How does one fill a server? - Games

So I've been struggling to fill my server for the past few months but my usual players have "moved on" so to speak (Some to newer games like BC2/MW2, others to competitive play) so I'll look for advice here then. What about a server makes you want to play there and most importantly come back to play more?

[QUOTE=Pacmaney;22015344]So I've been struggling to fill my server for the past few months but my usual players have "moved on" so to speak (Some to newer games like BC2/MW2, others to competitive play) so I'll look for advice here then. What about a server makes you want to play there and most importantly come back to play more?[/QUOTE] Good mixture between quality custom maps and stock maps, rock the vote, 24 players max, no annoying plugins, no reserved slots, and a decent community.

[QUOTE=Xyzzy;22015382]Good mixture between quality custom maps and stock maps, rock the vote, 24 players max, no annoying plugins, no reserved slots, and a decent community.[/QUOTE] Stuff I've seen/heard about before, how does one build a "good" community when very few of their online friends play TF2?

My first suggestion: Take 2Fort OUT of the cycle or whatever it is they call it.

[QUOTE=devon_wargod;22015417]My first suggestion: Take 2Fort OUT of the cycle or whatever it is they call it.[/QUOTE] All right, never was running 2fort anyways but some other servers I've seen can basically run any map and never empty out.

sv_pure 0 gets me to a server and 22-28 slots is good, I always seem to have more fun on those servers

Yes. sv_pure 0 servers are good.

I think he means if his server has 0 players in it, no one will join it. This leads to the server will [b]always[/b] be empty.

don't get one of those plugins which show a fake playercount, people hate those. I'd say use good maps which no other servers use regularly.

Hold events and advertise

Get people on there to use their microphones.

This is what the server should be called: Vanilla TF2 | Stock+Good Custom Maps Rotation | Non-pure | Default Respawn [editline]12:52PM[/editline] hint hint [editline]12:53PM[/editline] Also don't make it 32-player for God's sake.

Call it a creative name, make it well-known and ask players to spread the word, establish weekly events which the players will hold true to (freaky friday in FPUK1 is and example) and generally be an awesome admin, Your entry into the server must cause everyone to drop tools and sing about your glory. [sp]Use the term Faggot-free[/sp]

Creative name, SV_Pure 0, rock the vote, no quake sounds/rank plugins (they annoy people and create fake player statuses), no fake playercount, and try to keep it with vainilla, pubbers don't like having to download stuff unless it's maps. Also events ("low gravity tuesday", "thirdperson wednesday" and so) make people come back for more.

Get rid of pl_hoodoo, I don't know anyone who likes it.

32 player insta spawn 2fort 24/7 :v: just kidding, a friend from my clan and his brother run a server that is all Valve maps on rotation, spawn times vary with your performance in the previous life, but are never over 10 seconds, 24 player limit, all unlockables available, and we have another one that is the same but is 100% vanilla

All right, looks like I've been doing the right thing but not advertising enough. Try to keep posting stuff in this thread and I can see what I can do about it, feel free to PM me if you want the server IP.

how to fill a server? get people on it.