Mann Vs Machine Update

I wouldn't invest too much effort in getting MvM to work on our server. Like I said previously, I didn't buy The Orange Box in 2007 to play TF Horde/Invasion. (I could have stuck with UT2004 for that.) I bought Team Fortress 2 to play Team Fortress 2. MvM will likely be the "flavor of the month," but I'd be surprised to see if it overtakes standard gameplay as the more popular mode (much like Arena before it).

Don't get me wrong; it seems like a fun distraction, but the 32-player requirement (and, more importantly, the subsequent money and time requirement) will inspire many 24-player server operators to walk away from MvM until Valve gets their act together.

If I want to play a free-to-play FPS RPG, I can go play Firefall, but there's nothing quite like TF2. Well, more or less.
 
I can understand the extra cpu use. Something has to think for the bots not just track all the players. However, information in the Steam forums seems to indicate that the game will work fine on a 24 slot server, it will just be easier because the bots you fight against take up the extra slots.

Also, this thread in the steam forums has some really good information about mann up mode items. Seems tickets will only get you a random drop. Could be a hat. More likely its a bushwaka or a boston basher. But never one of the new items.

http://forums.steampowered.com/forums/showthread.php?t=2881472

I'm guessing that since the tickets only get you random drop items the pay to play portion of this will drop off significantly fairly quickly.

It is pretty nice to play a new maps and something different. Also with the lower player counts required to have a game, I think this mode fits our current server usage quite nicely. And the pay to play portion of it will pretty much guarantee that Valve releases new maps with more regularity.
 
I can understand the extra cpu use. Something has to think for the bots not just track all the players. However, information in the Steam forums seems to indicate that the game will work fine on a 24 slot server, it will just be easier because the bots you fight against take up the extra slots.

The thing is Valve already implemented bots and people have been using them for ages. These things are more than likely using the same AI just with some tweaks (CTFlag=bomb hole=scoring location). What makes this mode's bots so much more intense? (I am not asking you just stating it.)

I wouldn't invest too much effort in getting MvM to work on our server.

Believe me I am unfortunately incredibly lazy. I am just whiny because this just falls under the category of "figuring out other people's messes" which I am not fond of doing. Much for the same reason I dislike figuring out other people's code. Valve behave in a logical manner please!
 
Valve behave in a logical manner please!

They do. They ask the question "What is going to make us huge piles of cash with the least effort?" Then they do it.

The one thing I still don't know is can you have more than 6 people in a server and if so, do they control a bot in the Robot army?



The thing is Valve already implemented bots and people have been using them for ages. These things are more than likely using the same AI just with some tweaks (CTFlag=bomb hole=scoring location). What makes this mode's bots so much more intense? (I am not asking you just stating it.)

Good point. /me scratches his head and ponders for a bit. (think think think) (think think think) O dear. There's a rumbly in my tummy. Be back later.
 
They do. They ask the question "What is going to make us huge piles of cash with the least effort?" Then they do it.

The one thing I still don't know is can you have more than 6 people in a server and if so, do they control a bot in the Robot army?

There was some talk in the mailing list about people wanting to modify server player counts to suit their desires but I didn't read it in depth. I am going to look back through it later anyway but for now I am probably going to sleep. I'll let you know if I find anything relevant.
 

Thank you Corps that was helpful but now it's moot. The latest August 17 update fixed the problem for us permanently...

Valve said:
-Updated the dedicated server to exit when attempting to start a Mann vs. Machine map with less than 32 maxplayers

Well thanks to my incredible laziness I've learned if you ignore a problem long enough it will go away XD.

Oddly enough right under that in the update list is...
Valve said:
-Fixed mp_timelimit causing Mann vs. Machine mode to not reset properly when the defenders lose

Which I expect was the bug we had. Which in theory means MVM should have worked fine on a 24 man if not for Valve deliberately axing it.

I will update source mod and put the server back to normal :/ .
 
I'm definitely fine with not having it. I played two of levels with six people, and it was close to playing on a valve server.
 
Here's the thing I looked and it appeared to cost S4.83 to upgrade for a month. I am willing to pony up that and I'll set up the server, however, I'm wary if we will be able to return to the price we are now when we drop the slots. As such I've asked Gameserver's billing department to specifically confirm prior to any change. I think it said the billing department only works on weekdays so even If I do upgrade I am not doing anything until I get a response. Complicating things Gameservers is also currently having a sale on TF2 servers for 25% off (but it appears to not be any cheaper than what we have).

Tek must also give me the ok for me to press the slot upgrade button if he is reading this. "IF" I do upgrade it I just pop the money here right?

[ponders] Gameservers was awfully quick with the sale does Valve inform big game server companies before anyone else? I think it is just par for the course for Gameservers to have sales at the drop of a "TF2" hat though. Though perhaps motivations for 32 man servers extend beyond mere CPU requirements? Nah Valve was actually against 32 man servers for the longest time. I tend to see conspiracies everywhere probably just Gerbil fantasy land. [/end ponder]
 
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Oh bother :p .

Tek Gamesevers has confirmed the rate is locked so we can change. I just need to get your ok. I'm not sure how it works or if we will get a full billing cycle if we change it now but better to change it before interest wanes.

Edit: Of course the longer we wait the more stable the update becomes XD .
 
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I don't know if MvM will be popular long enough to justify another $5 a month. But if you or others are willing to spend the money and if you have it in writing from GS that our rate is locked in, you're welcome to upgrade.

And yes, the link you posted to the Support ToJ page is still current.
 
It's an interesting game mode but ends up feeling like grinding. Bots really aren't smart enough to make it fun over and over and over. If they pulled a L4D move and let real humans play the bot it would be a lot more fun. That would take some tweaking of bot HP but would make 32 slot servers a lot more useful. It's fun a few times with a group of friends but things like the tank health dictate you have to play certain classes and makes the game too predictable.
 
It's an interesting game mode but ends up feeling like grinding. Bots really aren't smart enough to make it fun over and over and over. If they pulled a L4D move and let real humans play the bot it would be a lot more fun. That would take some tweaking of bot HP but would make 32 slot servers a lot more useful. It's fun a few times with a group of friends but things like the tank health dictate you have to play certain classes and makes the game too predictable.

Ditto. It needs to have adaptive or random elements added. L4D works better because you don't know the enemy spawn points on the map. In MVM everything appears to be pretty much out in the open. It does have a difficulty setting though I've heard it makes the AI aim absurd which should never the way to make a difficultly level harder.

I need to go play a few more games to properly assess the game mode before buying into it.
 
It's set up. Play it to your heart's content until September 10th when we go back to a 24 man server.

1. Our server will be running Mann vs Machine for a bit, except on Tuesday.
2. Password while in MVM mode is Godrules .
3. You are welcome to start games and invite friends, whom you know can behave, but the player limit is 6.
4. You cannot get the new item drops playing this mode unless you play it on an official Valve server, pay for a ticket and even then the item you get may not be a new one. You can get regular drops on our server.

Admins all you need do to change modes is type either of these in console...

sm_rcon exec mvm.cfg
sm_rcon exec regular.cfg

Map will change with config. Play mvm maps while on mvm config and regular maps while on regular config only.
 
haha nice. I have been rconing for the past few days since its in quickplay and it fills up rather quickly. The trolls. They are abundant in number. Lots of 1 day bans, lots of kicks, and a few permabans.
 
haha nice. I have been rconing for the past few days since its in quickplay and it fills up rather quickly. The trolls. They are abundant in number. Lots of 1 day bans, lots of kicks, and a few permabans.

Password should have disqualified it for quick play, adding tf_server_identity_disable_quickplay now.
 
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Yeah it was before you set it up. Like it was on regular maps. I don't mind so much but now that school is starting, I have to see what the routine will be now. After the update but before the 20th when the server was just rotating and going through map votes.
 
Yeah it was before you set it up. Like it was on regular maps. I don't mind so much but now that school is starting, I have to see what the routine will be now. After the update but before the 20th when the server was just rotating and going through map votes.

It's great you cast an eye on it every now and then but don't sweat it Saudi. Trolls will be trolls and none of us can be there continually.

Oddly enough the Valve mailing list mentioned (after you did) quick play was sending people to password protected MVM servers but they supposedly fixed that now.

The regular server rotation never should have been in quick play due to having crits disabled (though I actually wanted it to be). Any trolls you see must have come there manually from the browser.
 
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