Battlefiled: Bad Company 2 owners Lounge.

[IcEWoLF]

Ok, if you have a BF:BC2 server, please share information on how to make your ranked server popular.
IE: Maps/Map Rotations/ Type of games that are most popular.
Anything you can think of that can make your server popular please share .

[Edge100x]

Well, squadrush and squad DM aren't too popular right now, since they're only 8/16 players -- I'll say that much .

[IcEWoLF]

Ah, thanks for the tip!
Unfortunately I can't play it yet because steam never offered the pre-load option for pre-orders..lame.
Now everyone is downloading the game all at once and this will take forever.

[CrudBurst]

Ours was ranked 14th overall last night on game tracker, and stayed on the front page of the in game sever browser (default view) all without tweaking the name.

We have a 24 man server running conquest mode with all of the appropriate maps in rotation. We were full from the time the server went live until the great EA outtage occured (around 9pm).

Not sure whether 24 or 32 is optimal at this point but I enjoyed the 24 man action in conquest more than I did 32 as it seamed to be a bit more tactical. Not sure we did anything special other than hosting here (the server performed very weel) and had it up on release and rapidly after the pacth.

[PowersGaming]

We have a Dallas (InterNap) 28 Pub. Currently we're running RUSH only, as Conquest seemed to require more "team oriented" skills to hold flags, and therefore took a lot of "running back and forth". For this reason we believe RUSH Maps will create more of a demand for players. Can't wait till more maps become available. Our server is running great and was full an hour after the game went live.

[Jack the Smack]

Invite all your friends and try to get 5 or 6 players in. Then people usually join using Play Now and it fills up quickly. My servers map rotation is:

levels/mp_002 - Valparaíso
levels/mp_006 - Arica Harbor
levels/mp_008 - Nelson Bay

Hardly anyone leaves during map changes, at 4AM I had a full 32 player server last night. Also doing some small admin things to make the server feel special really kept players staying, for example:

admin.yell "Balance the teams or players will be kicked." 15000 "all"

If you have a clan based server, I know you really want to stack one team with a clan, but it doesn't help keep players in. Spread your players evenly across both teams, also switch teams whenever they get unbalanced, regardless of how fun you're having with your team.

I have clanmates that stack the teams a lot and I yell at for stacking over vent. I wonder how players will feel if I kick clanmates instead of pubbies for team stacking, lol

[Jack the Smack]

Also, when kicking players for team stacking, kick those outside of a squad (squad 24/25).

[Johnny]

Jack, great suggestions.

I use the line:

Please switch to even teams within 1 minute to avoid random kick.


Players react rather swiftly:)

Too bad you can't adminSwitch or something to that effect!

[Dashit]

Since im new to running a Server I have alot of Old NFo friends around to help me out (iv Been around NFo since it was a single Server in a dorm room for CS).

I kept the name simple, and made sure to put Seattle NFo premium.

I also have been promoting on Alot of my Gaming Hardware websites.
(Hardocp.com, Techreport.com, anandtech.com)

I have posted in a few Steam community sites as well.

When the server doesnt crash from EA/DICE its usually pretty busy.

I also work nightshift weekends, so I can monitor the server at work and make sure no one is being a douche and TK'ing people etc.

I know people like to have an active admin to make sure its runnin 100%. It's like having a business Customer Support is VITAL to any server.

Anyway now im rambling

[Dashit]

Blah cant edit.

I run a 32 player Conquest Only server. FF on/Kill cam off/Hardcore off.