The future of multiplayer?

Black Mesa Archive The Cafeteria
#1

I thoroughly enjoy Black Mesa multiplayer, just as I did with the original Half Life. I think the multiplayer gameplay is fantastic which really captures the style of gameplay from Half Life with some great unique tweaks. With every update it gets better and generally everyone I speak to ingame agrees. But there’s one crucial element which brings down multiplayer. The lack of players.

I completely understand that the game is in early access but the player base of this game is worryingly small and I’m concerned that if it will ever grow into what it deserves, even when released. Whenever I log in there is only one or two servers with players and often there’s less than 10 players online in total. I fire up Black Mesa, keen to play online but when I do so I just can’t find many players. Sometimes there’s none playing at all! Whats worse is that the player base, from what I’ve seen, appears to be shrinking. There is less and less activity on the servers everytime I log on to play.

As a result of the lack of players, one server has the monopoly of players. This server is horrific, with an uptight and rude admin, who thinks he’s superior to the players, imposing ridiculous rules of ‘fairplay’ who BANS players for having a too high K / D ratio (when he bans the K / D is never that high anyways). This server ruins the game and with the lack of players there’s nothing you can do to avoid the horrific server. Many have been banned and they now cannot even play the game because there’s simply not enough players. I’m sure you all know which server I’m talking about.

I suppose I don’t really know the point of this post. I just felt like ranting as I love the game and I can’t understand why there is so little players. Is this likely to improve substantially when the game comes out of early access?

Thanks :slight_smile:

#2

I know that feel, bro. The multiplayer is dead for me too, because i am banned on that server too, for… my steam profile isnot two years old. LOL
To bad that server has nogloun, notau option which i like but that KD addon suks, and yes the admins are morons.

for more:
https://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/530645961932850126/

#3

Wow… I can’t believe you have to have a steam account older than 2 years. They are destroying the small playerbase we have, banning people left right and centre for no good reason. Those banned will give up trying to find players in other servers and leave the game, further reducing the player base… And yes, I agree with the posts there. The admin just sits in spectate to increase the player numbers in the server browser. Look at the hours played in Black Mesa.

I don’t want to make this thread an attack on them though, rather about the low amount of players. That server is certainly not helping though.

#4

you can use family sharing and bypass the ban, but doesnot really matter if you get high KD even with a pistol…

#5

It’ll probably get better once it’s fully released. And this one server isn’t gonna be a monopoly forever, I wouldn’t worry too much about it. Be a bit more proactive and set up your own server?

#6

I have indeed set up my own server :slight_smile: But sadly there are too many to support the current amount of players. With the other one going AFK in spectate almost all day, people join since it says there’s a player in there. Occasionally mine gets a few players, but once one server gets busy everyone just jumps into the one with most players :frowning: I’m not too fussed if people join mine or not, though.

#7

Provide proof to back up your claims, give me examples where i’ve been rude, preferably screenshots.

We have complete control over what rules are active on any of our servers, if you don’t like it feel free to move to another one or open up your own, we don’t force you or anyone to play here.

Like i’ve said in my earlier posts, the ban is temporary and the plugin will not kick for a K/D lower than 7.

The kick and ban are automatic, not manual.

Somehow you don’t see the double standard, you complain we ruin your game by kicking you for high K/D but you don’t take into account youre ruining the game for others by playing with significantly less skilled players.

See https://steamcommunity.com/app/362890/discussions/0/598199244890377223/#c530645446313788694 for more info.

After they have been warned multiple times, and no there arent many, there are LESS than 5 people permanently banned from our Black Mesa server that were not from imported bans from HL2DM.

If it’s so horrific, how come it has monopol over the player base as you claim in your post, we must be doing something right to get player to keep playing here.

As far as raw server performance goes, ★UG★ servers are some of the best you will ever find in any game they are present.

If you would like to prove me wrong, provide net_graph 4 screenshots or other data indicating our servers are not among the best in the game as far as performance goes.

#8

I’m sure your aware that I cannot provide a screenshot of any sign of rudeness because I don’t archive screenshots everytime someones rude. Though, I’m confident that if many regular players who play online read this forum they can backup my claim. Bit silly to ask for screenshots.

The plugin is unfair. What if you got higher than 7 kills with 0 deaths, you’re rewarded with a ban? That’s easy to do, even for someone fairly new to the game. The server is discouraging other players, shrinking the number of players further, which is the problem. I’m fully aware that you have complete control over the rules of a server and normally I’d simply avoid it, but you are ridding the game of players. They try to find other servers, but because the number of players is so small, there is simply no other server with players in. But, as I’ve said in previous posts, this thread was not primarily an attack on your server rather the lack of players.

As far as me ruining the game for others, I don’t think that’s true. By imposing the current ‘fairplay’ rules you are:

  1. Forcing players to play worse so they don’t become banned
  2. Making some current players bored (i.e no challenge)
  3. Limiting the skill cap. As people play more, they get better. So really, once they played a certain amount of time they will become banned from your server for not being ‘fair’.
  4. Preventing some players from playing online, once again due to the small player base.

The funny thing is I’m not even that good at Black Mesa :huh: Really, if you didn’t AFK in the server all day your server would not be that popular.

The amount of complaints I see about the server is staggering. And I can’t even find the strength to comment on the rule of having a 2 year old+ steam account…

Ok, 5 permanent, but be honest, you have a fair few under long term suspension who you will happily resuspend in a heartbeat.

You have the monopoly because the player base is so small. If it grows, you wont. The main reason you get players is because you AFK in it when there’s no other players online and then people join just because there’s a player. I’ve noticed that if other servers have players in, yours don’t, so players are not joining yours because it’s the “best in the game”. You’re restricting many players from playing the game they paid for just because they got a high score (which is the aim of the game).

In terms of performance, I don’t think anyone cares given the server is not under full load. I get far better pings in other servers located throughout the EU alongside no noticeable issues. Plus, a Black Mesa server does not actually require that much resources which makes your point irrelevant, especially for the discussion of lack of players.

Please at least tell me you can partly see the affect it’s having on this small, fragile community?

I’m sure after this post I’ve just been awarded number 6 in your permanent ban list :wink: Regardless, this thread was primarily intended to express my thoughts about the low number of players. I did not name your server, at the end of the day :slight_smile:

#9

Are you familiar with the phrase, “pics or it didnt happen” ?
You have provided no proof, thus you have nothing to back up your claims, claiming something does not make it real.

The plugin will only check your K/D after reaching 25+ frags, when you have bellow 25 frags you can have any K/D you want.

You must stop talking stuff without proof, provide proof to what youre saying, let me see the complaints, link them, post screenshots etc.

The majority of our player base comes from HL2DM, we know the majority of the people playing here for years, don’t just assume things :slight_smile: , out of curiosity, did you see how many members our steam group has ? do you believe out of 900+ people none come to play black mesa with us ?

The current longest ban that is active at the moment expires in 2 days, again, provide proof to your claims, don’t just assume things.

This is not our game, those players did not pay us, you can consider this server as a public party where everyone is invited, it is our party, that we & our members who have supported us with donations pay for, if for arbitrary reasons we consider someone is ruining our party, we will take the action we see fit.
This game has official servers.

Screenshot, let me see, show me 1 server that has a far lower ping & is not located in the same country as you.

Not yet, but you might be if you keep talking non sense without providing proof to back up what you say, if you make claims, back them up with evidence.

#10

Enough. Take these personal arguments about your server elsewhere.

#11

I am just replying to what has been posted & in the same location it has been posted.

#12

And I am just telling you both to stop. Feel free to debate the future of Black Mesa MP, but keep your arguments about your server elsewhere, please.

#13

While I still stand by what I say, if I cannot post further about it I will not… Nor will I edit my posts above further.

Regardless ,I’m still interested to see how people feel and hear there thoughts about the player base of the game, which was my primary intention.

#14

No worries, for future discussions about the server feel free to start a discussion in our steam group & bring some proof for claims you make if you want us to take you serious or show others what you’re talking about is actually real :thumbup:

You stand by what you say with words, words have no value if they are not followed by evidence, feel free to continue the discussion and provide evidence to what you’ve said in our steam group.

–
This is my last post in this thread, good luck.

EDIT: I am technically not making a new post :smiley: but i am editing this one since i feel it is only fair to reply to what people post.

If you would read what i’ve said with more attention you would see i’ve said that in response to temporary bans.

Your ban is permanent and it will never get lifted under any circumstances.

As far as the K/D addon goes or anything else involving our server; we have arbitrary control over what rules we implement or what actions we take.

#15

Harping on about proof instead of proving me wrong. Theres some things I can and cannot prove whereas you could disprove somethings easily, but you refused to do so.

Regardless, I now refuse to further comment in this thread as it has been largely derailed, by myself and others.

#16

So you say my ban will be gone in 2 days, but you know my account wont be older by a year…

You said i am “badmouthed”, normal people would expect more than saying your server is crap, so what you linked didnot proved anything neither.

Your KD addon is only good if it check the weapon is a Tau gun or not. That destroys the game for people not other weapons. Someone who gets 25-0 with mp5 and shotgun shouldbe be kicked…

#17

Add features hl1 like air_accelerate and instant accelerate + bhop and alot of hl1/ag players will be playing this game. Without it no chances for us to see them coming in.

at the moment for some reasons there aro no sv_airaccelerate and sv_accelerate commands at all.

#18

paypal without going into the rest of the subject I can understand your intend.
It is a good one for later down the road when a player base moreover has been established,

I suppose it doesnt matter much for the time being till the game is finished / out of early aces .
However you could consider this an aid in potentially preventing activity to grow in black mesa’s current stage.
Please consider to remove it and let it be free for now.

This is ofcourse excluding cheaters.
Such ruin the game for everyone.

Greetingz :thumbsup:

#19

Lol tonight was the first time I played there since that plugin installation.
And I got banned for having too high k/d ratio.

If that is the only server that is alive Ill start playing again when things make some sense.
I don’t like to meet up with friends and arrange a game.
Id like to pick one up randomly when I feel like playing some.

Edit: the plugin idea is too simple and static.
And the punishment is quite harsh, make a pro player exclude 1 or 2 maps or something lol.

#20

It is not possible for me to not reply to this thread as long as other people make comments involving that server, if no one mentions it i will stay silent.

We believe players of equal skill must be matched together.

What you guys want to do is like having a pro football team go play with 4’th graders on the 4’th graders own football field.

We let you do that, but as we make the compromise to let you come play with us even though you are a player from a much more skilled league, we also expect you to have the respect of not ruining our fun by pissing over everyone with 45 / 1 score when the second best player has 15/7 score, this is why we will kick you out when you do that, you are the ones responsible for getting kicked, you are complaining about the reaction of your actions.

We will not have players that can be counted on the fingers of 1 hand ruin the fun for an entire server.

You expect us to care about your demands while you don’t care for ours, no one is stopping you from playing here, but we do require you to have the respect & common sense of not pissing everyone off by flexing your skills with far greater scores than the players that are currently online.

If the players that are currently online when you join happen to be skill matched with you, this problem would not exist.

We don’t care to bash pro players and take the side of noobs, we take the side of who is playing on the server & who is the majority.

If other pro’s are online when you join, it will not be possible for you to get a higher than 7 K/D, thus, you will not get kicked, it just depends what players are online when you join.

Like i’ve mentioned in that steam post i’ve linked earlier, the plan is to have separate servers for pro and new/casual players/general noobs, this plugin will not be active on the pro server.

As Black Mesa doesn’t even have more players than our current slot count, we see no reason to hurry up setting up a pro server, none of our donors have requested it either and we are not interested currently to setup a server for 5 people that will probably not even play on it, when we see more pro players pop up, we’ll setup a second server for pro’s only.

Just for the record, before someone starts coming up with “omg noob admin, doesn’t like players better than him” i’d like to say that i honestly don’t care if someone plays better than me, my position & actions are 100% for the overall good of the server and the majority of it’s players.

In HL2DM we have 2 pro and 1 noob server, i Never play on the noob one as players there are not challenging at all and i would only ruin their game, also in Black Mesa i often keep an eye on my score as i (or anyone else) am not immune to the kick + 1 hour ban either.

Founded in 2004, Leakfree.org became one of the first online communities dedicated to Valve’s Source engine development. It is more famously known for the formation of Black Mesa: Source under the 'Leakfree Modification Team' handle in September 2004.