[6-12-16] A Quick Update

[Roy 10,832 / 0]

Hey everybody, I would like to post a quick update that will address what has been going on recently.

 

New MySQL Server And Databases, Game Server's Connection To New MySQL Server, and Supporters/VIPS

In the past week, we've been doing our best to move our MySQL databases from the old server to the new server. This includes SourceBans (making progress), HLStatsX (completed), Game Servers (for in-game Server Hop, Server Advertisements, and User Management), etc. 

 

With that being said, we have successfully updated SourceBans to SourceBans++ 1.5.5-dev. I find this SourceBans to be much cleaner than the old one and you can also sign in through Steam! We did not move the entire SourceBans database over due to security reasons (alt accounts with root access, etc). Instead, I made a PHP script to update the old bans table and replace server IDs to work with the new SourceBans database. The last time I imported bans was on 6-8-16. That was last Wednesday (almost five days ago). Therefore, after all of our game servers are pointed to the new SourceBans database, I will import all of the bans from 6-8-16 to present time.

 

Currently, we are in the process of making changes to our game servers. Here's a list of what we're doing to the game servers:

SourceMod

• Adding security to the game servers that has to do with RCon authentication.
• Pointing the game servers to the new MySQL server.
• Adding our new User Management plugin that will be handling Members, Supporters, and VIPs.

 

Garry's Mod

• Adding our new User Management ULX module that will handle Members, Supporters, and VIPs.
• Added a new addon (disabled by default) that acts like the GFL-ServerAds SourceMod plugin. Basically global advertisements along with server-side advertisements.

 

After all the game servers are completely moved over, we will set all of our Supporter's/VIP's access. Currently, they are on hold. Please keep in mind, none of the Supporter's and VIP's packages have started yet. Once we give all Supporters/VIPs their in-game perks, the package will actually start.

 

To sum up, we do not have any ETA on when everything will be finished. I don't expect it to take much longer.

 

NFO Access

This section is for our Server Managers+. Currently, there are Server Managers still missing their NFO access. The truth is, I am the only one that can set up NFO users and GFL emails. Yes, I've been very slow with this due to the fact that there is a lot of other things to do. I don't think it will take much longer.

 

Current Financial State

I am sure many of you are worried about this:

 

I won't lie, I am worried as well. However, I will say, we should be able to last until the 10th of next month. We have ~$570.00 coming in from MOTDGD advertisements (thankfully we started running these before the recent events!) on the 15th of this month. Although, I do not want to rely on MOTDGD advertisements.. Ever. Sadly, we are likely going to need them for the next few months. 

 

If you want to keep GFL alive, please consider donating to us! With the new donation system, it is much smoother to donate as a Server Admin+!

 

Game Servers Cleaning

Server Cuts

As many of you have heard, GFL will be cutting down on servers that aren't generating population and donations. Initially, I thought this meant we were going to cut down on a lot of servers (even popular ones). Although, after rethinking this decision, we decided it was best to cut down on servers that weren't working out. There are still servers being cut. However, these were servers that were mostly dead, etc.

 

Overall, I believe this will benefit us by having more players/managers focus on a smaller selection of servers which. With that said, there have been a lot of mismanaged servers in GFL (there still are) and it is time to finally start improving and cleaning them up. We will be releasing a list of servers that were cut in the future.

 

Cleanup & Organization

After we get all the servers moved over to the new databases and such, Server Managers+ should go through and cleanup each server they manage.

 

Things like the following should be cleaned up and optimized:

• Server plugins/addons that are either useless, conflicting with others, or generally are unoptimized leading to worse server performance.
• Download times. This especially goes for servers in Garry's Mod. Although players are used to downloading a lot from other servers, download times should be balanced. With that said, I've noticed a lot of popular Garry's Mod servers that specifically advertise low download times. There are many players that dislike waiting for downloads.
• Supporter/VIP perks. In a time like this, Supporters/VIPs are very important to us and we should be giving them as many in-game perks as we can without hurting the game server. Each game server that cane be customized (e.g. Source Engine & Garry's Mod) should have Chat Tags, On Connection Announce, Player Skins, Reserved Slot, etc...

 

Store Plugin

A new Store system should be considered in the future as well. Since CS:GO's model precache limit was raised in an update sometime in February, I don't see any reason to not try out a Store plugin again.

 

The Store in my opinion should have the following features:

• Multiple server support (e.g. each item purchase gets linked to a server IP and port, therefore, server-side purchases can be a thing).
• Only accessible by Members+ (this will highly encourage forum traffic again).
• Members get 2 credits per minute, Supporters get 4 credits per minute, and VIPs get 6 credits per minute.
• A majority of the items shouldn't require downloads (e.g. glow colors, hats that aren't custom, one-time session items, etc). 
• * More to come *

 

Personal: Next Upcoming Week

I am graduating High School this week on Friday. With that said, I have quarterly tests and such that I need to study for. I am going to do my best to work on things in GFL, but there may be times where I go inactive due to the things mentioned before. 

 

Overall & Thank You!

Overall, I would like to thank all of our Members, Supporters, VIPs, Server Admins+, etc that have stuck around after all the recent events in GFL (dating back to a couple months ago). I know it has been a difficult time and things have been slowly getting done. Sadly, when security is our main priority, things tend to take much longer than usual. As long as we stay alive financially and we put trust in the right people, I am confident there is a bright future ahead!

 

Keep up the great work everybody!

 

Thanks.

[Coolest Cat 1,266 / 14,449]

Neat.

 

As for dead servers, perhaps we should consider enforcing a quota system for the admins (they need to play at least 2 hours a day or something like that) to try and spark activity. Since their servers are going to be cut either way due to inactivity, I don't think it should be that big of a deal to enforce a quota system. There's no point in being admin on a dead server. 

[JK_Ghosty 252 / 5,966]

1 minute ago, Major_Push said:

Neat.

 

As for dead servers, perhaps we should consider enforcing a quota system for the admins (they need to play at least 2 hours a day or something like that) to try and spark activity. Since their servers are going to be cut either way due to inactivity, I don't think it should be that big of a deal to enforce a quota system. There's no point in being admin on a dead server. 

What about for people who have to admin multiple servers it'd be hard for some of them to keep the quota 

[LitTwix 81 / 3,355]

16 minutes ago, OHfficial said:

What about for people who have to admin multiple servers it'd be hard for some of them to keep the quota 

Then they shouldn't be taking as much work and resign from some, being admin for 3 or more servers just seems like too much for 1 person, especially if they have something going on in their life. This is also just my opinion though so whatever.

 

EDIT:

Some Admins I realized would say "well there isn't anyone on so there is no way I can admin". There is ways you can admin by even sitting on the server or inviting friends onto the server. Even if there is no one on in the beginning, that doesn't mean you can't at the least try to populate the server and help it.

Edited June 13, 2016 by FloppyDisk
Added more stuff

[Thomasdavid097 533 / 8,791]

5 minutes ago, FloppyDisk said:

Then they shouldn't be taking as much work and resign from some, being admin for 3 or more servers just seems like too much for 1 person, especially if they have something going on in their life. This is also just my opinion though so whatever.

I agree if you do not have the time to admin 3+ servers then resign, let the manager higher new people... I mean you are end up going to be demoted sooner or later for being inactive.

[Sleazoid 201 / 4,175]

Awesome work

[Coolest Cat 1,266 / 14,449]

49 minutes ago, OHfficial said:

What about for people who have to admin multiple servers it'd be hard for some of them to keep the quota 

 

Well, if the server's gonna be cut then what's the difference?

 

Either the admins work together to prevent it from being cut or they don't and it gets cut.

[Cypher 1,187 / 11,383]

55 minutes ago, Major_Push said:

Neat.

 

As for dead servers, perhaps we should consider enforcing a quota system for the admins (they need to play at least 2 hours a day or something like that) to try and spark activity. Since their servers are going to be cut either way due to inactivity, I don't think it should be that big of a deal to enforce a quota system. There's no point in being admin on a dead server. 

I suggested this 3 years ago when I started. It's easy to ask admins to get on a few mandatory hours per week. Role calls would weed out active and non active admins. 

 

As far as the money thing goes, I got drunk and donated 50 bucks. Everyone else should do their part too by drinking and giving money to GFL. 

[Coolest Cat 1,266 / 14,449]

#AdBasedDonatorGiveaways

[Thomasdavid097 533 / 8,791]

2 hours ago, Major_Push said:

#AdBasedDonatorGiveaways

stuff like this be nice but then you have to have someone run it, as I'm sure Roy has no time atm.

 

we need to work out what parks they will get and for how long, and make sure it's a few winners so people have a bigger shot (can also mean more will join as if we do just 1 not many are going to do is what is the point if you have a less shot at winning)...

[SwegBuster 879 / 15,348]

17 minutes ago, Thomasdavid097 said:

stuff like this be nice but then you have to have someone run it, as I'm sure Roy has no time atm.

 

we need to work out what parks they will get and for how long, and make sure it's a few winners so people have a bigger shot (can also mean more will join as if we do just 1 not many are going to do is what is the point if you have a less shot at winning)...

Why not make the mods run it? I mean it could be based off of the website anyways right? Then the mods give managers certain codes for giveaways. If we reach a so amount we would give away a code, if we reach another amount we will give away two or more and so on.

 

I like the idea.

 

We could also do this with servers, which might actually boost population again. At least with events.

Edited June 13, 2016 by SwegBuster

[Joshy 4,334 / 43,890]

3 hours ago, Cypher said:

I suggested this 3 years ago when I started. It's easy to ask admins to get on a few mandatory hours per week. Role calls would weed out active and non active admins. 

 

As far as the money thing goes, I got drunk and donated 50 bucks. Everyone else should do their part too by drinking and giving money to GFL. 

 

I'm fine with per week.  I cannot commit to per day though (what Major Push had suggested in his post).

 

I was with another place that use to have "Activity Check" threads where they gave everyone a month to post at least once in the thread.  I don't think it would amaze you guys that the inactive people were always weeded out anyways, and active people always got the word somehow or made it through; this also worked out for people with insane schedules like my own.

[Bae 2,489 / 41,480]

@Roy Where's our invitation to your graduation?

But anyways, is there any way we can donate without getting perks? Because I would like that option to be able to donate just to help the community and server itself. If there is an option, I can't find it.

@Thomasdavid097 I'm hoping I'm getting this right. If not oh well, TTT 24/7 MC [Gmod] used to do this sort of giveaway where players have to apply for membership or donate to receive a giveaway code of some sort. @Major_Push might remember this. We somehow got a lot of member apps and donations. Like you get a better chance if you're a donator, something like that.

[denros 776 / 0]

2 hours ago, Bae said:

@Roy Where's our invitation to your graduation?

But anyways, is there any way we can donate without getting perks? Because I would like that option to be able to donate just to help the community and server itself. If there is an option, I can't find it. this. 

This is coming in the next update to gfldonations application. If you just want to help now just go ahead and buy VIP, as you are VIP already it won't overwrite anything.

[OGMartin 302 / 5,204]

How does one spam click ads to make GFL munies

Edited June 13, 2016 by OGMartin

[SwegBuster 879 / 15,348]

3 hours ago, OGMartin said:

How does one spam click ads to make GFL munies

I don't know man I don't know. But one way to start is probably doing the ads in the server.

[Alucard33rd 1,175 / 15,140]

Sweet @Roy, Thanks for the information. I am thrilled to finally see that the Shop will be coming back sometime soon, its been a long time since a shop was used in CSGO. I am also looking forward to the changes in GFL.

 

@denros Nice, I have been planning on donating since school got out know that I can make some money. Since I don't feel the need for the perks because I only play on a select number of servers, I think the donations without perks is a great idea. I will be looking forward to these upcoming updates.

 

13 hours ago, Roy said:

Cleanup & Organization

After we get all the servers moved over to the new databases and such, Server Managers+ should go through and cleanup each server they manage.

@Sleazoid ^ I am counting on you to do this

Edited June 13, 2016 by CrusTi