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<DIV><SPAN class=021024122-21112005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>Our
BFV server was VERY popular due to our localized stats. BF2 is still selling
fairly well last I heard. The numbers don't lie: Folks like the ranking systems.
It offers something for their time invested, much like a MMORPG does (but on a
smaller scale, obviously). BF2's could use some work, but I think the biggest
fault here is their policy.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=021024122-21112005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff
size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV><SPAN class=021024122-21112005><FONT face=Arial color=#0000ff size=2>By
trying to convince folks to not play ranked you won't get very far, at least not
until some hot unranked mods come out (PoE 2, etc) I bet.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<BLOCKQUOTE dir=ltr style="MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px">
<DIV class=OutlookMessageHeader dir=ltr align=left><FONT face=Tahoma
size=2>-----Original Message-----<BR><B>From:</B> rayne@bf2-maps.com
[mailto:rayne@bf2-maps.com]<BR><B>Sent:</B> Monday, November 21, 2005 1:55
PM<BR><B>To:</B> bf1942@icculus.org<BR><B>Subject:</B> RE: [bf1942] BF2 10
player start limit<BR><BR></FONT></DIV>
<DIV class=Section1>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Bottom line….don’t
buy the game. I’m the owner of a GSP and I’m telling you to not by the game.
Don’t buy the expansion packs based on the same concept or anything else that
assists in them sipping Margaritas on a beach somewhere while you’re posting
on forums to look for help to questions that can’t be answered. The
requirement for me to run 10 FREE servers to the community while only getting
one sale forces us to make the prices high. We are mandated to run another
server for each block amount sold. I’d love to see nothing better than for BF2
to die. Not because of it’s lack of potential but because of the way it’s
being forced on the community. The more games you buy in this area only goes
to fuel their efforts to take your money and give little in return. The
technical developers did a fine job of coding the game but the ranked portion
of this game is going to be, as it already is, the complete downfall of BF2. I
suggest you don’t pay me or anyone else to host a ranked server. I encourage
you to get with your group and create custom content to help make the Unranked
BF2 server flourish. The problem directly lies in clans/groups succumbing to
the pressure from EA to buy ranked servers. They in turn make money from your
players that buy the game and the hosting companies that you get your servers
from. Not directly mind you but it advances their hold on how their game is
played and in what arena it’s played in. <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Think of the
logic…online games are fun because of their competitive edge. So…COMPETE!!
Don’t get a ranked server at all….don’t join one…don’t let your buddies play
in one. Individual ranking of a player in a TEAM-based game is completely
destructive to begin with. The moron that decided it was a good idea should
publish his home address so we can collectively kick his ass. Propogate your
REAL interests and don’t fall to the lure of individual stats. Did you
join/start your clan/group to be the top dog or did you join/start it to play
with friends, have a good time and maybe kick some ass of another
team/clan/group?<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Consider what YOU
want from your online time and act based on those desires. Don’t just do what
others due…then you’re just another robot of the machine that is
EA.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">Ray S.
<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=navy size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: navy; FONT-FAMILY: Arial"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; COLOR: windowtext">
<HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><B><FONT face=Tahoma color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: windowtext; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Scott
[mailto:scott@nc.rr.com] <BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Monday, November 21, 2005 1:49
PM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">bf1942@icculus.org</st1:PersonName><BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> RE: [bf1942] BF2 10 player start
limit</SPAN></FONT><FONT color=black><SPAN
style="COLOR: windowtext"><o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Arial color=blue size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; COLOR: blue; FONT-FAMILY: Arial">That would be better
but I think it is ridiculous to be paying good $ for a server and have a
startup limit imposed.</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt"><o:p> </o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV class=MsoNormal style="TEXT-ALIGN: center" align=center><FONT
face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<HR tabIndex=-1 align=center width="100%" SIZE=2>
</SPAN></FONT></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><B><FONT face=Tahoma
color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma">From:</SPAN></FONT></B><FONT
face=Tahoma size=2><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Tahoma"> Giel
van Schijndel [mailto:giel@kingofdos.com] <BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Sent:</SPAN></B> Monday, November 21, 2005 11:58
AM<BR><B><SPAN style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">To:</SPAN></B> <st1:PersonName
w:st="on">bf1942@icculus.org</st1:PersonName><BR><B><SPAN
style="FONT-WEIGHT: bold">Subject:</SPAN></B> Re: [bf1942] BF2 10 player start
limit</SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">ScratchMonkey schreef: <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face="Times New Roman" color=black size=3><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">You can't play when the server first starts up? When
did that change? You can't accumulate stat points before you reach 10, but you
should be able to do more than "nothing". <o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<P class=MsoNormal style="MARGIN-BOTTOM: 12pt"><FONT face="Times New Roman"
color=black size=3><SPAN style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt">If I'm correct he means that
you have to wait for 10 people to get on the server to be capable of even
capturing a flag or have the "round-stats" (not ranked stats) account for
kills/etc made.<BR><BR>And I do think, actually I'm quite sure of it, that it
is possible to remove that "the game will start when x more player(s)
join"-message and let people play _unranked_ as long as there aren't x players
on the server. Which would be an acceptable (read highly apreciated)
alternative to me (and many others).<BR><BR>And the fact that it is possible
and very easy to implement this "feature" but hasn't been implemented anyway
is the cause that I rarely play BF2 anymore and DO NOT intent to buy the
expansion pack. (I'm proud to tell that I can't even recall the name of it
<SPAN class=moz-smiley-s4>:-P </SPAN>)<BR><BR>Just as a side note I do not
blame any employee or department of either EA or DICE. However I do blame
those two organisations as a whole.<o:p></o:p></SPAN></FONT></P>
<DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><FONT face=Verdana color=black size=2><SPAN
style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Verdana">Mortis<BR><A
href="http://etbf.kicks-ass.net">European Tactical Battlefield
Forces</A></SPAN></FONT><o:p></o:p></P></DIV></DIV></BLOCKQUOTE></BODY></HTML>