Please add capacity before 2x XP weekend
By
Aett_Thorn,
Posted on: 2009-06-30 10:38 in Suggestions and Ideas
Or, make characters not on Freedom and Virtue.
Adding capacity to one or two servers is probably not very cost efficient, especially when it's only needed for a weekend or two per year.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
So it's dumb to respond to the frustrations of hundreds or thousands of subscribers? I don't buy that argument.
I'm no guru, but I know you can add to server capacity. Maybe that kind of hardware can be rented.
The problems are as predictable as death and taxes. Fix them now before they happen and maybe this will be fun this time.
Ideally, the tank will die precisely as everyone else starts fighting, allowing aggro to be spread evenly among the blaster. -seebs, "How to Suck at CoH/CoV" Guide
[ QUOTE ]
OK, this one is simple. You guys have announced double XP weekend. We have been through this several times now, and we all know that Freedom and Virtue will be completely full. Freedom will probably crash once or twice under the load.
There will be complaints from everyone who can't get logged in, or that the lag is unbearable. It will be twice as bad in Atlas with the new AE system.
So, add capacity now, even if its only needed temporarily, before everyone gets frustrated and hacked off. Make this a FUN experience for once instead of a giant hassle.
Please and thank you.
[/ QUOTE ]
Per a Dev post a while back, Freedom already has more hardware devoted to it than any other server, specifically to increase its capacity.
When Freedom is greyed out during an Issue release or event, it is not because Freedom has crashed, it is because the current population has reached the the artificial limit the Devs have imposed in order to keep Freedom running as smoothly as possible.
Refresh the server screen a couple of times by going to another server and back to the server selection screen, and you will often see that Freedom is available again. Alternatively, create an alt or two on some other servers, and run a mission or two over there while you wait for Freedom to be available again.
The Devs have done what they needed to do to keep the game running smoothly during events and issue releases. If you don't have the patience to refresh the server selection screen a few times or the flexibility to play on any other server, the fault lies with you.
New story arcs coming soon (ARC IDs will be aded when I finish the arc):
So, you want to join the Hellions? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
Sparks & Steel (level 5-20 Heroic arc)
and
So you want to join the Skulls? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
A lot of the issues people have (i.e. lag, crashing) is on THEIR END, not the server side... adding more hardware to the servers would not fix those issues (and raising the player cap would only make it worse!).
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by ShadowNate
;_; ?!?! What the heck is wrong with you, my god, I have never been so confused in my life!
|
[ QUOTE ]
So it's dumb to respond to the frustrations of hundreds or thousands of subscribers? I don't buy that argument.
[/ QUOTE ]
Did I say that it was dumb? No. I said that it wasn't very cost efficient.
[ QUOTE ]
I'm no guru, but I know you can add to server capacity. Maybe that kind of hardware can be rented.
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, they CAN add server capacity. However, that doesn't make it cheap to do, or even worth it, for a single weekend when they come up. It's been known for years now that Freedom can gray out over double XP weekends. Yet, people still recommend that people head only to those servers, because the other ones are 'dead' (when they really aren't). We have the ability, as players and forum goers, to spread the population, even on our own accounts. Is it still the Dev's faults that people don't create characters on other servers, knowing the potential penalties of their main one?
[ QUOTE ]
The problems are as predictable as death and taxes. Fix them now before they happen and maybe this will be fun this time.
[/ QUOTE ]
I have had fun each double XP weekend I've been to. There are steps that allow you to have the same enjoyment. It's really not the Dev's fault that you don't take them.
Let me never fall into the vulgar mistake of dreaming that I am persecuted whenever I am contradicted.
~Ralph Waldo Emerson
"I was just the one with the most unsolicited sombrero." - Traegus
Sorry, but the "Play another server" argument is lame. My friends, my wife and my SG all play on Freedom. I left Triumph a few years ago because getting teams was difficult. I have no desire to play on a low-pop server, thanks very much. Thousands of others feel the same way, apparently, so we are not all wrong.
Refresh the server screen? That's your answer? Really? For how long? What's a reasonable time to wait to play a game I'm paying for?
Adding temporary capacity seems perfectly reasonable for high-pop servers. You can see the consequences of not acting from here, a month away. What possible opposition could there be to making this event enjoyable for everyone?
Ideally, the tank will die precisely as everyone else starts fighting, allowing aggro to be spread evenly among the blaster. -seebs, "How to Suck at CoH/CoV" Guide
[ QUOTE ]
How to start on another server - or, Double XP Weekend Can't Bring Me Down!
Yes, another Double XP weekend has come and (almost) gone. Or perhaps there was an event, or a reactivation weekend, that swelled the population across the board. Characters were made, others were levelled, and a good time was had by all!
Well, perhaps not by all. There's a vocal minority, most of whom come from Freedom (by dint of it being the most populated server) who insist the weekend was ruined for them, that they couldn't play, that NCSoft owes them something or other for this.
Let's get the hardnose stuff out of the way here.
I'll get helpful later, but this does need to be said:
If you put all your eggs in one basket, it's your own fault you couldn't play. And as far as NCSoft owing anything? Read your EULA.
NC Interactive cannot guarantee that you will be able to access the Service or your Account whenever you may wish to do so.
NC Interactive shall not be liable for any interruption of the Service, delay or failure to perform resulting from any causes whatsoever.
What does that mean? The servers - ALL of them - can be down, and your option will be to wait 'til they fix it.
But that doesn't help me!
You're right. It doesn't. But the rest of this will.
First, I fully understand being annoyed by not being able to play your favourite character. Really, I do. I fully understand having a main character on a main server. From what other denizens of Freedom tell me though... they can get on with just a few tries. Backing out and going back in lets them in.
Also - this isn't just about double XP weekend. Servers are hardware, software, and all that connects them. They can have problems. They're split to cover two coasts, and we've had half the servers be unavailable due to data center or network issues.
Wouldn't you like to be able to play regardless?
But I dont' want to move to another server!
Let's get a few arguments and misconceptions out of the way here first.
I don't want to spend ten bucks on a transfer!
While you can do this, it isn't what I'm suggesting. You CAN do this as part of the process, but setting up a character on another server costs absolutely nothing more than you pay right now.
All my friends/my SG/etc are on Freedom!
So bring them with you. And make new friends at the destination, too!
They should just add more capacity to Freedom!
Freedom already has the most hardware dedicated to it, as well as caps just because of weekends like this. It's just not cost effective for one weekend, when you have the ability to change your experience on your own.
(Server) is a ghost town!
Didn't you just say you had friends and an SG? If they come over with you, you're not starting with a so-called "ghost town," as incorrect as the idea *is.*
My main is on Freedom!
That's fine. This is giving you the ability to play and meet new people if you can't get on freedom. Enjoying the game you're paying a subscription fee to play. To have fun. Isn't that the point?
I don't want to do this for a character that'll be played only three times a year!
That's an assumption - and it's something you can control, anyway. Read on.
Making the move
OK. The important thing - how do you make this move? Here's a bunch of ideas for you.
First, pick a server. Talk it over with your friends and SG mates. Importantly, you want a west coast server. From experience around the country, you won't notice a difference playing - I've played East coast servers from Oregon, and West coast from the midwest and south. You wont' notice a difference.
Freedom is an East Coast server. Why is this important? Well, I mentioned earlier that the servers are split into two data centers. Every once in a while, a center has trouble - so multiple servers are unavailable. If you look at the Wiki, you'll see which servers are where.
What you want to consider is a west coast server. Those are:
Champion
Guardian
Justice
Protector
Virtue
Pick one!
Now, you've picked a server. We'll use Champion for our example. What now?
Well, now you have to create characters and a supergroup. Yes, you're starting over (unless someone pays ten bucks to move a character witha bunch of INF over, or risks market transfers.) Say you've convinced six people to come with you. What do you do to avoid having ignored lowbies?
Create an event!
Redside? How about Mastermind Mania. Every, say, second Sunday, get on your masterminds on Champion and just play for an hour. Team, obviously! And don't forget supergroup mode. You want a base! Or be the Sunday Scourge. Maybe the fourth Saturday you run Blasters, blowing up everything in sight. How about Task or Strike Force Fridays? Or even just farming?
Guess what. Soon... you'll have some decently levelled characters, a supergroup base, and the core of a new group which you can play any time Freedom's not available.
And if you think the folks you came with are only going to play those? Think again. Someone's going to say "Y'know, we could use a corruptor," and roll one, then have it invited to the group. Or a dom. Or a defender.
In addition... *Mention your event!*
You're on the forum RIGHT NOW reading this. If you go down the lsit of forums a ways, you'll see *server forums.* Pop into the server you chose and say "Hey, we've got a new group, and we run X event on this specific day. Come join us - roll a new character, if you want!"
While you're at it - *tell people in game, too!* So you're down to four one week? Broadcast. "The Exiled Freedom group (I don't know if it exists, if it's yours, pardon the borrow) is running Mastermind Madness this week. Want in? We've got Sk spots!" Meet new people and grow your group!
Some folks, if they know you're trying to just start a "backup" group or a new SG, will probably help out in other ways, too. While farming is generally frowned on by the community, farming to get a new SG off the ground *can* be a way to meet new people who are willing to help.
After a while?
You have a new supergroup. A secondary "main," perhaps. New people on the friends list. And next time Freedom's not available, you have a place to invite your friends who are now stuck there, helpign them level up a new character and enjoy the time.
And isn't that what it's all about?
[/ QUOTE ]
<QR>
Your choice; your consequence.
Now if they feel like adding more capacity, great. If not, oh well.
[ QUOTE ]
For how long?
[/ QUOTE ]5 minutes max. Generally 20 seconds at most.
I've played on Freedom for every double XP weekend, and never once did I have trouble logging on. I never had to hide somewhere without the auto log-off for fear of not being able to get back on, because I'd just cycle the login screen!
I personally prefer the method of login-logout, but that's just a personal preference... I type fast enough that I find it to be far faster than waiting for the server screen to populate.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by ShadowNate
;_; ?!?! What the heck is wrong with you, my god, I have never been so confused in my life!
|
Memphis_Bill, I really enjoy your posts, and find them helpful. But this is just the "play another server" argument, all dolled up to look prettier than it really is.
My wife and I don't get to play together as much as either of us would like. So when we DO play, we play together. So let's say for the sake of argument, that she successfully logs in, but I'm locked out.
How is that fun for either of us?
There are thousands of friends and family members out there in the same boat. There MUST be a better answer than "Play another server."
Ideally, the tank will die precisely as everyone else starts fighting, allowing aggro to be spread evenly among the blaster. -seebs, "How to Suck at CoH/CoV" Guide
there is no other solution. play on another server. that is all. that way you are still playing together. and you never know, you might be able to get some of your friends and family members to come join you. and please don't try to speak for the masses. just speak for yourself.
[ QUOTE ]
I left Triumph a few years ago because getting teams was difficult. I have no desire to play on a low-pop server, thanks very much. Thousands of others feel the same way, apparently, so we are not all wrong.
[/ QUOTE ]
Just playing devil's advocate here...
You made the choice to move to a more populated server. During double xp weekends, that server tends to reach capacity and you know you will have difficulty logging in. That's a consequence of your choice.
Also, suppose they increase the capacity, and the new limit gets reached and the server goes gray? What then? There will be complaints regardless of what the developers do.
Lastly, just as there are thousands who enjoy being on a populated server, there are thousands who enjoy lower-population servers. Not having a grayed-out server on double xp weekends is a benefit to that.
Shard Warrior - 50 MA/Regen/BM Scrapper
Founding Member and Leader : Shadow-Force
Co-Leader: Council of Heroes
"Whatever evils come this way... we will be there to stop them."
[ QUOTE ]
Sorry, but the "Play another server" argument is lame. My friends, my wife and my SG all play on Freedom. I left Triumph a few years ago because getting teams was difficult. I have no desire to play on a low-pop server, thanks very much. Thousands of others feel the same way, apparently, so we are not all wrong.
[/ QUOTE ]
You sirs, win the interwebz. Allow me to translate that one:
"I play on a high population server intentionally, then whine when it fills up."
By your own admission, you have played either servers, and while they are lower population, and your arguement was to play with your wife, I dont see why the largest pop server is so important.
Tanker Tuesday #72 Oct 5 @Champion
"I am not sure if my portrayal of being insane is accurate, but damn its fun all the same."
[ QUOTE ]
Memphis_Bill, I really enjoy your posts, and find them helpful. But this is just the "play another server" argument, all dolled up to look prettier than it really is.
My wife and I don't get to play together as much as either of us would like. So when we DO play, we play together. So let's say for the sake of argument, that she successfully logs in, but I'm locked out.
How is that fun for either of us?
There are thousands of friends and family members out there in the same boat. There MUST be a better answer than "Play another server."
[/ QUOTE ]
Did you bother to read it?
So giving YOU more options is somehow bad, and you'd prefer they'd spend *even more* money on just one shard for one or two weekends a month?
You have the option of starting elsewhere. Or moving elsewhere. Starting a group elsewhere. Having alts available for when Freedom is (a) greyed out from 2xp weekend for a few minutes, (b) down because of network issues, or (c) has any other issue.
Throwing yet more money and hardware at it for *one weekend* is a waste of resources, to be very blunt about it. Because it's not, after all, just two (or three) days - it's spending money buying or renting the servers, the time ahead of that configuring them, adding them to the cluster, making sure they're not having problems of their OWN - and then, of course, we have dealing with the network issues, related software issues, etc...
For one weekend.
That's, quite simply, throwing money away.
As you say:
[ QUOTE ]
My wife and I don't get to play together as much as either of us would like. So when we DO play, we play together. So let's say for the sake of argument, that she successfully logs in, but I'm locked out.
How is that fun for either of us?
[/ QUOTE ]
If I'm taking someone out to eat, and I know that (say) Outback Steakhouse downtown is ALWAYS full with a 2 hour wait Friday night, but the one in the suburbs you can get in almost immediately... I'm going to the one that I can get in almost immediately.
Double XP is the same on every server. You don't get extra-special Freedom XP. There's not a specific Justice event, or Infinity event. And with double XP, heck, it's a GREAT time to start new characters and a new SG elsewhere anyway - (Edit - and VEATs and Khelds are account-wide, not server-wide, too, so even "I have a level 50" awards aren't an argument.)
So why waste your time trying to log in when you're just wanting to have fun? Start alts elsewhere. use the info I posted. Enjoy the weekend.
[ QUOTE ]
Memphis_Bill, I really enjoy your posts, and find them helpful. But this is just the "play another server" argument, all dolled up to look prettier than it really is.
My wife and I don't get to play together as much as either of us would like. So when we DO play, we play together. So let's say for the sake of argument, that she successfully logs in, but I'm locked out.
How is that fun for either of us?
There are thousands of friends and family members out there in the same boat. There MUST be a better answer than "Play another server."
[/ QUOTE ]
There isn't, really. The population cap is not the maximum capacity for the server. The population cap is in place so that the game runs smoothly as possible on as many machines as possible. Letting more people onto Freedom during these events will increase lag and disconnection issues on the client side. The server hardware can handle the load, but the systems of many players cannot.
The server population on all servers increases during double xp weekends. Those "ghost town" servers will also have more people running around. While you may find it difficult to find a team on those servers during normal times, it should be much easier to do so on double xp weekends. If you and your wife both have an alt or two on one of the other servers, then you can still play together on that alternative server during double xp weekend. For an even better experience, level pact the characters. This way, if one of you decides that you enjoy playing that alt and you decide that it is okay to "cheat on Freedom by visiting another server", your wife's alt will still be at the same level as yours when the next double xp weekend rolls around.
I have alts on all eleven servers. I have never not been able to play whatever character is floating my boat at any given moment during double xp weekend.
Flexibility and patience are the keys.
New story arcs coming soon (ARC IDs will be aded when I finish the arc):
So, you want to join the Hellions? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
Sparks & Steel (level 5-20 Heroic arc)
and
So you want to join the Skulls? (level 1-14 Villainous arc)
(qr)
If you've already got friends and family playing the game *at all* you should have NO problem making characters on another server for just this kind of event. Make them special, so that you will play them sometimes just to get a ding or two and then leave them in a good dayjob spot for the duration between.
It's YOUR fault you went to the highest - capped - pop server. You already have a built-in set of teammates. Use that to YOUR advantage.
Putting the time, money and effort into a new set of hardware which whill see use maybe three times a year is absolutely ridiculous.
Putting your own 5 minutes into choosing up a new server for the weekend, is hardly pulling teeth. It's merely common sense.
There are 11 servers *for a reason*.
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
[ QUOTE ]
My wife and I don't get to play together as much as either of us would like. So when we DO play, we play together. So let's say for the sake of argument, that she successfully logs in, but I'm locked out.
[/ QUOTE ]You could... play together on a different server, perhaps?
Only Freedom and Virtue get locked out (though it usually takes less than a minute to get in, even then). Try playing on Infinity or Justice, the next two most populous servers.
http://www.fimfiction.net/story/36641/My-Little-Exalt
From someone who generally avoids Freedom, I would have an issue with more money being spent there to cover a capacity cap that is rarely reached, that could be used to benefit the game as a whole in some other way.
I'd rather they say spend the money getting a couple of interns to go through a whole host of text bugs fixes in the pigg files, which improves the game for everyone, here and on the EU servers.
@Catwhoorg "Rule of Three - Finale" Arc# 1984
@Mr Falkland Islands"A Nation Goes Rogue" Arc# 2369 "Toasters and Pop Tarts" Arc#116617
<QR>
What they need is an incentive for players to make characters on servers other than Freedom or Virtue, to reduce the snowballing effect. Lamentably, making such a system without it being exploitable is probably not easy.
Of course, the biggest incentive is being able to play during Double XP weekends without fear of being locked out.
In closing, capacity has been added, via the remaining servers. YMMV, of course.
qr
just like to add my, do NOT start spending more money on freedom, voice. they already give you an incentive to use other servers, you won't have to deal with greyed out "momemts".
really, it doesn't take that long to get in to freedom, even when it greys out. like many hvae said, you just have to go back and forth until you can get in. hell, i remember starting several characters because one or another server in wow was full.
get a head start on another server and get a new character going now. by the time 2xp wknd gets here, you can already have your sg and base established . when your wife joins, you can sk her and invite her to your sg.
boom, there you go. glad we could help.
[ QUOTE ]
So it's dumb to respond to the frustrations of hundreds or thousands of subscribers? I don't buy that argument.
I'm no guru, but I know you can add to server capacity. Maybe that kind of hardware can be rented.
The problems are as predictable as death and taxes. Fix them now before they happen and maybe this will be fun this time.
[/ QUOTE ]Hundreds? [censored]. It's about 50 people, max, who complain about it. The rest of them do that thing the game makes easy, you know, ALTING ON ANOTHER SERVER.
And I play on Virtue, which goes grey almost as much as Freedom does on DXP. I usually just refresh the server screen, and I'm on in under 5 minutes. Or I play an alt on Infinity, Liberty, etc.
There's an old saying, "heaven helps those who help themselves". It means before you go around asking for concessions and help, you should see if you've done everything you can to aid yourself.
Quote:
|
Originally Posted by Back Alley Brawler
Did you just use "casual gamer" and "purpled-out warshade" in the same sentence?
|
What I've never quite understood is why, when the server's listed at red and you KNOW it'll be laggy as hell and difficult to maintain a connection, would people WANT to get in it?
It's like hitting a crowd in a train station. But you HAVE TO BE THERE! MUST be there! You can't POSSIBLY go 2 blocks down the road and go to a less crowded one, or wait half an hour for the traffic to die down...
Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed
Ok, then this:
SELL ME AND ANYONE ELSE WHO CAN PAY PRIORITY ACCESS.
NCSoft is in business to make money. I have money to spend. Sell me a token, upgrade, whatever you want to call it, that will let me and the hundreds of others with the same resources, have access to the server we want to play on. With priority access, you move to the front of the line of your desired server. No waiting. No grey servers. No questions asked. Maybe you even bump off those who don't pay for priority access.
Don't have the money or desire to pay? No problem, go wait with the rest of the "make an alt play on another less desirable server" crowd. It's just business.
Universal Studios theme park does this every day. Upgrade your ticket, move to the front of every line in the park. Some of the upgraded waiting areas even have air conditioning.
I bet there would be lots of us who would gladly pay.
Ideally, the tank will die precisely as everyone else starts fighting, allowing aggro to be spread evenly among the blaster. -seebs, "How to Suck at CoH/CoV" Guide
$10.
Server transfer to a less busy server.
You're welcome.
And with:
[ QUOTE ]
Maybe you even bump off those who don't pay for priority access.
[/ QUOTE ]
... absoeffinglutely NOT.
Seriously - you want to pay for "priority access," even *disconnecting* other players who don't play, but you won't use that same money to move to a server where you just *won't* have that problem... or even NOT pay and just roll an alt? Why is it so much more acceptable to you to *kick other people off* just so YOU have access?
OK, this one is simple. You guys have announced double XP weekend. We have been through this several times now, and we all know that Freedom and Virtue will be completely full. Freedom will probably crash once or twice under the load.
There will be complaints from everyone who can't get logged in, or that the lag is unbearable. It will be twice as bad in Atlas with the new AE system.
So, add capacity now, even if its only needed temporarily, before everyone gets frustrated and hacked off. Make this a FUN experience for once instead of a giant hassle.
Please and thank you.
Ideally, the tank will die precisely as everyone else starts fighting, allowing aggro to be spread evenly among the blaster. -seebs, "How to Suck at CoH/CoV" Guide