Hey! How are you?

[Xaze]

Me and Jayarr wanted to make this post in order to garner interest and generally see what's up.

Aside from this being a general check in, we wanted to ask how you all have been feeling with the current state of the server.
The main reason for this post is because we have been noticing an obvious drop in players, and we don't want to shrug it off as just another off week. This post is also to serve as a general poke at what you guys think and/or want to see.

What's the main reason(s) you all find yourselves lacking the will or ability to get on the server? Is it personal reasons, development reasons, or something else?

[Maddoxx]

2 minutes ago, Xaze said:

What's the main reason(s) you all find yourselves lacking the will or ability to get on the server? Is it personal reasons, development reasons, or something else?

[SquishyFishyy]

I personally feel overwhelmed. I feel like everything I do is for the best interest of Jedi but it still feels like its not enough which makes me extremely overwhelmed and burned out. I have people to help but at the end of the day I feel like it all falls back on me if anything goes wrong.

Edited September 10, 2022 by SquishyFishyy
added some info

[Glory22]

I think a lot of people are burnt out and struggling to get new people into their battalions. I know it’s been suggested before but putting advertising either via YouTubers or just making our server browser listing more detailed could really be of benefit… Every new player I see is blown away by our map so just adding “custom map” to the listing could help a bit…

School starting is also a consideration when it comes to player count right now. 

Also is it extremely discouraging to people to see multiple pages of suggestions/bug reports going back several months that seem dormant and ignored. I seriously think going through those and categorizing them to Denied, Accepted, Pending to thin it out would be very helpful. 

Edited September 10, 2022 by Keegan

[Aegis]

I'm on my 60 hour work week this week, so my time is inherently limited. I'm having a good time on the server when others are on and people are engaging in RP or other shenanigans. It's really that downtime where there's a solid population of people, but half are AFK, and nobody takes the initiative to start something, where things don't feel fun or engaging.

[Knockout]

Just started my first job so not on as much+college

[Som]

if being honest here i been dealing with burn out and nobody really getting on, it makes it unfun of were it's just people afking 24/7 and it just having the feeling of "yeah i'm the only person there doing something"

[Mystic]

getting a job took most of my time, also @MaddoxxDeep Rock Galactic is heat

[Cryotec]

I, personally, 100% think its the server pop.

When the server is popping off with 50-60+ people, there's consistently more events and encounters, people in Battalions are encouraged to get on because they go "Oh damn there's 50+ people on!", and that's what people love to see. I'm also guility (and im sure a lot of other people are too) of seeing 15-20 people on, knowing they are AFK and saying "Its not worth it."
Without the server pop, everything degrades, especially RP.

I also agree with @Keegan, we need more exposure to boost that player pop. Getting YouTubers/Streamers or whoever to advertise our GMod server might be a good course of action but it also could be completely fruitless. 
But its better to try and fail, then not try at all.

[Jayarr]

I would like to mention this;

I know it's hard to do, and it's a hard push to force yourself to do, but if you see 15-20 people on the server and don't join because "it's gonna be boring", that is the biproduct of what's reducing our player count. By not getting on in the mornings or not making an effort to at least AFK over night, we lose a major major foothold over player pop and the one thing other servers have over us. Yeah, this'll produce the mindset of "oh, i  don't wanna play because x amount of players are AFK", but that's heaps better then us brushing off joining at all due to the fact that no one is on period

It's all up to you guys at the end of the day, but next time you see pop so low, maybe jump on and help us out. We need everyone we can get when we're so low on pop, and even if you're not gonna play, you just being on is more of a help then you can ever imagine.

Edited September 10, 2022 by Jayarr

[Conrad]

Personally I blame @Mazenfor leaving the server.

[A-a-ron]

definitely just don't enjoy gmod anymore but thats not anyones fault 

[Misfit]

im only here so i can get BCMD and HA while the server is dead 

[Finn]

7 minutes ago, Misfit said:

im only here so i can get BCMD and HA while the server is dead 

I'll make sure to bring this up on your application.

[Opa]

I think that the server is well developed now and has great developers that have good skills to add content. I agree with Jayarr that there's way too little afk'ing in the early hours and that majority of people don't join the server if it's not 40 or 50 + players. One thing that I've always wished this server would do like most other SWRP servers is remove terms from BCMD's and instead evaluate their performance as they go, I feel like so much unneeded  change could be avoided with it and the batallions could potentially structure themselves to actually have longer lasting BCMDs and longer lasting batallion culture. Now a lot of people just say that all you need is apply, but I rarely see people going for 2nd term and even more rare is the 3rd term and it leads me to believe that it's not needed I think that telling somoene that their now BCMD and they will be giving a report but monthly to somoenr like Marshall Commander or Regimentals or Directors would leave the BCMDs with a better taste in their mouth and fledge out their batallions, it would also feel like BCMD is proper rank and a position not just some pants that you put on for three months and gotta reapply everytime to keep them. I just think that evaluation of BCMDs would be more smooth and would avoid a lot of uncertainty for the batallions. Ye.

 

[Opa]

1 hour ago, Cryotec said:

I, personally, 100% think its the server pop.

When the server is popping off with 50-60+ people, there's consistently more events and encounters, people in Battalions are encouraged to get on because they go "Oh damn there's 50+ people on!", and that's what people love to see. I'm also guility (and im sure a lot of other people are too) of seeing 15-20 people on, knowing they are AFK and saying "Its not worth it."
Without the server pop, everything degrades, especially RP.

I also agree with @Keegan, we need more exposure to boost that player pop. Getting YouTubers/Streamers or whoever to advertise our GMod server might be a good course of action but it also could be completely fruitless. 
But its better to try and fail, then not try at all.

We need Pixelcat to make a video kekw

Edited September 11, 2022 by Opa

[ToasterBath]

1 hour ago, Opa said:

We need Pixelcat to make a video kekw

Unironically not a bad idea 💀

Most people are used to servers that are just random collections of different mods that are completely unoptimized and miserable to play on, if someone with a fairly big platform would be able to show off the server with the new map, custom models, nearly no lag during events or deployments, it could lead to a lot more people joining the server out of genuine interest and not to minge since someone made a video on it

[KillJoy]

If anything, let’s start an actual storyline that every week something changes. Every game does a weekly thing to keep players going. Because if every time you log on base gets destroyed, by the end oh look it’s all fix. Also maybe player consequences, if players ignore or destroy something without actually rp looking into it, because shoot things more fun. They could have found an advantage. Also GMs should carry stuff over on their events, say massive droid attack happens. GM board and get data, that could lead to the next event so players look forward to it. Not saying a set schedule but having players feel like their actions matter. Also let RP play out instead asking for db than wonder why there’s nothing to do. You cut out every bit of the GMs creative by doing this. But honestly we have more care by the founder and the DEV team than ever. People asked me why every once and awhile I’ll buy 9mil credits or 100 item. It’s to keep the server dev going, because without donations we can’t get a new map, new models, new npcs. Think about that before making fun of people buying things. Yes it’s real money but that’s how this server is funded. No one gets paid, all the money goes to the server. 

Edited September 11, 2022 by KillJoy

[Mavelle]

12 hours ago, KillJoy said:

If anything, let’s start an actual storyline that every week something changes. Every game does a weekly thing to keep players going. Because if every time you log on base gets destroyed, by the end oh look it’s all fix. Also maybe player consequences, if players ignore or destroy something without actually rp looking into it, because shoot things more fun. They could have found an advantage. Also GMs should carry stuff over on their events, say massive droid attack happens. GM board and get data, that could lead to the next event so players look forward to it. Not saying a set schedule but having players feel like their actions matter. Also let RP play out instead asking for db than wonder why there’s nothing to do. You cut out every bit of the GMs creative by doing this. But honestly we have more care by the founder and the DEV team than ever. People asked me why every once and awhile I’ll buy 9mil credits or 100 item. It’s to keep the server dev going, because without donations we can’t get a new map, new models, new npcs. Think about that before making fun of people buying things. Yes it’s real money but that’s how this server is funded. No one gets paid, all the money goes to the server. 

Heard.

[Zeros]

13 hours ago, KillJoy said:

If anything, let’s start an actual storyline that every week something changes. Every game does a weekly thing to keep players going. Because if every time you log on base gets destroyed, by the end oh look it’s all fix. Also maybe player consequences, if players ignore or destroy something without actually rp looking into it, because shoot things more fun. They could have found an advantage. Also GMs should carry stuff over on their events, say massive droid attack happens. GM board and get data, that could lead to the next event so players look forward to it. Not saying a set schedule but having players feel like their actions matter. Also let RP play out instead asking for db than wonder why there’s nothing to do. You cut out every bit of the GMs creative by doing this. But honestly we have more care by the founder and the DEV team than ever. People asked me why every once and awhile I’ll buy 9mil credits or 100 item. It’s to keep the server dev going, because without donations we can’t get a new map, new models, new npcs. Think about that before making fun of people buying things. Yes it’s real money but that’s how this server is funded. No one gets paid, all the money goes to the server. 

Destiny 2? Got it. Seriously though, the weekly storyline idea is fire af. 

[Stockings]

I am enjoying Conan Exiles & Need For Speed: Heat 👍😼

[Eclipse]

good thanks 

[Void]

@Stockings

I agree with you! Conan pretty lit.

 

[Bossk]

1 hour ago, Stockings said:

I am enjoying Conan Exiles & Need For Speed: Heat 👍😼

+1, much more fun atm, server feels dry. Everyone already summed it up, basically with less people = less things happening like events etc because staff are less motivated or something along those lines. I still try to stay at the minimum afk to boost pop but it doesnt seem to do much. 

[Mystic]

2 hours ago, Zeros said:

Destiny 2? Got it. Seriously though, the weekly storyline idea is fire af. 

@TazDESTINY 2

[Hector]

pretty good

 

[Brooklyn]

On 9/10/2022 at 6:28 PM, Conrad said:

Personally I blame @Mazenfor leaving the server.

Left for SUP so it’s even worse

Conan Exiles

[Piff]

Work, woman, money.

[Brooklyn]

I think a main thing for my motivation, and probably some can agree with me on this, is how to continually improve battalions and factions to give them more appeal. I think appeal is some else that we are lacking. For RC at least. There is only so much that can be done until a majority of not everything has been tried. I feel frustrated that I can’t think of things to do. But I have so much love for the positions i have and for the people around me. But it’s insatiable hunger to actually thrive and make things better. I just can’t find it.

[GregRocks]

One huge thing for me is the intense AFK population. I think how you encourage being AFK is an incredible mistake.

I understand the idea. The more players that show up on the server list, the more people want to join because we look big. Xaze brought up the point (to me in DMs) that this is how Superior is so active. Half of their players are AFK. This won't work for us though, because we aren't nearly as big as them.

Superior's overall population is over 100 on average. The thing is, if half of them are AFK, that still leaves 50 active players online. The server still feels alive. 50 active players is considered REALLY good for Synergy. When you get on Superior, there is still a plenty active community to keep you stimulated. Why this idea WON'T work for Synergy is because we are much smaller. When people see 20+ people on, but they join and only 2 or 3 are active because the other 20 are doing AFK quests, they aren't stimulated. They leave.

The idea behind encouraging AFK is good in theory, but flawed in practice. No one wants to play on a server where everyone is AFK, and that scares away any potential new players. When a recurring player gets on, seeing 20+ people, and they get excited to come to a semi-active server, it's a major turn off when you see that 41st CPL SnackBoy is the only active player. It's even driven me to get off the server after an hour of trying to get something to happen.

AFK quests aren't doing the server, or any player any good. You're not only just allowing AFK, but you're rewarding it. I think it's probably one of the most foolish things Synergy has done.

[A-a-ron]

1 hour ago, Lovestruck said:

One huge thing for me is the intense AFK population. I think how you encourage being AFK is an incredible mistake.

I understand the idea. The more players that show up on the server list, the more people want to join because we look big. Xaze brought up the point (to me in DMs) that this is how Superior is so active. Half of their players are AFK. This won't work for us though, because we aren't nearly as big as them.

Superior's overall population is over 100 on average. The thing is, if half of them are AFK, that still leaves 50 active players online. The server still feels alive. 50 active players is considered REALLY good for Synergy. When you get on Superior, there is still a plenty active community to keep you stimulated. Why this idea WON'T work for Synergy is because we are much smaller. When people see 20+ people on, but they join and only 2 or 3 are active because the other 20 are doing AFK quests, they aren't stimulated. They leave.

The idea behind encouraging AFK is good in theory, but flawed in practice. No one wants to play on a server where everyone is AFK, and that scares away any potential new players. When a recurring player gets on, seeing 20+ people, and they get excited to come to a semi-active server, it's a major turn off when you see that 41st CPL SnackBoy is the only active player. It's even driven me to get off the server after an hour of trying to get something to happen.

AFK quests aren't doing the server, or any player any good. You're not only just allowing AFK, but you're rewarding it. I think it's probably one of the most foolish things Synergy has done.

Afking has always been rewarding, Jobs have salaries, I agree having AFK quests is fucking goofy but theres always been an incentive to afk

[TessaKitty]

1 hour ago, Lovestruck said:

One huge thing for me is the intense AFK population. I think how you encourage being AFK is an incredible mistake.

I understand the idea. The more players that show up on the server list, the more people want to join because we look big. Xaze brought up the point (to me in DMs) that this is how Superior is so active. Half of their players are AFK. This won't work for us though, because we aren't nearly as big as them.

Superior's overall population is over 100 on average. The thing is, if half of them are AFK, that still leaves 50 active players online. The server still feels alive. 50 active players is considered REALLY good for Synergy. When you get on Superior, there is still a plenty active community to keep you stimulated. Why this idea WON'T work for Synergy is because we are much smaller. When people see 20+ people on, but they join and only 2 or 3 are active because the other 20 are doing AFK quests, they aren't stimulated. They leave.

The idea behind encouraging AFK is good in theory, but flawed in practice. No one wants to play on a server where everyone is AFK, and that scares away any potential new players. When a recurring player gets on, seeing 20+ people, and they get excited to come to a semi-active server, it's a major turn off when you see that 41st CPL SnackBoy is the only active player. It's even driven me to get off the server after an hour of trying to get something to happen.

AFK quests aren't doing the server, or any player any good. You're not only just allowing AFK, but you're rewarding it. I think it's probably one of the most foolish things Synergy has done.

I whole heartedly disagree with you in every way, shape and form. New players aren't gonna get any more stimulated from the server from there being no players on it than they are with 10 AFK players on it. Having 50 players on the server with 25 of them active is no different from having 25 players on the server with all of them active. Battalion activity is easily gauged by the amount of players online, regardless of if they're AFK or not. New players will join the most populated servers, not the most active. They go to the server browser and see the current amount of players online. Which server are they gonna join? The server showing 10 players (but they're all active) or the server showing 50 players (but half of them are AFK)? They're gonna join the 50 player one. AFK farming is a NECESSITY to get the server anywhere near where it used to be.

[Bacta]

Realistically there are around 3 ways for the population to increase at the rate everyone wants it to be

-Use the money generated to hire a good YouTube to make a video not fucking pixel cat but someone that will either grow with the community or a higher quality youtuber here is a example 

 

Or try to work with someone to upload youtube videos taht work with Synergy, that will grow, a small 1000 youtuber or fuck it find someone funny enough in teh community to do it, when/if they blow up synergy will jump back

 

-Wait till S&BOx comes out, GMOD will see a rise of population due to not everyone being able to properly run the game so that will be a perfect time to capitalize on it, or just abaonded the GMOD scene and jump to S&BOX and take a risk there.

-Open up a DRP server

I know yall gonna yell at me but i keep saying this before because half of yall say the same dumb shit 24/7 without thinking by saying they cant open 1 up because it will be to hard to maintain, DRP is a good way to subset and properly grow the multi server community yall wanna be, DRP does not need many updates and is still the #1 gamemode on GMOD, opening up a DRP server is the easiest to maintain/grow population it will generate players for the DRP server that will leak to CWRP and actually get it back up, that is how Icefuse assists with lower player pop by utilizing their other servers. ITs so easy to maintain and hold and DRP players are not picky/annoying like CWRP players demanding big updates, they just like playing their discount GTA.

 

 

You are not gonna get pop by updates, the updates that have been delivered is some of the best but its to late to get back those old players unless you pander to them and beg for them to come back i guess, there needs to be big moves or this will continue to go down. Once Synergy gets its pop back it most likely will not go back down the issue is getting it back.

 

Edited September 12, 2022 by Mazen

[GregRocks]

28 minutes ago, TessaKitty said:

I whole heartedly disagree with you in every way, shape and form. New players aren't gonna get any more stimulated from the server from there being no players on it than they are with 10 AFK players on it. Having 50 players on the server with 25 of them active is no different from having 25 players on the server with all of them active. Battalion activity is easily gauged by the amount of players online, regardless of if they're AFK or not. New players will join the most populated servers, not the most active. They go to the server browser and see the current amount of players online. Which server are they gonna join? The server showing 10 players (but they're all active) or the server showing 50 players (but half of them are AFK)? They're gonna join the 50 player one. AFK farming is a NECESSITY to get the server anywhere near where it used to be.

Alright, riddle me this. Do you think a player is going to *stay* on a server with 10 people but they're all active? Or a server with 20+ people, but they're all AFK?

You must have missed what I'm saying, we don't HAVE half of our players active most of the time. Unless Xaze or a battalion leader is mass pinging activity, we don't have it because everyone is AFK. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather play on a server with 10 active people roleplaying than a server where the entire population is doing an 8 hour AFK quests for 30 credits.

When people get on Synergy, they see the entire server is AFK, and either leave or go AFK themselves after trying to wake anyone up. Besides, why should they be active when there's incentive and rewards to not be?

Edited September 12, 2022 by Lovestruck

[TessaKitty]

23 hours ago, Lovestruck said:

Alright, riddle me this. Do you think a player is going to *stay* on a server with 10 people but they're all active? Or a server with 20+ people, but they're all AFK?

You must have missed what I'm saying, we don't HAVE half of our players active most of the time. Unless Xaze or a battalion leader is mass pinging activity, we don't have it because everyone is AFK. I don't know about you, but I'd much rather play on a server with 10 active people roleplaying than a server where the entire population is doing an 8 hour AFK quests for 30 credits.

When people get on Synergy, they see the entire server is AFK, and either leave or go AFK themselves after trying to wake anyone up. Besides, why should they be active when there's incentive and rewards to not be?

They're gonna stay on a server with 10 active people and 20 AFK people over a server with 10 active and no AFK.

[Cox]

On 9/10/2022 at 6:52 PM, Xaze said:

What's the main reason(s) you all find yourselves lacking the will or ability to get on the server? Is it personal reasons, development reasons, or something else?

I’m on the run from ICE

Edited September 18, 2022 by Cox

[Polik]

On 9/12/2022 at 11:47 AM, Mazen said:

Realistically there are around 3 ways for the population to increase at the rate everyone wants it to be

-Use the money generated to hire a good YouTube to make a video not fucking pixel cat but someone that will either grow with the community or a higher quality youtuber here is a example 

 

Or try to work with someone to upload youtube videos taht work with Synergy, that will grow, a small 1000 youtuber or fuck it find someone funny enough in teh community to do it, when/if they blow up synergy will jump back

 

-Wait till S&BOx comes out, GMOD will see a rise of population due to not everyone being able to properly run the game so that will be a perfect time to capitalize on it, or just abaonded the GMOD scene and jump to S&BOX and take a risk there.

-Open up a DRP server

I know yall gonna yell at me but i keep saying this before because half of yall say the same dumb shit 24/7 without thinking by saying they cant open 1 up because it will be to hard to maintain, DRP is a good way to subset and properly grow the multi server community yall wanna be, DRP does not need many updates and is still the #1 gamemode on GMOD, opening up a DRP server is the easiest to maintain/grow population it will generate players for the DRP server that will leak to CWRP and actually get it back up, that is how Icefuse assists with lower player pop by utilizing their other servers. ITs so easy to maintain and hold and DRP players are not picky/annoying like CWRP players demanding big updates, they just like playing their discount GTA.

 

 

You are not gonna get pop by updates, the updates that have been delivered is some of the best but its to late to get back those old players unless you pander to them and beg for them to come back i guess, there needs to be big moves or this will continue to go down. Once Synergy gets its pop back it most likely will not go back down the issue is getting it back.

 

I could not agree with Bacta more. A good strong promotional video to get started+someone making content consistantly after that video would drive people to the community. But even if it does bring people, if more than half of the playerbase is AFK all the time, then they will leave.