New Bombcast confirms: Private TF2 Servers for subscribers!

They mentioned on the cast Private TF2 Servers for subscribers: East Coast, West Coast, and Europe.

They also mentioned a password system, and this is the reason for the post: I wish to present an alternative to a rotating password system. There is a community of TF2 (and other games) called No-Heroes which implements a much more accessible system. [ http://www.no-heroes.com/ ] I would like that system to be implemented for Subscriber TF2 servers instead of a password. The No-Heroes servers are fully public, but there are always reserved spots for paying 'VIP' members which costs $4 a month there. If the No-Heroes servers are full and a VIP member joins, the server will boot a random non-VIP player to make room. This system is much preferred to a password system for a multitude of reasons: It's a hassle to have to look up a constantly changing password, and it's usually very hard to fill a subscriber-only server of anything (who wants to play serious TF2 on a server with 3/32 players? No one).

Giant Bomb already tracks Steam 'achievements,' so they'll know what usernames belong to subscribers and non-subscribers already.

So to Giant Bomb / Whiskey Media: I plead to you to implement this sort of feature instead of a password for your upcoming TF2 servers. It's a far better alternative on nearly every front.

Yeah I remember quite a few independently run servers in my counterstrike days that had a similar system and it worked really well. 
 
Also, the idea of subscribers having priority access to TF2 (and maybe other multiplayer games in the future) servers is really great.  I can't wait to see what other benefits the Whiskey Media crew comes up with!

Only problem is the shitty experience the unlucky people get when they are kicked out mid game for doing nothing wrong.

Australia? :'(

I'll subscribe if they put a server in Australia.

.@Rockanomics said:

" Only problem is the shitty experience the unlucky people get when they are kicked out mid game for doing nothing wrong. "

" Only problem is the shitty experience the unlucky people get when they are kicked out mid game for doing nothing wrong. "

Reserved slots are common on most tf2 servers so it shouldn't be too hard to implement. I definitely think that reserved slots are the better way to go. I really don't know how many subscribers would take advantage of the servers, but I have a feeling that the numbers would drop off pretty quickly, so the server should be semi-public.

Seems to me like they'd have trouble keeping it full when restricting it to subscribers. I mean, how often is the server full, even when not limited to subscribers? Every time I boot up TF2 to check it says there are 0 people in it. Is there something wrong with my game or is that just how it is?

The thing is, after the initial awesomeness of them making a server, there's no one playing on there anymore. At least as of a couple weeks ago when I still played regularly. I dunno, maybe this will bring more people back, but even as someone who LOVES TF2 I'm kinda meh about this.

Niiiice I love me some TF2.

" Seems to me like they'd have trouble keeping it full when restricting it to subscribers. I mean, how often is the server full, even when not limited to subscribers? Every time I boot up TF2 to check it says there are 0 people in it. Is there something wrong with my game or is that just how it is? "

" Only problem is the shitty experience the unlucky people get when they are kicked out mid game for doing nothing wrong. "

It seems like there's hardly anyone going on the regular server, why would three seperate servers that can only be filled by subscribers get much traffic?

"

They mentioned on the cast Private TF2 Servers for subscribers: East Coast, West Coast, and Europe.

They also mentioned a password system, and this is the reason for the post: I wish to present an alternative to a rotating password system. There is a community of TF2 (and other games) called No-Heroes which implements a much more accessible system. [ http://www.no-heroes.com/ ] I would like that system to be implemented for Subscriber TF2 servers instead of a password. The No-Heroes servers are fully public, but there are always reserved spots for paying 'VIP' members which costs $4 a month there. If the No-Heroes servers are full and a VIP member joins, the server will boot a random non-VIP player to make room. This system is much preferred to a password system for a multitude of reasons: It's a hassle to have to look up a constantly changing password, and it's usually very hard to fill a subscriber-only server of anything (who wants to play serious TF2 on a server with 3/32 players? No one).

Giant Bomb already tracks Steam 'achievements,' so they'll know what usernames belong to subscribers and non-subscribers already.

So to Giant Bomb / Whiskey Media: I plead to you to implement this sort of feature instead of a password for your upcoming TF2 servers. It's a far better alternative on nearly every front.

"

" .@Rockanomics said:

" Only problem is the shitty experience the unlucky people get when they are kicked out mid game for doing nothing wrong. "

It's better to have the problem of being too full than too empty "

" @LumpOfCole said:

" .@Rockanomics said:

" Only problem is the shitty experience the unlucky people get when they are kicked out mid game for doing nothing wrong. "

It's better to have the problem of being too full than too empty "

The GB TF2 server has not been full since like a week after the TNT. After that. All ways empty.  "

" @The_Laughing_Man said:

" @LumpOfCole said:

" .@Rockanomics said:

" Only problem is the shitty experience the unlucky people get when they are kicked out mid game for doing nothing wrong. "

It's better to have the problem of being too full than too empty "

The GB TF2 server has not been full since like a week after the TNT. After that. All ways empty.  "

I have played more than a few matches weeks after the TNT with the server being full.  The problem is that people are not willing to enter unless they notice maybe 7-10 inside, however once they do notice that the server has some people the server ALWAYS gets full in minutes.  Just get some friends in there, get a small game going and people will join. "

Very cool.

Agree with the OP. It would be much better public with subscribers being VIP's.