Start missions with no players

[mpmumau 10]

I've noticed in the GameSpy server listing that many servers, regardless of having zero players, have already started their missions. How do I start a mission on my server when there are no players on, such that others can browse for my server by mission types? The only other post about this that I found through search stated that the server is in "standby" mode while there are no players connected, yet I see tons of server listings with zero players that aren't in the "creating" status. What gives?

[Baskerville 10]

In your server.cfg turn on persistence by changing persistent = 0; to persistent = 1; join your server and load the mission, when you D/C from your server the mission will still run until the server get's restarted or someone logs on and changes it.

[SavageCDN 231]

^ what he said and FYI after a server restart you cannot force a mission to start - someone has to join in order to start up the rotation.

[bvrettski 10]

you cannot force a mission to start - someone has to join in order to start up the rotation.

This should be changed / fixed and the option to start a mission should be available.

[terox 316]

what you are seeing are persistent missions that were started with players connected who then all left

Why on earth would youn want to Start a mission with no players, that just doesn't make sense. At least an admin should be present to ensure quality gameplay otherwise all you will get is mindless chaos

[bvrettski 10]

Some gametypes are better served to be up and running so that players dont have to sit and wait for a server to go through the startup sequence. From my experience games like domination, wasteland, king of the hill and others that rely on lots of resources would fall into this category.

Now missions that are coops are a different story but the p vs p servers would be better served by being up and running without having to join. Again its should be an optional setting so it wouldn't be any skin of the backs of those who prefer it the old fashioned way and want to actually join their servers to get them going.