Deathmatch Gaming Site Idea

[bengreenwood]

I've been looking around for some servers to play some old games online (Quake 2/ UT2004), but they often seem to be empty. However I'm sure there must be plenty of people around who want to play them.

So I have this idea for a gaming site, that would help people find other players who are looking to play online games. Basically you go there, and you enter in your email address, what games you want to play online, your location, and the days/ times you will be available to play them.

Then, on the days that you have entered in as you being available to play, the site sends you an email that basically includes the details of whoever is going to be available to play at the same time that you will be available to play. Once you've got the email, if you reply indicating that you want to play tonight, based on whoever else replied, then the site will automatically find a suitable server, based on the location details entered by everyone. It will then send out an automated email to everyone who wants to play, telling them where to go at what time for the game.

What do you guys think? I think something like this would only need a few players to register for it to work.

[briach]

Good idea, also if the server player count could be monitored on the website, and also have an easy to use chat feature, so someone could chat "Hey anyone want to go to Q2 so and so server the IP is _______, then people will be able to watch on the site as the server fills up.

Allow guest to chat too. Sometimes logging in is a pain to do, other than using forums or setting schedule.

[JaFO]

it would still depend on people (a) registering and (b) using the feature which is ridiculously complicated when compared to just using the in-game browsers and finding the first server.

It may not require many people for it to work in theory, but in reality you need more than a few people just to be able to schedule a weekly meeting.

Never mind that a website/feature like this would only attract the hardcore gamers as a casual gamer is not going to bother with registering for a site just to play a game once in a while.

[bengreenwood]

it would still depend on people (a) registering and (b) using the feature which is ridiculously complicated when compared to just using the in-game browsers and finding the first server.

Actually I think quite a few people would do it, if they knew there was a chance other people would also do it. At present, with old games, all you ever find is servers that are running mods, that have like 2 or 3 people in. The good thing with this would be that you wouldn't need to bother waiting around for more people to join, because you would know in advance- if, as you rightly point out, enough people joined to begin with.

[FlashIV]

I personally would not use it. If I'm playing older games that have lost a lot of their online community, it's because I'm at a LAN party. Otherwise I stick with games that I know I can hop in and play since I have an irregular work schedule and I never really know when I'm available with a wife and 2 kids :)

[leilei]

IRC channels are usually better to scrim in

[Firefly]

Doesn't xfire already do this?

[bengreenwood]

Doesn't xfire already do this?

Not sure, but looking at the site, it seems like an interesting program that I'll check out when I get the chance. Thanks for pointing it out! Wonder if you can put in when you're going to be available to play, though. If not maybe I'll suggest it to them.