[Project] 5290+ source

Cleaned.

We all know that different languages are more suited to different tasks, that does not mean that they cannot be used for other things, while this is the case it is often recommened to use languages which suit your needs, however it all comes down to personal preference and as we have seen our personal preferences differ greatly.

And as you are all aware this is not the place to discuss it, if you can call what just happened a discussion >_>".

Pro, a new source will help breath life into this community, we could see a large number of releases similar to that of the recent 5165 source, however it'll be leached like mad, honestly its upto you mate.

Ok so my phone decided not to post my original comment but w/e.


@ Korv: That was the entire reason I was considering posting a simple upgrade of immune's source. It never got nearly enough attention because there were no details on the source, no setup guide, no client links etc which made most ppl just not bother even looking at it. It would give those willing to put effort into learning a source the tools to create something on a newer patch and would HOPEFULLY breath some life into the pserver community (any people drawn away from lotf is good lol)


Then again that point is kinda ruined because I already posted enough in the packet thread to upgrade to 5290+ yourself... so chances are it's pointless..

Anyways I'm still thinking about if I wanna release anything but I can say that hopefully next week I'll start on custom source some (regardless of if that ever gets released or not, most likely not). Hellmouth will probably make a revival at some point and it would be awesome if I can manage to make a fully custom source to accomplish that. I'm sure i CAN, question is if I WILL.

Its kind of back and forth really here. I mean, anyone that would really understand the "base" would be able to upgrade it themselves. What would happen if you released it would be a bunch of people getting a hold of it, and try to c/p packets in the 5165 lotf to make it "work". Then there would be a bunch of "help", or should i say demanding, threads "asking" for help.

Then there would actually be those few that want it for constructive purposes.

Have people PM your or contact your privately somehow, if you approve/trust them with it then give them the link or w.e. Just an idea.


Got interrupted while typing this so it might now make any sense.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bone-you Why? Your post alone says enough. You don't want to learn to help the community, you'd only learn if it benefited yourself. Since you're scared of having the server shut down (thus your own benefit would stop) you do not want to even learn. People like you are why this source should not be public, or any source for that matter. This community lacks real coders. That's not a bash against C# ones, but there just aren't enough overall. Look at my release. I put out a good base for c++ but has anyone touched it? Probably not. This community is filled with wannabe coders and people who put up a halfassed server because they can download visual studio express for free. I'm speaking from experience here. This is not my first community for pserver dev. I used to dev a game called Helbreath where my team pioneered the only sources used from then all the way until today. What happened to the game you ask? For a few years there were HUNDREDS of pservers. HUNDREDS. They all offered very little differences/features/uniqueness. The pserver community became saturated with garbage as each server could only maintain 20ish players when the game was built to have over 1000+ playing at once. The pserver community is now nearly dead. There are only a few pservers left and even one of the official servers shut down due to lack of interest. Everyone moved to pservers then got bored and quit altogether. That shouldn't have happened. The game has 100% FULL sources released (server AND client), allowing so much opportunity, but the game met its demise because there were too many pointless pservers. This is why I have always stood behind a strict releasing policy with my CO stuff and only recently released my old sources. I recommend other devs to do the same but they will do what they think is best. There's nothing wrong with releasing sources and helping the community, but when every Joe Shmoe makes a server because a 100% functional server was released to the public with no effort required to get it going, it will ruin the community. That's my 2 cents.

I'm totally agreeing with you! No word agaist of yours but you're wrong with something. I want to help the community even I cannot code or I don't want to learn coding. I don't do that for my benefit. I started up my project (still alive at the moment) by giving the players a chance to fell like the "good" players of retail CO. My server isn't acceptin donations, nobody it's better than other. I pay myself all the maintenance fees and I don't complain about. I just want to do this because, in the past when I was just a little noob who wanted to play on a private server because on the retail, all sucks and if you're not a bulker, game is null. I wanted to offer a decent gameplay 100% free because if you intend to do something good into retail CO, you need to spend some cash or even worst, loose your youngness by staying sticked with the PC and hunt alot.

By the way, I'll tell you why I don't start creating and working on my source:
1) I don't know where to begin.
2) Nobody notice me and worst than that, ignoring my words. Why that? Because here are some ignorant people that ignoring the newbies like me who want to do something. Like, if I try to speak with some good programmers here like Hybrid or, I don't know all of them but in the end just a good coders which doesn't spend 5 minutes of theire time to explain something to a newbie, like I am atm into C# programming language.

I would start doing this, really I do, all the time I think about it but, if I don't get just a little bit help from this community, I'm completly lost.

This are my words, I'll not change them and if I said something wrong or stupid, that's it, that's me...

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarpGeorge I'm totally agreeing with you! No word agaist of yours but you're wrong with something. I want to help the community even I cannot code or I don't want to learn coding. I don't do that for my benefit. I started up my project (still alive at the moment) by giving the players a chance to fell like the "good" players of retail CO. My server isn't acceptin donations, nobody it's better than other. I pay myself all the maintenance fees and I don't complain about. I just want to do this because, in the past when I was just a little noob who wanted to play on a private server because on the retail, all sucks and if you're not a bulker, game is null. I wanted to offer a decent gameplay 100% free because if you intend to do something good into retail CO, you need to spend some cash or even worst, loose your youngness by staying sticked with the PC and hunt alot. By the way, I'll tell you why I don't start creating and working on my source: 1) I don't know where to begin. 2) Nobody notice me and worst than that, ignoring my words. Why that? Because here are some ignorant people that ignoring the newbies like me who want to do something. Like, if I try to speak with some good programmers here like Hybrid or, I don't know all of them but in the end just a good coders which doesn't spend 5 minutes of theire time to explain something to a newbie, like I am atm into C# programming language. I would start doing this, really I do, all the time I think about it but, if I don't get just a little bit help from this community, I'm completly lost. This are my words, I'll not change them and if I said something wrong or stupid, that's it, that's me...

Servers like yours will be the downfall of CO pservers. When you have everything on a pserver why would you want to go on official to spend money or loads of time to get it? Now they've lost interest in official. So they're playing your server a bit because they feel like a strong player. "Awesome. .. well, this is boring. I have every item in game and have no way to improve myself but I don't want to go on official anymore or at least not as much.. maybe I'll go try another game." Exactly what happened to HB. Every server was like "OMG 1000X EXP RATES WITH RARES DROPPING OFF THE LOWEST LEVEL MONSTER IN GAME!!!!11!1!"

Quote:

Originally Posted by bone-you Servers like yours will be the downfall of CO pservers. When you have everything on a pserver why would you want to go on official to spend money or loads of time to get it? Now they've lost interest in official. So they're playing your server a bit because they feel like a strong player. "Awesome. .. well, this is boring. I have every item in game and have no way to improve myself but I don't want to go on official anymore or at least not as much.. maybe I'll go try another game." Exactly what happened to HB. Every server was like "OMG 1000X EXP RATES WITH RARES DROPPING OFF THE LOWEST LEVEL MONSTER IN GAME!!!!11!1!"

Well, you're not right here...If my server it's the downfall of the CO, why you claim, not you, the people, and say that ACO was the best PVP server, was great was bla bla bla. Why, mines it's almost like ACO but lacks 1-2 tournaments. You'd better not talk shit, you don't even tried my server. I bet you didn't even visited my server home page but it's not a problem, some bad words towards me or/and my server. You see, all E*PvP members hates the people who are not like them, and like I said and you prooved me that I'm right, you didn't even notice my reasons why I'm not starting C# source. Because you don't care, don't want to help newbies or you're too tired of this shit or I don't know, there's alot of reasons. Maybe me server it's shit, maybe will fail, maybe I can't code but it's still my server, I'm proud of it and of my work because, even on binaries, there's alot of work to do to make your server better or to fix it.

What is really a downfall? Fact that setting up a server does not require any programming experience nowadays. Most of the public sources around are "good" enough to do playable server, if not that, there are binaries. True, banned off e*pvpers but it never meant binaries plague was gone.

Cause of that, people around are not in need of knowing programming language which simply kills the motivation of the majority.

I'd be a hypocrite if I said I never enjoyed playing binary or other server set on public source, however.. at some point, you're looking for something at a certain level. Looking for something like that on co p servers scene in a present day would be.. ugh.. a waste of time.

p.s.

I can smell moderator coming... we should've really jump off this thread or those posts will be gone as well.

#edit

@George's,

actually, the bad times are gone. Yea, I did notice community's arrogance back in a day, crushing all the newcomers asking for help. But from what I saw recently, everybody's gettin a hand. If you'll ask nicely, you'll get support you need.

Regarding C# learning - there's pretty much everything out there already. First of, start off basics.. If you still don't know - check thread starter's refference, listed nicely in signature (helps me a lot at the beggining). Then, if you'll get further in, there's few threads listing required stuff you should know before starting developing a private server.

On the other hand, your attitude is... wrong. I've checked your statistics if you've actually got ignored or somewhat and... One is a request and even tho it is not a request forum, you got few detailed answers there already.

Another thread was about binaries and as long as they're forbidden around here, their reaction is understandable. Finally, the thread you've requested anti-rename system at. Surprise? Got more than 1 page of answers of people that, you can trust me on this one, know what they're doing.

3 threads asking for help. Neither was ignored. Are you really treated that badly here?

Oh, and never compare acid to worthless binaries...

Quote:

Originally Posted by IDivideByZero What is really a downfall? Fact that setting up a server does not require any programming experience nowadays. Most of the public sources around are "good" enough to do playable server, if not that, there are binaries. True, banned off e*pvpers but it never meant binaries plague was gone. Cause of that, people around are not in need of knowing programming language which simply kills the motivation of the majority. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I never enjoyed playing binary or other server set on public source, however.. at some point, you're looking for something at a certain level. Looking for something like that on co p servers scene in a present day would be.. ugh.. a waste of time. p.s. I can smell moderator coming... we should've really jump off this thread or those posts will be gone as well. #edit @George's, actually, the bad times are gone. Yea, I did notice community's arrogance back in a day, crushing all the newcomers asking for help. But from what I saw recently, everybody's gettin a hand. If you'll ask nicely, you'll get support you need. Regarding C# learning - there's pretty much everything out there already. First of, start off basics.. If you still don't know - check thread starter's refference, listed nicely in signature (helps me a lot at the beggining). Then, if you'll get further in, there's few threads listing required stuff you should know before starting developing a private server. On the other hand, your attitude is... wrong. I've checked your statistics if you've actually got ignored or somewhat and... One is a request and even tho it is not a request forum, you got few detailed answers there already. Another thread was about binaries and as long as they're forbidden around here, their reaction is understandable. Finally, the thread you've requested anti-rename system at. Surprise? Got more than 1 page of answers of people that, you can trust me on this one, know what they're doing. 3 threads asking for help. Neither was ignored. Are you really treated that badly here? Oh, and never compare acid to worthless binaries...

Well Emme, it's kind and he PM'd me and he's willing to help not just to CO part, if I understand the basics of C# maybe I'll try work on some codes.
Well, Bins or not, same gamplay on the bins and on the C# source right? Not really because you can implement more features with a C# source but in the end it's kind of same gamplay if you are thinking at the basics...

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarpGeorge Well Emme, it's kind and he PM'd me and he's willing to help not just to CO part, if I understand the basics of C# maybe I'll try work on some codes. Well, Bins or not, same gamplay on the bins and on the C# source right? Not really because you can implement more features with a C# source but in the end it's kind of same gamplay if you are thinking at the basics...

Why would you?

Go back on topic. this thread has nothing to do with binaries or their validity or failures. It has to do with my own project and what the community thinks i should do with it.


@ warp: there is TONS on c# and pserver coding posted. And the community is great at helping. You just need to know what to ask and do it in the proper place/way. Search some and try using a decent source. There's all sorts of info and personally learning through doing is the easiest way. You don't start with making your own source. You start by learning basic programming concepts, editing some sources and then move towards basic work like quests and npcs and then on to real coding and eventually your own stuff.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IDivideByZero What is really a downfall? Fact that setting up a server does not require any programming experience nowadays. Most of the public sources around are "good" enough to do playable server, if not that, there are binaries. True, banned off e*pvpers but it never meant binaries plague was gone. Cause of that, people around are not in need of knowing programming language which simply kills the motivation of the majority. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I never enjoyed playing binary or other server set on public source, however.. at some point, you're looking for something at a certain level. Looking for something like that on co p servers scene in a present day would be.. ugh.. a waste of time. p.s. I can smell moderator coming... we should've really jump off this thread or those posts will be gone as well. #edit @George's, actually, the bad times are gone. Yea, I did notice community's arrogance back in a day, crushing all the newcomers asking for help. But from what I saw recently, everybody's gettin a hand. If you'll ask nicely, you'll get support you need. Regarding C# learning - there's pretty much everything out there already. First of, start off basics.. If you still don't know - check thread starter's refference, listed nicely in signature (helps me a lot at the beggining). Then, if you'll get further in, there's few threads listing required stuff you should know before starting developing a private server. On the other hand, your attitude is... wrong. I've checked your statistics if you've actually got ignored or somewhat and... One is a request and even tho it is not a request forum, you got few detailed answers there already. Another thread was about binaries and as long as they're forbidden around here, their reaction is understandable. Finally, the thread you've requested anti-rename system at. Surprise? Got more than 1 page of answers of people that, you can trust me on this one, know what they're doing. 3 threads asking for help. Neither was ignored. Are you really treated that badly here? Oh, and never compare acid to worthless binaries...

Lol I don't see wats special bout aco ae me its crap all days so great bout seems 2 b dat its high in patch dats all

Quote:

Originally Posted by IDivideByZero What is really a downfall? Fact that setting up a server does not require any programming experience nowadays. Most of the public sources around are "good" enough to do playable server, if not that, there are binaries. True, banned off e*pvpers but it never meant binaries plague was gone. Cause of that, people around are not in need of knowing programming language which simply kills the motivation of the majority. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I never enjoyed playing binary or other server set on public source, however.. at some point, you're looking for something at a certain level. Looking for something like that on co p servers scene in a present day would be.. ugh.. a waste of time. p.s. I can smell moderator coming... we should've really jump off this thread or those posts will be gone as well. #edit @George's, actually, the bad times are gone. Yea, I did notice community's arrogance back in a day, crushing all the newcomers asking for help. But from what I saw recently, everybody's gettin a hand. If you'll ask nicely, you'll get support you need. Regarding C# learning - there's pretty much everything out there already. First of, start off basics.. If you still don't know - check thread starter's refference, listed nicely in signature (helps me a lot at the beggining). Then, if you'll get further in, there's few threads listing required stuff you should know before starting developing a private server. On the other hand, your attitude is... wrong. I've checked your statistics if you've actually got ignored or somewhat and... One is a request and even tho it is not a request forum, you got few detailed answers there already. Another thread was about binaries and as long as they're forbidden around here, their reaction is understandable. Finally, the thread you've requested anti-rename system at. Surprise? Got more than 1 page of answers of people that, you can trust me on this one, know what they're doing. 3 threads asking for help. Neither was ignored. Are you really treated that badly here? Oh, and never compare acid to worthless binaries...

u had fun at mine, didnt u?
while u were there :P

and yea binaries can be fun.
the thing with binaries are they are leeched.
dosnt take long to learn programming enough to make a fine server out of public sources.
but to make ur own from scratch will take some time.


and on this forum, the most peoples are pathetic.

@chickmagnet
like u can do it better?
u cant even setup a simple source

Quote:

Originally Posted by WarpGeorge Well, you're not right here...If my server it's the downfall of the CO, why you claim, not you, the people, and say that ACO was the best PVP server, was great was bla bla bla. Why, mines it's almost like ACO but lacks 1-2 tournaments. You'd better not talk shit, you don't even tried my server. I bet you didn't even visited my server home page but it's not a problem, some bad words towards me or/and my server. You see, all E*PvP members hates the people who are not like them, and like I said and you prooved me that I'm right, you didn't even notice my reasons why I'm not starting C# source. Because you don't care, don't want to help newbies or you're too tired of this shit or I don't know, there's alot of reasons. Maybe me server it's shit, maybe will fail, maybe I can't code but it's still my server, I'm proud of it and of my work because, even on binaries, there's alot of work to do to make your server better or to fix it.

I didn't say your server will singlehandedly be the downfall of CO, but your setup of a server will be. It's what most .. how do I put this nicely... non-adults would make their servers. I'm not trying to insult you or anyone else in saying that, but you have to admit that kids/teens/whatever tend to prefer being super powerful above everyone else and that kind of server is attractive to not only play, but to run. So you have a bunch of servers like such, and now the pserver market is saturated with tons of the similar type of server. People are split among them with maybe a few that can maintain a good count. People will eventually get bored of the low pop servers you can be sure of that. The owners will also get bored of no one coming on them. Perhaps CO is a bit more friendly to fewer people than HB was, but it will still follow suite.

I'm not trying to talk shit, I am telling you how it is and how it will be. It happens to almost every game because it is human nature and that does not change no matter what game it is.

Quote:

Originally Posted by IDivideByZero What is really a downfall? Fact that setting up a server does not require any programming experience nowadays. Most of the public sources around are "good" enough to do playable server, if not that, there are binaries. True, banned off e*pvpers but it never meant binaries plague was gone. Cause of that, people around are not in need of knowing programming language which simply kills the motivation of the majority. I'd be a hypocrite if I said I never enjoyed playing binary or other server set on public source, however.. at some point, you're looking for something at a certain level. Looking for something like that on co p servers scene in a present day would be.. ugh.. a waste of time. p.s. I can smell moderator coming... we should've really jump off this thread or those posts will be gone as well.

The downfall stems from not enough players per server splitting up the pserver population causing every server to fail. A successful server does not operate with 20 people. That isn't even enough to fill a single guild and the point of CO is guild wars. Everyone being handed server files that can be put up in a matter of a few clicks will cause that to become a reality. Everyone and their brother, sister, aunt, and uncle will want to put up a server because owning a server is oh so glorious. As Warp has said, he takes pride in his server even if it has no people on it and that's what they're all aiming for when running a server. A sense of accomplishment or glory, or both, or something else.. and while there is nothing wrong with the accomplishment feeling, having 1000 pservers with 10 players each will be harmful to the pserver scene as opposed to 10 pservers with 1000 players each. Just because you can put a server up doesn't mean you should. Sure, put one up to test on and play with to learn, but leave the server running to people who 1, know how to, 2, can actually do something with it, 3, can make something of it in the long run. I see plenty of posts here of people asking "how do i put server up, i not know how to run". Few words changed here and there, but the questions are all the same. I don't hate on people trying to learn, but they are learning in the wrong order and will 1, get frustrated and close their server down (if it ever goes up), 2, mess it up and be forever fixing it until they close it down, 3, add something totally stupid like 10 reborns with no rhyme or reason behind the system. I could go on and on. I'm only saying what I've seen and I foresee the same happening to CO. The life of pservers might last a bit longer because official is still getting updates, but eventually it will almost die out before official does.

Quote:

Originally Posted by bone-you I didn't say your server will singlehandedly be the downfall of CO, but your setup of a server will be. It's what most .. how do I put this nicely... non-adults would make their servers. I'm not trying to insult you or anyone else in saying that, but you have to admit that kids/teens/whatever tend to prefer being super powerful above everyone else and that kind of server is attractive to not only play, but to run. So you have a bunch of servers like such, and now the pserver market is saturated with tons of the similar type of server. People are split among them with maybe a few that can maintain a good count. People will eventually get bored of the low pop servers you can be sure of that. The owners will also get bored of no one coming on them. Perhaps CO is a bit more friendly to fewer people than HB was, but it will still follow suite. I'm not trying to talk shit, I am telling you how it is and how it will be. It happens to almost every game because it is human nature and that does not change no matter what game it is. The downfall stems from not enough players per server splitting up the pserver population causing every server to fail. A successful server does not operate with 20 people. That isn't even enough to fill a single guild and the point of CO is guild wars. Everyone being handed server files that can be put up in a matter of a few clicks will cause that to become a reality. Everyone and their brother, sister, aunt, and uncle will want to put up a server because owning a server is oh so glorious. As Warp has said, he takes pride in his server even if it has no people on it and that's what they're all aiming for when running a server. A sense of accomplishment or glory, or both, or something else.. and while there is nothing wrong with the accomplishment feeling, having 1000 pservers with 10 players each will be harmful to the pserver scene as opposed to 10 pservers with 1000 players each. Just because you can put a server up doesn't mean you should. Sure, put one up to test on and play with to learn, but leave the server running to people who 1, know how to, 2, can actually do something with it, 3, can make something of it in the long run. I see plenty of posts here of people asking "how do i put server up, i not know how to run". Few words changed here and there, but the questions are all the same. I don't hate on people trying to learn, but they are learning in the wrong order and will 1, get frustrated and close their server down (if it ever goes up), 2, mess it up and be forever fixing it until they close it down, 3, add something totally stupid like 10 reborns with no rhyme or reason behind the system. I could go on and on. I'm only saying what I've seen and I foresee the same happening to CO. The life of pservers might last a bit longer because official is still getting updates, but eventually it will almost die out before official does.

The server dont die because of population.
A server with many players dosn't mean is a good server. It means they just got alot players. Why do they got so many? Because they might spammed the whole internet with stupid advertisements.
A good server, is a server, where the staff/gameplay dosn't fail for what the players want. The server first dies, when the players starts get bored and don't have anything to do. An unpopulare server can be as good as a populare one. Ive never got many players in any of my servers, max ive ever had was 50+. But peoples still said it was one of the best server they played and best staff. And yea I do care what im doing and i know what im doing. I was one of those who had servers dying all the time. My servers always dies, the server I got now, is the only server wich haven't died. Why? Because I keep work hard on it. Is not populare, but is diffently not dead either. I would say an unpopulare, but active and non afk server is better, then a big server with all players afk.
Also the servers start fails, when players get staff from donations.
I hate those servers, "Yes I can pay for abuse". how pro is that?
That is not much pro, but half of the PServer community is only making pservers to earn money, wich is wrong. PServers should not be to make money, of cause you can have donations etc. but should not for some crazy shit like 100reborns, 1million + and total dominations. The things that gets donated for, should also be possible to get from non donaters.
Thats the real servers who fails. But why are they so populare then? Because they are binary half of them and they are those whos most stabel atm.
I got nothing against binary servers, but I got against leeching. Thats why I dont like binaries, but I think those who choose binaries are those who really dont know how to learn programming etc. And is fine, we can't learn everything.
And about you say, peoples etup servers to get the "HOLY STATUS GM/PM". They might do, but if u look those servers, where the staff aint taking care of their pplayers, will also die fast.
What does it take to run a server after is setup and ready to run? Well first of all you need a proper english, so players can understand you. You will need some knowledge about the source/binary you are using, so you can edit server. You will need to take care of suggestions and bugs as soon they get reported. You will need to be active most of time, wich Ive seen alot servers, where staff is not replying or not even is there. You need to act mature to the players coming and always come with an answer that can help, even if you don't know the answer. To make a good community you will need to be 1 step forward then the others.

Quote:

Originally Posted by grillmad The server dont die because of population. A server with many players dosn't mean is a good server. It means they just got alot players. Why do they got so many? Because they might spammed the whole internet with stupid advertisements. A good server, is a server, where the staff/gameplay dosn't fail for what the players want. The server first dies, when the players starts get bored and don't have anything to do. An unpopulare server can be as good as a populare one. Ive never got many players in any of my servers, max ive ever had was 50+. But peoples still said it was one of the best server they played and best staff. And yea I do care what im doing and i know what im doing. I was one of those who had servers dying all the time. My servers always dies, the server I got now, is the only server wich haven't died. Why? Because I keep work hard on it. Is not populare, but is diffently not dead either. I would say an unpopulare, but active and non afk server is better, then a big server with all players afk. Also the servers start fails, when players get staff from donations. I hate those servers, "Yes I can pay for abuse". how pro is that? That is not much pro, but half of the PServer community is only making pservers to earn money, wich is wrong. PServers should not be to make money, of cause you can have donations etc. but should not for some crazy shit like 100reborns, 1million + and total dominations. The things that gets donated for, should also be possible to get from non donaters. Thats the real servers who fails. But why are they so populare then? Because they are binary half of them and they are those whos most stabel atm. I got nothing against binary servers, but I got against leeching. Thats why I dont like binaries, but I think those who choose binaries are those who really dont know how to learn programming etc. And is fine, we can't learn everything. And about you say, peoples etup servers to get the "HOLY STATUS GM/PM". They might do, but if u look those servers, where the staff aint taking care of their pplayers, will also die fast. What does it take to run a server after is setup and ready to run? Well first of all you need a proper english, so players can understand you. You will need some knowledge about the source/binary you are using, so you can edit server. You will need to take care of suggestions and bugs as soon they get reported. You will need to be active most of time, wich Ive seen alot servers, where staff is not replying or not even is there. You need to act mature to the players coming and always come with an answer that can help, even if you don't know the answer. To make a good community you will need to be 1 step forward then the others.

How don't servers die froom lack of population? If there are 1000 people on a server why would you shut it down unless you absolutely had to? If there were only 10 on it, you might consider it successful, but your players might not share your views. I wouldn't find it fun to play an mmo without the multiplayer factor and playing pkjail games with the same 10 people every day would get old very fast. I could go on official and do that. All you need is a low level with max FB/SS and a level 1 sword/blade.

An unpopular server is unpopular for a reason. Either the features are bad, the lag is bad, the downtime is bad, the server crashes often, roll-backs happen often, staff are bad, too many bugs, there are plenty of reasons. If none of those exist, it would be pretty popular wouldn't you say? Those are a few of the reasons people wouldn't play a certain server. If none of them exist in your server they'd have no reason to not try it and play it even. Personally I'd say a big server with lots of AFKers would be better than a small server with no one afk because the chance of any given time that the majority of the players to be afk all at the same time is extremely low. Even if that were to happen, the big server would most likely still have more active people than the smaller server making it a far more enjoyable experience.

Oh trust me. "Donaet 5 dolleras 4 PM 4 mi servar" is a TERRIBLE way to run a server. Any server that sells staff positions needs to be shut down. I totally agree about the making money part. Making money should be the end result, not the method. You'd make a server in hopes people see it worthy enough to pay, not tell people to pay for core features of the server or for staff just to make a quick buck.

As for people who start servers for the status/glory, that's sadly what most people do. Most people want the power of running a server and what they say goes. Hell, even I did it when I was a kid. You can call me one of the lucky ones that could maintain a server of 200+ people in a game where pservers would average 5-10. I admit I only started it for the sake of being an admin, but it developed fast and I had to keep up with it. Maybe I'm expecting too much from people? I just care about the community because even though parts of it suck at the moment, I was a part of it and want to reunite with it and resume my work.