Suggestions for filling up BC2 server?

[LucasG]

Yes, I'm asking for a few.

I've recently started up a community with a friend, where we're really looking forward for BF3 while we run a BC2 server. This community will be managed as a clan where we will be inviting active players to play with us the game a strategically yet not professionally.

I've setup a 32 slots BC2 server and tried about every configuration and what not to see what people are mostly up to. The day that EA servers went down almost all night, as soon as they came back up, I joined my server with a friend and the server immediately got filled up for all the night and day, and then it went back to empty and haven't been able to fill it up anymore.

What would you suggest me in order to get the server active? I've been seeding it myself for over one month now. I won't lose hope or let it go, but I'd like to find a way to make it be worthwhile and enjoyable. I'm also going to be setting up a server for BF3 as soon as it comes out.

By the way our new community is http://gunero.com and the server stats are:


Please be nice.

[TimeX]

BC2 servers certainly had some tricks in the early days in becoming popular, but that doesn't apply as much now. For the most part, it comes down to the same thing as making any server popular, such as making it active, people having a fun time, giving people the things they like in configuration, rotation, etc.

It takes time and some trial and error. It may take awhile, but with hard work, any server can be very popular.

[LucasG]

Indeed I will keep trying. I'm also now considering changing the location of the server as it seems in locations such as New York or Chicago more people seem to play BC2. You might notice Dallas is not that used anymore for some reason. Plus New York would probably give me a better ping. Do you guys think this might be worth trying?

Also I've tried going Hardcore Mixed, which is the option I like the most. As well as spawn camp/base raping protections, non-mixed mode, limited recon, etc.

[Edge100x]

It might be worth trying, certainly. Moving the BC2 server around won't lose it from your favorites list, which is nice, and not true of most other games.

You may have fewer clients joining with hardcore mode on, but it's hard to say.

A procedure I recommended in the past may still be useful for filling up a server:

1. Wait until a busy time of day for your region.
2. Join the server and wait a short while. One or more random clients should join shortly after you do.
3. Have as many of your friends/community members join as possible, all at once, to supplement you and the random clients.
4. After the server has reached a player count that passes a hidden threshold (something like 10 or 15), more random "Play now" clients should start joining. Wait until you have a good buffer of these before you and your friends start disconnecting.

[LucasG]

It might be worth trying, certainly. Moving the BC2 server around won't lose it from your favorites list, which is nice, and not true of most other games.

You may have fewer clients joining with hardcore mode on, but it's hard to say.

A procedure I recommended in the past may still be useful for filling up a server:

1. Wait until a busy time of day for your region.
2. Join the server and wait a short while. One or more random clients should join shortly after you do.
3. Have as many of your friends/community members join as possible, all at once, to supplement you and the random clients.
4. After the server has reached a player count that passes a hidden threshold (something like 10 or 15), more random "Play now" clients should start joining. Wait until you have a good buffer of these before you and your friends start disconnecting.

I moved the server to NY yesterday and I didn't lose the server from favorites, that was amazing. Didn't know it. Good thing you confirmed it for me.

I'll go ahead and try those other options you have given me. I'll let you know how it goes!

By the way, can't edit the game tracker graph as the forum seems to have a time edit limit.

[Sorry]

The "magic" number. It is true, once we hit around that number, it will fill fast. The fastest we ever filled up was less than 2 min with 2 people. We have about 2 afk till we fill and then turn on the idle kick. We used to use more afk but found the stupid teambalance moves them to one side. Also people tend not to like to play with so much afk lol. We have been running BC2 servers since October but we really didn't see a bump in traffic until we came over to NFO in March. If your server runs good they will return. We also had things that was killing our traffic when we were not around. Teamkilling and aimbots. We run a couple of plugins in to deal with this and it is a lot better.