Multiplayer Server Search Improvements

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Quantum_mechanic
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Multiplayer Server Search Improvements

Post by Quantum_mechanic »

Multiplayer Server Search Improvements
What ?
1. While in a multiplayer server allow the player to view and save the current server to favorites. May also implement a history feature to the server list as well.

2. a) Implement a map preview feature while searching for new servers, just the mini-map version of course, not sure how this would work for servers running multiple blind teams.

2. b) Preview Tech-Tree

3. Implement additional filters to server search functions, including boolean searches i.e. filter out all empty servers unless play time < X hours; filter out full servers.

4. Default "Has password" field to no.

<Current>
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<Some requested features>
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Why ?
1. Adding an in game server save feature and or history would make it more convenient to return to existing games which the player may not even remember the name of.

2. a) Having a map preview feature allows players to get an idea of what they're joining without having to download a map that can be potentially up to 100 MB or more, usually less

2. b) Being able to preview the tech tree would allow players to once again join at a preferred time, if all the tech is already researched aside from the infinites why join the server, unless you wantto just expand a base and build rockets. Maybe you want to skip the initial phases and can see oil is coming or nuclear and would like the experience that comes at that phase.

3. Simple convenience of not having to sort through dozens of empty servers or worse full servers that you can't join anyway.

4. If we know the password for the server we want to join we'll select yes but I expect most people won't be joining such a server, similarly the "Has mods" field could default to no as well especially since mods have to be installed separately at this time, if you don't have it you can't join it.

Rseding91
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Re: Multiplayer Server Search Improvements

Post by Rseding91 »

The gray gear is a favorite button FYI.
If you want to get ahold of me I'm almost always on Discord.

Quantum_mechanic
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Re: Multiplayer Server Search Improvements

Post by Quantum_mechanic »

Yes, the grey gear to the left of the listed servers are the favorite icons, but you can only favorite a server from this screen. Once you choose a server to enter you have no way, to my knowledge, to figure out what server your on unless you remember when you joined or ask someone else and hope they know which server you're on.

Most of the time I'll look for the youngest dedicated rail world or similar server with hopefully a few people on it and won't leave for hours. Personally my connection is poor enough it's an inconvenience to re-download a map larger than say 20 MB or so to go back, favorite, and rejoin a server. My preference is for massive maps where 20 MB is small.

As another consideration I know there are many people, that are on metered connections that this may prove its merit from a different angle than sheer convenience.

The simplest solution I can come up with an Icon added to Esc menu that displays the current server name and when pushed toggles the address into the favorite's database... 5 minutes searching... looks like the one server I have saved is in player-data.json as a 44 character alphanumeric if I'm looking at the right spot, expected a URL or IP. Hashed?

NicolaasZA
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Re: Multiplayer Server Search Improvements

Post by NicolaasZA »

Another suggestion adding onto this is to have the server browser window remember the filter configuration you used previously.
It is tedious having to every time toggle the 'Has password' and/or 'Has mods' to 'No'.

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