Somethings that bug me about the BZ1 community...

[Zax]

I don't see it happening that way unless Dx or Eddy starts banning people who using gamespy.

That flying bug is a gameplay thing, gamespy is just another connection option.

Don't you mean Spock and Spectre as that is what they do now and the people you brought up never banned anyone for what server they play on nor does anyone but the server owner have control to ban.

You misunderstood me.

What I was attempting to tell Zax was; for a 3-way split, either the Gamespy or 911 guys would have to put into play the same politic games that's been happening for awhile now to force a decision. I don't think neither would care if you moonlight with another service to multiplay.

It's already split Spockites vs everybody else. The everybody else group is definitely FOR this choice. Half the Spockites would probably want the new change and find themselves suddenly blacklisted or condemned. The other half would see it as Spock would spin it, "destroying bz.net." Both of those sides would still hate the everybody else crowd.

[HitchcockGreen]

Haven't you heard? Spock is BZ, and BZ doesn't like you.

It's already split Spockites vs everybody else. The everybody else group is definitely FOR this choice. Half the Spockites would probably want the new change and find themselves suddenly blacklisted or condemned. The other half would see it as Spock would spin it, "destroying bz.net." Both of those sides would still hate the everybody else crowd.

Which is exactly why it wouldn't split the community further. The only issue you might have is with new players. BZ1.net has better google placement. If Gamespy were implemented, and Spock went into a tizzy about it, then his installer would likely never include those changes.
Or maybe, given the time-frame involved for that level of development, he'd just cave in by that point.

It's just speculation at this point because integrating Gamespy support is a big undertaking and who knows if Ken will want to wade into the BZ code for another long(er) haul than BZ 1.5 has pulled him under. It's definitely a great suggestion for if and when he goes back to it, but let's face facts, we're talking about a speculated future project that wouldn't start until some time after Ken took a break from finishing 1.5, which he hasn't done quite yet.

I think Ken sees the logic in adding that feature, and will likely consider it. It won't really matter if bz1.net folks adopt it or not. They will stick with their own server if they want, while the rest of the community will do as they please. But if anyone who dared venture beyond the garden walls of bz1.net and were banned, then that would simply further justify having gamespy in the first place.

[Ultraken]

I thought I had posted this but I must not have hit "submit".

Adding Gamespy support would be a relatively long-term project, but the easiest way would be to create an Anet wrapper transport library (like Heat) so it would coexist with other Anet transport libraries. I haven't put much thought into it beyond this.

[Apollo]

Gamespy support would be a long-term project at best and I haven't looked into it yet. I might implement it as an Anet wrapper transport library so it can coexist with other Anet transports. (That's how Anet supported Heat.)

You mean this post.

[HitchcockGreen]

I thought I had posted this but I must not have hit "submit".

Adding Gamespy support would be a relatively long-term project, but the easiest way would be to create an Anet wrapper transport library (like Heat) so it would coexist with other Anet transport libraries. I haven't put much thought into it beyond this.

You did post that indeed. The discussion is over a third server (or fourth, I guess) and where support for a potential gamespy supported patch may lie.
I've been maintaining that it would be a huge undertaking. A good idea, but it's probably giving you cold sweats to think about it.

[Apollo]

He's probably seeing the 8th year at the end of a tunnel

[HitchcockGreen]

Big plans for BZ's 20th anniversary.

[Ultraken]

I didn't see my first one so I thought I hadn't posted it. Echo...echo...echo

[Psychedelic Rhino]

A third server would be painfully unnecessary, and almost silly, seeing how the community is just not there to require another.

Now, if someone has some realistic intention of increasing the numbers. . . then by all means.

You now have the 911 and the flock server. If I remember correctly, the flock server was touted by spock to 'end banning'. Which, if anyone has a clue as to the history of BZ knows, it became 'ban server central' within months of coming online for little more than having a discussion about other servers or mods that are not in favor with spock. The flock server is primarily in existence to stroke an ego and far from being a 'just and fair' server.

The only choice for well over 50% of the remaining players wanting to play BZ online has been what's been avaliable for around ten years now. . .911. And I regretfully say, that is all that is needed.

[Zenophas]

I just think BZ needs to go viral.

Riding Minecraft horse into the sunset. Chances of success, maybe 1%.

Do some editing to the questionable freeloader installer, remove Ceausescu's BZ1.net server from the online server table thingy, create fancy website to host it all on and maybe that'll do something... dunno. Bright colorful explosions and stuff.

*Shrugs*

[DuoRanger]

I just think BZ needs to go viral.

Riding Minecraft horse into the sunset. Chances of success, maybe 1%.

Do some editing to the questionable freeloader installer, remove Ceausescu's BZ1.net server from the online server table thingy, create fancy website to host it all on and maybe that'll do something... dunno. Bright colorful explosions and stuff.

*Shrugs*

Posting some SP videos, Strategy mods and etc on YT maybe could bring more people

well Q1 for a example, the people now knows that you can play quake I with idtech4 graphics thx to lordhavoc's Darkplaces and Rygel's Ultra Texture pack, if ou see quake One's forum the guys are still improving these mods

[Zenophas]

Posting some SP videos, Strategy mods and etc on YT maybe could bring more people

There's already a lot of those.

well Q1 for a example, the people now knows that you can play quake I with idtech4 graphics thx to lordhavoc's Darkplaces and Rygel's Ultra Texture pack, if ou see quake One's forum the guys are still improving these mods

Which reminds Zeno of the 'BZ1:Classic' total conversion mod for BZ2.

[Firestorm29]

I think the problem with the current vids are... how often do you find BZ1 vids when looking around for general gameplay vids? Unless you know of the game and are looking for those specific vids, chances are you're not going to find them because there isn't much circulation going on outside the usual player base.

That's what I'm going to try to do different.

[HitchcockGreen]

Yeah you could try that, experimenting with tags and titles. Typically, I've noticed, I can only get BZ videos by specifically looking for them.

YouTube may not be the best place to raise awareness. It's too noisy and too chaotic.

Good placement on a gaming site, an article about the progress (or eventual release) of 1.5 might get you that.

[DuoRanger]

Yeah you could try that, experimenting with tags and titles. Typically, I've noticed, I can only get BZ videos by specifically looking for them.

YouTube may not be the best place to raise awareness. It's too noisy and too chaotic.

Good placement on a gaming site, an article about the progress (or eventual release) of 1.5 might get you that.

well gamespot still has a good article about bz, maybe if someone post there, There's steam forums too