what's the best solution to stop server hopping?

[Never 237]

Why would that be a delay at all? You'd have to play on a new server. It happens all the time on a bunch of games with player run servers.

I'll use minecraft and gmod as quick examples.

Thats the problem right there: ...Player Run servers.

Currently theres only servers because people are paying for them, out of their own pocket.

Standalone DayZ would require a lot of dedicated servers, paid for by the dev or publisher NOT by the fans.

If someones selling a game for say $30 a pop, and they are expecting YOU to pay for the servers wouldn't you feel rather exploited?

Edited July 30, 2012 by Never

[Stridsbulten 9]

1. Don't allow log in or log out in or near buildings.

2. Don't allow log off during combat.

3. Add a 10 minute login cooldown for those that drop link / log off during combat (if point 2 cannot be resolved).

4. Send a warning to any player within 100 meters of anyone logging in "Player joining game in your vicinity".

5. Add a temporary penalty effect for a few minutes after logging in, call it a "Wake up effect" (slightly blurry vision, slightly lowered movement speed etc)

[BUTLER (DayZ) 4]

One idea I had was that in order to log off you would have to make a "camp" of some sort. Maybe just getting in shelter or making a fire or something. Something easy that anyone could do in 30 seconds. It wouldn't prevent people from logging out, but it would prevent them from pvp logging or logging out to escape zombies.

[Never 237]

One idea I had was that in order to log off you would have to make a "camp" of some sort. Maybe just getting in shelter or making a fire or something. Something easy that anyone could do in 30 seconds. It wouldn't prevent people from logging out, but it would prevent them from pvp logging or logging out to escape zombies.

I suggested an idea while back along the same lines,

Give every player a tent on spawn, can only save your progress in your session by 'Save Sleeping' to log out by using your tent.

But that requires fixing tents etc first.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Never

[tarquinbb 28]

Didn't rocket say that he wants to always keep the public hive? So a character per server would create more stress on the hive right?

If characters are stored on a server wouldn't that allow the host to edit the character files?

I would be fine with a character per server, but I don't like the train of thought that it's the only solution.

i do like this solution, as it would definitely eliminate server hopping, and it would also make alt-f4ing kinda pointless - because the disconnector would never really know when it was 'safe' to log back in... you could even build barbed wire around his last location, which would be hilarious.

however, the major flaw with the solution is that having one single character accross all servers is one of the main features of dayz... multiple characters would undoubtedly lessen the tension, as you could quite easily build up several geared characters and alternate. it could be described as an 'arcade'-mode.

the servers could probably store the character info, instead of the hive. i trust admins will be responsible etc, because like other games you can always choose to find a new server if your admin is an ass. but the real problem is 'abandoning' the hive.

unfortunately i don't think it's the way to go. for a proper solution to server hopping without changing core features of the game, i think we've got to consider the possibility that it will have to be something totally intrusive (but essential to stop the hive abusers).

[petllama 10]

My idea:

- If you drop from a server, database gives you a "flag", we'll call it "1".

- If you drop from a server, and join a DIFFERENT server within X amount of mins (1-2), you are flagged as "2"

If you are flagged as "2", you can not join previously joined servers for X amount of minutes (5-10).

This will allow people who crash (would be flagged as "1") to continue connecting, while dis-allowing a server hopper (flagged as "2")

you could progressively add +1 to the flag and use it to stop server hoppers looking for loot as well;

ie- if you are flagged as "2", and repeat the disconnect + different server action, you are now a "3"; now, in addition to not being able to join your previous server for a short amount of time, you now also have a 1minute additional load time tacked onto the loading of your char on the next server you join. Apply a stacking penalty for char load times to this flag. each # increase other than "1" and "2" gets 1 minute tacked onto their next (within 5 minutes) char load time (a "3" has 1 extra min. a "4" has 2 extra, etc)

After 15 mins of being disconnected or successfully connected, you will be reset to a "1" on your next DC.

[d1rty 4]

the best solution to stop server hopping is to make the game stable enough that people dont have to switch servers all the damn time.

I have to relog or switch servers dozens of times because of bugs, server auto-restarts, or bad updates.

I agree, only because I do have a lot of server issues and end up rifling through a few before I find a well-suited server.

A good solution would be: Every time you join a server, your legs break.

It would be as if you are parachuting into a new land, but your parachute fails a good distance from the ground, enough to break your legs.

So you have to either have a ton of morphine to server hop, or you can crawl everywhere.

LOL that's an epic idea.

I suggested an idea while back along the same lines,

Give every player a tent on spawn, can only save your progress in your session by 'Save Sleeping' to log out by using your tent.

But that requires fixing tents etc first.

This is actually a good idea IMO

[tarquinbb 28]

My idea:

- If you drop from a server, database gives you a "flag", we'll call it "1".

- If you drop from a server, and join a DIFFERENT server within X amount of mins (1-2), you are flagged as "2"

If you are flagged as "2", you can not join previously joined servers for X amount of minutes (5-10).

This will allow people who crash (would be flagged as "1") to continue connecting, while dis-allowing a server hopper (flagged as "2")

you could progressively add +1 to the flag and use it to stop server hoppers looking for loot as well;

ie- if you are flagged as "2", and repeat the disconnect + different server action, you are now a "3"; now, in addition to not being able to join your previous server for a short amount of time, you now also have a 1minute additional load time tacked onto the loading of your char on the next server you join. Apply a stacking penalty for char load times to this flag. each # increase other than "1" and "2" gets 1 minute tacked onto their next (within 5 minutes) char load time (a "3" has 1 extra min. a "4" has 2 extra, etc)

After 15 mins of being disconnected or successfully connected, you will be reset to a "1" on your next DC.

i would prefer if it was more like a 1 hour timeout when trying to return to your 'previous server(s) before the last one'...

trying to kill a sniper >500m away is a patient game, i don't think 10 minutes is adequate time to 'move on' to avoid getting cheated by a server hopper/ghoster.

although ultimately, nothing is stopping him getting his non-flagged friends (already on another server) to flank you. grrr

Edited July 30, 2012 by tarquinbb

[Never 237]

This is actually a good idea IMO

Thanks, I suggested it three times infact.Twice lost in the forum rollbacks, and the third time i got cried at by twats.

[zipper 69]

Only way to really "stop" server hopping is to implement a 1 character per server rule.

This.

[petllama 10]

i would prefer if it was more like a 1 hour timeout when trying to return to your 'previous server(s) before the last one'...

trying to kill a sniper >500m away is a patient game, i don't think 10 minutes is adequate time to 'move on' to avoid getting cheated by a server hopper/ghoster.

although ultimately, nothing is stopping him getting his non-flagged friends (already on another server) to flank you. grrr

The times were purely as an example, im all for an hour lockout if you meet the criteria for server hopping / flanking

[Never 237]

This is actually a good idea IMO

Here we are 4th try haha.See here for my mind-numbingly obvious fix.

http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/52698-use-tents-to-save-session-progress-hoppingaltf4-fix/

Edited July 30, 2012 by Never

[Sticky (DayZ) 38]

Only way to really "stop" server hopping is to implement a 1 character per server rule. Other solutions are just to slow them down such as adding in a timer where players can't log in to another server for lets say 10 minutes.

This

[Nesstrodamus 10]

Unfortunately I don't have a solution; I have a question of my own. I figured maybe I should ask this here, since the topic is on server hopping anyway and I shouldn't make a new thread. Here goes.

Back when I first started playing the game, I found that I could loot a large building or area of a village, then log out and go to another server and all the spawns would be there again. I was quickly informed that's frowned upon, so I don't do that anymore, and I've never logged off while being shot at to begin with. I didn't know any better at first.

Anyway, my question is...What is the point where you actually reach server hopping? Because I often find myself using a different server each day either because I forgot the one I was using before, the ping of the one I was using before is way too bad, or the one I was using last time is full.

I get that many want people to stop logging out during firefights and using server hops to get loot, but if you switch a server at all, ever, is that server hopping? Are you -supposed- to keep your character on one server?

I mean, I'm glad that your character is the same over all servers, because there really are times when I cannot get back onto a server I was on a few hours ago.

I also gave an example in one of my first posts here; one time I was with another player and in a panic, she used wire fencing to keep another player from getting into a building so he couldn't shoot us. Unfortunately after that we had no way of getting out. Neither of us had anything to get rid of the fencing, we couldn't get past it in any way, and there weren't even any zombies or other players around by the time we looted the church we were in, so we couldn't even get killed to move on and do anything else. What would be our recourse then?

I mean, I figured characters are persistant across servers for a reason, right? Yeah, it can be abused like many systems, but still, for now persistant characters seems to make sense, at least to me. I guess I just want to get a feel for what people think overall about all this.

Edited July 30, 2012 by Nesstrodamus

[internetTAB (DayZ) 76]

barbwire, tank traps at all the common hop spots.

no offense, but that would just make me want to hop servers just to remove them :D

[The Darkthrone 9]

So characters should be server bound on servers that can barley hold 50 people... No thanks. Quit trying to make DayZ just like every other game...

if its D/Cing is the problem the easy answer is when you altF4 your charecter stays in game for 5-10 seconds. This is being worked on and hopefully will be on the next patch. And like Swine said, make certain places unlogoffable seems to make sense to me... I dont have a perfect answer, but i know that there are alot better solutions to these problems then just copying what MMORPGs do.

Edited July 30, 2012 by The Darkthrone

[Lictalon 0]

If the character delay can be implemented, I would say the 30 second post-logoff would be best. If you are legitimately done for the day/night and leaving the game, you should be in a relatively safe place (or at least not in combat). If not, I would prefer to see character death if log-off during combat is detected. Have fun on the coast on your next server ghosting-bitches.

Given that it would be nice to see the system differentiate between abort/alt-f4 disconnects and actual drop of connection, but that would just allow abuse by bringing back the days of people pulling their ethernet cables to avoid death.

Character delay on log-off ftw.

[John Grimmer 11]

I agree with server-bound characters. It would also hinder alt-f4's because you wouldn't be able to just go onto a different server and heal yourself/relocate.

[Harette 5]

I support most of these fixes, it is an issue to be addressed. A Non-hive based game doesnt sound to appealing though, I have 2 servers I normally play on. Depending on if the primary one is full or not, so to not be able to have that "back up" plan would kill something... but then again I would be intrigued to have 2,3,4,etc different characters running around...

I think though first and formost taking away any advantage they get should be the priority, ie ammo re-fills, etc.

I especially liked the idea of the ingame announcement of anyone within a 100m-250m radius to you logging in. That would of saved me a few times) at the very least I would of known to duck in a building/trees and just sit for a minute or two, and not just continue to think the area I just cleared is no longer clear...

My only gripe is, it seems the abort re-join ammo glitch, has balanced out the amount of ammo I lose due to inventory not saving. I cant even begin to count the amount of mags that disappeared from my bag because I didnt wait the proper 45 minutes - 10 days to log after picking them up. So, I cant even begin to think what my ammo supply would be if it wasn't for the balancing the ammo glitch does, since I only keep 3-4 mags on me and all my spares go into the bag, only to have it disappear.

As for Alt-F4'ing during combat, I think if you log out bleeding you should still take damage while not logged in (maybe a slightly reduced rate).

If you have the bandages fix it before logging otherwise you keep bleeding, its that simple. The only reason you wouldn't is if you are waiting for a friend to fix you, server hopping, Alt-F4'd during combat, etc. None of them really account for the semi-real environment this game is trying to create. At the very least you should be knocked out for 30 seconds - 1 minute when you log back in due to "Blood Loss".

[Junior (DayZ) 0]

As many people have said, all of these ideas are good, but binding one character to one server would ruin it. As someone said, they can barely hold 50 players, so what happens if my server is full? I have to start again, on a different server, and do this over and over until someone on my main server leaves?

The best Idea here is the log out delay, just like most mmo games have. But also make it that if you are in a safe and non combat zone, then you log out instantly, but if you are in combat, it takes 30 seconds.

[tarquinbb 28]

Unfortunately I don't have a solution; I have a question of my own. I figured maybe I should ask this here, since the topic is on server hopping anyway and I shouldn't make a new thread. Here goes.

Back when I first started playing the game, I found that I could loot a large building or area of a village, then log out and go to another server and all the spawns would be there again. I was quickly informed that's frowned upon, so I don't do that anymore, and I've never logged off while being shot at to begin with. I didn't know any better at first.

Anyway, my question is...What is the point where you actually reach server hopping? Because I often find myself using a different server each day either because I forgot the one I was using before, the ping of the one I was using before is way too bad, or the one I was using last time is full.

I get that many want people to stop logging out during firefights and using server hops to get loot, but if you switch a server at all, ever, is that server hopping? Are you -supposed- to keep your character on one server?

I mean, I'm glad that your character is the same over all servers, because there really are times when I cannot get back onto a server I was on a few hours ago.

I also gave an example in one of my first posts here; one time I was with another player and in a panic, she used wire fencing to keep another player from getting into a building so he couldn't shoot us. Unfortunately after that we had no way of getting out. Neither of us had anything to get rid of the fencing, we couldn't get past it in any way, and there weren't even any zombies or other players around by the time we looted the church we were in, so we couldn't even get killed to move on and do anything else. What would be our recourse then?

I mean, I figured characters are persistant across servers for a reason, right? Yeah, it can be abused like many systems, but still, for now persistant characters seems to make sense, at least to me. I guess I just want to get a feel for what people think overall about all this.

i also haven't found a 'consistant' server to play on, i think i've only ever visited the same server like 2-3 times total, and that was on the same day when i found a tent packed with goodies.

most evenings, a lot of the servers are either night time or full. therefore it's extremely hard to frequent the same server.

how does it link to 'server hopping'? well firstly the worst type of server hopping is when you have someone cornered, and they hop to another server to effectively move to a better position and flank you - then rejoin your server and use l33t 'teleported to a new location' skillz to blind-side you.

the second form, which is also kinda cheap, is farming loot spots such as barracks, fire stations, control towers, supermarkets, deer stands etc. this is cheap, but to be honest it doesn't really bother me in the slightest because it doesn't effect me. as long as the guy is not hopping server in order to kill my character via ghosting, it's tolerable. it's tolerable because you need to be some distance away from the building (not sure how far) otherwise nothing will spawn, ergo you still need to expose yourself and 'approach' the building every time. but it's obviously cheap due to the faster than normal loot speed.

i think playing on 2-3 different servers every session is pretty normal... i just personally wouldn't even think of hopping servers in order to get a better position over another survivor, but people can (and) DO that crap... and it totally sucks. especially as there's no way to tell who you're up against - do you take the guy for a legit player or do you take him for a cowardly server hopper?

[tarquinbb 28]

one extremely intrusive but effective idea i've been toying with, to deal with server hoppers, would be to play a distinct sound whenever someone's character joins the game within a 500(give or take) metre radius of your position.

obviously if you're legitimately logging in, it would be harmful because it would alert anyone else within 500m that someone is within 500m of them. i'm not suggesting it's an ideal fix. however, it's a sacrifice i'm willing to take to warn people about the possibility of a player appearing somewhere you thought was 'secure'.

even if it's legitimate play, you have to admit that it's still unfair if some guy connects to the server and spawns in a bush 3 metres behind you. when you first connect - you'll always be wary, but if you've scanned an area for an hour you don't expect a guy to teleport in at literally any moment.

Edited July 30, 2012 by tarquinbb

[oby 5]

How about if your character is below 8000 blood or is bleeding/in shock, etc he cannot join a different server. First he has to patch himself up and be in good condition before he can undertake the long voyage to another realm. You would still lose your kill from alt-f4 but he sure as hell can't ghost behind you. Also he would have to practically stop playing for awhile since he could only return to the same server where somebody is waiting around to kill him.

It would suck however if the server is full and your friends can't join you. You would be on your own to patch yourself up to a good shape and THEN join them on that other realm. I guess that's upto people to decide if they find it annoying or not.

[Swineflew 480]

Thats the problem right there: ...Player Run servers.

Currently theres only servers because people are paying for them, out of their own pocket.

Standalone DayZ would require a lot of dedicated servers, paid for by the dev or publisher NOT by the fans.

If someones selling a game for say $30 a pop, and they are expecting YOU to pay for the servers wouldn't you feel rather exploited?

No, why would I?

I used to run a Minecraft server, and didn't feel exploited at all. I really don't see your point to be honest, this is a proven working model that's been in operation for years.

Also I really don't see how your tentsave stops server hopping, it'll stop an alt f4, but what stops someone from pitching a tent, logging out looting a building, pitching a tent, logging out looting a building etc?

Also if characters aren't saved if you don't use the tent method does that mean if I get killed and altf4 I'll join with my character that has his gear, since when I died I never saved it?

Edited July 31, 2012 by Swineflew