Zoo's Community Suggestions

[Zoocata]

Vanilla Sauerbraten is lacking in community-supportive features. Here are my suggestions to fix some of those issues in the fork:

• Votekicking system within the client: This, to a point, removes the need for authkeys and people can kick cheaters/griefers at will.
• Vote next map: Some servers already have this, though there are only two options to choose from (Demophobia being an example). I understand you can suggest maps via the menu, but it's kind of confusing to use and you pretty much have to guess if the next map will be the one you voted for. Having a voting system where you can see that map "x" has "y" number of votes would be nice.
• Voting to remove someones master status: This is for all mastermodes, but can be bypassed with an authkey. If a master is being abusive, you can call a vote to remove their master status. While the votes being held, the master cannot kick anyone in the server.
• An in-game IRC client that automatically connects to #sauerbraten (or whichever IRC channel we'd use for the fork) for support inquiry.
• An in-game community links page advertising sites like Quadropolis or Sauerworld to further increase community traffic.
• (Probably won't happen, but it's a good idea)Server-side downloads: If a server has a map with custom textures on it, a person who has the map on that server would type a command(or maybe through a browser gui) to send those missing files over SauerFork for everyone to optionally download. Same could be said for custom sounds, custom cfgs, etc.
  OR
  Some servers have files that a server owner would want to include. A common example would be killstreak announcements. There should be a function where a server owner can offer an optional content download while connecting for a better experience on the server.

While I realize some of these are included in server mods, it'd be nice for the majority of the community to have these functions accessible without having to download and install someone else's server mod.

Also, I realize some of the voting functions could be abused and master-holders could become members of B.P and constantly be kicked off and reelected. That's why we need authkeys to bypass all of those functions if need be... and to not be like Eihrul (sorry <3) and give authkeys away like candy.

I hope some of these suggestions can make it in for a better playing experience. If you need me to, I can elaborate on ways to easily control, manage or police the voting functions.

Thanks!

[pix]

Regarding map voting: the vanilla voting system is actually pretty simple: if more than half of the current players vote one mode/map combination, it is started immediatly. Otherwise, the mode/map combination that has the most votes (and at least 2 votes) gets played after the current game is over.
The problem is with servers like demophobia: they complicate the voting system, while at the same time limiting it. Some only allow 2 maps to be suggested, which are then used to run a "map battle" at the end (the commands for which only like 20% of the players know). If two players suggest two different shit maps: tough luck, it's gonna be one of those shit maps next... (unless of course enough people do something like #veto, which is an even lesser known command).

What I'd suggest: show votes in the scoreboard somewhere, maybe at the very bottom or something. This way, the votes are easier to keep track of (the server message in the top left can easily be missed), and you are aware of a possibly upcoming shit map and can vote something else instead.
Another thing I'd add is a sort of "repetition block", so that maps like forge, reissen and dust2 aren't the only maps played. For example: only allow one of the "popular"-marked maps every third game, or only allow each of these maps to be played once in ten games, or something like that.

Pretty much all points you mentioned are server-side features though, and since ComEd is a client fork it is unlikely that those points will be implemented. Still, it's nice feedback, as you can see by my ideas which you just inspired. Maybe eihrul should read this for a future release of sauer in case he feels like he still needs features before making a new release tag .

By the way: votekicking is a dangerous feature, imagine NoobLounge kicking all the good players... Also the voting for removing master: what if a cheater connects, calls a vote to challenge the master status of everyone in there, then proceeds to fuck with the game while the vote is running since noone can kick him. You get my point, votings on other players are always something you need to think about thoroughly before implementing.

[star]

please don't confuse the community edition with the fork aka 'sauerfork' soon to be known as 'wackelpudding'

I made the sauerfork people aware of this, and moved the topic to another subsection.

this is the community edition subforum, sauerworld has no stake in the sauerfork project.

[Nooby]

The problem is with servers like demophobia: they complicate the voting system, while at the same time limiting it. Some only allow 2 maps to be suggested, which are then used to run a "map battle" at the end (the commands for which only like 20% of the players know). If two players suggest two different shit maps: tough luck, it's gonna be one of those shit maps next... (unless of course enough people do something like #veto, which is an even lesser known command).

You can't suggest maps on Demophobia for a map battle (they don't even call it this way). It's the voting system of Nooblounge which you describe. Also everyone who knows how to read knows the commands, they all getting displayed at the beginn of the voting. #1 (for the first map) and #2 (for the second one) also gets displayed after each new vote. Also you don't even need to type # it's also getting count when you just type 1/2/veto/0/none (last two is the same as veto).

By the way: votekicking is a dangerous feature, imagine NoobLounge kicking all the good players...

Why should that happen? Nooblounge is for everyone, if you expect it or not, not only noobs playing there who would kick everyone who is better than themselves.

Also the voting for removing master: what if a cheater connects, calls a vote to challenge the master status of everyone in there, then proceeds to fuck with the game while the vote is running since noone can kick him. You get my point, votings on other players are always something you need to think about thoroughly before implementing.

A voting like that should have of course a timeout, also when players see that somebody is cheating they would vote at least then. Either for not removing the master status of somebody, so that they can handle or a votekick of the cheater.

[Zoocata]

please don't confuse the community edition with the fork aka 'sauerfork' soon to be known as 'wackelpudding'

I made the sauerfork people aware of this, and moved the topic to another subsection.

this is the community edition subforum, sauerworld has no stake in the sauerfork project.

Oh! Sorry, I thought I was in the right section Thanks for the heads up.

[Suicizer]

I would say the current vote system on vanilla servers is the best as it's the most fair (free to choose a map, etc).