Myself and several others have begun work on a new server, currently called StarServer. It will have/has features such as automated matchmaking, more accurate skill ranking, achievements of some form, custom user icons, better map and user statistics, automatic port forwarding (will work for many users but not all), live APM, new antihack, and a bunch of other useful or generally awesome features.
There is currently no estimated time of completion, but we hope to get it completed in 2013. A closed beta will be run before it is released to the general public. After the beta we will open up donations and run a big opening tournament, and people will be able to play their hearts out on the best game ever, on the new best server ever! Current status: Alpha
OLD POST Given the recent discussion about the iCCup server, as well as the long running lack of updates and support from the iCCup main administration towards the Brood War part of their server, I feel it is time for a new server for foreign Brood War to be started and to come to the fore. However, there are other servers around which have not gained popularity in the way iCCup has. There is little point in starting a server which no one plays on. So this thread is both to gauge support for a new server, and also discuss features people would like to be added into it and so on.
Poll: If there were to be another SCBW server, would you switch to it?
Yes! (829)
77%
Yes! If enough people switched to it. (169)
16%
No. (81)
8%
1079 total votes
Your vote: If there were to be another SCBW server, would you switch to it?
(Vote): Yes! (Vote): No. (Vote): Yes! If enough people switched to it.
Possible features:
- Automated matchmaking
- More accurate skill ranking (points reflect skill more closely, so a 1500 point player will win, say, 66% of games against a 1000 point player. This would be similiar (but not the same) to the Fish style of ranking. Fish ranking changes too quickly so it wouldn't have that problem (1500 user dropping to 1000 after losing ~10 games won't happen).)
- Achievements
- Better map statistics
- Better tournament support
- In-game or in-launcher streams, to increase viewership of streams
- Automatic port forwarding to allow almost anyone to host games
- Your suggestion here! Feel free to make suggestions, and I'll definitely consider them.
If anyone is interested in helping out directly with getting the server up and running, and perhaps administrating it, then PM me and we can discuss it more.
Automatchmaking should be the main goal of a possible new server. It will attract many SC2 newcomers who are used with the system and we might retain some players to the scene.
And what do you mean by Achievements? If it is something like SC2 Achievements I think that's pretty dumb and useless.
Well, these features (automated matchmaking and more accurate skill ranking) require a bigger population in order to be truly effective. Like, there is no point in automated matchmaking if you're going to have to wait 15 minutes for a game or not find a game at all. I'd rather play a more skewed game but not wait as long.
iCCup is definitely not the ideal place for playing BW, but it's an okay option. The biggest problem with foreign BW right now isn't the server "features", it's the population. The population problem is amplified 100x by the fact that many people are unable to host games (I for one do not have access to the router that I'm using right now ) Playing a 2 week stint on Fish has been prolly my best BW experience so far. I got rolled a lot (like, a lot) but managed to have a fair number of close games and it took me 2 mins max to find a game) Unlike iCCup, when I usually play (late night EST when the population is like 300) and it takes me like 15 mins to find a game, if I don't give up and leave by then.
Automatic port forwarding to allow almost anyone to host games
Not sure if this is doable, but if it is, this should definitely be the priority above all else. Like I mentioned, mine (and a huge number of people's I'm sure) beef with playing BW is the tedious time and effort you have to go through to find a game.
On May 22 2013 11:17 i am plus wrote: i belive their is already a server like this called VET server
That's nothing on the scale of what I'm talking about though. As far as I know, no one uses VET server. There are also servers like ShadowFlare's Realm and so on which are used by niche communities or not used at all; I'm talking about making a server for the competitive foreign Brood War scene to all switch to.
On May 22 2013 10:33 1a2a3a[MB] wrote: after geckoxp removing op teamliquid and the corrupt admins and the the korean launchers not liking my computer 100% yes.
whaaat? gecko removed op teamliquid???!! what the fuck! O_O
On May 22 2013 10:33 1a2a3a[MB] wrote: after geckoxp removing op teamliquid and the corrupt admins and the the korean launchers not liking my computer 100% yes.
whaaat? gecko removed op teamliquid???!! what the fuck! O_O
if you can get automated matchmaking to work like battle.net 2.0...you will be greatly successful. But not sure if that is even possible with Bnet. 1.0.
edit: even with a low population, you can still make automatchmaking work. Set a wait time limit, if time exceeds then your opponent will just be whoever is most close in rank.
OR, you have a pseudo matchmaking system where people who are looking for games can accept or decline a match offer from other players in a channel/room. Kinda like whispering, but we just click accept when battle+map+match type is offered.
However, I do agree that allowing ALL players to make games is the best feature for a server. People not being able to make their own games really hurts the most.
There are only two things that bother me with iccup: - the drama surrounding it - the population size I guess a new server could resolve the first issue, but I cannot imagine that it could resolve the second one (the more important one for me)
I feel like the most important features for a new server (besides automatic port forwarding if possible at all) are: - anti-hack - tournament support - a good-looking and easy to navigate website with statistics (I actually really like iccup's website)
As far as, automatic matchmaking is concerned, I kind of don't like it. First of all, it would be difficult to actually find suitable games due to the low bw player base. Furthermore, I really like arranging regames with an opponent I found challanging or felt that I lost in a dumb way. This wouldn't be possible with auto matchmaking.
Achievements seem pretty pointless to me. I can't imagine them being any incentive for anyone to play.
Also, a decent motw rotation would be cool, too (but maybe with less point advantage than on iccup).
edit: Thinking about it, auto matchmaking has a lot of benefits, too. Maybe there should be an option for both auto and manual matchmaking or auto matchmaking with the possibility for a regame if both you and your opponent agree (if there is any chance to implement this).
A better rating system, especially one that doesn't reset, would be great, and is something we may never get from iCCup itself.
Solving BW's port forwarding issues completely is impossible AFAIK short of some mind-blowing feat of network programming. xboi's XLauncher (http://www.iccup.com/community/thread/587039.html) goes partway but given that he's an iCCup admin, I don't know whether he'd approve its use on another server.
Fragmenting the player base is a real concern. The foreign BW player base is pretty small already. It would suck to need to log on both this new server and iCCup to find a game. Granted high level players already need to do that (playing on both fish and iCCup), but for a D level player like me, it's nice that I can always find a game on iCCup.
Automated matchmaking would be tough to implement and IMO is not very important.
Auto matchmaking system on BW was already invented years ago on the SC2GG server, I really loved that server so much and wish it was still around, with a nice antihack , and that ladder system and automatchmaking system like SC2GG, it would be a perfect server.
On May 22 2013 12:03 GGzerG wrote: Auto matchmaking system on BW was already invented years ago on the SC2GG server, I really loved that server so much and wish it was still around, with a nice antihack , and that ladder system and automatchmaking system like SC2GG, it would be a perfect server.
Whoa, I had no idea. How did the auto-matchmaking work?
edit: Thinking about it, auto matchmaking has a lot of benefits, too. Maybe there should be an option for both auto and manual matchmaking or auto matchmaking with the possibility for a regame if both you and your opponent agree (if there is any chance to implement this).
You would still be able to manually host games, automatchmaking wouldn't be required.
I'd love to get hold of the SC2GG source code but I manage without if I have to.
On May 22 2013 12:03 GGzerG wrote: Auto matchmaking system on BW was already invented years ago on the SC2GG server, I really loved that server so much and wish it was still around, with a nice antihack , and that ladder system and automatchmaking system like SC2GG, it would be a perfect server.
Whoa, I had no idea. How did the auto-matchmaking work?
I think we need more then a new server... we need a new mindset!
We need a fresh start, a jailbreak if you will.
Everyone gets unbanned from ICCUP, Teamliquid BW section, any tournies or whatever. Everyone stops acting like a dick and gets over there petty ego induced quarrels. Peace ensues. Everyone acts like GGzerg after he reformed (ending every posts with a god bless and some friendly emoticons).
EPT
) Playing a 2 week stint on Fish has been prolly my best BW experience so far. I got rolled a lot (like, a lot) but managed to have a fair number of close games and it took me 2 mins max to find a game) Unlike iCCup, when I usually play (late night EST when the population is like 300) and it takes me like 15 mins to find a game, if I don't give up and leave by then.
and god bless! ~~ GG GL HAVE FUN! ~ :p
