Is CM declining?

[BIgboyyo]

100%, fix the lag before we go anywhere else. That's one of the biggest gripes from players. I dont' care if we sit with shitty balance and no features for a few months if the coders manage to root out the source of the awful lag.

What do you mean bro CM is a turn-based game

[KingPhilipIII]

What do you mean bro CM is a turn-based game

It's not XCOM.

Yet.

XCOM round type when. Colony defense versus alien invaders.

[BurningMetal]

100%, fix the lag before we go anywhere else. That's one of the biggest gripes from players. I dont' care if we sit with shitty balance and no features for a few months if the coders manage to root out the source of the awful lag.

what is funny is that this is what i was saying to devs on forum when permanest happend... my words: ''fix the god damn lag before you implent or remoove game features...''
so ye... beein saying that since permanest, that lag should be the number 1 priority and nothing else.

especialy since most of the new stuff implented or remooved was changes unwanted by the player pop.

[derpymcderpderp]

It's sad that a majority of people here suffer from brainrot

[Frood]

"brainrot" piss off bro. It's pretty inarguable that in regards too marines, the direction of the game has been well, directionless.

[YKY]

I love how the term "direction" has become a catch-all buzzword for these people.

[derpymcderpderp]

"brainrot" piss off bro. It's pretty inarguable that in regards too marines, the direction of the game has been well, directionless.

I'm sorry you can't tell where marine side of things is headed take some Mannitol inshallah.

[Ausrine]

CM needs staff to refocus their efforts and to then explain those efforts and priorities to players. It feels like the different groups work too much in silos. I have some thoughts on that and CM currently.

There is a lack of clear vision, or at least communication of one, to the majority of staff and players. It is a major pitfall for CM currently. There isn't much cohesion in how things are updated; it seems piecemeal rather than building blocks each shifted to create or purposefully redesign something.

Then, there is something about the experience. Perhaps the changes to rules for different roles. Maybe MOBA. Could be lots of things - and whatever causes the lag. Somehow it feels like all the changes have adversely affected CM. I certainly preferred the CM experience I had in 2019. It just doesn't feel as fun recently.

I wonder if it is also too much staff churn. Every new person wants to make a name for themselves. To put their stamp on things. However, if improperly managed that just results in everyone going off in their own direction. From my (limited) perspective this seems to be the case for development. It's too detached from the rest of staffing and certainly the players.

Also, when you have people controlling a gaming experience who expressly say they will ignore their players wishes and wants... then you have a problem. If so, just make CM a private thing and invite specific people. Maybe it a "cool person club" or whatever. Lame, but at least then it is honest. However, if it is truly meant to be a game and open to anyone who can follow the server rules, then the player voice should have some weight. Admittedly, I can see the other side of things too. Lack of respect toward staff doesn't exactly endear staff showing respect to player wants and wishes, and even more so player complaints. There is a fine line between genuine constructive critique or honest concern raising, with entitlement and narrow minded requests (e.g. those that buffed or nerfed or changed something that benefitted few, but negatively impact Ed many).

Of course all of this is easier said than done. Trying to agree a vision and bring it about through careful management and communication - it's hard. Much easier for someone like me, for most players in fact, to be a backseat driver. Staff don't get paid and it is all volunteer work. A high standard of productivity, efficiency and such is unrealistic.

Still, I do know one thing. Only staff can truly change CM. Players can impact the meta and meme, sure. However, staff control the development and features, the rules, the rule enforcement, the prioritisation of issues and community engagement. It wouldn't be unfair to say CM as it exists now is down to staff. It can only be their responsibility. Discussions like this thread are nice to have, but the best element is honest staff involvement in the discussion. Hopefully this then goes somewhere and we see some changes.

I don't doubt staff focus on their roles well and they do get stuff done, especially mods, but this thread exists and has had a lot of sympathetic responses. Including from staff. This should be enough evidence that something is going wrong somewhere with CM, and only staff have the power to address this.

Also, more stuff needs to be codified. There are too many rules and policies that can ambush new or returning players.

[Snakebittenn]

I've mentioned this a few times already on discord and even in here. However let me preface this with I don't oppose any direction or changes to CM over the years, I just think you guys needs to shit or get off the pot.

But a major issue with the gameplay and roleplay is solely in the hands of the Dev team who have spent the last 2years turning CM into an Arcade shooter and done absolutely nothing to implement RP Mechanics or features during this time.
CM 2018 has essentially been a shoreline and development has just been a constant wave eroding the shoreline until there's nothing left but the rocks and basic structure.

CM has lost a lot of it's unique charm, a lot of it's flavor and a good chunk of interesting characters.
It's interesting to watch from my perspective how the playerbase craves and wants everything my administration spent years developing and nurturing.


A common theme we hear from Dev's and even Soldier above, are plans to "Rework the rules! Rework RP! Add more mechanics for MP's and RP!".
But it all boils down to essentially reverting CM 2 years and going back to what Apop, BMC, ForwardSlashN, Rahl and myself established years ago, it's nothing new but the same policies, same ideas and same content.

I've said this numerous times already but CM lacks leadership and a common complaint is the lack of direction.
When CM shifted from a more centralized Administration to a decentralized Administration(more democracy, bureaucratics etc) efficiency and productivity took a huge hit.
Most worrisome is the complete lack of direction this has created over the years due multiple Managers, Dev Architects, Dev Lead, Senior this, senior that it's created bloat and caused a loss of cohesion.
There is no Leader or Leaders on the CM team currently who can accurately provide a precise direction for the game, shit's all over the place.


So figure out what this Administration wants and go from there.
Is CM becoming a MOBA Arcade shooter? If yes, abandon RP and rework policies/rules for it.
Is CM attempting to maintain RP? If yes, start producing content to function with RP

You guys are way too in limbo at the moment, you've got a Dev team mass producing fucking Arcade/Moba mechanics while the Admin/Mod team wants to crack down on Low RP and no can give the community a clear example of what CM is moving towards or should be. Start working together as a Team, weed out the problem staff members, inactive staff members or those simply not onboard with the "vision" and get a move on.

And finally, we get a lot of these threads over the years, there's always a "CM is dying" outcry but it's seldom true. However CM has held the top spot on the BYOND list for 5years now and within the last few months has been dipping from this position and bleeding players. Something is wrong and especially when OTHER servers are surpassing CM in the list.

I'll definitely bump this one up. The roleplay was definitely tighter back in Feweh's days. Probably because the meta was more defensive back then rather than 'unga ball leftward on Prison until results.'

[CABAL]

I'll definitely bump this one up. The roleplay was definitely tighter back in Feweh's days. Probably because the meta was more defensive back then rather than 'unga ball leftward on Prison until results.'

HA HA HA HA HA.

More defensive meta when maturation there was at its prime? Yeah, nobody ever rushed benos west on Prison back on the Faweh's days. Not a single round of that.