Current status of the server regarding new players and teamwork

[=VG= keed]

I always liked the way a round on the server played out. You have different squads; each with role and mission. You come on and see a Trans, Inf, Mortar, Tank, APC, and the inevitable Recon squad you just know teamwork is capitalized and it'll be a great round. While I know that this sounds like PR-utopia I always figured this is the way it was meant to be played.
But ever since the update I noticed a couple of things that made me quit during rounds which I usually despise. ALTHOUGH I understand completely that this is the natural consequence of going standalone I have the urge to address a two points and possible solutions:

1.) Too many unassigned players.
Never saw it as a problem. If ya don't wanna have fun in a squad, I don't care. Lone wolves being just that. But with the server almost being full 24/7 these canines are becoming more like a pack of wolves. Requesting trans in team-chat, and generally playing their own objective. Essentially making the game micro-intensive for support squads. The chain of command exists for a reason. Solution: Join a squad or leave rule. I know a couple of deployment-servers have this rule and while I think it's not going deter lone-wolves it will hopefully minimize the amount of.

2.) Lack of squad-leading and inter-squad-comms
I know, I know... "Stop being too demanding, these are noobs, keed. What do you expect?" Well, it became worse. Logically. But how about putting an extra emphasis on Teamwork? (I am addressing the regulars here.)
How about being role-models not just about manners and rules but also proper gameplay? Solution: (This is not a demand like the squad-rule, think of it like a suggestion.) Talk to squad-leaders who have been quiet and coordinate more. Say things like "I flank Lemur Eleven and you defend Obj. Bravo, roger?" Show them how it's done and if they are unwilling to cooperate talk to them on the chat. Not just the squadleader, the whole squad. Ask for players ready to lead the squad if needed.

To sum it up: My first point is what I find a suitable addition to encourage squad-play in form a punishable rule to make new players clear that this is not a do what you desire kind of server. Like zero_tolerance said in a post: many appreciate the server because of just that. The objective is the mission, not the kill-count. A good round is when Armor or CAS doesn't even get the chance of reaching the 100+ kills. It's about the time a round lasts. But why am I telling you this. As an admin I'd usually want to restrict players in their playstyle as least as required but this is how far I would go. As a player I have no problems telling other inexperienced squadleaders what to do. In a polite tone and choice of words of course.

What do you think?

[Solifluktion]

I feel like right now with all the newbies it might help if the experiences players would all start leading instead of chilling together in one single Elite-Squad. It might suck at first (hell I want to play with the guys I've always been playing with) but in the end we all would profit.

[=VG= SemlerPDX]

Excellent report, and good suggestions! I may be the 'invisible VG admin' as my crappy laptop barely lets me use the forums and admin the Falcon BMS server, but I'd like to address all the admins and experienced regulars who read this thread, and tho most of you PR guys don't even know me, I hope you can trust in the 2000 or more hours I've played in PR and my experience with server administration over the years - please read this if you have time and want some ideas to change this server back to what it was - the best Squad-based COOP server in PR for 5 years running!


When any game suddenly opens up to a new flood of players, it can "ruin" the flow of the server and it's goals. I've seen it happen a couple times with a couple games - I wish I'd have afforded another gaming PC by now because I'd help this new war effort - and it does take direct effort of the experienced players and a soft touch from the admins to re-establish the SOP's and ROE's that make the difference between an online free-for-all and a Squad-based COOP experience.



Like Sol said above, the first step involves leaving your comfort zone and spreading out the clique. Over time, friends and good players gravitate towards each other, and eventually, the majority of the 'dedicated' players roll in squads together - it happens in most games and servers, but when few others group, the main groups need to break up and spread out. Good squad leaders are around 1 in 10 players, and new players don't even know the role - if you know how to SL, but prefer an infantry role, you and the server would benefit from spending rounds here and there as an SL with a goal to teach new SL's, increasing the surplus population of confident leaders, and ensuring a future with more squads to choose from in which to play the less demanding infantry roles in.

In the past, we've found keeping it to two game vets in a squad with the rest open to the public is better than splitting up all the vets as single squad leaders - we did this for Arma COOP events. For one, you still get to play with a 'battle buddy' who knows how to play, and additionally they can help you as the Squad Leader of noObs to enforce and maintain status-quo while you take on a more 'teaching' role to new players, informing them (without being bossy or overly instructional) about the game, and how it should best be played at the VG PR COOP. Careful not to 'teach' too much or your noObs will get sick and leave as if you fed them castor oil.
!bad



Keep all your veterans buddies and regulars on TeamSpeak and/or use Mumble and you'll still be able to socialize on Command Channel if you're all Squad Leaders - having fun as well as running things as usual - just not all piled into 1-2 elite squads of game veterans.

Eventually, after several weeks, the people you teach and inspire to play better will pass it on and good gameplay will spread like a virus, with a majority of players flooding into and filling created squads, and blueberry squad leaders will once again have the confidence to build a good squad by kicking out players who don't follow the leader; so long as players learn WHY it's better to be in a squad (better infantry weapons choices, 'revivability', squad spawn points, etc.) they will make the choice themselves to always join or create a squad over running around solo.



For enforcement, a light touch is required. Admins seeing a server filled with non-squader's or multiple squads of 1 man should begin in information campaign - use the Admin Message system to get the attention of the server over the course of time - don't expect full compliance immediately, but repeat your statements and when possible, talk to solo's directly, stating that you are trying to combine squads, and fill out the roles, and after so many rounds or so much time, players will be temporarily kicked from the server to make room for those who want to play Squad-based COOP PR at VG.

Just be sure to be patient with non-violators playing solo - they may be new, they may speak a different language, and they may be just trying out a new game with no idea how it's supposed to be played.

It's up to you regular, dedicated players and admins to bring them into the fold instead of giving them a bad experience of "follow the rules (which you may not yet know exist) or be kicked from the server". Be diplomats and ambassadors for your favorite game, be friendly and welcoming to new players, encourage them to browse the PR Manual which talks about kits, roles, and game modes, to better inform them about why YOU love this game so much. They'll either make the same conclusion, or find another game and server.



As we move forward, be firm with your enforcement but try to identify those brand new players and give them the benefit of the doubt, and maybe seek out lone wolfs directly and ask them if they want to join your squad and see how it all works.

[ZZANG1847]

Over the past few weeks, I came across a lot of new players who wouldn't hesitate to ask questions and let me know that this is their first/second time playing. Although I wasn't going to lead an infantry squad, as sometimes I just want to do some HAT sniping/LMG camping alone, I glady led an infantry squad when they asked to help them know how squad tactics and infantry combat work.

Yes, there are people who just want to mess around the server and give logistic squads a great amount of headache, but there are also new players who are willing to listen to squad lead and do what they are supposed/instructed to do. I played Korengal valley and Fallujah yesterday as a inf squad leader that had new players as well as seasonal veterans, and it was quite enjoyable to see how they interact with each other and try to play objective.

In the end, I believe we are still in a stage where bad habitants come in make a stressful situation. However, as we weed out bad people, we will face many new players who are willing to take an initiative and play the objective like others did in the past. In that case, I am willing to take the risk and play the inf squad leader again.

P.S) Keed sucks as an inf squad leader. Join ZZANG, as he will lead you noobies to an ultimate victory.

[=VG= m823us]

thank you kid and the leader of the friendly infantry I'm always glad to see another veteran on the server.
Although as an admin I've been finding it hard to gets and keep track of the unassigned players. I have seen as many as 18 unassigned players and I have to stop my group and hunt them down and investigate. I don't mind this because this is why I became an admin. To make the game flow and make it a pleasure for players and to have fun. I admin that I have unassigned/reassigned some of the smaller squads so we can have a dedicated asset squad, for a map that needs CAS support and no way to communicate with them is tough. I have been called a lot of bad things because of it it it was for the bigger pictures.

Question for the lone wolf/unassigned players aspect, any way we can increase the number of squads on the map? I just wanted to know if this is a possibility.

see you all on the battlefield

[Pilgrim59]

War have changed my friends. And so, it dawns a new era, of unassigned players...