Many server owners exploit the default alphabetical sorting by prefixing their server names with special characters or numbers (e.g., !, #, +, -, _, 1111).
This "ASCII/Alphabetical spam" pushes legitimate server titles down the list and clutters the server browser with artificial naming schemes purely designed to force top placement in search results.
I propose implementing a validation rule or filter in the launcher/master server list that ignores leading special characters/numbers when sorting, or restricts servers from using leading symbols in public listings.
Rationale / Why it's needed:
Prevents Naming Exploits: Stops hosts from artificially hijacking top positions in the server browser without offering higher quality or actual traffic.
Cleaner UI & Better Aesthetics: Creates a readable, professional server browser list where projects are named naturally rather than filled with non-alphanumeric prefixes.
Fair Competition: Ensures all community servers stand on equal footing based on their actual name, popularity, or ping rather than ASCII character order.
Suggested Implementation:
Smart Sorting (Recommended): Update the launcher sorting algorithm to ignore non-alphanumeric leading characters (like !, +, -, _, spaces) when sorting alphabetically, prioritizing actual letters/words.
Name Validation: Enforce a rule on the master server query side requiring server hostnames to start with an alphanumeric character (A-Z, 0-9).