One week with Soldat 1.7 - what's next?

[CCalp]

Dear soldiers,

what a great week! As you know, Soldat 1.7 was released on last Monday (1st February 2016), and this has had quite an impact. Time for a little retrospective.




Gamers are interested in Soldat 1.7!

When the official release post was published, it just took a few minutes until dozens of gamers were already checking it out. There were more than 250 people reading the news article simultaneously on Monday evening. On the next day, there was the incredible number of more than 500 users browsing the forums at the same time.

Overall, the release post has been read more than 25.000 times!






People like Soldat 1.7!

The feedback is amazing: People around the globe like the new version, check out a few comments:






The social networks received the news about 1.7 enthusiastically:


Soldat 1.7 on reddit.com:
/r/soldat: https://www.reddit.com/r/soldat/comments/43r1t6/soldat_170_released/
/r/THD: https://www.reddit.com/r/THD/comments/43r1hl/soldat_170_released_after_long_and_bumpy_road_its/
/r/linux_gaming: https://www.reddit.com/r/linux_gaming/comments/43u2bx/soldat_a_free_sidescrolling_multiplayer_shooter/
/r/gaming: https://www.reddit.com/r/gaming/comments/43qsuw/after_10_years_soldat_is_finally_gettting_a_real/
/r/IndieGaming: https://www.reddit.com/r/IndieGaming/comments/43t453/soldat_17_hd_released_news/
/r/Games: https://www.reddit.com/r/Games/comments/43u2ug/soldat_17_released_with_4k_support_and_hd_graphics/
/r/lowendgaming: https://www.reddit.com/r/lowendgaming/comments/43v0lz/soldat_great_game_for_lowend_machines_has_been/
/r/patientgamers: https://www.reddit.com/r/patientgamers/comments/43v2uj/soldat_man_i_love_this_game_and_youll_probably/
/r/pcmasterrace: https://www.reddit.com/r/pcmasterrace/comments/43w2tn/soldat_170_released_4k_support_and_hd_graphics/


The media likes Soldat 1.7!

Within a few days nearly 10 gaming and IT portals have reported about the new release. The feedback was very positive without exception.
You will find all links below.




kotaku.com.au: http://www.kotaku.com.au/2016/02/soldat-gets-a-massive-performance-boost-and-a-hd-coat-of-paint/
gunsandpixels.com: http://gunsandpixels.com/2016/02/soldat-1-7-released/
4players.de: http://www.4players.de/4players.php/spielinfonews/PC-CDROM/7788/2155917/Soldat-Version_170_des_kostenlosen_Multiplayer-Actionspiels_mit_ueberarbeiteter_Grafik.html
gamestar.de: http://www.gamestar.de/news/vermischtes/3267364/soldat.html
chip.de: http://www.chip.de/news/Wer-stirbt-zuerst-Multiplayer-Spiel-Soldat-im-Download_89194263.html
netzwelt.de: http://www.netzwelt.de/software-update/10830-soldat-1-7-0-108300204.html
indiegamers.de: http://www.indiegamers.de/soldat-erhaelt-mit-update-1-7-4k-support-hd-texturen-und-mehr/
tribogamer.com: http://www.tribogamer.com/jogos/noticias/?id=39724




Activity is increasing again!

Since last Monday the activity has increased a lot, which can be shown on a few examples.


Gather: For the first time in a while three matches were played simultaneously, i.e. 18 players were playing gathers at the same time! This didn't only happen once, but quite a few times already. There have been about 60 - 80 soldiers in the IRC channel of #gather.eu every day during the last week!



Lobby: You are finally able to find running matches at basically all times of the day again! During the last days we have seen far more than 100 players on Soldat servers simultaneously in the evening - wow! With more than 120 servers available, you are able to enjoy all game modes and server scripts there used to be in the past: Infiltration, Realistic, Climb, Dodgeball, Knife-only - even a few volleyball matches have been played in Soldat 1.7 lately! Additionally, more and more server sites have been popped up: There are even some Australian servers online again!


Forums: More than 500 users were online at the same time on 2nd February! That is a new peak since 2008! It's interesting to look a bit further into forum statistics:
- Since the beginning of the year almost 60 new members were registered on the forums. That's already 30% of the whole year 2015!
- Since the beginning of the year there have been created more than 850 new posts. That's already a third of what was posted in whole year 2015!
- In January there were 35 new topics on the forums. The last time we had that many was in August 2014. During the last week alone there were made 17 new topics!




SCTFL: The chance for a new SCTFL season has popped up, too! There is a a poll running on SCTFL.net which gives hope: A few clans have reported back already!






Now it's your turn!

These news definitely are a cause for celebration!
If we really want to see Soldat flourishing again, however, we should not sit back now and rather tap the full potential of this incredible chance!

Everyone can do his bits - smaller or greater ones!


Here are a few suggestions:

1) Spread the word about Soldat.

• Contact gaming and software portals and let them know about Soldat and the new release. Most of them will be thankful for the hint and most likely update their entries about Soldat or even publish an editorial article about 1.7!
• Share it with your friends! Write about Soldat on Facebook, Twitter and other social networks, as well as forums or communities.
• Create and publish Soldat videos on YouTube, Vimeo and other platforms. Stream "let's play" videos on Twitch.tv.

2) Contribute to the community.

• If you are not already active on the forums, it's time to create an account and join the conversation.
• Join a clan, form your own or revive your old one! Play clan wars and take part in tournaments / leagues.
• Are you ready for competitive gameplay? Check out SCTFL.net.
• Join the community on Quakenet @ IRC: #soldat, #soldatladder and #gather.eu are the channels of choice.
• Organize and host tournaments and cups! Encourage others to take part.

3) Create mods, custom interfaces and maps.
Soldat has always been popular for its widely modding possibilities. With 1.7 you are able to create even better mods and much nicer graphics.

• Update your old mods, maps and interfaces or remake existing ones in HD.
• Create new partial or full modifications to the game and custom interfaces or contribute to the vast pool of custom maps with your very own Soldat map.
• Share your work on the modding and mapping subforums, as well as sites like moddb.com, tms.jrgp.org, SoldatHQ.com, or soldatpage.u13.net.

4) Host unique servers. Create and update server scripts.
A great variety of different servers is important. Thanks to the different game mods and scripting possibilities of Soldat, we are able to create so many different gaming experiences.

• Provide special game modes, like volleyball, last stand, m79 climb, survival realistic or rambo match servers.
• Ask your users for their preferences and suggestions, and adopt your server equally.
• Host servers in different areas, like South America, Asia, Russia, or Africa to give everyone the chance to play on servers with nice pings.
• Inform others about your server by creating a topic on the sub-forum for servers.
• Update existing server scripts or create new ones. Share them with others.

5) Create artwork and media material. Use it.
Unique media material can be used very usefully to promote Soldat.

• Save great-looking screenshots and create self-made collages of Soldat gameplay.
• Get creative and create artwork like logos or comics.
• Make your own gaming videos and publish them on the forums and YouTube.
• Use material of the existing media pool and add your own files there.

6) ... and what's your idea?
There are so many creative heads amongst us, and everyone does have some amazing skills!

So why don't you share YOUR ideas? Go ahead.

What do you think about my suggestions? Do you have additions? Any other thoughts?

Get active.

[homerofgods]

Good post! I'm actually gonna show soldat to some friends, I'm not ashamed anymore. I instantly shared the releasepost on facebook ofc.

Tell me on IRC or PM me in forums If anyone make any new videos that I could upload on SoldatFilms on youtube.

Also... we need to remake maps guys

[Fawkzy]

You know what a godlike game with a godlike update needs?

Godlike mods.

Now that 4K and high-definition textures are supported, artists can unleash their true potential.

[Blue-ninja]

What's next, you ask?

polyworks

[duz]

To be honest, I'm a little bit shy to share a game with that GUI and Interfaces (3rd thing: some crappy maps). I hope they do something about it, at least for the Interfaces (alignment, resizing, gfx etc).

[Savage]

Also... we need to remake maps guys

Also... we need to remake old scripted mods like Knife Volleyball. I would like to say that scripting side is almost extinct.

[darDar]

Also... we need to remake maps guys

Yes, most of the default DM maps are still the same as in 2002. e.g: RatCave, Arena1-3, HH to name some. All great maps but they look pretty poor.

[Moroes]

Tbh this might be just a reminder to show that soldat is still a thing. A way to attract people who might be interested and might contribute to community or even join dev team.
Soldat is still a bit far from solid "steam" release. Netcode, maps, gui needs reworking. Then we ofc need anticheat, good steam interconnection and I think soldat should be ready for competetive scene(esl n such) if it has to be popular game.
Version 1.7 is great but not a salvation.

Anyway, I'm still positive about it. Really. I did my homework, mum! Wrote to like 6 czech press sites and 2 youtubers who might be interested.

[Falcon`]

I would like to say that scripting side is almost extinct.

Last Stand is more alive than ever, Tactical Trench Wars gathers are still active on #soldat.eat-this!, (cough) dominikk is still active in scripting sections, Fryer just released something... things are more or less fine here.
MMod is dead, and so is Hexer but well, maybe one day...

[Akinaro]

Well calling it "fine" is a bit "big" word... Until someone make/remake good old zrpg. Then I would call it "fine".

But just like with mods, maps or anything else... No one see the reason to make anything. Am I right?(question to anyone who make mods/scripts/maps). It's like: nope, I don't have time. Nope I don't play that often. Nope, no one gonna use it anyway.
Most of we had for past few months are small remakes, old finished ideas or just unfinished ones that are usable at some way.


So until someone show me some cool zrpg script (not that crappy LS/personal opinion so be mad) and maybe some fresh map for it, it's not fine at all

[Falcon`]

Perhaps you'd like it more in versus mode, unfortunately that is not popular at all.

[CCalp]

No one see the reason to make anything. Am I right?(question to anyone who make mods/scripts/maps).

Well, actually you are not. I will release a full modification - I just have to optimize it a bit.

[L[0ne]R]

Speaking of making stuff, I'm currently completely remaking Bunker deathmatch map. Basic layout is mostly done, and is hosted on this server: 176.241.243.15:23070
Just do "/votemap Bunker2", or wait until it comes in the rotation. It's currently set as every 5th map.

[Control]

Devs should have added an automated downloader/installer so that people don't have to go to the website to download the game/patch all over again. People will get lazy and not bother to update thus leading to an inactive community once more.

Things that should be next:

- Automated downloader/installer
- Bug Fixes

[Akinaro]

Most of people actually have no idea that there is forum. And site... All of them think it's some old site from 2000 that is just there for download button. Just yesterday I found out that few players that I know for long time from soldat have no idea about this place.
Because like control said, times are different. People like to have automatic downloads, they like good looking stuff they are a bit lazy and they want all in one game that is up to date.
But we can sit here and pretend that everything is fine, after all maybe we gonna get unknown mod and map in future(that have really nice... 2005 vibe)...

[Mokkun]

Devs should have added an automated downloader/installer so that people don't have to go to the website to download the game/patch all over again. People will get lazy and not bother to update thus leading to an inactive community once more.

Things that should be next:

- Automated downloader/installer
- Bug Fixes

Thats actually a pretty good idea, if you leave a checkbox in the settings to NOT update automatically for people playing older version on purpose.

[darDar]

Devs should have added an automated downloader/installer so that people don't have to go to the website to download the game/patch all over again. People will get lazy and not bother to update thus leading to an inactive community once more.

Things that should be next:

- Automated downloader/installer
- Bug Fixes

Thats actually a pretty good idea, if you leave a checkbox in the settings to NOT update automatically for people playing older version on purpose.

Also a checkbox for beta testing. I mean.. that auto update does not even need to be an proper game feature. You could possibly just write a bash script which would do run on Soldat start. I believe thats pretty easy to code (this method).

[CCalp]

Short note from OP: When I made this thread, I was already afraid of posts only asking the developers to do something (aka 'devs do this, devs do that') but that was not my intention.
I would rather like to know what you plan to do yourselves and which ideas you have for other community members*.
Of course I am aware (and so are the devs) that 1.7 can't be the last step development-wise, however, everyone not directly involved in development may do his bits in the meantime. I don't really favour that attitude of leaning back and waiting for others to do stuff you would like to have.

*e.g. I would love to see Akinaro (or someone else) creating a new soldatforums logo based on his comic-style logo.

[Akinaro]

Users/player attitude are based on devs attitude. It's not like leaning back. 1.7 is major step for soldat but it don't change too much here. It's still limited soldat with limited posibilietes. Beside bigger graphic it's still old soldat.
And for past years everyone did what they could and now most of people who did stuff for soldat are just bored and annoyed by it. All those years and still the same problems and chaos in development.

No one gonna give a damn/do anything if it's not gonna be used(by players or devs)
I would rather spend that 3-5 hours on making logo for some shitty webpage or game and sell it for 20Euro on freelancer portal than make logo for soldat that would not be used.

You can make 100 advertising posts, make 100 maps, 1000 mods every month. You can work your ass off and all you gonna get is post "good work. Nice. Make more" and in reality no one gonna use it or read it.
Just like DarkCrusade and loots it's of other users said few times. No one gonna make eg maps remakes if they know that people behind maps for soldat don't give a shit about it and for past years they live in some sort of cave where they totally pissed reality and opinions of people.
 There where lots of good mapers here who could remake, and actually remake maps by them self in free time. Just imagine how cool maps we could have if devs would keep that up to date.
 And the same with graphic, logos or anything you call.

And its not negative attitude from me. It's just like it is.
No one have balls to push this project to be something more like some highschool weekend fun.
 No one have balls to say: This is good shit. Put that in game. This map is old as F*** put that remake instead. This interface is old and useless remove it. Everyone like climb. And it actually half of player base of soldat now. Remove that rambo crap and make climb default. Advertise it as a arcade game, it should pick some players. Etc etc.

So you see that we can just write about what we want what should by done and why Akinaro is annoying pain in the ass because he don't pretend that everything is fine.

[L[0ne]R]

Akinaro, you can't possibly know anything about what players think, how they feel, what the developers do, or what the plans for Soldat are. Guesses, assumptions and slippery slope arguments are not facts. Statements like "just do this, it's easy" or "it's cool, put it in the game" show a clear lack of understanding or professionalism. It's this kind of attitude that results in "some highschool weekend fun".



The fact that you think that dev team is somehow against adding new and better content is a prime example. Yes, there were issues with that in the past. That was partly due to negative feedback from overly conservative players, the fact that some maps simply weren't that good, mappers not responding to feedback, strict requirements and very poor communication from mapping team.
If you're referring to your own remakes - it's because they didn't meet the requirements. When you were told what the problems are - you refused to address them, claiming you just made the maps for fun and don't care about fixing them. Hence they weren't included. In case of DC's maps - it was because of lack of communication from the mapping team, which is no longer an issue (and AFAIK he didn't actually have any remakes ready at the time, so there was nothing to include). Worth mentioning that his ctf_Kampf remake has been part of Soldat for years now. I'm still waiting for his ctf_Voland remake which could possibly be the best-looking Soldat map in existence, but finishing it is up to Haste.

If you know of any good remakes - tell us about them. If it really is good in every aspect - there should be no problems making it default.

Unlike how you make it sound, a number of remakes were actually included even back then. And now the situation has further improved. The players who are still here are much more open-minded and constructive, there is a new (active) member responsible for maps, and the requirements are not even remotely as strict as before. Some of those old remakes could actually be included now, if someone can dig them up, get in touch with their creators and fix any remaining issues. Even now, whenever something really good pops up - it's usually made default. Remakes of ctf_Death and ctf_Division, new 1.6.9 graphics, heck, all the HD stuff are examples of that.

If what you're saing were really true - we'd still be using v1.2 maps and graphics.



Interfaces are also planned to be replaced, but right now there's simply not enough to replace them with. There's currently 10 awful old custom interfaces, and only about 2 HD ones. You can't replace 10 with 2. As soon as a few more interfaces are made/remade - then the old ones can be purged in a hellfire and better ones can take their place. Instead of spreading doom and gloom you could help speed up the process significantly. You may think it's pointless, but the matter of fact is - lots of people liked LineShadows interface and it will be included as default as soon as more interfaces are made. If that isn't motivating - I don't know what is.

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EDIT: @Bistoufly: This Ratcave remake has been waiting way too long. Will you have time to look into it and replace BG sceneries with polys so it can finally be made default?