GMod Adverts - Observations, Suggestions and (hopefully) Feedback.

[Liloz01 1,256 / 19,845]

Recently, I went around most of our GMod game servers to look at MoTDs, loading screen information and broadcasts/adverts - the three main sources of information for users in-game that are defined by the server's staff. The intent of this thread is to (hopefully) kickstart action to improve the quality of information in the GMod Division. For that reason I will be creating three threads focusing on these three in-game aspects... and other aspects in the future, such as Discords, Forum set ups... whatever. Not figured that out yet.

 

This thread will focus on adverts, please find below the links to the threads about MoTDs and loading screens.

MoTDs: Feedback provided in private instead (making the threads was way too time intensive compared to just shotgun blasting suggestions to individual managers)

Loading Screens: Feedback provided in private instead (making the threads was way too time intensive compared to just shotgun blasting suggestions to individual managers)

 

I believe it is very important to make these three aspects of the server excellent to help users not feel confused or annoyed. Confusion and annoyance lead to people not coming back, or struggling. We obviously don't want users to not come back or struggle where it is unncessary, nor do we want them to be uninformed.

 

Originally I wanted to go around every single server and write up exactly what I think should be changed for them all, but I’m just one guy and I haven’t got an infinite amount of time (or motivation). I will instead share my common findings and hope that you can all put in some effort to resolve it amongst yourselves.

 

Adverts

Problem: There is inconsistent use of commands for links & resources.

Example: HnS has the following adverts:

• Check out the GFL HnS Guide! Made by Zexired! https://gflclan.com/forums/topic/10142-how-to-everything/
• Missing CSS textures? Try downloading with [red]!css

Why is this a problem: Users often want to view links & resources multiple times; in the above example may they want to view the HnS Guide again because they forgot something... they would have to either scroll up in chat to find the link, find it in their history, wait for the advert to happen again or find it on the forums manually. All of this could be solved by one simple thing: a command that is memorable e.g. !guide.

Solution: Advert easy-to-remember commands instead of links OR links and commands. Just don't advert a link on its own. That's cringe.

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Problem: Weird textures/content links.

Example: 

• TTT Anarchy provides the following link to download CSS textures: https://kajar9.wixsite.com/cscheater2/downloads

Why is this a problem: When a user sees the dreaded "ERROR" or purple and black squares, they really want an easy way to solve that. Providing shady, weird links - or no link at all doesn't provide the best solution.

Solution: Just use https://gmodcontent.com/ as the link... and actually have the link (command) adverted. Even https://gmodcontent.com/ isn't that great, it's got a lot of information on it that is unnecessary, and perhaps overwhelming for our users. Hopefully we can make our own custom solution soon, or someone can suggest a better website. For the time being, it's much better than what (for example) Anarchy is using.

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This problem isn't strictly to do with adverts, but while we're here there's a: Lack of links.

Example: 

• Prophunt has no link commands at all.
• Minigames has two:
  • !membership - https://gflclan.com/register/ (should really be https://gflclan.com/memberapplication/)
  • !donation - https://gflclan.com/donate/
• TTT Rotation, Vanilla has three:
  • !member - https://gflclan.com/memberapplication/
  • !collection - https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=<...the ID>
  • !donate - https://gflclan.com/donate/
• TTT MC has three:
  • !member - https://gflclan.com/memberapplication/
  • !donate - https://gflclan.com/donate/
  • !discord - https://discord.gg/MnPD6BG

Why is this a problem: I feel like it's obvious why this is a problem given the first problem raised in this thread.

Solution: Include commands (and therefore links) for at the BARE MINIMUM:

• Donations (!donate -  https://gflclan.com/donate/)
• Membership applications (!member - https://gflclan.com/memberapplication/ - not /register!)
• (IF REQUIRED) CSS content (!css / !textures - https://gmodcontent.com/)
• (IF REQUIRED) Workshop collection (!collection / !workshop - ...whatever the link is, lol)
• Discord (!discord - ...whatever the link is, lol - link the Discord most relevant to your game server!)
• Forums (!forums - https://gflclan.com/)

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Problem: A lack of adverts!

Example: 

• TTT MC has NO adverts!
• TTT Vanilla has NO adverts!
• TTT Rotation has NO adverts!
• Minigames has 3 Adverts:
  • Type !roundsleft to see how many rounds are left in the current map.
  • Want access to Pointshop? Type !apply in chat to apply for free Membership
  • Want more PointShop access? Type !donate to view our donation options!

Why is this a problem: ...because how else are users supposed to get information shoved in their face over and over so they don't forget? I understand a lot of relevant information may be in the MoTD but information that you really want a user to know should be repeated and reinforced through adverts. Like, hey, join our Discord... join our Community... stay in GFL! Member retention... ya know. Plus, I bet a far higher percentage of people read adverts than read MoTDs. So, get that information out there!

Solution: Make some adverts! Preferably including the links above that IMO should exist! Include gamemode relevant information as well, like TTT Anarchy adverts their role guide, because obviously... they have a lot of roles that people will need to access often to refresh their memory, or whatever. Hide and Seek also has something similar that is this: 

• Check out the GFL HnS Guide! Made by Zexired! https://gflclan.com/forums/topic/10142-how-to-everything/ - this is a great thing to advert!... kind of, would be better as a command 😉

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Problem: Subpar Adverts

Can't be fucked with the format for this one. This point is just about good practice; double check your adverts, lol. Think about what users want from them. Get people to look over all your adverts to make sure they are getting the point across effectively; that means in a way that everyone can understand - even a complete noob; ask in the Main/Teams/Staff Discords - use these resources (people) available to you for feedback! For example, HnS has an advert: "Enjoy playing? Add this server to your favorites" - a new player is going to think... "what the hell does that mean?". To help, perhaps add a !favourite command which links to a guide on how to add a server to favourites, you can put that command in the advert that tells users to favourite the server as well. As another example; Minigames has the advert: "Want access to Pointshop? Type !apply in chat to apply for free Membership" but no advert explaining how to access PointShop.

 

Think about what a user might need. Try and accompany them as best as possible, where appropiate, with adverts. 

 

Threads on loading screens and MoTDs coming soon. I will edit this thread to include them once they are made. I will also probably make suggestion threads about other aspects of servers too in the future, but for now this is where I'm at. That's all I got on the topic of adverts.

 

Please comment anything you guys have noticed about adverts that could be improved, and please; Server Managers, Division Leader ( @Pyros), GMod Tech Man, (@Fafy) ... make 'em better!

[Duck. 489 / 0]

If you go on to Rotation and type !help, it'll bring up a menu with links to donate, for the Discord, for the motd, for the collection, for textures and one other thing. Although we do need an advert to announce it

[Nocapp 21 / 0]

Hey I like the idea but I think ill just add a small suggestion and a possible a reason why 3 of the 4 server don't have adverts (IMO) 

 

Ill start with the reason and that being if adverts are spammed in chat every X interval it could be quite easy to miss some vital information in chat For example "Kos  X person"  I do believe that adverts could be useful for the new players but done correctly as to not annoy the existing player base and to not hinder gameplay. what I suggest is that adverts only happen on round end/start and with a frequency of every 1-2 rounds this is mainly to avoid spam but a rate that new player will see them. I do like the concept but I think that it should be implemented with some caution. Ill keep this short cause no one want to read a wall of text smile.

 

Thanks 

-Dink 

[Liloz01 1,256 / 19,845]

1 hour ago, Duck. said:

If you go on to Rotation and type !help, it'll bring up a menu with links to donate, for the Discord, for the motd, for the collection, for textures and one other thing. Although we do need an advert to announce it

Based, that menu system is a great source of information for users - it being a GUI is also very nice for users, but ya know... in combonation with adverts it could be better as you say!

 

51 minutes ago, Nocapp said:

Hey I like the idea but I think ill just add a small suggestion and a possible a reason why 3 of the 4 server don't have adverts (IMO) 

 

Ill start with the reason and that being if adverts are spammed in chat every X interval it could be quite easy to miss some vital information in chat For example "Kos  X person"  I do believe that adverts could be useful for the new players but done correctly as to not annoy the existing player base and to not hinder gameplay. what I suggest is that adverts only happen on round end/start and with a frequency of every 1-2 rounds this is mainly to avoid spam but a rate that new player will see them. I do like the concept but I think that it should be implemented with some caution. Ill keep this short cause no one want to read a wall of text smile.

 

Thanks 

-Dink 

I do not believe that a text KOS will ever be missed because of adverts alone - only one from the list of adverts is posted every 30 seconds or so (configured by the SM) but the round end / start adverts could also be implemented for where SMs find it necessary - (Pinging @Yogpod & @Fafy because they may need to put in dev work for this).

[flying4ssassin 108 / 3,879]

Honestly I thought MC still had adverts. It did a few months back, but with the constant changing of server managers a lot has changed without being documented so thank you for bringing this to our attention. Hopefully this will be fixed and we will use your observations as guidelines for what we should have.

[Liloz01 1,256 / 19,845]

I'm aware of @Fafy creating an adverts plugin that does not rely on ULX or SAM and has quick commands built in - wanna write a little about it here or make a thread about it? It seems like a great way that managers can implement the suggestions I gave in this thread (or they could just ignore it, I guess, I'm not your dad).