What do you look for in a server?

[HollowAddiction]

So I wanted to do a small survey that i think all server admins could benefit from.

 

Copy and paste with your answers.

 

Survey:

 

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

 

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

 

What turns you away from a server?

 

What things about a server make you stay?

 

what method do you use to look for a server?

 

Additional Comments:

 

 

[david]

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

For me the whole is more than the sum of the parts, it does not really matter which scripts or features are available just as long as the big picture of it is descent. Well made original scripts and/or map additions are always interesting. I personally like the aesthetics and visually striking stuff in games. Small details are important and can change the experience a lot (like selfactions self blood bags vs contextual menu blood bags)

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

It depends on the server. For "hack and slash", as many as possible. For community, diplomacy, missions and base building I guess any number's fine, as long as your not just soloing.

What turns you away from a server?

A bad crowd.

What things about a server make you stay?

A good community and good, friendly, active and helpful admins.

What method do you use to look for a server?

Dayz Commander server list; filtered with keywords on the server name and sorted by ping.

Additional Comments:

Being a server operator myself my judgement is somewhat biased ^^ But I'm thinking back a couple of months to when arma and dayz were completely new to me. Joined the first couple of servers and either it was a ghost town or you'd get splattered as soon as you joined. Found a descent server running epoch (first one I tried) with ~5 people online, all which were pretty new to dayz so we all experienced it at equal footing and eventually teamed up and formed a group.. I guess what kept me on the server were that the admins were really friendly and the people playing there became more like friends rather than just people you play with.

Not sure if that helps you in any way, but that's my 2 cents and I've got the ball running ^^

[HollowAddiction]

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

For me the whole is more than the sum of the parts, it does not really matter which scripts or features are available just as long as the big picture of it is descent. Well made original scripts and/or map additions are always interesting. I personally like the aesthetics and visually striking stuff in games. Small details are important and can change the experience a lot (like selfactions self blood bags vs contextual menu blood bags)

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

It depends on the server. For "hack and slash", as many as possible. For community, diplomacy, missions and base building I guess any number's fine, as long as your not just soloing.

What turns you away from a server?

A bad crowd.

What things about a server make you stay?

A good community and good, friendly, active and helpful admins.

What method do you use to look for a server?

Dayz Commander server list; filtered with keywords on the server name and sorted by ping.

Additional Comments:

Being a server operator myself my judgement is somewhat biased ^^ But I'm thinking back a couple of months to when arma and dayz were completely new to me. Joined the first couple of servers and either it was a ghost town or you'd get splattered as soon as you joined. Found a descent server running epoch (first one I tried) with ~5 people online, all which were pretty new to dayz so we all experienced it at equal footing and eventually teamed up and formed a group.. I guess what kept me on the server were that the admins were really friendly and the people playing there became more like friends rather than just people you play with.

Not sure if that helps you in any way, but that's my 2 cents and I've got the ball running ^^

 it helps a great deal, thanks bro

[Mercules]

Survey:

 

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

That depends.

PVP: When I join a server that has PVP I avoid the ones that have indestructible wood and no plot pole. Sure you can set up a base quickly and easily, but it is just frustrating as hell to enter a server that is supposed to have an element of loss and danger and find out that you can't even blow up a flimsy wooden wall. Indestructible cinder is okay but only if there are not "donation benefits" at play.

So another thing I avoid when dealing with PVP, donation systems. If someone jumps me while I am looting an area(I tend to play a bit more heroic than bandit) I want to know that when I am forced to deal with them that if I do end up killing them I am not going to find them running back to the same area with a DMR/M14 combo, ready to finish me off because they respawn with both guns and plenty of ammo. I want a level playing field.

I also avoid anything with "super" vehicles. The armored SUV is difficult enough to deal with, but my friends and I did some play on a server and ran into a small clan with honest to god tanks. When an explosive shell is lobbed in and blows up the vehicle you just got out of before you can even run away... that is a bit much.

I also avoid any place where they offer to sell me scripts so that I can join them in their cheating. I like my server well moderated by people who want to play fair and won't use the admin powers to gain an advantage or give someone else help or let people obviously cheating slide.

PVE: When I get on a PVE server I like to have a mission system since zombies get dull after a bit. I don't like it too hard and I like the rewards to be minor. Otherwise a solo player can't take on the mission themselves and groups of players can wipe out a mission and get huge rewards while the solo player continues to loot while avoiding zombies.

I HATE roaming AI. I hate when they randomly spawn in 300 meters away. It makes clearing an area useless since the AI might just spawn in behind you and kill you before you realize they popped up. I don't mind AI zones which are marked but don't have the pop in randomly so I can't even chop down a tree for lumber without having a gunfight in the middle or build a cinder wall because I keep having to stop building to shoot AI.

 

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

Depends on the map. NAPF is a good one for more players as there are many different places to visit. Chernarus is worse. To explain, NAPF has military barracks in 5 different locations across the map. Plus there are firehalls and other military spawns scattered around as well. Same thing with industrial, farm, residential.... you can find it in a wide variety of areas. With Chernarus things are a bit more focused into certain areas so people can literally camp them. So having 50 people on NAPF means you might want to be careful in some areas. Having 50 people on Chernarus means you avoid Ballota/Cherno/Elektro as well as the NWAF and likely the NEAF.

PVP with 4 friends 30+. PVP alone 15-20.

PVE 15-20 (otherwise you have midair crashes near traders.... no really, people don't watch.)

 

What turns you away from a server?

Cheaters... uneven playing fields. I don't mind "perks" on PVE servers so much, but It can be annoying. Say an Admin shows up to an area in a tank and starts blasting zombies damaging your vehicle parked nearby and collapsing one of the barracks so you can't even loot it.... (true story) I tend to get annoyed.

 

What things about a server make you stay?

A good community. I was on a server with PVP. I went into an area and KNEW there was someone else nearby but couldn't spot them. Finally I spotted a guy but I thought maybe it wasn't the one I "felt" was around. I killed him and thought I heard another shot but after waiting for 5 minutes figured I had imagined it. I finally raced forward to loot, dove into cover in a way I could loot the body and not get shot from where I "might" have heard the shot. He broke my leg with the first shot and then after a firefight he killed me. Once he had looted he picked me up at the coast and dropped me at my body. Not kidding.

 

what method do you use to look for a server?

DayZ Commander. I filter things down to find what I want with the map I want. Then I'll often go through the small list I find and see if any of them have a website/forum. I then check that out to see what is posted and see what the "feel" of the server is. Then I hop on when there are some people on and "listen" to see if anyone chats and what they say.

 

Additional Comments:

I hate some of the things that others demand. I see no need for Self Blood Bag in Epoch since you can regenerate with food and drink very easy. Tow and Lift isn't needed if you have something like "Deploy Bike" but I'll see both on a server.

My advice to server owners would be

Keep

It

Simple

Stupid

Figure out WHAT you want to accomplish with your server and put in ONLY what you need to accomplish that and nothing more.

If you want a PVE server where people can build up their bases by doing missions and maybe buy a cool vehicle then put in AI missions scripts and edit the rewards but don't add in ten million other scripts that don't relate to any of that. If you want a PVP based server where clans can have fair wars then but in things that support that and don't add in AI Missions.

[Csus]

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

What draws me to a server is very simple, a mission system and preferably some wandering AI. I love a good firefight.

 

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

20 at the most. I've had too much experience with highly populated servers having terrible stability.

 

What turns you away from a server?

An unsociable player base, ignorant admins and bad FPS.

Also, a shop. Why on earth would anyone pay for something they already paid for when they bought the game!

 

What things about a server make you stay?

Admins and players who are social and like to chat and play together.

For me, DayZ is as much a social experience as a gaming one. Or, atleast it should be.

 

what method do you use to look for a server?

DayZ Commander. Join, playe for 15 minutes, leave. Rinse and repeat until I find a good one.

 

Additional Comments:

To all the server admins out there.

Less is more! You don't need the action menus where you can dance, you don't need 1500 vehicles on the map and you sure as hell don't need a mission file too big for a floppy disk! It doesn;t matter how innovative your server may be, if players can't get good FPS they will go somewhere else.

 

[Fully]

Survey:

 

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?


As little as possable. Some tasteful buildings placed around the map. Not just 4+ barracks stuck in every town.
Maybe just a deployable bike/motorcycle were you have to find all the parts to make it.
 

 

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

Max players, were you have to spam to join the PvP =)

 

What turns you away from a server?

Cheaters, pay to win, admins that exploit to gain the advantage, low population.
 

 

What things about a server make you stay?

 

Full server, missions that attract a lot of players to them.

 

what method do you use to look for a server?

 

Ingame browser/ Word of mouth from other squad members =)

 

 

Additional Comments:

Less can be better. Mozzies that can be deployed are the worst for balance of the server.
If you have a lot of armor on your server with maybe 1 or 2 big clans, you need to help counter that. Eg: add rpg's/aa as a rare item to let the smaller groups have a fighting chance.
 

[FJack]

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

I look for "hardcore" features like no crosshair and no self BB (although I choose Tuna over Bloodbags". I like heavy helos like CH47 to lift ground vehicles but no towing random cars. I have yet to find a server with those features.

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

Above 5, below 30. Even over 20 seems to be constant PVP.

What turns you away from a server?

Blatant PVP. This game sucks for constant PVP. I like a balance of good/bad players.

What things about a server make you stay?

Team work / helping others successfully without cheats/admin help. Also, admin that play the game and warn players before teleporting to them (avoiding minor heart attacks) ;)

what method do you use to look for a server?

Daz commander or browser search for "hard", "hardcore", "PVP/PVE", or I filter the player numbers and join one with one or two handfuls of players with the best ping.

 

Additional Comments:

[HollowAddiction]

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

I look for "hardcore" features like no crosshair and no self BB (although I choose Tuna over Bloodbags". I like heavy helos like CH47 to lift ground vehicles but no towing random cars. I have yet to find a server with those features.

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

Above 5, below 30. Even over 20 seems to be constant PVP.

What turns you away from a server?

Blatant PVP. This game sucks for constant PVP. I like a balance of good/bad players.

What things about a server make you stay?

Team work / helping others successfully without cheats/admin help. Also, admin that play the game and warn players before teleporting to them (avoiding minor heart attacks) ;)

what method do you use to look for a server?

Daz commander or browser search for "hard", "hardcore", "PVP/PVE", or I filter the player numbers and join one with one or two handfuls of players with the best ping.

 

Additional Comments:

I haven't found the perfect server yet but I compromise by playing in a decent PVP server when I want action, then a NO PVP server to build, explore and enjoy myself with other civilized players. Luckily the PVP server I play in (dreamfall Napf) is somewhat civil sometimes.

Hope the feedback helps your server. Peace

[wangtangnoodle]

What do you look for in a server(i.e. Scripts/features)?

An apocalyptic experience that feels like you're on deaths door more often than not. Players feeling the need to worry about others and considering having to kill simply to hold on to their gear because not everyone will have that gear. Or to kill because they can't find something and "that player over there" could have that something. I like feeling the danger of the environment and the danger of other players, the feeling of logging on and knowing it's going to be a struggle and I need to keep aware.

 

What is your preferred amount of players you look for in choosing a server?

No preference. If less than 10 there'd need to be some kind of AI threat as Epoch provides an easier feeling of safety than for example vanilla DayZ.

 

What turns you away from a server?

Anything carebear. There's so many pussies in Epoch, sorry to say it. The majority of players want their comfort blankets and their mother's nipple. So stuff like donator perks, free building kits, starter packs, admins who don't play the game like players, shit loads of vehicles, low prices, low amounts of zombies, players who lost something in a bug whining every day to server admins for a "refund", trader cities everywhere, too many traders, auto-refuel, easy missions with tonnes of loot.

 

Safezones are one of the biggest letdowns when I've joined a server. An end of the world environment with trading areas where you are invincible. Makes no sense. Have people worry about going to a trader, make them have to scope the area out, rush in fast and then scarper with the money or the goods even faster. Heighten the fear, it adds longevity to the server's challenge.

 

What things about a server make you stay?

The feeling that I can get something basic set up within a few days (such as a car in the woods and a tent with little in it), but to achieve that endgame feeling it would take weeks or months. I like missions but I'd be happy to have a server packed with headshot-only zombies, only 1 or 2 traders, less than the average number of vehicles and some players who are up for a bit of PVP.

 

what method do you use to look for a server?

I browse listings looking for words such as "apocalyptic", "challenging", "hard" and "no pussies"

 

Additional Comments:

I'm starting to feel like no traders could be the way to go. With safety comes boredom. I've done all the "10 safes in my base, one of every owned heli and armed vehicle" feeling a few times and I just think "well, this is shit, didn't have to do too much for this".