Account merge, Server list merge, Forum merge
By
Baby_Phoenix,
Posted on: 2008-08-04 09:17 in Suggestions and Ideas
I'll contribute by adding this 39 page thread to the discussion.
Started a few weeks ago, covering essentially the same issue, I'm not sure there are any significant developments since then.
I know.. I was there 
But a fresh suggestion thread was needed. And on both EU as US forums.
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
As I said on one of those 39 pages 
I would prefer if the whole shebang was transfered to the states. New players could flock to our lovely servers and we would be able to play on all those shiny heavily populated ones. Even though when we play those servers are a bit empty because those silly americans sleep and work at the wrong time. 
US forum info ...
http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showflat....c=#Post11560127
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
i know the 2 company are completely different argument - so US/Eu merger unlikely.
Would I like it - oh yeah. But would liek to see Def, Union, Zig and Zu and all the US servers under1 umbrella, 1 log-on, and 1 sub. I would probably always call defiant home - but just think of the ALTITIS!!!!!
BWHAHAHAHAHAHHAAAAAA
*goes mad with all the voices of 12 alts on 8 different servers swirling round his little head*
One server to rule them all, one email to find them, one account to bring them all, and through subscription bind them. ?
One thing I will say, that hasn't been covered already is how when subscribing to an MMO I find personally that an over-abundance of servers actually puts me off settling into a natural home for my toons. Kinda like going shopping and finding yourself staring blankly at 30 different brands of fabric conditioner that all say the same thing.
[ QUOTE ]
One thing I will say, that hasn't been covered already is how when subscribing to an MMO I find personally that an over-abundance of servers actually puts me off settling into a natural home for my toons. Kinda like going shopping and finding yourself staring blankly at 30 different brands of fabric conditioner that all say the same thing.
[/ QUOTE ]
I was thinking about a virtual merge of Union and Defiant. Just buy 12 slots and move all my Defiant toons to Union. If everyone would do that we get a real Union/Defiant load.
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
if anything, adding one international server might make things more fun.
so nothing has to be merged, but you can still play all over the world.
That time already?
Could've sworn it hasn't been 2 weeks since the last one of these finished, we usually get a month.
[ QUOTE ]
One thing I will say, that hasn't been covered already is how when subscribing to an MMO I find personally that an over-abundance of servers actually puts me off settling into a natural home for my toons. Kinda like going shopping and finding yourself staring blankly at 30 different brands of fabric conditioner that all say the same thing.
[/ QUOTE ]
It is meant to be that you choose a light load server at the moment you create youre first toon. The way to achieve that is to automatically list the lightest load on top. As most new creators just pick the top server.
This can be used to divide the server load lots.
After that you should always stick to that server.. no matter what. But this can't be uphold ofcourse.
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
Let's see... how can I put this:
NO.
Rabbits & Hares:Blue (Mind/Emp Controller)Maroon (Rad/Thermal Corruptor)and one of each AT all at 50
MA Arcs: Apples of Contention - 3184; Zen & Relaxation - 35392; Tears of Leviathan - 121733 | All posts are rated "R" for "R-r-rrrrr, baby!"|Now, and this is very important... do you want a hug? COH Faces @Blue Rabbit
[ QUOTE ]
Let's see... how can I put this:
NO.
[/ QUOTE ]
hhmmm... discussion = give reasons... A simple NO we can't do anything with.
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
Is it possible to merge the search and instanced missons accross the server? I know you can have more than map on the same server (e.g. grandville1 and grandville2), and a team can be spread out between the two maps and still be able to do the missions together.
Why not extend that to all EU servers so at least you can find more people to team with. So when you are looking for a team you can team with someone on any EU server.
I dunno if there would be a problem with people with the same name on the same team but i'm sure if there was it would be a way round it.
Okay...
Essential premise: I have no desire to move my characters off Union. You have to get that in order to understand the rest of the argument.
Now, let us merge the accounts such that I can have access to the US servers. What is the result?
Well, it will take a while because if NCSoft have any brain they won't give anyone free server transfers, but the population of Union will diminish as the gamers (like yourself) move their characters off Union and onto some American server.
As this continues, the economics of actually running a data centre in Europe will become unsustainable and, after a while, the EU servers will be shut down. At that point, free transfers (or forced merges) will happen and players will quit because that character name they've had for 4 years is taken on the other server.
Now, if it ever comes time that they upgrade the hardware here in the EU, it might be better that they merge the two EN servers and buy one uber box that cuts back on server lag... assuming that the hardware is responsible for any of the server lag we've been getting.
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
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Now, if it ever comes time that they upgrade the hardware here in the EU, it might be better that they merge the two EN servers and buy one uber box that cuts back on server lag... assuming that the hardware is responsible for any of the server lag we've been getting.
[/ QUOTE ]
I believe the lag is the rubbish network/internet connection that the german datacenter has and not the server. It should be pretty simple to upgrade that but with all the people complaining about it and they still have not fixed it makes me think they either are not bothered about it or they cant do anything about it (either way they should tell us).
In regards to the server merge stuff, I would like access to the american servers or at least be able to build teams from any EU server (anyone on any EU server can join a team and do the same mission as you.. happens when you have more than one map).
I dont think people will all leave for the us servers. As it is already stated that they are not all more populated then UNION unless we are talking about one of the three major populated ones.
Free transfers ... ? NO WAY?!
Just one list of servers... and one global.. under one account.
I don't think it will kill UNION or DEFIANT. And it will certainly keep the French and German servers. As those are the only language ones.
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
Sorry, Liz, but you can absolutely, honestly, hand on your heart guarantee that if you got access to Virtue, which regularly has two or three times as many RPers as Union has players, you wouldn't server-transfer? Because I wouldn't believe you.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
I have access now.. I dont leave my SG...
I would transfer and renounce the SG I made and brought to rank 9. Thats the problem here.. Friends went to US and I cant even talk global with them. Even though I want to stay.
Would you leave youre ic relatives and friends.. rebuild youre history.. leave Union wiki.. etc. If you could switvh youre mains to the rp server on us Shadowe?
I may place an alt there.. but I have altiris
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!
Honestly? No, I wouldn't. I love Union, and I love the players, and I love the SGs I'm part of, and the people I RP with. I have no desire (save one, which I have so far resisted the temptation to give in to) or need to access the US servers. But my point is this: If cross-Atlantic server access was granted, do you think that Union would get any new RPers? Given that Virtue has a significantly larger population, being known as the "Unofficial European RP Server" would NOT do Union any favours, particularly coupled with the sort of server populations that Virtue sees.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
@Free_Radical
are you saying multi-server team? such as...mixed teams in RWZ or teams with people from grandville, grandville 2, grandville 3 with people coming from different servers?
would be nice!
then let me suggest the next step: multi-server SG, that is SG spreading across multiple servers
What he means is a team comprised of a Blaster from Union, a Defender from Defiant, a 'troller from Zukunft etc... Which would be so awesome it's insane.
The wisdom of Shadowe: Ghostraptor: The Shadowe is wise ...; FFM: Shadowe is no longer wise.
; Techbot_Alpha: Also, what Shadowe said. It seems he is still somewhat wise ; Bull Throttle: Shadowe was unwise in this instance...; Rock_Powerfist: in this instance Shadowe is wise.; Techbot_Alpha: Shadowe is very wise *nods*; Zortel: *Quotable line about Shadowe being wise goes here.*
[ QUOTE ]
@Free_Radical
are you saying multi-server team? such as...mixed teams in RWZ or teams with people from grandville, grandville 2, grandville 3 with people coming from different servers?
would be nice!
[/ QUOTE ]
Yes.. thats exactly what I am suggesting. It happens when the maps get too full so the technology is there, just needs improving.
I wouldnt expect villan teams with heroes in them (except the shared maps), but certainly heroes with heroes from other servers and villans with villans from other servers.
An example would be Hero Jim is on Union and Hero Bob is on Defaint. Hero Jim can invite Hero Bob to a team, when they enter the mission both are in the same mission and can see eachother etc. (basically do the mission as a normal team). I wouldnt expect Hero Jim and Hero Bob to see eachother in Atlas (for example) since you dont see eachother if there is atlas1 and atlas2 (when there are too many people on the map).
It would certainly help with the lack of teams that can sometimes happen.
EDIT for clarification.
[ QUOTE ]
What he means is a team comprised of a Blaster from Union, a Defender from Defiant, a 'troller from Zukunft etc... Which would be so awesome it's insane.
[/ QUOTE ]
QFT
[ QUOTE ]
I dont think people will all leave for the us servers. As it is already stated that they are not all more populated then UNION unless we are talking about one of the three major populated ones.
Free transfers ... ? NO WAY?!
Just one list of servers... and one global.. under one account.
[/ QUOTE ]
Thing is that if you aren't going to move then one server list is pointless. There's no need for it.
The fact that your friends have moved to US accounts would seem to imply that people would move to the more populated US servers. US servers are also perceived (rightly or wrongly) as having better hardware.
Now, one global is another matter and I can see a point to that. The merge process would be painful, but it could be done. We have a merged auction system so it's not technically impossible, though the speed it operates at suggests that a merged global comms would be more laggy than what we have currently.
Disclaimer: The above may be humerous, or at least may be an attempt at humour. Try reading it that way.
Posts are OOC unless noted to be IC, or in an IC thread.
Ok,
Title says it all...
We just had a COH/COV merge... but that should only be the start.
We have loads of servers in the US and only 4 here in Europe. I am sure that the logs show more players in the US. But I am also sure that there are loads of Europeans there. I also see the occasional American on the EU servers. Lets be honest that having two versions of the game is not the easiest way to maintain. And its also confusing for the new players who often make an account on the wrong side of the ocean.
Aside from that as we discussed in the server load thread EU servers sometimes seem a bit empty. Or, what is more precise, some servers in the US are over crowded. These full servers are mighty attractive to players who like that sort of thing.
US has several advantages over EU
- Higher server load (=more players online at most of the times)
- Cheaper (if we calculate the price per month its several Euros cheaper)
- More servers available (which means more slots for those with altiris)
Aside from this... these days the connection towards the US is not slower then that towards the EU servers. So this is not a valid reason anymore to play closer to home.
EU players who are counting the value of their money and are less attached to their old toons will transfer. And doing so are able to draw some of their friends with them. This will only make the EU servers more empty.
If there was one server list showing all servers this will balance out more. Worst case we would really see which servers are too low on population to stay up. This will also help with another problem. The language servers. At the moment there are only two German and French. French will be handy and often used by Canadians if the list would be one. A lower populated server in the total list could be rebuild as a Spanish server. Something the whole of South-America and Spain would love to see happen.
But why pay for two accounts?
This is one game one game should be one account. If a player tries out US and like it (or vice-versa) he would end up having to pay two accounts. And in the end will be liable to cancel one of the two. The cheaper account with the most slots/servers will always win.
As such we need a total account merger. One account server for all.
One account server will result in the lesser part of the two (EU) to have to change their account name if that name is already in use somewhere in the US. This is needed for technical reasons. Also... when the server list merges some of us (only when doubles exists in the US) will have to change their global name. The doubles should be generic-ed and a free global name change granted. This is not funny but it will make it possible to chat with all friends online everywhere in the world on ANY server.
With a merger like this we will have to merge Veteran rewards. US and EU licence under one account will become one account where the oldest veteran reward is leading and kept. Also the add-ons are merged and kept. As the player paid for these too. If the player has two separate named accounts for EU and US he will end up with two accounts that both have access to all servers. A later build in functionality may be able to let the player petition these two accounts with details to merge them. But that is not an automatic feature and therefore most likely cost some money.
With only one account it will now be handiest to create/merge all forums into one. Therefore make it easier to maintain and get all feedback on one place. One site will also be handier for the latest news. The COV and COH sites should by right already merge. It can't be right that the news is often placed upon the COH site and not on the COV site. One site and one forum for all with the possibility to shift the template to Hero or Villain colors when wanted is the best idea.
This will give an honest server load will make sure players from all over the world can play with each other and communicate with each other will remove the reason to hold on to two accounts when youre not really want too makes maintenance easier, therefore cheaper All-in-all good stuff. It can be that at first there will be loads of accounts dropped resulting in a drop of income. But this will be set right by the players who stay on longer.
My 2 Euro cents (which should be cheaper then 2 Dollar cents these days)
- The Italian Job: The Godfather Returns #1151
Beginner - Encounter a renewed age for the Mook and the Family when Emile Marcone escapes from the Zig!
- Along Came a... Bug!? #528482
Average - A new race of aliens arrives on Earth. And Vanguard has you investigate them!
- The Court of the Blood Countess: The Rise of the Blood Countess #3805
Advanced - Go back in time and witness the birth of a vampire. Follow her to key moments in her life in order to stop her! A story of intrigue, drama and horror! Blood & Violence... not recommend to solo!