Agreed Perspective; and, what needs to change.

[ramen]

Hello all, Professional AP Complainer ramen here.

I'm sure you're all familiar with AP, but if you aren't, here's a quick explanation by ours truly, Rad-X.


Now, this sounds pretty good right? A time for a break, a rest from the server. What's not to love about the
Restaurant Route: 24/5 (Friday, Saturday, Sunday, Monday, Tuesday) - AGREED PERSPECTIVE?

---

Everything.

There is nothing to like about AP. Truly, it does NOTHING for server longevity.
It is claimed to be a time to rest from the server, but many during AP still yearn to play.

If you check the Discord, there are many messages from many users asking for/saying either:

1. No AP, ever again.
2. No AP, for a specific week.
3. A complaint on AP.

Does this sound like something that users want? If there are people that complain of AP, why keep it around?

Let's look at the announcement reactions when AP is cancelled/has ended:





And now, let's look at the announcement reactions when AP was re-established:


There's a clear difference in the reactions to AP being active versus it being cancelled/ending.

---

"But AP is good! It gives a rest from the server, a well needed break! It also allows CT and Narrative Team to cook up new stuff!"
You know what? I'm semi-agree. It is a well needed break from the server, but saying that it is primarily used for CT/NT to make exciting new events is spouting the redundancies that have been said for over the last year.

I will not doubt that a lot of Event/Narrative work happens behind the scenes during AP. But my point here is, does AP need to exist for this to happen?
Can these CT/NT not work on events behind the scenes, whilst keeping the server up?

"But it allows staff to take a break."

Also very true, but I once again ask: Does the server need to be closed for staff to take a break?
I know many of you will say, "Well no duh." But, hear me out.

Staff can easily take breaks from the server without the server needing to close. Hell, any user can.
There is no need to shut the server down for 2 days to have a break.

If you are burnt out, or in need of a break, take one. I promise, the server will likely still be here when you come back.

---

"Well then ramen, what the hell do you suggest?"

Simple. Leave the server open for Wednesday and Thursday.
But, cease any narrative/event progression during this time.

"What so.. Just AP but with the server open?"
Yes. Exactly. That is exactly what I am suggesting.

Agreed Perspective needn't keep the server closed, but it is also 'needed' to give everyone a break.
So I suggest compromise.

The server remains open during Wednesday and Thursday, but any narrative halts at the end of Tuesday, and resumes beginning Friday.

The server remains open Wednesday/Thursday for people to play, the Event/Staff Teams get a chance to rest, and players who don't want to play these days won't miss anything large, narratively.

All will be right with the world.

Thank you for coming to my Ramen Talk.

 

[Botulism]

Hello, I felt the need to reply to this

If you're ignorant of what CT does you shouldn't antagonize them in a reply, only because you didn't see them do major things for you it doesn't mean that they weren't done to contribute with the server health in general with plans for other factions/Rebel cells and individual players

Lastly many people have a private life other than coordinating a Gmod Server, a break for time management is always useful

the GF can wait, HL2RP is eternal.

No joke I told someone of mine about it and she wants to watch me play it next time she comes over, I'm gonna have to show a female member of our species this infernal gamemode, HELP ME. SHE'S GONNA THINK IM A SADIST FOR PLAYING A CIVIL PROTECTION UNIT.

 

[Zebra]

We'd make some events for you but you change characters more often than certain video gamers do their bedsheets

LOOOOL. i loved playing boo’gerh

 

[Zebra]

the GF can wait, HL2RP is eternal.

No joke I told someone of mine about it and she wants to watch me play it next time she comes over, I'm gonna have to show a female member of our species this infernal gamemode, HELP ME. SHE'S GONNA THINK IM A SADIST FOR PLAYING A CIVIL PROTECTION UNIT.

I live with my gf who plays a cop on willard. Its surreal to talk to gf about gmod rp irl

 

[Marshall]

the GF can wait, HL2RP is eternal.

No joke I told someone of mine about it and she wants to watch me play it next time she comes over, I'm gonna have to show a female member of our species this infernal gamemode, HELP ME. SHE'S GONNA THINK IM A SADIST FOR PLAYING A CIVIL PROTECTION UNIT.

Cherish her, for the moment you show her she will dissipate into dust.

 

[Scruff]

I live with my gf who plays a cop on willard. Its surreal to talk to gf about gmod rp irl

I used to have a character that was a psychologist, when I wasn’t sure what to do I would call my fiancé from the other room and ask her… since she’s a irl psychologist

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

There is nothing to like about AP. Truly, it does NOTHING for server longevity.
It is claimed to be a time to rest from the server, but many during AP still yearn to play

This keeps being brought up all the time, so I'll chime in. The AP is not made for the wider playerbase in its entirety.
It's made for my staff & events team, Short Stories & co. Running a server is very taxing for something that's the size of Willard.

Management, events, PR, retention, technical problems, drama, real life with jobs, family, friends and personal care - it's a big list that comes into fruition when having to juggle an HL2RP server. I'd at least desire a personal sit-back away from hearing about the server for at least two days a week so I can focus doing something else that isn't having to put too much attention on the server.

I've seen people fundamentally break down over having to constantly throw themselves at a server in a 24/7 setting and feel as if they have to chip away at a video game because it was running 24/7. This is with repeated callouts to take fresh Leave Of Absences without getting the chance to step away from it. For those of you remember the hell days of when I used to be one of the Community Managers before the managerial reform - we were active constantly. The pressure was continual.

I do get it. We all want to play and RP - ME TOO! Sometimes the staff even say they don't want AP and I HAPPILY oblige.

Earlier times, some guys would challenge me to a friendly FIVE versus ONE in Supreme Commander and if I had lost, the AP wouldn't occur (they lost three times and won zero because I'm quite scary) and they often destroyed each other because their alliance is built on the Achilles Heel of fight or flight human survival. That and for some reason they decided to put their air force player on the front lines LOL

@Fedora
@alessiodoomboy
@Maine
@Memesky
@Raptorian

^ the dream team SC players.

Either way - it'd be upsetting for people joining Wednesday & Thursdays to find minimal staff or CT support. People would get bored and the demands would likely settle in quickly, rising over a period of time on those two days. Though these are the metrics so far in this post if we're talking about reaction numbers.



People in important faction positions and content creatorship require the two days refresh, I can't forget them.
We tend to run expeditions on Ws and Ts, so I have to take them into account as well.

... However. I'll speak with my teams internally and see what they think as a whole about AP so this topic doesn't feel like it's being ignored and to see if there is merit in your points being made.

I used to have a character that was a psychologist, when I wasn’t sure what to do I would call my fiancé from the other room and ask her… since she’s a irl psychologist

Hello, fellow Psychologist.

 

[Deek29]

This can't be... ItsLiam... BASED??? impossible!

 

[Parsil]

Even though i've invested hundreds of hours in Willard and consider it my main RP community, i have characters on other servers and i have other games i want to play. Two days is fine. It's not like aurawatch or something that opens for like 2 weeks a year. Tuesdays and Wednesdays were noticeably barren compared to every other day of the week. While today we consistently hit 60, 70 players at a time every day, i remember back in my day (two years ago) you could log on on a wednesday evening and there were like 38 people online. For a gamemode that relies solely on player interaction, not having enough players is really bad. Posts like these are petty and selfish if i have to be honest. It's not just staff that benefits from it, because guess what, not everything is run by them. Every store is player run, so are most of the factions, rebel cells and so on.

In conclusion:

 

[Risvolto]

Keep AP.

 

[ItsLiam]

Earlier times, some guys would challenge me to a friendly FIVE versus ONE in Supreme Commander and if I had lost, the AP wouldn't occur (they lost three times and won zero because I'm quite scary) and they often destroyed each other because their alliance is built on the Achilles Heel of fight or flight human survival. That and for some reason they decided to put their air force player on the front lines LOL

@Fedora
@alessiodoomboy
@Maine
@Memesky
@ItsLiam

^ the dream team SC players.

Either way - it'd be upsetting for people joining Wednesday & Thursdays to find minimal staff or CT support. People would get bored and the demands would likely settle in quickly, rising over a period of time on those two days. Though these are the metrics so far in this post if we're talking about reaction numbers.

Consider this a declaration of war, Rad-X. We will assemble the Avengers of Supreme Commander players, we shall return to you at a later date.

It's over for you, you sit on a throne of lies and trickery, we shall pull you off and institute a new king. A new king that is elected through hardships and true consideration for the love of the game, the grind and the money. We will see you soon.

 

[alessiodoomboy]

Earlier times, some guys would challenge me to a friendly FIVE versus ONE in Supreme Commander and if I had lost, the AP wouldn't occur (they lost three times and won zero because I'm quite scary) and they often destroyed each other because their alliance is built on the Achilles Heel of fight or flight human survival. That and for some reason they decided to put their air force player on the front lines LOL

@@Fedora
@@alessiodoomboy
@@Maine
@@Memesky
@@ItsLiam

^ the dream team SC players.

I would just like to make note...

That was my SECOND game of Sup Com. Despite this, I still managed to survive the longest out of all of my teammates utilizing Osama Bin Laden tactics. I would like to divert all responsibility to @Maine as the leader of our squad.

Also, @Raptorian was in the game, not @ItsLiam

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

Also, @Raptorian was in the game, not @ItsLiam

Couldn't remember. hah.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

As promised, here's the results.

75% positive retention for effectiveness from the internal poll.

People that stated they weren't too enthused by the AP stated it should be either one day or simply what was mentioned, here. This would probably confirm my suspicions for the hypothetical scenario where there would be a below-skeleton-crew availability for Staff & CT on those two days if a running is maintained.





These concerns are valid, however. Same as the rest.

 

[Hayden]

View attachment 33422

As promised, here's the results.

75% positive retention for effectiveness from the internal poll.

People that stated they weren't too enthused by the AP stated it should be either one day or simply what was mentioned, here. This would probably confirm my suspicions for the hypothetical scenario where there would be a below-skeleton-crew availability for Staff & CT on those two days if a running is maintained.

View attachment 33423
View attachment 33424

These concerns are valid, however. Same as the rest.

You forgot to mention where we refer to Willard as a addictive substance and AP as a 'tolerance break' to make it more addictive & appealing.

 

[Imperator RAD-X]

You forgot to mention where we refer to Willard as a addictive substance and AP as a 'tolerance break' to make it more addictive & appealing.

k look again

 

[Rebel RP Philosopher]

You forgot to mention where we refer to Willard as a addictive substance and AP as a 'tolerance break' to make it more addictive & appealing.

 

[Scruff]

View attachment 33422

As promised, here's the results.

75% positive retention for effectiveness from the internal poll.

People that stated they weren't too enthused by the AP stated it should be either one day or simply what was mentioned, here. This would probably confirm my suspicions for the hypothetical scenario where there would be a below-skeleton-crew availability for Staff & CT on those two days if a running is maintained.

View attachment 33423
View attachment 33424
View attachment 33429

These concerns are valid, however. Same as the rest.

I did not see the poll and didn’t vote, therefore I contest the results.

#stopthesteal
#everyvotecounts
#imgay