Recent downwards trend in TF2 Server popularity..

[rk-]

If you check out the stats on the servers (ie. go look at all those pretty charts), there's a slow and steady decline in server activity across the board over the last year. Any ideas why that might be? People getting bored with the game? Not enough new maps? Are there some things you think my boster interest again, be it server tweaks or pug nights or mini-tourneys? Maybe people are just getting tired of pubs and prefer more of scrim-play?

Discuss.

[Crayola]

pugs r killing pub population

[Nekkris]

Maybe people are just getting tired of pubs and prefer more of scrim-play?

Pretty much true for myself and others I'm sure.

[Gorbachev22]

There seems to be a disproportionate number of doctoral students on the severs; maybe, like me, they all just have prelims

Since I missed out on the whole pug thing I can't really comment on its effects. With the smaller population, however, server problems are proving to be brutal. We had a full #2 late in the afternoon. After a crash (or at least a spate of disconnections), we only had 6 people on the server for the next hour.

[Fil]

I can't say for anyone else at the moment, but it is Olympics right now, and for me that takes precedence over just about everything. So you'll see me sporadically on and off until about 8pm when Olympic coverage starts up again.

[GreenEnvy]

Well I know I've been playing less, but it's not by choice, it's just I don't have as much free time these days as i used to.
I still love pubs, i haven't tried doing any pugging, but pubs are great because of the variety of skill levels,and you can see people improving on a day to day basis.

[Cleavage Monkey]

pugs r killing pub population

The server population started to diminish when the pugs started up. I think they are great if that is what you like but if those 12-16 people were playing in the pubs that would help keep more of the servers populated. I have noticed that once you get 3 or 4 people into a server on TNR it populates pretty darn fast. Although I have noticed even the pugs have slowed down a lot too. I think everyone is just playing less in general. Even I am.

[TheEpigone]

I just civ 4 Warlords and Beyond the Sword so.... I'm dead to fps (and the world) at the moment lol

[Onawire]

I know that I've lost my love for pubbing now that I play mostly 6v6 no crits. I'd really like to see a return of the a no crit server with the rise of pugs and more 6v6 players I think it would be more popular then last time.

Also I hate goldrush and 3 was dead for a bit there but its being revived thanks to Kimpossible and Friends so thats good.

[Radiojock]

I haven't touched the game in quite some time now, thanks to that whole STEAM dmz debaucle, and now, my move back to Ottawa.. but am looking forward to hopefully getting back on the servers once I get all settled in.