I'll keep this story as short as possible: When the game first came out, I rented out a server to avoid the typical "Getting vote kicked out of public servers for being a lamer/cheater/hax0r" and just be able to play games of Jedi Academy after work without all the fuss. I set this server up as a free for all, no force and basically no rules other than the typical "Play nice, don't behave like an asshat" rule.
All was well for some time, people would come in and start sabering away at each other, a few of them stayed and became regulars... Basically it was pretty fun to join in and get into the saber mosh with the occasional saber challenge.
But as time past, and I'm not completely sure when this came to be, but a group of honor players came in and screwed the whole thing up. After this, the whole "ur a lamer!" attitude seemed to have seeped into the regulars, and before I knew it everyone was amsitting in the Tattoine bar playing bartender as the 45 time limit draws to a near and the guy who's in the lead has -1 points.
Now this wasn't that bad... I would join in with my regular name and things would eventually pick up after dropping a few subtle hints here and there that I was dissatisfied with what was going on. Mostly everyone would get the picture, some of the more whiny regulars would protest and immediately disconnect but hey, who cares?
This went on for some time until I got the bright idea to pick a day when the server fills up, and join in under another alias- One that would be unrecognizable to everyone... Hoo boy what a mistake that was.
Even though the server messages are blaring in the background pleading with the people not to RPG and actually do something, my oh so lovely group of regulars is sitting in the ring at the top of FFA1 chatting about some damn thing I've already forgotten about. When the eventual Padawan or 2 connect and start to wreak havoc upon the proceedings, the remaining group decides to stand up, cry lamer, and gang up on the guy constantly spamming a message to the effect of "We own this server, leave us alone or get out of here" but with much poorer grammar and spelling.
I was basically foaming at the mouth watching this. Immediately thinking "Is THIS what always goes on when I'm not here?" All this is happening while Server Messaging is blaring the "PLEASE PLAY NICE, DAMMIT" message.
Among them was a person who just the past day was begging me with "maek me admin plzz!!!11~"
But oh well, pissed as I was about the whole thing, the whole reason for joining was to play and unravel a bit after work so let's try to challenge a few people. I walk up to one of my "friends" for a challenge, won a couple of times and lost a few more. Got to challenging a few of the others for a few fights, but during one of these challenges, I got one of those lucky red side hits that seems to take from 100/100 to 0 in .3 seconds.
As the guy is sent flying and chopped in half and I'm credited with the win, I look at the corpse and the little chat bubble comes up for a bit. At this point I'm thinking "Oh boy, here it comes..."
And indeed, the first words out of his mouth are "wtf ur saber is tweekd" and sure enough, the others join in with their cries of cheetar!!1~ and threaten to somehow throw me off the server.
I've gotten pretty pissed off in the past about numerous events, but nothing to compare with this doozy... The anger was so much and my patience had already ran out days ago... These arse kissing bastards that have been so falsely nice to me in the past were now threatening to throw me off my own server!?
I just lost it, I flipped out. Changing back to my regular name and banning the bastard that initially started it all, I let the flames loose, noone got off easy and the ensuing silence after I was done was proof enough that they had gotten the frigging picture of exactly how angry I was at what they had all been doing behind my back all this time.
After this I just disconnected... This was a while ago and I've taken to visiting other server instead. So far it's the most therapeutic experience I could ever ask for and most importantly: Actually fun and not nerve grating.
At this moment I'm debating on what I should do from here. Kick em all out and start with a clean slate? Keep playing on other servers and let the one person I fully trust to run it for me? Or the obvious alternative of just shutting the whole thing down and moving on?
While shutting down is the most logical course of action, there are a few people among all the monkey crap that I truly like. Shutting the whole thing down would sadly lead to losing contact with them and I would hate for that to happen.
Oh well... That's my little rant. For the server administrators reading this: Try joining your own servers at peak hours under a false name, you might be surprised at what you find. :(
There is really no way to avoid this. :(
Sad, but true. :disaprove
Best thing for you to do is kickban anyone with the words "lamer" or "cheater" or "hax0r" or "h0n0r" or "chat killer" or "saber down = peace" on their mouth.
If they're not going to play as the server wants them to then they don't deserve to play there at all.
Put this message when game loads "NO RULES", and disable voting. Thats all.
Don't use admin mods. If people can't "emote" they can't RP.
Or play CTF/Siege...
As to cheating: show them its a 1.01 server that's running pure (g_pure 1).
I feel for you Vulkan, hell i log onto my own server when there is a nice amount of ppl on there and within 10-15 min they all leave, i guess the real FFA gets too much for them. random clan people wander in and try to set no laming rules, its quite discouraging. :(
Even ctf isnt safe, hell i was on a ctf server today, i figgure sweet, about 8-9 ppl, should be a good match, nope they were all standing aroudn chatting about how they can pwn everyone while i, who normally defend, was free to speed around with the flag while one person lifted a finger to stop me :(
Ah.. Bill, you're always willing to give out one hell of a fight. Definitely could use more people like you. :)
This is a great story with so many valuable lessons:
Server owner\operators get a much more accurate picture of what really goes on with their servers, good and bad, by being incognito. Very rarely do I use my Admin Amidala name, usually only if I'm about to win a game I'll change my name to that to maintain the illusion of skill, LOL. I'm always Padawan or Neo or some other non-descript name. Also, reviewing the game log on a regular basis tells you what goes on when you aren't there.
You must be absolutely unambiguous and clear about the type of server "personality" you want. "Play nice" is a little vague. Does that mean "saber off = peace"? "Play nice" sounds like you are kind of supporting an honor code, and if you give the honor crowd an inch, they'll take a mile.
When my Jedi Academy servers first started and the Invasion of the Server-Snatchers began, I was relentless with my MOTDs and server messages of "All kills are legal, don't whine when you die", "saber off = join Obi-wan's ghost", "anyone who says lamer = n00b", "This is a war zone, not a chat room", etc. I made it very clear what kind of server I am running. The players who wanted that embraced it, and they eventually scared away and drove off the honor weenies.
As you saw, the regular players your server attracts will determine the "personality" of your server. Unfortunately, your server has been taken over by a bunch of honor weenies who in typical fashion take over and start imposing their made-up rules on your server. My regulars are just the opposite: if someone new comes in and starts whining about "laming", they are told "not on this server, if you don't like it, leave".
At first when there was a struggle with the honor server-snatchers, my regulars were heartened by the server messages and MOTDs. They would point out "see, did you read that server message?". They even asked for the messages to be more frequent. Now, I hardly need the messages. As I said before, the regulars determine the soul and personality of your server. I now have a well-established core of regulars who can easily handle the honor weenies. If someone starts whining about "laming", or "don't use guns you fag", they kind of chuckle and say "well boys, looks like we've got a whiner". It makes me so proud *dries a tear*
You talk about people "sitting" around. Do you have emotes enabled? It just encourages that sort of thing. I bet your server is saber-only too, perhaps with disabled Forces (just guessing)? Those things attract honor weenies. They tend to view guns and weapons in general as dishonorable and disruptive. You said they tried to throw you off your own server. Do you have voting enabled? Bad idea. I even have duel challenges (K key) disabled because that leads to the whole FFA dueling thing. I don't want the flow of a FFA game disrupted by the distraction of dueling. Go to a duel server if you want to duel. All these things are configuration options under the control of the server operator. It's the little things that can make a big difference.
What can you do now? It's sad that the honor weenies have taken over your house and made you have to wander around to play. Get the email addresses of the people you like, then shut it down. Why pay to support a bunch of freeloading, ungrateful weenies? If they have infested your house and won't leave, burn down the house. Like rats, they'll invade some other server. Then you can decide if you want to try it again. You might be better off just finding servers where you can play the way you want to. You'll have more time to play if you aren't also running a server (or five, take it from me).
this sort of thing happened to me when i was in the g// clan. tho it wasn't neccessarily honor nubz well sometimes it was, but i would catch people abusing admin, etc (had ja mod for teamlocking, etc) on not only the people playing but fellow clan members.
just stick with it man if they can't play right then they don't need to play (as they have shown you)
I feel for ya. I agree with Amadala. Also another option is too change the name of your server and update your rules to reflect the exact rules you would like for your server (Fresh Start). So far I have been lucky, if a Honer person joins my server usally it's like a rabbit wondering into a pack of wolves :) I like running a server purely for that fact of giving fellow people a place where they can play without any rules and just enjoy the game. I know Amidala does the same here. If my server ever blows up in a big ball of fire, I will aways be playing at a Chop Shop server. :) I know it can be frusterating trying to play with honer folks. I have translated their honer statements and it really helps me out in how to deal with them:
Example #1
Honer person says: "You're a Noob."
Tranlation: "Please shoot me in the face with a rocket"
Example #2
Honer person says: "Lamer, Fag, Don't use guns or force or skill"
Translation: "Please stab me through the eye with your saber"
or "After you slice my head off, please blow up my dead body with a det pack"
Safe and happy Holidays to everyone world wide. (Only worldwide, despite there being no life on Jupiter, it still should be considered an enemy planet)
Geez all this over whether people want to be honor players on non honor servers? I understand, it's your server, you want it to be honor free and all. But it's not just the hypocritical honor players. It's also lamers, they often overrun honor servers and turn a nice server into an insane killing freindzy yelling at those who are talking to other people. Or not fighting like they are. I see both points of view. The non honor- the game is meant for mindless slaughter why bother with rules. The honor- rules were made so everyone could have fun. Seems that both types of servers are being overrun by players of the oposing side trying to make the other players conform. Freedom of gameplay I guess you could call it. Each side seems to be trying to make the other side conform. I'm an honor player myself, but I won't go on lamer servers. If this continues it might result in server wars between the two groups. I dunno how to fix the problem but I'd definitely put "NO RULES" in the server name just to make that clear, and add some more admins. Make it clear that you server is not an honor server and likely you will have less trouble with honor players
mindless slaughter ? Kurgon proved to me that there is many tactics and thinking involved in no rules free for all :)
I was using mindless for lack of a better word to describe the fury and competitive nature
Care to share the server IP, so we can go and "lame" those honor-players? :D
I agree with TK8252MJL, once its infected the server, more and more people who support this 'h0N0rz' stuff will join.
You can still do what Amidala and acdcfanbill say. Also, maybe get some friends who you can trust to watch over the server when you're not on. Or, you could try to attract the anti-honor crowd of people. Try posting a thread about your server on these forums. ;)
IP, please? *Ignites saber*
It's 66.98.176.173, port 29070
Changed the setup for it to be full weapons, with jump, push, pull, absorb, heal, drain and grip along with the 3 saber force powers enabled. Ever since I changed it, all the people that used to come in during the morning and sit around haven't shown up... I guess they didn't like the changes.
Hopefully things will pick up and new people (Hopefully good people this time around) will start coming in again.
Originally posted by Admiral Chemix
It's also lamers, they often overrun honor servers and turn a nice server into an insane killing freindzy yelling at those who are talking to other people. Wow, you mean kids are using their lightsabers, and are actually picking up the guns, ammo, and explosives scattered throughout the map and using them the way they were meant to be used? They aren't just there for decoration? What's wrong with kids nowadays, have they no manners?!!
Or not fighting like they are. I see both points of view. The non honor- the game is meant for mindless slaughter why bother with rules. The honor- rules were made so everyone could have fun. Define "fun". The people on my servers seem to have a lot of fun with "mindless slaughter" as you call it, and spend hours and hours "slaughtering" and being "slaughtered", doesn't seem to harm them. They keep saying "LOL", "LMAO", "ROFL". Honor servers? As long as there isn't too much player abuse going on, I suppose they could be kinda "fun" *yawn* Kinda.
Seems that both types of servers are being overrun by players of the oposing side trying to make the other players conform. Freedom of gameplay I guess you could call it. Each side seems to be trying to make the other side conform. It seems the consensus opinion is that it is the "honor" players who are more likely to go to other servers and spread their "religion", not the other way around. I think most of the "lamers" as you call them that come to your servers are players who honestly make a mistake and assume that a server that says "Free for All" is what it says it is. I'm an honor player myself, but I won't go on lamer servers. If the server has no honor rules, there is no "laming" occuring, by definition. It's called playing, not "laming".If this continues it might result in server wars between the two groups. I dunno how to fix the problem but I'd definitely put "NO RULES" in the server name just to make that clear, and add some more admins. Make it clear that you server is not an honor server and likely you will have less trouble with honor players
And it would be nice if "honor" servers would similarly put something in their servers' names like "Honor Server, No fighting please".
I'll connect tonight, once I get home from work and check it out.
And it would be nice if "honor" servers would similarly put something in [i]their servers' names like "Honor Server, No fighting please". [/B]
lol True.
Originally posted by Amidala from Chop Shop
And it would be nice if "honor" servers would similarly put something in their servers' names like "Honor Server, No fighting please".
While I'm laughing my ass off at yet another great post by Amidala, I must wonder if it's really that bad nowadays - do you honestly have to explicitly tell people in the MOTD that
"WARNING-WARNING, Beware all tru Honour Jedi's!! This is a LAMER SERVER where lamerz are allowed to ignite their sab0r and fight and do all that lamourz dishonourable stuf!!f?
I haven't played JA for...well, at all really. But has it come to this again? Is no-one playing the game anymore? Is JA a virtual chat? Worse than JO? :confused: :(
Thanks for the good advice Amidala, I've put up an *extremely* clear message in my MOTD about who isn't welcome. I'm very sick of this whole honor garbage and taken to just outright kickbanning the dead weight and be done with it.
The word "Lame" and some of its variations were added to the profanity filter, along with the prerequisite "kton" with 1 warning and a kick afterwards.
Unfortunately, and ever since instituting the new policy, I've been forced to kick out about 60 to 70 percent of the total players that join in for falling squarely into the honor d00d spectrum... Are there even any players left that actually want to play? It seems I get 1 decent person out of a bunch of 10 flaming idiots and because of it, server population has been low.
Now I see why people hate admin mods this much... It's not necessarily the admin mod they hate, but rather the way gameplay was so horribly twisted over the years. What a terrible way for a game to go...