Loot quality based on server population

[ChaoticRambo 4]

So I was about to join a server today when I started thinking about server population.

 

I have alwasy been one to join servers that are near full, 39/40 or 38/40 people.  But I noticed a server that was 1/40 people on it, which got me thinking.  Currently I am working my way to the airfield to work on some military loot.  It would be much safer, and the chance for loot much better on the server with only 1 person on it, but I enjoy the challenge and realism of worrying about other people.

 

So I started thinking about what sort of game mechanic could be used to influence people to join full servers rather than empty ones for easy loot.

 

This is what I came up with:

 

When loot is respawning (I know, it doesn't currently, but it will eventually), it could check for server population and the higher the population, the better quality loot.

 

So, using melee weapons as an example since there are the most of those currently in game:

 

Lets say a server loot respawn triggered a fire axe to spawn, the best melee weapon.  On a server with lets say 30+ people on it, that fire axe spawns normally, if the server has 20-30 people a crowbar would spawn instead, and if the server has less than 20 people a baseball bat would spawn.

 

This way, people can still play and get loot on low population servers, its just not going to be the good loot possible in a server with higher population.

 

This way, the Risk vs. Reward equation can start to make those high population servers more attractive to those looking to minimize their risk.

[TheNerdySecret 13]

This would be a good feature, and would combat those damn server hoppers ! 

[Electron 0]

Sounds good! I noticed myself that when there was nothing left in a military base, and I jumped to another server - it was packed! Now as you do, I enjoy worrying about others, I think that's a part of the game. But as your stuff saves and is the same on all servers, I think that this should've been implemented so that we'd go more towards servers with highers amounts of players.

Who would want to join an "easy-loot" server with 1 player, if the only good loot you'd find was an A1 axe?

[Chaingunfighter 917]

The thing is, this almost guarantees no private hives, and also makes it impossible for people to actually play by themselves (Some people want to play on their own). 

I'd rather just have every server keep its own hive, but who knows?

[ChaoticRambo 4]

The thing is, this almost guarantees no private hives, and also makes it impossible for people to actually play by themselves (Some people want to play on their own). 

I'd rather just have every server keep its own hive, but who knows?

 

Well, perhaps this could be a server setting, any public server must have this turned on while hive servers can have it turned off since their loot can't be brought over to public servers.

 

I also understand that it would get rid of solo play, but thats kind of the point.  This game is meant to be as realistic as possible, so in this massive game you wouldn't be the only survivor.  Part of the core game mechanic is worrying about other players.  I personally never think twice about zombies, its the players I am always on the look for and worry about.

[aelus 14]

Great idea man. All for it. You ever try to join one of those 1/40 servers by the way? Haha, almost everyone of them I have joined is followed by a kick. To believe people are paying server costs just to gear up... scrubs!

[tlane 17]

So I was about to join a server today when I started thinking about server population.

 

I have alwasy been one to join servers that are near full, 39/40 or 38/40 people.  But I noticed a server that was 1/40 people on it, which got me thinking.  Currently I am working my way to the airfield to work on some military loot.  It would be much safer, and the chance for loot much better on the server with only 1 person on it, but I enjoy the challenge and realism of worrying about other people.

 

So I started thinking about what sort of game mechanic could be used to influence people to join full servers rather than empty ones for easy loot.

 

This is what I came up with:

 

When loot is respawning (I know, it doesn't currently, but it will eventually), it could check for server population and the higher the population, the better quality loot.

 

So, using melee weapons as an example since there are the most of those currently in game:

 

Lets say a server loot respawn triggered a fire axe to spawn, the best melee weapon.  On a server with lets say 30+ people on it, that fire axe spawns normally, if the server has 20-30 people a crowbar would spawn instead, and if the server has less than 20 people a baseball bat would spawn.

 

This way, people can still play and get loot on low population servers, its just not going to be the good loot possible in a server with higher population.

 

This way, the Risk vs. Reward equation can start to make those high population servers more attractive to those looking to minimize their risk.

 

The idea is not poorly crafted or presented. I however think that it sacrifices too much for the satisfaction of only a fraction of the player base (hearsay of course, how could I know what most people want?). 

 

A few points:

 

Loot quality is mostly subjective. Perhaps the firefighter's ax is the best melee weapon in the game... is that intended? Doesn't it seem like the majority of melee weapons would have alternative functions in a later version of the game? How do you reconcile utility with melee power in terms of loot quality? The concept becomes even more confounded with weapons/food/tools.

 

Why do we want to encourage players to fill up servers? Based on your argument I think players more or less are already making the assessment of what they would LIKE to do. Players who play on low population servers, are in your eyes (my words, not yours), sacrificing fun for uncontested loot. Perhaps those players are simply playing a loner style where they want to avoid others as much possible... why punish them?

 

I admit there is a need to balance loot on servers, but I think that will be done when loot re spawning is added.