[Dr. McKay]

Originally Posted by Fearts Just because Pinion was given a rank there doesn't mean Valve supports in game advertising.

Pinion's L4D(2) servers are in the Official matchmaking pool.

[Fearts]

Yea, they're in TF2 and CS:GO QP also. What's your point?

[Dr. McKay]

Originally Posted by Fearts Yea, they're in TF2 and CS:GO QP also. What's your point?

Quickplay is a pool of community-run servers. Pinion hosts servers for Valve's official Valve-server-only L4D matchmaking.

I semi-agree with the decision to prevent reopening the MOTD on Quickplay clients. I don't necessarily like it, but I can agree with it. Quickplay is supposed to be a "sterile bubble" of servers that new players are matched into. Valve wants them to be as non-annoying as possible. Ads are still allowed, just not forced-wait-times on ads. Besides, the whole MOTD crippling through Quickplay was more aimed at people who put up servers that display an ad on every death with the express intent of raking in as much cash as possible.

One could arguably say that Valve was the one who started all this. CS 1.6 still has banner ads for the Orange Box (look at the top-left of the screen).

[img]https://**************/a/img69/5823/spec1b.png[/img]

[asherkin]

Originally Posted by Dr. McKay CS 1.6 still has banner ads for the Orange Box (look at the top-left of the screen).

While still a good point, Valve removed the ads in the switch to SteamPipe.

[Fearts]

I'm pretty sure Valve gives Pinion servers a high Quick Play ranking right off the bat.

I'm not saying Valve supports ads or not. I just don't think showing Pinion having a rank on Steam Forums proves anything. Nor do think Valves actions regarding Quick Play can give us a definitive answer either.

[Dr. McKay]

Originally Posted by Fearts I'm pretty sure Valve gives Pinion servers a high Quick Play ranking right off the bat.

I'm quite sure that they don't.

[Fearts]

How is it then that they have 100 CS:GO quick player servers (only searched US location) in the US that are filled all the time? As well, they have "Valve Official" in their host name. Are you telling me Valve doesn't give their Official servers preference over other servers? I always thought this was the case.

[PBSGTS]

Originally Posted by Fearts How is it then that they have 100 CS:GO quick player servers (only searched US location) in the US that are filled all the time? As well, they have "Valve Official" in their host name. Are you telling me Valve doesn't give their Official servers preference over other servers? I always thought this was the case.

Supposedly they no longer give their own servers special preference. At least with TF2, I don't know about CS:Go matchmaking.

[1nsane]

Originally Posted by PBSGTS Supposedly they no longer give their own servers special preference. At least with TF2, I don't know about CS:Go matchmaking.

They do. New players (that play less than 10 hours) go to valve servers (due to a score boost). That then leads to more players going to their servers which leads to a higher quickplay score overall.

[PBSGTS]

Originally Posted by 1nsane They do. New players (that play less than 10 hours) go to valve servers (due to a score boost). That then leads to more players going to their servers which leads to a higher quickplay score overall.

Ah, you're right. I forgot about that.