Introduction
More and more people have recently been complaining about a few issues within TTT. Some staff members or more loyal players feel the need to take breaks or get burned out from the server because of a few of these issues, and the server, while this isn't a necessarily a bad thing, get clustered with new players, as the initial impression might be great, however the more they play the faster they get burned out. This thread will hopefully give a few suggestions in order to resolve a few of these issues.
Suggestions
1. Split the server into two.
This is an implementation that, I initially wanted to see A LOT, the first time joining. This would help the community and staff quite a bit, and I will go over why it would be a valuable implementation in the next topic, but in short, the idea of the server splitting would be having one server running 24/7 minecraft, whilst the other would have a normal map pool with maps that are popular within the TTT community. This, might be a bit of a bit too big of a change, so the next suggestion would be in relation to this one.
Advantages
►Would take off a huge work load from the Staff
►Much easier to manage the server - would almost never turn into a mess
►Two servers could have two different styles and approaches, suit different players.
►Two popular servers almost scream the name of ZARP at the top of the server boards.
►Can keep both Minecraft and More maps.
►Would increase playerbase longterm.
Disadvantages
►Hard to execute.
►Would make a mess between points/experience
►Would split the current playerbase
►Predictable inbalance between the servers. Wouldn't be an equal 50/50
1.1. Simply add more maps to the map pool.
This option would be much more easier to execute and would definitely improve the server, at least for its long-term playability. I've spoken to a few staff members and players, and they feel as if they burn out extremely quickly, playing the same map over and over again, only to come back the next day to do it again. This definitely puts off some and almost forces them to take a break, and whilst the map IS good, in a sense, there just needs to be a variation, at least slightly.
Now, however I do feel as if there are servers that suffer from a
POOR map pool, because they sometimes add maps that are not liked by the obvious majority, be it bad design, night time, over-complication, boring, or something similar, which is why I suggest only having a small map pool of the most commonly played maps. be it around 4-5. Right now, I suggest:
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ttt_rooftops (specific version up for debate)
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ttt_67thway (specific version up for debate)
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ttt_bb_teenroom_b2 (would've suggested ttt_dolls but teenroom is more viable for a larger playerbase.)
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ttt_mc_skyislands (again, I feel it would suit a large playerbase)
Advantages
►Keep players playing longer daily
►Less burnout
►Encourages older staff and long-term players to keep playing
►Different playstyles
►Would gain a larger playerbase
Disadvantages
►Might lose a few players who ONLY play minecraft.
►Some people might not like some maps. You have to be careful which ones you add.
2. Spectator Deathmatch.
To put it straight - this is a necessity. ZARP TTT has an extremely large player base, which comes with a problem - fairly long rounds. I can't express this enough, but more and more players have been complaining about the round times. Spectator Death-match would be an essential addition to TTT, and the large player base would enforce that, as the plugin itself would be popular between rounds. I see people constantly go AFK between the rounds, not realising when they start or end because of the enormous wait times between rounds, and this would keep them playing.
Advantages
►New version - less laggy. Heard it was a problem last time.
►Keep players actually playing during wait times
►Lower the number of AFKs who miss the start of the round
►Allow people to practise their skills - a lot of Traitors usually don't know how to shoot / make their moves.
Disadvantages
►Can't think of any.
3. Purchasable/Give-able T/D Rounds.
PLEASE READ THROUGH THIS. This addition wouldn't be just buy-able Traitor or Detective rounds. Because of the Zarp TTT Playerbase, it is very often that RDM occurs in the server, and sometimes for no reason. This implementation would give the power to moderating staff members to decide, in report cases, weather or not they should grant the victim their lost Traitor round or Detective round, keeping the player base happy.
Advantages
►Players wouldn't be so angry to be RDMed
►Potentially less "rage-quits"
►More interest and value in the points
►More power to staff members - they decide weather or not someone deserves to get it back.
►More value in the T or D rounds themselves
►Point sink
►Can be sell-able, encourage trade between players.
Disadvantages
►Additions to a feature I've already heard is buggy enough.
►Could potentially hinder flow of the game if not executed correctly.
►Disloyal or irresponsible staff members abusing this for their own benefit.
3.1 Buy limit on the T/D Rounds
Implementation of the Traitor or detective rounds would come with a problem - people that gain their points from exploits or giveaways can be traitors non stop, completely ruining the flow of the game. I would suggest that there can be only 5 purchases made daily for the Traitor or Detective rounds, and that each purchase increases the price of the next one by doubling, and both the limit and the price decrease the next day. This would be a big point sink, and re-value the points by quite a bit.
Advantages
►Prevention of ruining the flow of the game
►Bigger point sink
►Wouldn't allow huge imbalances between Innocents / Traitors / Detectives.
Disadvantages
►Hard to implement - as I've heard, pointshop is buggy enough.
4. Detective expansion
I love the vanilla-ish theme of Zarp TTT, but right now being the detective is fairly boring. I hear people complain when they're chosen to be a detective, as it's more of a chore and a let-down rather than being an exciting round. I'd suggest having more weapons added for detectives, maybe a more powerful way for them to defend themselves or something of the sort. I can't think of anything specific, but we need something to excite the players when they are chosen to be the detectives. Be this a taser gun, portable tester, golden deagle, SOMETHING. This is up for debate and any suggestions or feedback would be EXTREMELY appreciated.
Advantages
►Would make a role boring to play actually exciting
►Detectives would be better at their job - more interested in the game
►Detectives are at the moment fairly underpowered - bigger arsenal would help quite a bit.
Disadvantages
►A bit too powerful - Traiters would have a bit of a harder time. Depends on the workshop items of course.
4.1 Death station
An expansion to the detectives should have a counter for the traitors. A "Death Station" would be an amazing addition and would make the game-play fairly more interesting, making the round wait times go much quicker than it is right now. There's not much I can say about this, as it is a fairly simple topic but in my opinion, would be a great addition.
Advantages
►Fun as hell - From what I've used, this item is generally extremely fun to use and is great for all players.
►Interesting change to playstyles - Innocents have to be much more careful and actually pay attention to the game
►BIG ADVANTAGE - Rounds would go WAY quicker.
►Not too powerful - Dead bodies around the station / Ability to get DNA from it / Destroyable. Things like that balance it out.
Disadvantages
►Can't think of any. Maybe change the flow of the game from what it is now? Not that much of a disadvantage.
5. Betting changes
Betting is an extremely interesting and fairly unique feature in TTT, and from what I've seen other Zarp servers. It does, however, come with a big problem - there's virtually no reason to use it. Because of the large player base, it's almost impossible to know weather or not you will survive, and the payout for that isn't that big. I suggest, making it versitile - the more players, the better the odds. Each player adds a 0.1x multiplier to the odds. This would interest players in the point shop much more and keep interested and careful about their gameplay
Advantages
►Feature would be way more used than it is now.
►A good balance
►More unique odds are more exciting, a sense of heat. excitement, passion
►Long term players would keep playing
►Keep players more interested in the pointshop
►Would make players play much more carefully.
►Easily fixable if becomes too powerful
Disadvantages
►Potentially, a bit too powerful and could accumulate A LOT of points.
►Could make players a bit trigger-happy so they don't die.
6. Coin flip
I've heard about this feature from brenzor, a coinflip - two players bet the same amount of money into one pool, and flip a coin. The side that lands, determines the winner, who chose that side. It's a 50/50 of doubling your money, and is a good option to resolving the issue of players waiting for another round to start - they can simply ask someone to coinflip and start betting, doubling or losing their points. You can also extend this suggestion and add a point sink - take 10% of the final point pool and destroy it.
Advantages
►Keep players more interested in the point shop
►Long term players with larger point balances would be encouraged to actually spend it.
►Points would become more valuable
►An activity to do while waiting for another round to start.
►Already implemented in other servers (from what I've heard
Disadvantages
►Could make the server cluttered if not implemented efficiently
►Would be hard to find someone to play with if you don't know them
►Risky addition, don't know if it would fit TTT.
7. Remove the COD Zombies upgrades
No clue why these even exist. Terrible, more of a hinder than an addition, WAY too overpriced, look extremely out of place. I won't even add an Advantages/Disadvantages to this as this should just straight up be removed.
Conclusion
It's up to you to decide weather or not these features would be as much of an improvement as I make them out to be, but in my opinion they would be amazing additions. You can pick and chose which ones you should or shouldn't add, if any, but from my perspective they would all work best if they were added together with one another. TTT, in the state that it is, is good, but definitely not great.
TL:DR
•Split the server into two, or add more maps. - Keep the long term playerbase / less burnout.
•Spectator DeathMatch - Fun to spend time while waiting for round to start / practising skills
•Buy-able / Give-able T/D Rounds - refund RDMed T rounds or D rounds
•Detective needs more weapons - currently boring to play
•Death station - would be sick
•Betting changes - not worth it to bet with large playerbase - make it so more players = better betting odds.
•Coinflip - cool way to spend some time and gamble.
•Remove the COD Zombies upgrades - no one uses them, too expensive, out of place.