The Problem

[Icarus]

I just booted up steam, looking to play some CSS. And I looked at the server list. It was astounding, 1,956 servers online...after clicking the filter option "That has users playing" it dropped to 281.

Thats 1,675 servers with ZERO people in them. And well, that includes all of the HL2.net servers.

 

[Wesisapie]

people are busy on forums because of gold.
%n ers also causing problems.

 

[Malfunction]

Yeah, it seems many servers have been empty recently. At prime time for me (EST), with the three boxes on the right checked, I pick up about 400+, never anymore. I have two speculations of why this is so. Those who keep crashing servers by changing their names to those stupid things, or, many people bought CS:S through Steam, but they underestimated the PC requirements to run it and had no fun, so they went back to CS.

 

[phat-ant]

in work at the moment but tend to only play on the hl2.net servers when i get chance.

 

[bliink]

in work at the moment but tend to only play on the hl2.net servers when i get chance.

I dont think you understand... this is like a draft..when you get 'the call', its time to quit your job and get in the server! do it for your forum!

 

[phat-ant]

hehe. i like my job it pays for my interent and everything else i own but i know what how you feel. i my self have had many servers that well are empty. its very sadening. to think of your hard earned cash going to waste. there are simply too many servers out there now, and there is too much choice if poeple are getting wiped out they simply load up the ingame browser and off the trott to another spot instead of sticking it out for the long run. im more of a pick one server stay there for ever kinda guy. im sure that more users will return come the evening

also id love to see the stats setup i hear they are planning them and i hope they manage to sort some out soon as possible. will make the gaming more much meaningful and more attractive for users to stick about.

any how back to work

 

[mortiz]

probably the name cheat is down to most of it, I know I've stopped playing until VALVe fix it.

 

[smsKONG]

It's not just that the hl2.net servers are empty, but on quite a few occassions recently they haven't been responding at all. It's like somebody crashed the server but the server doesn't come back online for a time. Seriously nearly everytime I've tried the hl2.net servers (even tho the other beef severs were up and running) in the last 2-3 days; it's either been not responding or has gone down while playing on it..

And I play way too much as it is, tho in the last few days I've only been getting round to playing in the early hours of the morning- but I have been checking the servers during the day (partly the reason for only playing in the middle of the night- if my fave servers aren't available I might not bother even loading up CS:S.. + my IP,tiscali, has a tendancy to run crap during peak hours )

 

[Plug]

I'd say it's because not that many people feel safe purchasing the game off steam.

on the 16th, sales will rocket and servers will fill up.

 

[Immortal]

Can someone give the i.p to the brittish beef servers? because they were wiped from my favourite list. or are they not working ;(

 

[Icarus]

Apperently from looking around more, as well as asking more, it's the "show-stopper" bugs that are doing this. Including the "sound-loop" crash, and the "Paused" crash.

People just don't want to play a game that is pretty much guarenteed to crash

 

[bliink]

... Including the "sound-loop" crash, and the "Paused" crash.

Don't forget, theres the crash-crash (crashes when it crashes), the quit-crash, the crash-quit, the quit-quit, and the uh... crash-quit-crash-smash.

 

[Uh-Oh]

Funny you say that, I always find PLENTY of full servers.
I guess it depends on when you play.

Also, don't forget that the game hasn't reached stores yet. What does that mean? Well, to play, right now you need a credit card.

Normal people + credit card + internet = panic attack.

Now, the average CS player (age 15) doesn't have a credit card. So, he asks mommy or daddy to purchase the game through steam. But mommy or daddy is afraid of the internet.

So, since most people who play, have a credit card, that means they have a job. So, if they have a job, they won't be home 8 hours a day. Which means, you mostly get people after 3pm....

Anyways, my friend operates a CS:Source server; using his second computer and a VERY fast cable connection, and it's almost always full. If it's empty, and I (or someone else) join, within 10 minutes the server will be full (it's a 16 player server). The ping is good (below 50 for me, with an average of 80 for other players).

It's not up all the time (about 10-12 hours a day, almost ALWAYS ON after 4pm).

If you're interested, browse to the Quebec[ATI] server. Beware, it's a bilingual server (english and french). There's almost always an admin.

 

[guise]

have the hl2.net servers changed IP address? theyre all showing up as not responding on my faves

 

[ailevation]

;( DAMN! That many people playing with cracked versions!?