TOPIC: Concerns for the server

I fully hope a SSRP LT+ can reply to this with their thoughts!

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For me the DarkRP servers were getting quite bad way back in 2016. I've played on Zarp since 2014 and when the owners started introducing many of the OP stuff (Weapons, suits etc.) around late 2015 then it was already becoming increasingly hard for a new or even just a poor player to actually do anything on the server. Basing as a new player was/is practically impossible as once someone discovers your base, they'll just use their OP weapons to blow your whole base away with 1 rocket and come running in with a suit that gives them godly amounts of health and armor.

I remember very well how there were new players just following admins around spamming voice chat to complain about this stuff, but they were muted and thus left the server. These very same problems that kept the new players away have also now started to push the remaining player base away.

I still sometimes try to play on Zarp, remembering how fun it was wayyyyy back when people actually had to come lockpick your doors and try to actually sneak into your base. There was problems way back then too, obviously, but they weren't even remotely as bad todays problems.

My personal opinion on all of this is that if there is really any chance of bringing Zarp back to its former glory, then the servers really need to be reset, and i've seen this idea be thrown around occasionally for years on the forums already but the poster always got clowned.

Reset the server, but launch polls on the forums to get see what the community wants for the *new* server. Start with a clean slate without all the OP things and the fucked up economy, give new players a chance to actually enjoy their stay on Zarp and also just listen to the community, nothing works better than pro-consumer decisions imo.

All that being said, Zarp has lived a very long life already and Gmod itself has a dwindling player base, so it's questionable how much can even be saved anymore at this point.

bump!

RubyTheSlump wrote:
I agree with this very much, but sadly the cat is out of the bag with regards the current meta. More suits and things were added as they generate money for the server. Server updates seem to be primarily focused on what generates more money as opposed to what 'fixes' the current gameplay loop. The latest update for instance removed a base, and added a more easily-raidable one in its place. When I play I feel as if my basing options are extremely limited, and even if I do base, it will likely get instantly destroyed within a few seconds. That said, I think a reset would get rid of more users than it would attract. Basing desperately needs to be fixed to give weaker players a bigger advantage, and there need to be more options with where to base.

I agree that the server should be reset if you want to attract more players. The reason that TTT gets so many players is that it is easy to pick up and start playing as a rookie, SSRP is the opposite. I have 24 mil on SSRP but it feels like I have nothing and if I try and raid I just get one tapped by some guy looking like the fucking terminator with a laser cannon.

Obviously I have less than 10 hours on the server but I feel that it is important that if you want to make the server fun for new people you make it so it is at the very least playable for them. That being said I have no idea how the "OGs" would feel about this and therefore my opinion should be taken with a pinch of salt.

I'm very glad that I got to play the server in it's prime, but I feel sad for the people who didn't get to experience what was. To start, the amount of money in the economy is absurd, it's definitely into the trillions at this point and unless they release a good money sink, people will not begin spending it. Arguably the casino was put in place for this, but the items in it are outrageously overpriced that there's no point of using it at all. Players know when they're being scammed with that kind of stuff. Besides that I think that there needs to seriously be a rule put in place to prevent a certain number of alts joining the servers. Now with zone captures, people can load up alts into the zones and get tons of items, not to mention the afk dumpster diving, printing tens of billions of dollars with alts etc. Now there are 3 major problems right now that absolutely need to be addressed.

First, the availability for basing and nuking on the current map. This is a huge issue right now because there are only 2 viable places to nuke, and only one to base (those being warehouse district and elevator). Second is the amount of new content in each update, the updates now are really unfulfilling because they only add a couple new items, maybe a gang upgrade here and there, or in the most recent one, the drug system overhaul. That's fine, but after a while people will want to see the items nerfed, buffed, or have new ones introduced to change the meta which has been relatively the same for 3 years. Lastly is the biggest problem by far, and that's the staff team and grudges. This was always an issue, but never anywhere near as bad as it is now. There are certain staff members who will be out to get you banned 24/7, they will sit and spectate you for hours until you fuck up, or they will punish for absolutely ridiculous things. The amount of permanent bans being handed out nowadays is enough to deter anyone from playing the server just out of fear of being perm banned. These bans are laughably stupid and often genuinely saddening, a few years ago people would be getting 2 week bans for this type of shit, not perm bans.

Bottom line is, the server has become monotonous and stale, very little action besides an occasional (unraidable) nuke, a very small base, a zone capture, or a bank or casino raid. Not to mention the ever inflating economy and it becoming harder and harder for new players to start out with each passing second. Somewhere along the lines, the server definitely lost it's way, and it just might be too late to change what's been put in place in order to offer a better experience for both old and new players.

Sam the Sausage wrote: disagreed.

Sam the Sausage wrote: tldr

JoshuaIsGreat wrote:
The server is boring, the staff members are abusive, the meta has been the same for over 3 years, the suggestions are rarely implemented, the bans are pathetic and the alt situation is making the economy even worse.

JoshuaIsGreat wrote: hypocrite, tldr

Sam the Sausage wrote: Thanks for the summary

Tow Mater wrote: FRIK YOU JOHN

JoshuaIsGreat wrote: didnt even thank the post.......(summary post)

Tow Mater wrote: I am sorry I have fixed the issue

crazy how many yellow names on the 1st page of this thread lol