Populating the RO2 Server

[omniconsumer]

So we have been, with the help of some awesome new friends, been able to populate the server most days starting at around 100-200pm EST and are developing regulars and just gaming, shooting the muck, and having a good time.   

I will be leaving myself in the server 24/7 so that it comes up as a +1 player in the servers list for any one or two persons that want to play to attract more players to the server. It will at least look like there are two players instead of just one.  This helps a lot in populating and I URGE any member that leaves their computer on and has the game to please  idle/afk whenever they can because this will help any one member or server regular that wants to just hang around our server and help it populate.   

If you decide to help then don't join as a spectator, but just minimize at the welcome or team choice screen.  That is the only way it will show up as an extra player, spectators do not show up as a +1 player count.

[Toffle]

I am VERY glad they reset the stats.  Now my grinding is actually helping my stats grow   I'll be there more.

[yourworst]

I'll start idling for the server.

[omniconsumer]

Truevibe got me on to playing in windowed mode so it is easier to keep up than minimizing.  I found it very helpful if you are waiting for players and want to do other things.  You can easily switch back and forth.  However, if your plan is to just sit in the server and not be bothered but help with server player count, then full screen and minimization at welcome/team choice screen is the way to go.

[omniconsumer]

I am VERY glad they reset the stats.  Now my grinding is actually helping my stats grow   I'll be there more.

Awesome, hopefully I'll catch ya around the week when I am populating the server in the early afternoon.  It fill's up relatively quickly between 1:00-2:00PM EST, but dips again around 5:30.

I'll start idling for the server.

Yeah awesome, just connect to game and minimize in the welcome screen or team choice screen.  Having an extra player count when we are trying to populate can be a lot of help! 

[omniconsumer]

Our server is full on a Sunday!  Sweet!    I am psyched about this because it is a good sign and progress to becoming a more self sustaining populating server. 

It still requires myself and several other super helpful people (you know who you are gents!) to actually get it going in the morning/early afternoon time.  Whether you're playing, idling or just keeping an eye out, thank you! 

However, I am cautiously optimistic.  It has been hovering around the 40-44 rank in game servers for last week which is the 92 percentile.  I am hoping through our continued commitment to the server, in several weeks it will have increased a lot n rank and will shorter and shorter lengths of time to populate.  Right now, as some of you already know, it can be a bit tricky some days to get it populated.

We are making definite progress though guys!  Let's keep steam rolling ahead!  Thanks!

[omniconsumer]

It's been two days now since the server has been depopulated. Hope this is not a recurring event. The server still comes up on the server list and several people have made a concerted effort to help populate, but no go just yet for some reason.

This is what I mean by being cautiously optimistic.  Seems like after each of the last two updates our server has fallen off. To be honest, I am a bit worried. Hopefully, I am worried about nothing.

[Truevibe]

There's no reason you should be worried man.  I have managed to get it populated at around twelve most days in about twenty minutes tops.  The thing is it just seems to die when I check in like three to four hours later.

[omniconsumer]

I have noticed other servers using bots now.  I think this would really help our server self populate.  We should try to use them again since others are using them with success?  People see us idle in here as +player counts, join and would most likely leave I assume because there is no one playing.  Perhaps bots would entertain them until real players start joining.  We both know we both can't always spend hours trying to populate.  I wish that were the case, but you are a busy man and I am busy and more on the move nowadays.  We are both putting in a muckload of hours which we won't be able to sustain.

As far as regulars are concerned.  We don't know all our regulars and don't have their contact information.  The only regulars I know and am in contact with the most is truevibe.  By regulars, I mean I see the same people who join the server when it starts to fill up. 

[Truevibe]

They call me the shark.  I can smell a player joining a mile away.  DUN DUN... DUN DUN... DUN DUN DUN...
  In all seriousness though, bots might be a good idea as long as they go away when two active players are in the server.  Might keep those with small attention spans busy.

[omniconsumer]

Been pretty damn slow the last three days.  The only days that I have not been able to make a concerted effort to populate.  I added bots today for those stray players that might see a +1 or +2 and jump in expecting some play.  Hopefully they will stick around now. 

If you leave your computer on then can you PLEASE idle in it for the early afternoon populating crowd....

every +1 helps.

[Truevibe]

I wish my computer was good enough to keep RO2 running in the background while I do work, but its not.  I'll idle in the server while I'm away from my computer though.

[omniconsumer]

I wish my computer was good enough to keep RO2 running in the background while I do work, but its not.  I'll idle in the server while I'm away from my computer though.

Idling in the server while you're away will help, so thank you.  I don't think some people understand how much it helps. 

[omniconsumer]

I wish my computer was good enough to keep RO2 running in the background while I do work, but its not.  I'll idle in the server while I'm away from my computer though.

Ok, so we are going to do this a bit differently.  When we are playing with those few people in the server we have to really engage them, steam friend them and get them to hang out with us in TS if possible (but RO2 Voip is ok).  Interacting with those few that actually join when the server is still starting to populate is really important.  Chances are they are also willing to hang out, favorite us and even become e-homies.  We are also considering some sort of rapid recruitment.  Get them to come to our site and apply for RO2, and if they aren't complete ass hats then we can get them in faster and with admin.

We need more people that are willing to help populate the server.  There are people out there that will look for a server to hang out and call their ro2 home.  So we need to engage everyone that comes into the server. 

We will also use these fun nights to ask around as to why there has been a slump lately in our popularity and how we can make it a more enjoyable experience for our players.

[ZenPhire]

We already have a rapid recruitment procedure (hmm one more thing I forgot to add to the master list). Any Officer can make anyone a recruit immediately (they can throw the tags on) but they have to post that they did so in the apps board. Then the new recruit has one week to post their app or they can loose recruit status.
That's how Shroomy was recruited: http://www.lmcgaming.com/forums/index.php/topic,2646.msg3705673.html#msg3705673