[img|left]http://i43.tinypic.com/z4uvq.png[/img][img|left]http://img204.imageshack.us/img204/2343/transv.png[/img]After our most recent instalment of the Crossfire LAN's, lots of players were of the opinion that something should be done to keep the teams playing. While one could grumpily reply that teams should do the effort themselves and stay active and competitive, we should not kid ourselves with such ideas that are obviously too good to be true for this old game. Online leagues such as Eurocup have fallen from their thrones. It used to be the utmost honour to be Eurocup champion, but after top teams such as dignitas stopped participating, it was quickly reduced to a league for random mixes of top players.
Then what did keep this game alive during all these years? It was (mostly) the Crossfire LAN's. This might not come as a surprise to most of you, but it's important to realise that this game will only know a revival instead of this constant stagnation if we take the next step towards new LAN's for ET. We've definitely shown the world that we're capable of filling up international LAN's with top teams from all over Europe and beyond. So why not do what it takes to attract new LAN's? They'll surely not come on their own. We have to face it that we're not playing a very attractive game for LAN's. Firstly, it's a free game, which makes promotion from a developer or publisher's point of view completely unprofitable. Then we also have the problem of its age. In my own opinion, ET is still a very nice game graphic-wise, but it surely won't help you promote your graphics cards. And last of all, it's a difficult game. We've all been playing this game for three years or more, and for us it's the most obvious thing in the world to rush out of your defence right before you spawn, but for outsiders spectating or trying out this game, it's hellaweird. All this means we have to put our heads together and get the gloves off if we want to achieve this goal.
After seven years we're at a point where we haven't got many LAN's for ET compared to other games such as CS or the CoD series. Even though our game is free and everything we've accomplished to this day comes from the community, it's still important that we learn from the things that other communities went through and try to use that knowledge for ET. If we look at what CoD4 is working at right now there's a very distinct organization that inspires a lot of people. It's called Vita Nova and their mission is described on their website as follows:
As you can see we've got options. But we need people to achieve what we want. You can hereby see this as a call for all those people who feel like something should be done about our current situation, to help out. All that enthusiasm from right after CIC7 was great and all, but now is the time to harvest it into
this project. Based on your feedback, decisions will be made independently. If you feel like your time spent on crossfire could actually also be used to improve the game, and if you think you've got (un)discovered qualities that can contribute to our goal, then speak up. I need people who can fill in the positions outlined above by Vanner. People who have experience in running leagues, who have time to gather the community, who have financial and marketing background to contact sponsors, people who know how to lead, but also plain enthusiasts who are willing to do an effort for their number one game.
If you think you've got what it takes, write it in a comment, send me a pm or contact me on #crossfire. Either way, you'll have the support of the entire community behind you.
As for people who think this is just a load of empty words, we're already working on a project which you will be informed about fully tomorrow.
Then what did keep this game alive during all these years? It was (mostly) the Crossfire LAN's. This might not come as a surprise to most of you, but it's important to realise that this game will only know a revival instead of this constant stagnation if we take the next step towards new LAN's for ET. We've definitely shown the world that we're capable of filling up international LAN's with top teams from all over Europe and beyond. So why not do what it takes to attract new LAN's? They'll surely not come on their own. We have to face it that we're not playing a very attractive game for LAN's. Firstly, it's a free game, which makes promotion from a developer or publisher's point of view completely unprofitable. Then we also have the problem of its age. In my own opinion, ET is still a very nice game graphic-wise, but it surely won't help you promote your graphics cards. And last of all, it's a difficult game. We've all been playing this game for three years or more, and for us it's the most obvious thing in the world to rush out of your defence right before you spawn, but for outsiders spectating or trying out this game, it's hellaweird. All this means we have to put our heads together and get the gloves off if we want to achieve this goal.
After seven years we're at a point where we haven't got many LAN's for ET compared to other games such as CS or the CoD series. Even though our game is free and everything we've accomplished to this day comes from the community, it's still important that we learn from the things that other communities went through and try to use that knowledge for ET. If we look at what CoD4 is working at right now there's a very distinct organization that inspires a lot of people. It's called Vita Nova and their mission is described on their website as follows:
As you can see we've got options. But we need people to achieve what we want. You can hereby see this as a call for all those people who feel like something should be done about our current situation, to help out. All that enthusiasm from right after CIC7 was great and all, but now is the time to harvest it into
this project. Based on your feedback, decisions will be made independently. If you feel like your time spent on crossfire could actually also be used to improve the game, and if you think you've got (un)discovered qualities that can contribute to our goal, then speak up. I need people who can fill in the positions outlined above by Vanner. People who have experience in running leagues, who have time to gather the community, who have financial and marketing background to contact sponsors, people who know how to lead, but also plain enthusiasts who are willing to do an effort for their number one game.If you think you've got what it takes, write it in a comment, send me a pm or contact me on #crossfire. Either way, you'll have the support of the entire community behind you.
As for people who think this is just a load of empty words, we're already working on a project which you will be informed about fully tomorrow.
keep on ruining crossfire but hands of ET!
As for new players, I'm working on converting the velocity strat guide to crossfire, so new players (public nubs or from other games) can quickly download ET as a package, and read the guide to get familiar with it. That will surely make them more comfortable during scrims!
UNLEASH THE INFO KROSAN, OR YOUR ASS GETS IT
Your decision to make ESL 5v5? Yes.
http://wocen.org/p/forum/forum_viewtopic.php?12842
Also if 5on5 is sticking around as the main format then we need to work out some flaws and sooner rather than later. I just woke up so I'm avoiding writing too much in fear that it wouldn't be very coherent.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C0vlLfYX9_Q
:D
theres no porn on youtube
You have a good intention, but the thing is that whatever you will say, you won't make E.T alive and as active as the other games.
e: m-9
If you can find one, this project will be save!
Get back in your hole.
and like i said, you dont have clear goal for your path. you chat with inviduals about their visions and eventually are dealing with a big puzzle of pieces not knowing which to use.
but to answer your question what ive done for ET lately, I think I posted a comment among many other people requesting for a poll about 5v5. there's a chance that I didnt since I knew such poll would never exist but atleast the idea crossed my mind
You and that monkeyy guy (amongst others) are the first to shit on people's motivation, instead of giving helpful feedback. You're really in no position to be flaming me.
ps. it was only your attitude that made me comment in the first place.
ps2. few issues from the past. proning - doesnt really require the double counter on it. turn spread: http://www.crossfire.nu/?x=poll&mode=item&id=267
also on the earlier comment I listed you 2 simple things from the past that you could have changed. now ive clearly done something for ET even though im not even playing it. hf and get results
about the 5v5 and pronedelay issue: People didn't stop playing after pronedelay came. People haven't stoped playing when the format changed to 5v5 from 6v6. (even 6v6 is my favourite one.. the current maps are just made for 6v6.) So I wouldnt like to argue about the format change.. 6v6 could be better for ET for now but dont know if it's better for the future of ET.
I've talked with many people who have become inactive or quit, including myself D:!
I know many who would want to start playing active again, but haven't. obviously there are multiple reasons but as a partial reason ET's current state is rebelling the players.
e: so tired, I'll try to actually answer this time.
I like lans, they are essential to ET. however, you don't fix ET by arranging more and more lans and pushing the obvious mistakes aside. Online scene is a joke.
I once saw this WoW movie of a Frost mage playing battlegrounds and while he showed what he was doing, he told (voice over) the tactics/moves he performed.
YouTube:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3yNPWPka_6c
NOTE: They deleted the sound in the video, just imagine the text being told by a narrator :-P + skip the lame intro ;-)
Make something like that. Take a supply game, fly in spectator mode and tell what is going on. You could freeze frame to fly (use the camtrace shit) to other parts of the map where the action begins. At the first stage you could explain the spawntimer mechanic, you could point out the "rushing out of the defence on 10 sec before respawn" and various other plays. Show why some moves of the team or an individual player are mistakes, or great moves.
it's just an idea
http://www.own3d.tv/video/10131
It's great that this community has so much energy and passion for ET and it's awesome that people are trying to be optimistic about the future. I don't want to sound like a pessimist, but imo... this game does not have the size to be able to make it onto a bunch of LANs. The competitive community left is basically entirely gathered on Crossfire and realistically does not number over ~5000 people. Compare that to CS and CoD4; Counter-Strike is easily somewhere in the hundreds of thousands and CoD can't be that far behind. Similarly, this means the number of people who would be willing to go to a LAN event is significantly lower...
Maybe I'm just being really narrow-minded here, but I think the only way to fix this size problem would be new blood. We've had the same teams around forever now, from OC 300th division to EC to CIC teams. The thing about CS, in particular, which keeps it so alive is the diversity. Sure, we see SK/MYM/mTw/EG/Fox/fnatic/Polaks dominating every event but a lot of teams have at least risen to challenge the big-boys in recent years. If ET had this sort of thing, I believe the scene would become even more exciting and this certainly will help make the game more appealing to potential organisers when they're considering what games to host at their events. When a game is constantly growing and attracting new players, I'm guessing it'll become more and more important on the international eSports stage.
Of course, all this is just speculation and I could very well be wrong. Regardless, if you need anything I'd be more than willing to help in whatever possible.
Oh, all that being said... props on a job well done once again Krosan :D Nice article!
No organization thinks of ET seriously and the only way to get to one is through connections. I wonder what those managers think when they are informed that this game has no anti-cheat system and it was players decision. There is no ladder and there's no league that without prizes is beeing played by the top teams. Public servers are full of cheaters that do not care about beeing obvious cause there's simply no meaningful punishment for them. New players are beeing discouraged by all the trash talk and leave for another game while people who regularly visits crossfire are wanking thinking of how trolled somebody got by them.
When you dont move forward, you move back. Well, ET is just as it was last year and a bit worse than 2 years ago. Its not gonna die soon but you're not going anywhere like that. I do not understand how people can say this scene "has so much energy and passion for ET". Face it, there are like 20 people who actually want do something and the rest isnt even helping them. At least I'm not writing bullshit about how this scene has the potential to be new cs1.6.
To sum up, its community's fault that ET is where it is now. You had plenty of chances to change that but you didnt choose any. You think that leagues like ESL will provide more tournaments with cash prizes if you cant be even bothered to play in their ladders? To be honest, I'm not even blaming the community itself since its normal that people are too lazy to do anything by themselves but I'm blaming this site and it's admins/staff. You always had the final word in what was going on (dont tell me cb or esl had more influence). True, you kept the game alive, but you also kept it at the same spot.
Gotta prepare for school so thats all (yea i was really bored).
I see your point, and actually I agree with you. I don't think this scene has the potential to be anything close to CS, but at the same time you can't say that there isn't any energy in this community just cuz there's quite a lot of retarded flamers. There are still quite a lot of people at least trying to help, and I'm really only making that "energy and passion" statement off of all the hype that was around CIC7. A lot of noise was made around that event and not even just in the CoD4 part, even as a guy not even following ET that much I could feel the excitement from CIC (to the point where I even reinstalled just to play some pubs again :D).
That being said... you're right about crossfire turning into 4chan, and the anti-cheat business. I don't know much about what's happening with that in regards to new anti-cheats/current modifications to PB or whatever, so I won't comment further on that. At the same time though, the 4chan bit is not wholly justified. Gotfrag, a huge CS community site, is filled with trolls. 1.6's pubs are filled with idiotic cheaters. Even #5on5.cs is filled with idiotic cheaters. The fact is, every community has dumbasses but every community also has some intelligent people who can make a difference. Maybe ET can't be pulled onto the same level as CoD or CS, but I guess it is worth a try at least (then again, I might just be really naive).
My point is, the 'energy and passion' you're talking about is an illusion. People are getting hyped about the game only around CC lans and its sad. What's more, even if there is a lan crossfire community tend to ditch the opportunity. For example, in 2008 i've been on 3 lans in Poland and this year there are 2 possible ones. Reaction of xfire = shit country, shit lan, cheats allowed. People expect somebody to step up and make the game mainstream while they also spit on the same guys. Take for example CB/ESL admins. They are getting flamed from every side for doing something for the community. Now, most of them do not care about cups etc. and im not suprised. If i were them id just leave ET and go admin another game. Im not saying they should be adored but a little appreciation would be good.
You're right that this scene has some inteligent people who could pull off something huge but why would they bother? Tosspot prepared the biggest lan ET can get and before it even started people were talking about how much money he earns every lan. That's just pathetic. I hope he gets shitload cause he deserves it (alltho i dont really believe he does get so much money). Its a matter of time that those 'inteligent people' will realize that ET scene doesnt deserve to be revitilized.
I should write columns ;)
I think realistically, TosspoT is more or less the last guy really holding up this game. As soon as he just gives up, the competitive scene will likely wither slowly. I'm still very new to this community so I don't know what it was like years back, but if it was always these same flamers bashing on admins trying to help ET then it seems like CB/ESL are holding fairly strong. Certainly, it's apparent from the online scene that the players no longer care (look at the recent Eurocups for example).
I'll keep my trolling to a minimum for now on and make some interviews instead when I'm bored! :-)
Did you ever ever said something about a unknown dude that you saw him playing ET and thinking hmm this guy got potential ? and tried in anyway to help him .. dunno smth :) ( just asking btw .. im not flaming you or smth )
And ofc no team will ever take him .. because all skilled team's will never take some1 that is unknown .. but play's good without another skilled player ( let's say you ) say hey i saw that guy .. his pretty good blablabla hes got potential blabla why don't you tryout him and see how he does
The only guy that tried to 'help' me :DDD was homer ( just fucking 1 out of dozens of guys who called me cheater omfg ?? and maybe they were a bit known .. im just sayin .. :D ) but for some reasons i couldn't help myself :) ( im not trying to point smth about me ...... am fucking med skilled max so dont flame me :p i just have my good days sometimes :s )
But now what i think what ET need's :
1.Guys like VITANOVA
2.Try to get people to actually watch ETTV games ? but if u do that trust me get some guys like tosspot or like mashed .. guys who dont breath :D buy them cocaine and make them shoutcast :D i mean its fucking awesome! after watching those ETTV games maybe they will get more interested in playing competitively .. maybe show sponsors too dunno
3.Kill killerboy :D
4.moar online tournaments with entrance fee or sponsor ( should be great ) with the opportunity to play the final in a lan like ems ? But not some few hundred euros .. make it big ! more money more greedy bastards will play
5.CIC7 > after a few weeks a possibility that a new lan could take place for et > 44 teams interested > success > ET didn't died
6.Check Killerboy .. but kill him again to be sure
7.Stay with 5o5 format
8.Kill PB and maybe pay for a new anticheat ? a simple paypal donation ( on crossfire ? dunno if this is possible ) from time to time to a hand of skilled coders would do the trick ( i dont mind paying 2 euros a month and im not the only one i think ) i know that some guys can do it for free but seriously .. give them a little motivation :)
9.Ban guy's who cheated on official's for life , we don't need them
10.I Seriously need to get a life and sleep :| my eyes are burning !
sry for ingrish
My point: if you expect people to come to you and teach you you are plain stupid. You ask, you get, thats how it goes.
Oh, and your points apart from the 1st one are stupid aswell (ONLINE yournaments with huge prices in ET, yea right...).
just saying what i think about the scene and its chances to become bigger and better. Oh, and btw. I actually will try to make a little contribution ^^ Just have to learn few things before but soon you will see me helpin'!
How long will you brag about aef now? ;D
he has seen the 5on5 post!
What's wrong with more LANs?
ET has tons of players but splited over several mods, only getting some of them interested in etpro would be huge success imo. But these people would also need a fair chance and not getting flamed by some random lowfuck etpro player just because he has finally beaten someone eventough he is playing etpro for 5 years.
Maybe make some tournaments aimed for a lower skill level or made for players from other mods to get them interested. I suggest someone talks to the #nutsacks.et guys about this cause they are at the moment running some cups mainly for lower skillled teams coming from other mods and they got some success with that.
I would be glad to try and get players from other mods into etpro cause i see some potential with these players cause they tend to be a lil bit older than the average etpro player and therefore also got the money to attend lans in other countries.
could we maybe find a moviemaker to finnish the "Welcome to ET" movie or redo it?
We could implent some of the new "classics" and awesome moments of ET in it to get people into ETPro and show them how awesome it can be. Im thinking of Dragos panzer or Matias doublesniper kill or similar moments that were just awesome to witness. Of course you would need the demos and casts for it and but in my oppinion it would be an awesome advertising especially if you also get the videos from some lans into it.
Id be glad to help and gather demos, casts and videos if there is a moviemaker that would actually finnish it. Maybe we should get a professional moviemaking company involved into this.
The lineups are changing way too often , there are almost no stable teams anymore..
A few days before big tournaments newly formed teams appear and just fold right after them.
But there are every time stupid fools who saying dumbshit >.>
Keep on working! :)
And about lans. Would be great to see let say "4" lan events in a year and always different country. Large organizations? We should focus on how to get them excited about our game.
Only way is more lan's ?
No, that just one way and a very effective one i can add. ET scene should rather start playing ESL ladders and cups. If there would be enough teams maybe one day ET would be on the list of ESL Pro Series games and that would be even better than lans. Another way is to host cups with small prizes (cash or hardware) every lets say 2 weeks. It wouldnt need to be a huge sum of money, rather something like 100-150e or headsets or something like that for the winner. That would keep the top teams playing regularly even not in the 'lan season' and also would get ET the attention it needs. Then, the shoutcasts. I know people would love Tosspot to cover every single match in ET but lets face it, he would be wasting his time. I think it would be better to search for new shoutcasters and try to make a radio dedicated only to ET. With mgcs like rockit and blight there were plenty of random interviews etc. Why not put it there. Programs like 'eSports Weekly' (which im a fan btw) are way too complicated to arrange for ET people (-.-) but lets say a weekly radio program with stars of ET scene and a SMART host suming up what happened recently would really get tons of listeners.
Need moar ways? :)
http://www.assembly.org/winter10
Beside that the polish lans are always mainly for east european, mainly polish people and there is no effort to get bigger european teams to attend imo.
Your choice if you go or not. Its all about non-polish players attitude. I can assure you that if there were eu teams coming to pl lan admins would provide any help nessesary in english, not to mention english site and ruleset. Also, what's the problem with getting a non-polish admin to join the organizing crew?
Its all about the attitude.
Why should i put any effort into forming a team or going with my team to a lan if the main page is in a language i dont understand? Im pretty sure if the polish community or the polish hosters would be more "friendly" towards non polish people more would come to a polish lan.
And these flamers and whiners would never attend a lan anyway.
Dont expect polish admins to make every lan site in english since so far there was only one (and ive been to like 6-7) that had eu teams in it. If there would be ANY interest from european scene then the site would be in english. Also, polish scene is one of the biggest in ET and it has enough teams to fill the lan slots on its own without any help from the outside so it doesnt really need to be fighting for foreigners. Especially if they act like they do on crossfire.
Jesus you seem like the typical crossfire user. Im stating some constructive criticism here and the first thing you do is calling me a flamer.
You just got it wrong :) Its not like we need you. We would love to welcome you but we're not gonna try if you aint either.
you have to admit that crossfire people gave us plenty of reasons not to care :p
What prejudices?
I meant with prejudices that people say I killed ET, then they say I saved ET, then they say like u did that I think I'm some kind of saviour, while all I'm doing is just trying to help out.
nah, you're just a bit douchy lately ;)
keep up your good work though ;D
<3
But next lans should be somewhere in big cities with big airport. Was much easier to go to coppenhagen than enshade for example..
Need anti-cheat, promotion on websites, new maps, different map pool/changes and a new website feature with live chat on here, allowing to search for wars via chat on crossfire.
- Halidith