Remake the Server Browser to benefit OSGs

[JoeySkylynx]

Issue currently being discussed at: http://facepunch.com/showthread.php?t=1374164

OSGs(one server gamemodes), do not currently benefit from the present Server Browser that was introduced to GMod13. The new system which has replaced the "Legacy Browser" has caused a great deal of strife and stagnation within gamemode development, as you can no longer make a gamemode for one server and expect to survive with the current server browser that only benefits open-soruce gamemodes like Trouble in Terrorist Town, Dark RP, Murder, and Sandbox. The current Server Browser has also become the source of drama within the Garry's Mod RP community as you can no longer make a decent RP Gamemode, without getting botnetted by competing communities that are trying to maintain their gamemodes position in the server browser(as can be seen on the GMod Section on Facepunch). What is longed for presently is a remake of the entire server browser system to go back to the proven system of the Valve Server Browser, which allowed OSGs to compete with one another, while not having to fear each other for taking the very few players that are attracted to the bottom of the server list. Other features from the current server browser would also be appreciated if they were adapted into this new server browser.

Few suggestions from the ongoing discussion on Facepunch:

[DrVrej]

I want this too! =D

[JoeySkylynx]

Can we please get an update on this from the devs? One server gamemodes are being killed, the current server browser stops North American players from seeing European servers, and just overall the current server browser fucking blows compared to the Legacy Browser.

[robotboy655]

It's not the server browser that prevents EU players from seeing US servers, it's Valves masterserver.

[JoeySkylynx]

Either way. The current server browser is still buggy as crap, and is preventing gamemodes which rely on one server from getting anywhere.

[robotboy655]

If you have something specific in mind, I am listening. What bugs? What exactly you want to be added?

"Make it better" doesn't help.

[JoeySkylynx]

Revert back to legacy browser, or make something based on the legacy browser. The current browser is killing any chance of gamemodes that are only one server from getting anywhere.

[robotboy655]

You are not being helpful.

[JoeySkylynx]

How am I not being helpful? Let me break it down: The current server browser puts gamemodes with higher player populations at the top(DarkRP/Sandbox), and every other gamemode is booted to the bottom of the list, and after a certain players count(5/10) they occasionally will not display at all. My suggestion is to get rid of the current server browser, and go back to the serverlist that is standard for almost all Source games, or in otherwords, the one before GMod 13.

Why am I suggesting this? Because most custom gamemodes do not have a chance against gamemodes like DarkRP, Trouble in Terrorist Town, or any gamemode which has a higher amount of servers/player count compared to their own. The legacy browser(Valve's standard serverlist), is ultimately a better solution as it does not accomodate for a greater amount of servers/players, and rather players can sort for whatever they want. Be it map name, server name, server location, ping, ect.

The old serverlist(Pre-GMod 13) was better for a variety of reasons, and all I am asking is that the current server list is replaced with the Pre-GMod 13 one, or update with features from the GMod 13 one, while the issues regarding HTML related internet crashing are dealt with.

[VaasKahnGrim]

Despite this being from 2014 this is some how still relevent and needed 4 years later. its really hurting alot of servers and preventing them from getting anywhere. please fix this at somepoint :/ what joey said isn't the best but its certainly better then what we have now. I'd be willing to make it myself if you'd atleast look at it and put it into the game as a default feature if it works well. because rn the current serverbrowser not only hurts those smaller gamemodes but hurts new servers aswell.

Would really like to see this resolved.

[Kefta]

You can pretty much see all servers worldwide now, there's just a limit on how many you can receive from Valve's master server.

[VaasKahnGrim]

yea tho it still pretty much only shows things based on popularity and pushes alot of unique gamemodes down the list. I mean imagine if one day some thing like pirate ship wars had risen back and was being played again. despite the rather humorous attitude in the posted image in the first msg it honestly looks nice and with some added touch could potentially add back a bit more of variety in what people play. it can be rather hard to find something new that has players on it especially if there is only 1 server for it. it could be in its own gamemode separated but it would be pushed down the gamemode list, or it could be in a already existing gamemode and have to compete with so many different servers.

what I have in mind would not only be a more appealing server browser but the way gamemodes are handled wouldn't be based on how many servers and players total. Rather something like say alphabetically. If you do enjoy DarkRP then you can simply click a letter button for "D" in gamemodes, then click "DarkRP" after clicking the gamemode of choice it then starts to query only for that specific gamemode you chose to look for a server in. I'm still piecing together the full thing but so far fixing the gamemode sorting alone could at the very least have more uncommon gamemodes be seen before others. In each gamemode a possibly useful thing for people could be a way to sort based on a player count range like say between 32-64 players on, sorting by specific maps ect. this also can potentially allow communities to actually have a viable reason to put all their servers into a single gamemode of their own together. like say you own 5 servers for various different things. well players can see everything your community has to offer right then and there and be able to enjoy it.

Like I said tho I'm still piecing together how it would work atm but I'd definitely be willing to get this made if it will end up atleast having a chance of being put into the game

[bizzclaw]

Thank you for making this suggestion. I really hope we can get something like this in the future. There are tons of ways to do it, but just having some way to indicate to players what content the gamemode has outside of the hostname will go such a long way.

Ideally, the Players' experience finding a server should be similar to a player finding a new addon to play with on the workshop. In an ideal world, we could click on a server and see screenshots, videos, and maybe even a comment section, but that's way far off in the future, or maybe an idea that can be saved for S&box. Still, no other game can really do what gmod can do when playing on different servers. I know it's tempting to have a jaded view of it and see it as just DarkRP or just TTT, but that's exactly what something like this could help address!

Until S&box gets off the ground, Garrysmod is the only game that allows a player to join a server and suddenly be playing pirate ship wars, then join another server, and now they're playing a fantasy RPG. No other game does this nearly as well, and it's Gmod's greatest strength. Finding the right server is so important, but how it currently works, the only servers that rise to the top focus on sheer player count, which is far from the most reliable indicator of gamemode/server quality.