Please add capacity before 2x XP weekend

Sailboat · 06-30-2009 04:41 PM

But...most people who've made characters on Freedom in the last several years did so BECAUSE that's the crowded one. Why cheat them of the Full Crowd Experience?

If we are to die, let us die like men. -- Patrick Cleburne
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The rule is that they must be loved. --Jayne Fynes-Clinton, Death of an Abandoned Dog

TargetDummy · 06-30-2009 04:48 PM

[ QUOTE ]
But...most people who've made characters on Freedom in the last several years did so BECAUSE that's the crowded one. Why cheat them of the Full Crowd Experience?

[/ QUOTE ]

I'm a little surprised when I see postings from new players asking what server to start on that more players who already play on Freedom and Virtue aren't posting to steer them away.

Zekiran_Immortal · 06-30-2009 04:52 PM

It's a strange kind of pride, I think... I mean, I have toons on Freedom. I started there with my friends who had been in Beta. But they left the game and I'd created a couple on Protector because another customer or two wanted to start a supergroup on a non-crowded server. Still there, though at least one of those (the one who suggested Protector, sadly) has died. I keep his toon in my sg just because it's a sad reminder of real life.

Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed

Forbin_Project · 06-30-2009 05:07 PM

<hugs Zek>

I'm so sorry to hear about that.

The Empty Chair

Eulogy for a Gamer

There is an empty chair,
at the table this day.
A hallowed place where,
a friend once played.
The roll of his dice,
my ears long to hear.
Or perhaps it would suffice,
if he should suddenly appear.
With character sheet in hand,
and a bag of Cheeze-doodles to share.
All his friends would stand,
as he sat in the empty chair.
I hear his voice a-callin,
and it ties my heart in a knot.
For he cries, Though a comrade has fallen,
You must play for those who cannot.
We conquered worlds on the run,
he and I in the name of fun.
And as others may come and go,
I make both both friend and foe.
But what I long for most,
is our past now long a ghost.

I don't know who the author is

Stealth_Bomber · 06-30-2009 05:51 PM

Allowing customers to pay more for more services is one of the cornerstones of a business.

First class airline seating. Universal Studios ticket upgrades. Limited access seating at stadiums and concerts. The list goes on and on.

Not one of these causes the millions of people who don't have that premium access to not fly, or not go to Universal, or not go to ball games or concerts. If you need to fly from Kansas City to Denver, you will, regardless of whether you can afford a first class ticket. Those that DO have the access have a more enjoyable experience because they can afford to.

Don't want to bump non-priority players off? OK, I get that, and it's why I said "maybe". What you CAN do is set aside a given number of server access slots for those players who pay extra, just like a first class seating section. Everyone else competes for the remaining slots just like always. Everyone gets to Denver.

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

Blackavaar · 06-30-2009 05:58 PM

[ 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.

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?

[/ QUOTE ]

How about sometime you have a chat with your wife you friends and your SG mates and see if they maybe all would like to start a new group on an alternate server. I mean if you all moved at once you wouldn't have issues finding teams, would you? Then when events like this come up you won't only have one place to go.

My SG on Liberty has a second SG on Triumph. We play on both servers pretty regularly now. And that isn't even because of possible lag problems and lock-out during "overcrowded weekend" on Freedom or Virtue.

Stop sitting in your overcrowded cave. Spread your wings and fly. Altaholics rule!

Blackavaar · 06-30-2009 06:02 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Allowing customers to pay more for more services is one of the cornerstones of a business.

First class airline seating. Universal Studios ticket upgrades. Limited access seating at stadiums and concerts. The list goes on and on.

Not one of these causes the millions of people who don't have that premium access to not fly, or not go to Universal, or not go to ball games or concerts. If you need to fly from Kansas City to Denver, you will, regardless of whether you can afford a first class ticket. Those that DO have the access have a more enjoyable experience because they can afford to.

Don't want to bump non-priority players off? OK, I get that, and it's why I said "maybe". What you CAN do is set aside a given number of server access slots for those players who pay extra, just like a first class seating section. Everyone else competes for the remaining slots just like always. Everyone gets to Denver.

[/ QUOTE ]

No. The amount of money you have in real life should never effect whether or not you get to play the game on a particular server. No one should have to pay to hold their place on a server during an event, period.

Freedom is not going to become the snobby rich [censored] server.

Stealth_Bomber · 06-30-2009 06:08 PM

[ QUOTE ]
...have to pay to hold their place on a server during an event...

[/ QUOTE ]

That's an even better idea, actually. Sell "Event Tickets" that give you priority access to particular dates, times, and servers. Don't want to pay extra? Then don't. Gives those who want to guarantee access to their server the opportunity to do so. More money for NCSoft.

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

Forbin_Project · 06-30-2009 06:12 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Allowing customers to pay more for more services is one of the cornerstones of a business.

First class airline seating. Universal Studios ticket upgrades. Limited access seating at stadiums and concerts. The list goes on and on.

[/ QUOTE ]

Fine. You want First class seating and segregation from the non-priority players on Freedom, then your solution is simple.

GO PLAY ON ANOTHER SERVER.

Then you won't have to deal with all the non-priority players on Freedom.

The important fact you can't seem to comprehend is that while businesses can charge more for Priority customers, they make their profit off of everyone else.

Stealth_Bomber · 06-30-2009 06:16 PM

[ QUOTE ]
...while businesses can charge more for Priority customers, they make their profit off of everyone else.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope. The airplane is still going to Denver. A performer is still going to put on the concert. If you pay more for your ticket just so you can have a nicer seat, the net gain per ticket is higher from you instead of the guy sitting in the back.

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

MunkiLord · 06-30-2009 06:17 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Allowing customers to pay more for more services is one of the cornerstones of a business.

First class airline seating. Universal Studios ticket upgrades. Limited access seating at stadiums and concerts. The list goes on and on.

Not one of these causes the millions of people who don't have that premium access to not fly, or not go to Universal, or not go to ball games or concerts. If you need to fly from Kansas City to Denver, you will, regardless of whether you can afford a first class ticket. Those that DO have the access have a more enjoyable experience because they can afford to.

Don't want to bump non-priority players off? OK, I get that, and it's why I said "maybe". What you CAN do is set aside a given number of server access slots for those players who pay extra, just like a first class seating section. Everyone else competes for the remaining slots just like always. Everyone gets to Denver.

[/ QUOTE ] The big flaw in your idea is you would be decreasing value for the people that choose not to participate in your idea, while at the same time having them pay the same price they always have. That is a bad idea. That would probably piss off more people than make happy, and that is a bad thing.

Zekiran_Immortal · 06-30-2009 06:22 PM

It wouldn't change the fact that if freedom is capped, you don't get on it.

Why? Because how is a program going to *choose from the people who are already there playing*, which of them to remove?

What if it's someone on a task force just about to finish their last mission?

What if it's someone attending a meeting of their supergroup and getting important information?

What if it's someone who just won 1 million inf in a costume contest and was going to get their prize?

In other words: paying more might get you the nice seat in front and sippy water in a nice glass, but it still makes you look like a complete jerk to the rest of the passengers on the plane.

Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed

Blackavaar · 06-30-2009 06:23 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
...while businesses can charge more for Priority customers, they make their profit off of everyone else.

[/ QUOTE ]

Nope. The airplane is still going to Denver. A performer is still going to put on the concert. If you pay more for your ticket just so you can have a nicer seat, the net gain per ticket is higher from you instead of the guy sitting in the back.

[/ QUOTE ]

Note: Most airlines don't even have a first class/business class section anymore. They found they make more money when they can pack as many people in as possible and not have to deal with the greedy snobs who think they should come before everyone else.

Take my advice. Talk to your friends about starting an alt SG on another server. You'll be much happier when these events come around.

Think about it. If you get teams really super easy on Freedom then you level fast there all the time, right? Well, so why not work on another server where you can't level so fast all the time?

Stealth_Bomber · 06-30-2009 06:27 PM

[ QUOTE ]
It wouldn't change the fact that if freedom is capped, you don't get on it.

Why? Because how is a program going to *choose from the people who are already there playing*, which of them to remove?

What if it's someone on a task force just about to finish their last mission?

What if it's someone attending a meeting of their supergroup and getting important information?

What if it's someone who just won 1 million inf in a costume contest and was going to get their prize?

In other words: paying more might get you the nice seat in front and sippy water in a nice glass, but it still makes you look like a complete jerk to the rest of the passengers on the plane.

[/ QUOTE ]

I get the idea of not bumping people off; I agree that's kind of extreme. But setting aside priority slots for a higher price is right in the supply and demand curve.

More demand for a desirable resource leads to higher prices. Pure capitalism.

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

MunkiLord · 06-30-2009 07:09 PM

[ QUOTE ]
But setting aside priority slots for a higher price is right in the supply and demand curve.

[/ QUOTE ] You're assuming that doing that won't harm demand. That is a pretty big assumption.

Zekiran_Immortal · 06-30-2009 07:14 PM

Except that the devs of this game have already provided the IDEAL solution to this "problem".

Play on one of the OTHER DAMN SERVERS. Because they're NOT going to give you a special gold star and let you on a full capped server, peak time, just because you're special.

This is exactly the same argument as "why can't I buy Vetran time rewards?" and "you should let us get new enhancement slots with real money".

Because the people - like myself - who are on a tight budget can't do this, and if you can, that's not "fair". Right now, and forever most likely, things will continue to be on a level playing field.

You want to get in on Freedom for a busy weekend? Get on. Enjoy. Enjoy the lag, the disconnects, the amazingly annoying broadcast chat, the wobbly server mishaps, and everything else.

You want to play the GAME during that time? You might want to remember that everyone else and their brother are also trying to do the same thing, AND have exactly the same right to do so as you do.

They're never going to give preferential treatment to a small group of people during the couple days when this might become an issue.

Get on another server, with your wife and your friends. If they're tired of ALSO having to drag around with lag and rubberbanding and disconnects, and they are "good" friends... they'll go with you eagerly. As it stands you're making not only your sg look stupid as hell by claiming they can't possibly get along without you and/or you can't possibly get along without them for a couple days if you're on another server, and you're definitely making me wonder whether your wife actually gives two rodent's behinds about the situation at all, having not heard her chime in here yet.

Maybe you should *try to do what everyone else is able to do*, what the developers INTEND you to do, instead of making insanely unreasonable demands about hardware, programming, and social snobbery / money, and hit another server for a couple days.

You might even LIKE it.

Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed

Steampunkette · 06-30-2009 07:19 PM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
It wouldn't change the fact that if freedom is capped, you don't get on it.

Why? Because how is a program going to *choose from the people who are already there playing*, which of them to remove?

What if it's someone on a task force just about to finish their last mission?

What if it's someone attending a meeting of their supergroup and getting important information?

What if it's someone who just won 1 million inf in a costume contest and was going to get their prize?

In other words: paying more might get you the nice seat in front and sippy water in a nice glass, but it still makes you look like a complete jerk to the rest of the passengers on the plane.

[/ QUOTE ]

I get the idea of not bumping people off; I agree that's kind of extreme. But setting aside priority slots for a higher price is right in the supply and demand curve.

More demand for a desirable resource leads to higher prices. Pure capitalism.

[/ QUOTE ]

Okay... Let's say each server now has 30 'Priority seating' slots. Only people who pay more can get those slots.

50 people try to log onto "their" priority slot. 20 people don't get to. They've paid a high premium for a service they can't get.

Now what, Genius?

And before you say "make more priority slots!" take into account that the numbers are -fluid-. On a server with hundreds or even thousands of players who can't access 200 slots at ANY time unless they have 'priority access' means that the total amount of non-priority players who can log on at a time is decreased. To them the server size has shrunk.

So you alienate the Non-Premium Players. Who either quit, leave the server, or become Premium Players. Which makes those 200, 300, 500, whatever number of "Premium Slots" even -less- capable of handling the increased load of Premium Players. People get pissed they paid more money than they had to for a service they're not getting. They'll almost definitely quit.

You've taken a small, simple problem and exploded it into hundreds, even thousands of lost subscriptions for no other reason than you not wanting to branch off to another server.

-Rachel-

Stealth_Bomber · 06-30-2009 09:05 PM

[ QUOTE ]
You've taken a small, simple problem and exploded it into hundreds, even thousands of lost subscriptions for no other reason than you not wanting to branch off to another server.

[/ QUOTE ]

Doesn't hold water. Do you refuse to fly because some of the seats are first class? Do you skip every ball game because someone else gets a box seat? Nope. People still fly and go to ball games every day. And yes, the plane seating for everyone else is smaller. The stadium is smaller for the average person because premium seats exist.

As far as the "play another server" argument goes, that's dead. If I want to fly a particular airline because I like the perks or the people or the service or whatever, and I have the resources to do it, I do it.

As far as priority goes, sell a limited number of access slots for each event to the highest bidder. just like box seats. If you have the resources and desire to get a priority, you get it. Simple.

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

Zekiran_Immortal · 06-30-2009 09:07 PM

I would refuse to fly on an airline that didn't take off until the snobs in "first class" settled their tummies and martinis, at the expense of getting where I'm going on time.

Now you're just talking stupid crap, what, auctioning off slots to play a game which *has space on every other server* even during the peak closed times on one?

Whatever game you're playing, I'm very glad I'm playing City of Heroes where I have 11 (12, including Test) servers to play on and enjoy even during times when one whole COAST worth are down.

Please read my FEAR/Portal/HalfLife Fan Fiction!
Repurposed

LISAR · 06-30-2009 09:15 PM

I wish someone would counter point the op with a Moltar avatar ^_^.

Memphis_Bill · 06-30-2009 09:29 PM

What I find most head-shakingly amusing is that the OP started off insisting they increase capacity on Freedom... and is now insisting they REDUCE capacity (since they're not going to raise the population cap) to accomodate his wallet. And doesn't have an answer to "And when those extra-speshul slots you've paid more for are filled up, then what?"

Edit: I can almost *guarantee* those slots would be filled, sure... by people with 2-3 accounts who decide to make extra INF farming and PLing people over the 2xp weekend, meaning he'd be paying more to STILL not get on.

*goes to decide who to play on the other ten servers I have characters on that I'm almost guaranteed, short of hardware/network failure, of getting onto over 2xp weekend.... at no extra charge.*

See my Guides and Tutorials

MunkiLord · 06-30-2009 09:39 PM

OP doesn't know what he's talking about, otherwise he would have an answer for the problem of pissed customers that can't or won't pay for special access. He ignores that point completely.

Thirty-Seven · 06-30-2009 09:42 PM

[ QUOTE ]
Or, make characters not on Freedom and Virtue.

[/ QUOTE ]
This.

Memphis_Bill · 06-30-2009 09:43 PM

[ QUOTE ]
OP doesn't know what he's talking about, otherwise he would have an answer for the problem of pissed customers that can't or won't pay for special access. He ignores that point completely.

[/ QUOTE ]

Oh, no, he "answered" *cough* that point with "Mah wallet haz da monies, too bad peasants."

He ignores the lowered capacity for everyone else, sure.
He also hasn't answered the "X many slots, X+n people paying for them and trying to get in."

Both of which, frankly, ARE answered by NCSoft's "no guarantee that you will be able to use the service" clause... which answers the OP's original complaint anyway.

10 other servers, lots of room, and if he's bringing wife and friends, no issue about "I can't find anyone to play with" (which is BS anyway, especially on 2xp weekends.)

See my Guides and Tutorials

Thirty-Seven · 06-30-2009 09:50 PM

Snippet:
[ QUOTE ]
Thousands of others feel the same way, apparently, so we are not all wrong.

[/ QUOTE ]
I just had to point and laugh at this point a bit... If thousands of players all feel the same way about "low" population servers... what do you suppose would happen if all of them moved to, say, Liberty? Hmmmm? You'd have thousands of individuals to team with, and you'd be on a server that wouldn't be as impacted by Double XP Weekends.