, in short, means the following:
Everything on this list is more important than content (which is player retention): If you can get no new players to join because the setup is tedious and time-consuming, your content has no value. Now, lets assume we have made someone join for the first time and having them play a little. We need to discuss strategies to keep most (preferably all) of them interested and invested in the game.
But first and foremost: FIX THE GAMEMODE!
I don't care that it crashes less and neither do newcomers. If missing models/textures, glitched cars, low framerate, ugly designs, non-functioning items and the like are a common occurence you have to fix it. No shrugging and telling the player to fix their game. Fix your gamemode! Now, lets continue:
For players to be interested there must be some kind of progression (e.g. money, cars, status, RPP, whatever) they can follow. If there is nothing to do, players might as well get on another server where they have something to do. Keep in mind, that players should not be forced to do something, as that will make progression feel like a chore. Rather just offer the progression as a way of keeping the player busy when they are about to get bored.
For players to be invested the progression must hold some kind of value (e.g. time/resources spent, group activity). If you progress very easily the player will feel not feel invested, as whatever they get done has no relevant meaning other than time spent on the server. If you progress hardly at all, the player will feel frustrated, as though it is impossible go forward and get something done. Remember, many players have working lives and cannot spend more than 2 hours on games. Striking the balance between too easy and too hard is key here and depends on what kind of progression you add.
Again, do not force the player to do something as a setup just in order to play (e.g. you can only buy cars after you have passed a driving test or something like that), but retain players via meaningful progression. If they do not want to progress, they can also just hop on to chill, because you dont force them to progress, so thats a bonus.
Also: This game is a multiplayer game, so it should come as to no surprise that player interaction is the most valuable resource you can have on the server. Make sure players interact with each other to add to the experience of everyone involved. Some contra-whore at the end of the map is not adding value to the server, so you should refrain from supporting that kind of playstyle!
All of that is meaningless, if no one cares to implement it.
These changes (and all others, of course) require a functioning team with a clear structure and concise working procedure to pull off. While I haven't had a look behind the scenes for a long time now, one reoccuring theme has always been: Mismanagement.
Yes, I know, everyone on the team is committing their free time to do voluntary unpaid work. Still, management must make sure that the team is actually committed. If your constant excuse for underperforming is "it is my free time", then it is time for management to kick you out. If this community is to thrive, then someone needs to pull the strings. And that means, that someone has to actually care as though it was their primary job. I don't care about promoting your friends, preferring sympathy or even selling admin slots, but keep everyone committed and kick everyone out who is not committed.
As for the work: You need precise and in-depth protocols for devs/admins to follow regarding their work. Check-in on them to make sure how they are doing and make sure they follow that protocol. If the protocol is great and is followed, the result will be great, regardless of who executes it. If your protocol is bad (or worse: you dont have one) you are dependant on skilled people to execute your plans greatly and will have to deal with their constant nagging as well. As much as you would like for everyone to be a happy family, it will most likely not be able to sustain this community. Think of admins/devs as a resource you can allocate and replace as needed. Because, that's what they are and any denial of that will hurt your performance.
Anyway, these are just the 2 cents from a sane person about this. There is so much more one could talk about (gamemode-specific for example), but that is all I have time for today.
It makes most sense to solve this problem systematically:
First of all, there must be a defined goal. Without a goal there cannot be a problem. As official statements do not cross my mind as of writing this, I assume the goal to be that the community survives. For that it needs members (of which it has plenty) and a space to meet (which are forums/discord/server).
As I do not use Discord anymore, I will have to concede that field of subject to someone else.
As for the forums: They are actually great. One of the few websites i can browse without cringing too much at 'modern design principles'. It is proper text communicating over the internet, it has all the information a player needs. I wouldnt necessariy count it towards the mandatory requirements for community survival. That's the server's role. However, I would appreciate a bit more activity. Players will only go on the forums if there is something to do. As an example: If you allow them to make suggestions and interact with their ideas, they will make suggestions. If you block that, they won't post. Granted, it could use some activity, but I don't see why that couldn't come from the management role either. Suggestion: You have the roleplay category where players can share their roleplay stories. Why don't you use it to post about the RPs happening daily in some kind of 'newspaper' format. Just to inform the players that something is going on on the servers. It does not have to be that much of an effort, but could boost forum interaction and server interest.
Onto the server: This is the most crucial part as it is the main community interaction. Server survival necessarily means it has to be filled with players. Specifically two things are of utmost importance: player recruitment (e.g. how are new people going to find the server to play on it?) and player retention (e.g. why should they stay?).
For player recruitment, we might see a grim future. Garry's Mod is an old game and not exactly popular at the moment. Everyone is anticipating S&Box which will in the long term take over Garry's Mod's playerbase anyway, so you should look out for possible ventures there. As for staying on Garry's Mod (which I feel is like trying to keep an old CS 1.6 server alive when everyone is playing CS:GO), you will need to recruit new members: The server needs to be known and easily accessible. That, in short, means the following:
- Advertisement: The server browser puts FL at a disadvantage because obviously not many servers run the FL gamemode. Which is why you will need a lot of advertisement, even branding. Work together with popular (gmod) YouTubers/Twitch Streamers and get the gamemode known. Invest in Google Ads and/or produce a professionally made trailer. If people won't know it, they can't join it.
- Downloads: First impressions matter! Cutting down on the insanely long loading/downloading (for first-timers) time is crucial. Most people will not bother coming on, if it takes 10 minutes to load in.
- Rules: FL is known for having a long set of rules one is expected to read before starting to play adding to the already too long setup time. Reason being: "The average ban is much longer than the hour you will spend reading our rules.". While rules are not bad per say, some of the rules are harmful to the server as they add unnecessary complexity and/or are hardly enforcable/try to force a certain playstyle possibly not preferred by players. Keep only the most necessary of rules. You will still have plenty to go by. Make them simple and easy to understand.
- Complexity: Gamemode complexity can be something very good, as it can aid in keeping players invested in the gamemode, however be wary of beginners. Sure, there should always be something you can learn to do in the gamemode, but you shouldn't be forced to learn everything before you can start playing in a meaningful way. Remember: The earlier the player gets to do what they came for (which is playing), the better.
Everything on this list is more important than content (which is player retention): If you can get no new players to join because the setup is tedious and time-consuming, your content has no value. Now, lets assume we have made someone join for the first time and having them play a little. We need to discuss strategies to keep most (preferably all) of them interested and invested in the game.
But first and foremost: FIX THE GAMEMODE!
I don't care that it crashes less and neither do newcomers. If missing models/textures, glitched cars, low framerate, ugly designs, non-functioning items and the like are a common occurence you have to fix it. No shrugging and telling the player to fix their game. Fix your gamemode! Now, lets continue:
For players to be interested there must be some kind of progression (e.g. money, cars, status, RPP, whatever) they can follow. If there is nothing to do, players might as well get on another server where they have something to do. Keep in mind, that players should not be forced to do something, as that will make progression feel like a chore. Rather just offer the progression as a way of keeping the player busy when they are about to get bored.
For players to be invested the progression must hold some kind of value (e.g. time/resources spent, group activity). If you progress very easily the player will feel not feel invested, as whatever they get done has no relevant meaning other than time spent on the server. If you progress hardly at all, the player will feel frustrated, as though it is impossible go forward and get something done. Remember, many players have working lives and cannot spend more than 2 hours on games. Striking the balance between too easy and too hard is key here and depends on what kind of progression you add.
Again, do not force the player to do something as a setup just in order to play (e.g. you can only buy cars after you have passed a driving test or something like that), but retain players via meaningful progression. If they do not want to progress, they can also just hop on to chill, because you dont force them to progress, so thats a bonus.
Also: This game is a multiplayer game, so it should come as to no surprise that player interaction is the most valuable resource you can have on the server. Make sure players interact with each other to add to the experience of everyone involved. Some contra-whore at the end of the map is not adding value to the server, so you should refrain from supporting that kind of playstyle!
All of that is meaningless, if no one cares to implement it.
These changes (and all others, of course) require a functioning team with a clear structure and concise working procedure to pull off. While I haven't had a look behind the scenes for a long time now, one reoccuring theme has always been: Mismanagement.
Yes, I know, everyone on the team is committing their free time to do voluntary unpaid work. Still, management must make sure that the team is actually committed. If your constant excuse for underperforming is "it is my free time", then it is time for management to kick you out. If this community is to thrive, then someone needs to pull the strings. And that means, that someone has to actually care as though it was their primary job. I don't care about promoting your friends, preferring sympathy or even selling admin slots, but keep everyone committed and kick everyone out who is not committed.
As for the work: You need precise and in-depth protocols for devs/admins to follow regarding their work. Check-in on them to make sure how they are doing and make sure they follow that protocol. If the protocol is great and is followed, the result will be great, regardless of who executes it. If your protocol is bad (or worse: you dont have one) you are dependant on skilled people to execute your plans greatly and will have to deal with their constant nagging as well. As much as you would like for everyone to be a happy family, it will most likely not be able to sustain this community. Think of admins/devs as a resource you can allocate and replace as needed. Because, that's what they are and any denial of that will hurt your performance.
Anyway, these are just the 2 cents from a sane person about this. There is so much more one could talk about (gamemode-specific for example), but that is all I have time for today.