My 2 cents. Cause I know everyone wants it

[Rewind]

Yes this is ranting. Doesn't mean it's uninformed and just flaming. I'm not usually one to do this kind of stuff but someone needs to say it.

Fact: This game is barely active holding on to the unfortunate few pub newbies who have been playing for a while.
There's rarely more than 20 people online at once, all of which are in 'syncmaster's' cable.
IRC channels have RARELY 10 people idling them, matches flat out no longer occur and the entire 'serious' community has disappeared.

So what's the problem exactly? It's not as simple as Jitspoe not supporting the game. If it was I'm sure he would have changed that; to say he doesn't care about this game is ignorant. It's not that new players feel overwhelmed by veterans. Go into any pub and you'll be surprised to find a single veteran excrement-talking and dominating the scoreboard. At this point the game is incredibly approachable to new players. The problem is a mix of a few things which I will address now in the main body of this post.

DPLogin: I've said I don't support this system before but let me articulate my opinion more fully so my point gets across. It is impossible to create an account in game. That ALONE is enough inaccessibility to warrant uninstalling the game. Any game should be as simple as installing and clicking play to begin playing. Back in the b14 days that's all it was and I strongly believe that's what it should be. Multi-clanning is seriously not a problem. If a clan doesn't want multiclanners in them then don't let them in. If a player wants to multi-clan then all that means is the possibility for twice as much activity. I'm not completely sure why dplogin was enforced other than to better enforce banning (I'll address this in point 2) and limit a players fluidity through clanning. The easy solution is just to get rid of it, the more satisfying one would probably be to adjust it in-game and allow for more accessibility.

Banning: For starters unban everyone. I'm not being extravagant, I simply see the current ban system as inefficient and detrimental to the game. Instead of having an entire committee as well as Jitspoe banning people for having more than one account (...) place the burden of banning to the server. Before dplogin was in place I believe this is how it was done. If someone is hacking in a match environment it is pretty guaranteed the perpetrator would be server banned. The community is enough anti-hacking to enforce this. The fact that 90% of the once-active matching community is presently banned is a glaringly obvious reason for the lack of a matching scene. The matching scene (I'm sure the matching community would agree to me here) is infinitely more fun than pubbing and without which leaves this game unappealing for veterans.

Clean up the game: I don't just mean to say Jitspoe should get work done and fix it up. I strongly believe the game should have a group of people working on it, or at least helping out along the way. Things like a global hr4 pack and more attractive UI (which BoNo has already done the grace of creating, I might add) would make this game much more approachable for newcomers as well as reward those who have stayed around for a long time. This isn't even that much of a 'thing that needs to be changed' as it is something that fundamentally exists in any successful lasting game.

I love this game. Honestly. I've played for 7 years now and it's great fun. What I'd love to see even more is for it to be restored to it's former glory. Sure the game is dated more so than it was 7 years ago but anyone here can tell you it doesn't even remotely change the experience digital paintball gives for some strange reason.

Here's hoping
-Stronger

[Myles]

I agree with everything you said. We've got nothing to lose, why not try his ideas? There might be a problem with people taking each others names, but there are spoofers in almost every game. Start fresh, advertise, and make the game noob-friendly

[Justinph5]

So you'd rather play against hackers than try to find new players that won't??

This game is dead, unless a new version is created for this decade. Games get old, and they stop getting played... That's the way it is.

[Myles]

-quake 3 was dead. so they came out with quake live : a noob friendly version of quake 3 with small updates.

-server owners could still ban whoever they want to.

-if you believe the game is dead, why are you against his ideas? if its dead, things can only get better...

ps: hacks hurt more than they help...

[Mayhem]

I am very fond of this game myself and I've wanted it to return to it's former glory for a while now.

I believe trash talking is what ruined this game, especially coming from hackers who 'pretend' and 'convince' newer players that are legitimately good.
This is a HUGE problem for newer players trying to get into the scene.

As many of you may know I have tried to start training clans to help bring new players into the community.
My efforts fail as most of the players were not interested in the clan scene because of how serious people take it.
They were not interested by being verbally abused and down talked constantly in matches.
Yes, it is the internet and they should be ignored but it's still terribly annoying and it does get you worked up regardless.

Other existing players that wanted to be trained were already tainted by a select few players whom they looked up to and adapted their bad attitudes of trash talking constantly and down talking their fellow players.
I tried to teach my recruits how to have a good time and to ALWAYS say 'Good Game' regardless of how badly you lose.

I do not believe the Global Login is the cause of the matching scene dying. Possibly the ridiculous bad times which should most likely be looked at.
The people who did not return when the Global login was implemented were clearly all players who hacked.
Some even admitted to not wanting to return because they couldn't use whatever mod or hack they used at the time.

The players who have been banned recently DESERVE to be banned.
The older bans should possibly be reduced or they should be unbanned.

One thing that I do believe should be implemented and is so for most other games is that once a new hack is found, it should be patched into the game and rendered mute.
For example, the constant speed hackers would not be able to use the same program that they have been using for years now.

As for multiple accounts, the people who have done so ALL knew what they were doing and should be banned.
If there is a language barrier problem then perhaps a new home screen with language select.

I think this community NEEDS the Global Login but that it's too extreme and needs to be taken down a notch.
Removing the Global Login is NOT the answer to the problems the community is having.

Aside from that, I'm sure there can be a way for people to help Jitspoe out with texturing or whatever needs to be done to 'clean' up this game a little more and make it more presentable.
As long as it doesn't involve a HUGE graphics enhancement as one of the appeals to this game is that it is playable on old computers.

I believe that arguments about the Global Login can be thrown back and forth but considering I used to be against it, and am now supportive of it after much thought. I think the points I have made should be taken into consideration.

I did this very quickly because I'm about to go out, I am willing to clarify anything if I do not explain it properly.

-Morbid

[blaa]

mostly mooseballs

most facts are inaccurate, most assumptions are made to prove your point, but that doesn't make them true.
Every time this 'game is ded' thread spawns again I count the players on serverbrowser in the evening. Over the past years the number has been 100-150.

Clean the banlist, because multi accounts isn't so much of a serious issue? Yeah, the ban isnt so long either. 8 days, was it? Hardly a scene killer. The players who are involved in the matching scene and decide to hack nevertheless so much more disrespect towards the scene.

GLS is awesome as fuqkkk. Wait until jitspoe gets around to implement all the cool features you can have with it. Yeah, it might be in 10 years, but i'm sure as a honeybadger that this game isn't dead by then.

You talk about this game not being in this 'century'. Was it this century on 2003-2008. I guess you all agree with eachother than dp was AWESOME BACK THEN.

q3 isn't dead even now. Besides ql people still play cpma.

and one last thing. I know I didn't compile my sentences as good as this was my thesis or some excrement, but I don't feel the need for it. I know I'm right.

Instead of meddling 'ranting' in phorums why don't you start promoting the scene by yourself? Create a tournament, ask every player you see to participate. Im sure you can do such an easy task. or if you are into comput0rs and stuff maybe you can help with programming the game. Just ask terrorist/viciouz/jitspoe where you should start and what are the terms to get your work ported to the game. (i believe bono did none of that, he just created a menu, but it cant(?) be ported to the game)

that is all, was up all night to finish some excrement for school and now im gonna go to school, so if i didnt make much sense, i blame it on coffee and lack of sl33p.

[SpeedUSA]

My Speed USA server logs show that, during the past 30 days, I had players from 6,635 distinct IP addresses using 6,031 different names.

Of course, one player can use multiple names or play at different computers. Even so, that seems like a lot of activity when viewed over time.

Two interesting points:

* About 2,000 names were "noname" or "newbie";
* Almost 2,000 names played just once.

I think it's a marketing issue, not the game itself. Here are a few ideas that might be quickly implemented:

1. On www.digitalpaint.org, add a "Home" page with a "Welcome" area at the top with a game description, documentation links, and links to some of the better videos. Place the "Download" area below that, and keep the "News" on its own separate page.

2. Create a single user manual with everything from "downloading" to "installation" to "setup" to "DPlogin" to "clans" to "servers." Use the manual from a successful commercial game as the model. Make a PDF version too.

3. Create a "Newcomers" forum where noobish questions can be supportively answered by knowledgeable players.

4. Develop and encourage a public server grading system. For example, add * at the end of a server's name for "Easy" through **** for "It's gonna hurt!"

LongShot

[zimtstern]

You guys always come up with "clear the banlist" etc. Who gives a intercourse people who break the rules - they are poor and can gtfo.

Clear it now, let them all play and we have the same problems soon. Look at all the 12y old czechs f.e., a few of them have around 30 accounts.

They destroyed such a good game cause all the older players went away cause they don`t want to play hackers/multies.

[pvtjimmy]

This proposal was rejected as many times as it was discussed. I don't see why it should be different this time.

[Rocky]

thought its time for me to show how i feel

idont feel like playing anymore either, not cos of the game the game is fun but god last 15 matches i had were such a meddling bs some kids just sitting in base, best example the last qehs 2on2 cup like 5 weeks ago..  !!! i  miss the old times with zimt,edge,henkka etc when playing was fun and interesting.. now its just crying, camping and the most annoying thing the meddling tiemap, try to get a decent tiemap with some czechs.

dont really know what helps to get the game more active but i hope something gets done =/

[S8NSSON]

I played this game back in 1957 and it ain't dead yet!

[Foxhound]

I think advertisement and easier accessibility is the only way for this game to get going again.

Taking my favorite ideas from the posts above and putting them together....

I think this game needs more than a read me file (no one reads those) the main menu should have an enticing menu that says, "want to join a clan and be in the matching community?" and under which would have all the details/links to irc along with a FAQ section on irc.

Next, i think this game needs to have an easier way to become a "registered player" people want to download the game, play it and that's that. they dont want to have to see  "go to the official dp website to register your name" and after they register they read "now you must wait while someone authenticates your account" it's a total turn off. Perhaps registering can be made to seem less painless?

as for the ban list... keep it the way it is

[rafalluz]

Yeah, clearing banlist won't do jack excrement. Those cheaters have probably for the most part forgotten about the game in the first place.

Integration of creating an account into game (and not just saying: visit dplogin.com) would be a big step when it comes to accessibility. Also, fully functional server browser (with searching, filtering, denoting password protected servers, etc.) is pretty much mandatory for ANY successful online game.

Also, how about a nifty idea of assigning the name of created profile (even local one) automatically as initial in-game nickname? You could change it later, if you wanted to, but it would eliminate newbies and nonames plague.

[Ghadente]

I've never had any problems with DPLogin, create an account on site and then auto-login when you open the game... i'm not grasping the problem with this.

Clearing the ban list is idiocy. Might as well make a sign: Hackers Welcomed. If you want to hack, quit this game and go somewhere else to hack all you want.
Don't cheat = don't get banned, Cheat = Ban ...simple.

As for generating a new, more active community... advertising does seem like a good idea. Word of Mouth, tell your friends about it. That's how i got started playing. It is going to be tough to find gamers interested in such an old fps... but there is something so basic, fluid, and a bit addictive about dp that, i think, if new people just give it a try they may enjoy it too. Just have to get the game out there.

[Rewind]

Cool apparently no one read past remove the ban list.

 I'm not for allowing everyone run around hacking. My point was that there shouldn't need to be a global banning system that Jitspoe and a committee have to regulate. My point was that banning should be done server-side, like every other server based game in existence. I don't care about whose on the ban list right now. I just don't think there should BE a ban list.

[PGPSandman]

 Another rant for people who only play online paintball versus REAL paintball. There is no difference folks, if you have a good team you will all rush the other team and take the flag. If you have a GREAT team you have teamwork where some rush .. some snipe .. some camp .. and some are sent out as decoys to flush out the "enemy" (for those who never played real paintball capture the flag .. there has NEVER been a game where the team abandons their flag they always have a few "campers" and nobody ever fusses or complains on the real field like on here about it.)
 I am guessing, there are less than 10% REAL paintball players here. I have played since 1986 myself. Want a good PR or a good way to publicise the game for new people. I have many suggestions to offer other than what has been offered here over and over again.
 This software might be 10 years out of date and old to most playing still, but to someone who has never played it before its just as new as Duke Nukem Forever or Rage.
 Take lazer tag for example. I guarantee you give me a set of the old style Q Zar (1986 Infra Red systems with DOS systems running it) to set up an arena and I will DOMINATE against any competitors out there made today. It is not the equipment you have its how you sell your gameplay and how you promote it.

[skitzo]

Yeah, clearing banlist won't do jack excrement. Those cheaters have probably for the most part forgotten about the game in the first place.

I haven't forgotten about it, i got more ban time than i should have. But that's up to Jitspoe to never fix. Anyway, I miss playing with a select few people and trying new settings in PUGs. Then again only about 3 of those people still play and no one is ever up for new settings ever. God forbid you not be able to line and spray down everywhere or not be able to slip n' slide or jump at 150 MPH because that's totally cool.

[blaa]

7pm CET saturday evening 134 people online in servers

[MOFO]

its funny. the committee thinks they're doing the game a favor when they're actually killing it. I can bet anything that if the the game got a new developement team and restarted from scratch with a fresh banlist that nearly almost all the players (veterans) that were in the matching scene would come back. One man (Jitspoe) cant run the game himself updating it every other month with tiny updates that no one really cares about. like myles said "nothing to lose" so go for it.

[pvtjimmy]

the committee thinks they're doing the game a favor when they're actually killing it.

This is probably going off-topic pretty quickly now, but could you explain me how the committee is killing the game? No flaming, but I think you have a wrong idea about what the committee is supposed to do.

Also, if you think you can do better, I'll give you my spot.