Locked or unlocked server?

[wihadmin]

Here's the deal. EA has this "ranked" server concept where if you play on their ranked server, your stats are tracked and at certain levels, you can unlock new weapons and toys. Supposedly, these extra unlockables are not better than the stock weapons, just different. Maybe a different sniper rifle or a different SpecOps weapons that you can use.

Since our BF2 server isn't a ranked server, we have a choice to run it in 2 modes: locked or unlocked. In the "locked" mode, all unlockables are locked and are not available to anyone. In the "unlocked" mode, the unlockables are available to those who have earned them from EA's ranked servers.

There are pros and cons to each mode. I wanted to throw this out to get an opinion from you guys, the players of our BF2 server, on what you think we should do.

You have the floor gentlemen!

[Bonez]

unlocked.

[Phenix]

What are the pros and cons?? ...
I say unlocked ..but I would like more infomation as well.

[Drayu]

unfortunately....I think this is going to hurt us at the release :( I am not going to lie, I am going to play also on ranked servers to get those items unlocked (I know, I am a commie, but you all will do the same)

[wihadmin]

There's no doubt that this will hurt us at the beginning. I know I will be playing on EA's ranked server to see how it works. EA wants to draw people to their servers and sell ranked servers. Plain and simple.

But even EA's resources aren't unlimited. There'll be thousands of players trying to cram into a dozen or two dozen 64-player servers. At some point in time, those servers will be full. In addition, people will get sick of playing on ranked servers without admins and begin to explore other servers. We might not be ranked, but we can provide a better playing experience for the players.

Our current server provider is in negotiations with EA to sell ranked servers. If their negotiations succeed, we can rent a ranked server. However, the cost is going to be significantly higher than a regular server. This is based on price comparison between a server with same specs rented from their non-gaming division vs. their gaming division.

[vonkroll]

Well having an ranked server at the start may make sence, ie more people will come and play on it. But the cost is an issue.

How ever if we have a ranked server to start with and later on switch just to a normal server, but unlocked. We would hopefully pull in the folks later on.

Unless EA continue just to release ranked update content, most players will have unlocked in little or no time. (you know what these power, collecting freaks are like)

But the whole issue of cost does raise it's head, ie is it worth it, in the long run?

Hay i know i will play on EA's ranked UK servers during the day because, most of you sap's are in bed or working during my evening. (i mean come on you really should live in a good time zone :) )

[wihadmin]

Switching servers is not as easy as you think. Every time we switch servers, we lose a good 20-30% of players. Sometimes we lose up to 70% of players. So once we settle down into a server, we don't want to switch or move unless we absolutely have to.

[FozzyBear]

I vote unlocked.

What "perks" do you get by having a ranked server. Other than having a ranked server, ie more traffic?

Just my 2 cents, I would wait and see how the demo goes before making any decisions. If you ever played "Soldner" you'll know what I mean. Lots of hype, buggy game.

[wihadmin]

What "perks" do you get by having a ranked server. Other than having a ranked server, ie more traffic?

No apparent perks other than allowing us to play in an environment that we admin and are free of the usual tards while gaining ranks and unlockables.

[Knottwobad]

I think we should stay unranked and unlocked. If the weapons that are coming in turn out to be unbalancing the gameplay we can lock it. I think switching to a ranked server will bring in to many stat whores and I am not with that. Just my two cents.

[dbodenheim]

Our current server provider is in negotiations with EA to sell ranked servers. If their negotiations succeed, we can rent a ranked server. However, the cost is going to be significantly higher than a regular server. This is based on price comparison between a server with same specs rented from their non-gaming division vs. their gaming division.

Wil you've been speaking in riddles since the day I first started talking to you. Are you the OWNERS talking to EA, I dont understand how your server provider fits into this.

Secondly, and this is *uber* serious Jeff face. I vote for LOCKED at least at first and here are my reasons for it.

-all the WiH Counterstrikers, Guild War players, POint of Existence players are buying this game on June 21st. Those that arnt are pretty much waiting for there next paycheck to do so.

-we are going to have 1 WiH Battlefield 2 server with 64 spots on it. 64 spots isnt all that big between the 3 gaming factions here for a game were ALL going to play. Its not that Im not up for new blood and new folks, Im just not up for it right away.

-Id much rather play with the 100 or so odd folks Ive gotten to know over the last year, then fight for a spot with a 100 joes I could care less about, and who in turn, only care about there rank.

-Ask yourself this question: Is it more important for you to be the 16, 719th best player in the world with a sniper rifle? Or in Grim's case #4. Or is it more important for you to kill your friends?

Nuff said.

[FiLTHY_SNiPER]

I'm down with whichever type of server that does NOT cator to stat whores. I'm here to have fun and shoot my WIH buddies... not keep track of pointless stats.

[CHAOS]

problem is... DICE is forcing people to become stat whores by saying that the only way you can use unlockables is to achieve a certain stat level... question is... what if hand weapons are not the only thing locked? What if there are certain Vehicles that are locked as well unless you achieve a certain stat level...

people will play to have the kewl weapons and stuff. Though they have announced these unlockables will not be much different from the standard.. i beg to differ... which would you rather have... a rotary grenade launcher or a Antitank weapon.. in a urban combat house to house fight? .. Would you rather have a remington shot gun (pump) or the jackhammer (full auto shotty?) there are a few others in there that i question but to mean i feel that we are beingforced to play a certain way in order to get certain things.. I feel it should of been left up to the admins if they wanted to have the all weapons avalible to all players or allow the admins to pick and chosse which weapons would be alowed for the map not matter if the person has acheived that rank or not..

[wihadmin]

Yeah. I don't like the way EA is doing this either. I was hoping that as a server operator, I can set to:

A. All (locked and standard) weapons available
-or-
B. Only standard weapons available

But the way it'll be is that you have to play on their servers to use any sort of unlockables.

[Shark]

I don't care one way or the other, ya all know I suck anyhow at poe, all I care about is having fun and getting shot/bombed at. All I need is ether a mech or inf. type AA weapon to shoot at drayu as he bomb whores by :jester:
And a sniper rifle for those othe times.

[wihadmin]

This post was moved from a different thread. I believe Groovydude meant to post in this thread.... - wihadmin

DICE: Only Official Ranked servers will track stats and unlocks. As it stands, if a BF2 player wants to earn their stripes, they’ll need to play on an official ranked server. If they want to just play the game without the pressure of stats, promotions, etc…then they can play on a regular BF2 server. We went this route mainly because of security. People need to know that the Stats & Tracking system is secure in order for it to have value.


This is retarded. Seems to me that EA and DICE have forgotten who made their Battlefield game so popular. It was a little mod called Desert Combat that was hosted by a large amount of non-EA servers.

This whole situation is totally a double edged sword. If we run unlocked, we'll lose players to the frustration of getting toasted by others with unlockable weapons, assuming they are that much better (afterall, they must be unlocked). On the flip side, if we run locked then we're not running the game at its full capacity and will lose players.

I think the best course here would be to initially start with an unlocked server for a while, determine what type of unlocked weapons exist and how they affect gameplay, and then make the choice. If we run unlocked for a while, we'll bring in more people and once they feel at home with WiH, I'm sure they'll be more prone to staying if we locked the server.

[Bonez]

sofar from what i've seen some of the weapons for unlock are

Jackhammer shotgun
Barrett light .50
G3A3
L85 SA80

there are probally more but they are the ones i can pick out in a hurry.

[GroovyDude]

This post was moved from a different thread. I believe Groovydude meant to post in this thread.... - wihadmin


Sure did. Thanks for moving it.

[The_Professor]

Unlocked. :rockon:

[Kossori]

Unlocked, if the unlockable weapons seem to be a problem (far superior to the standard) them lock it. If the unlockables are only slightly better then let them stay. My bet is it is going to be just a slightly different weapon for each class with different handling/situational use.

[Saur]

sofar from what i've seen some of the weapons for unlock are

Jackhammer shotgun
Barrett light .50
G3A3
L85 SA80

there are probally more but they are the ones i can pick out in a hurry.

heh, from what I know though, those are all high quality weapons. x.X;

I'd like to get my hands on the jackhammer or g3 O.O

<3 Saur

[dbodenheim]

When you guys get the server up this Saturday June 11th for the demo please LOCK the server and password protect it so the 50 or so odd regulars can play it. Maybe just a Saturday thing.

[GroovyDude]

We're going to want to leave it open in order to get the WiH name out to new BF2 players. However, if the server is full and you're on TS, we'll make room for you.

[Kernel Error]

We're going to want to leave it open in order to get the WiH name out to new BF2 players. However, if the server is full and you're on TS, we'll make room for you.

now thats music to my ears :rockon:

[wihadmin]

We will always try to make room for our regulars. Like Groovy said, just find one of us that's playing on BF2 and ask us to make room. We'll find someone with a low score, high ping, or a tard and kick them off to make room for you.

If the demo server is always full, we will try to bring up a second demo server.

[Bonez]

stop kicking me.

[wihadmin]

stop kicking me.

Stop yapping about non-game related stuff.

[Bonez]

stop kicking me.

Stop yapping about non-game related stuff.no for high ping.

[wihadmin]

Oh high ping. The system takes care of that for us. :thumbsup:

[Dirty_Larry]

First off I want unlocked so I can use the Jackhammer once I unlock it. And if at all possible get a ranked server so those of us who want the new guns can still get them but play with our buds at the same time.

I know I haven't been on CS for a while but would you still consider me a regular? Cause I love the Battlefield series but I have grown pretty fond of WIH. :dunno:

[wihadmin]

If we could run ranked server, we would but the only way is to rent a server from EA. It will cost $512/month for a 64-player ranked server. So we will run ours unlocked but not ranked.

[FiLTHY_SNiPER]

Jesus CHRIST! 512 a month?? That's ludicrus..

[Kev Kanos]

MAMA HOLY F*** T*** S***. $512 a month. Does that come with a an esate in the bahamas. I would never even consider that rapage. EA is sitting there laghing at everyone getting servers for that kind of a ************ Price.

[The_Professor]

Oh come on...only $512 a month?? You can do that. I mean geez, that's only like a car payment on a new Lexus. God what a bunch of cheap-o's.

:hehehe: :jester: