Discussion: Extended Live Server Maintenance - Thursday, September 22, 2011
By
Aggelakis,
Posted on: 2011-09-21 10:36 in News, Events and Announcement Discussion
Quote:
You mean like that other really really big Western MMO? The one that gives one-day exemptions (i.e. free days) after downtimes? Yeah.|
Originally Posted by Hyperstrike
Dude. Try looking around at other games during new version releases. You'll also see multiple long downtimes, some last minute bug firefights, etc. And you'll see them in greater numbers and magnitude than ANYTHING you've seen here.
A little perspective goes a long way. |
Perspective indeed.
EU players have effectively lost 3-4 days (peak-time) from a 31 day paid for monthly subscription this month.
From what I understand much of this work is to get the infrastructure in place for when Free to play launches?. Which is of zero benefit to me as a paying subscriber. F2P is just a way for the devs to try to make more money by expanding it's customer base.
In reality what this will mean for the paying subscriber is an increased server loads resulting in more lag in game when f2p arrives along with the influx of new players and throwaway accounts..
Devs, at least stop treating us like all this work is necessary and for the benefit of the already existing paying customer base, because it's not. Unless of course you all plan on giving vip subscibers a small commision on all monies your going to make from future f2p related sales..
We pay real money not silly paragon points to play this game.. Compensation of some kind would be most welcome please.
Richochet Blaster
Alexandra Peacebringer
Paragon Allstars
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Sorry, this is wrong. The correct one is: Treat the customer as if they were always right.|
Originally Posted by Gemini_2099
Perspective: Customer is always right.
 |
It's a minor, but very distinctive, difference.
And, yes, I worked 10 years in customer service, so I do know a little about it.
I find your lack of signature disturbing.
This extended maintenance window makes me ponder a world of MMO's that can run without physical servers. It's same world of MMO's that I can play offline when ever I get disconnected. 
If it's small and pink, it's probabley a Gnome.
Didn't we have a massive server maintenance just recently?
/em frustration
Thelonious Monk
Okay, having read most of the posts in this thread, I have to shake my head. Most is two different extremes.
Yes, the downtime is annoying. No one denies that. Yes, downtime is to be expected, again a given.
The EU people DO have a point about the times maint. is done (frankly, if have seen absolutely nothing (from the play pov) that shows that the merger has had a positive impact on either NA or EU players....in fact, the EU players seem to have gotten the short end of the stick)
But all this bitchin and moaning about the down time, demanding free time, etc etc. is nonsense.
Yes, I DO believe the DEVS should do SOMETHING to reward the VIP players for their patience (a smart person ALWAYS tries to maintain his/her customers good will). I think a a couple of people have probably suggested something that would work. An extra months worth of PP for every current VIP? Not just a random few here and there (everyone has suffered from the tremendous amount of down time, not just a few.)
But other than that, or some other minor equivalent, griping and demanding what amounts to a refund is down right silly.
And chiding those that are upset about the down time is just as silly. The DEVS are NOT doing us favors. They are providing a service WE pay for, so as paying customers, we DO have a right to gripe about the quality (or lack thereof, depending on your POV) of service we receive for our money. How MUCH that service costs is immaterial. (especially in today's economy when just about every penny has suddenly become important).
I guess what i am getting at is that we should let the DEVS do their jobs, but the DEVS should recognize and...reward VIP players for their patience in some small way (again, all VIP Players, not just a random few).
Down times are unpleasant, but both sides could work to make them a little bit less so.
Just my two cents.
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No... no the customer is not always right. The costumer is often wrong. Gemini_2099, either you don't work in Customer service, or you traveled in time from the 1950s.
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Originally Posted by Gemini_2099
Perspective: Customer is always right.
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I understand that they need to do the occasional maintenance, patch new issues etc. What irritates me though is the fact every time they do long maintenance or patches, lag always ensues.
I'd rather they put the whole system down for an entire day and perform comprehensive tests to ensure there won't be any extreme lag or crashes before rushing to bring the servers back online.
Just watch... servers will come back. Bad lag, inability to log on or game crashes will occur. Then the servers will go down for another 1-3 hours as they perform 'emergency maintenance' to rectify instability issues.
@Ra Ra
The next time you plan a 12 hour shut down, how about you don't take the servers down two days before for maintenance. That way the servers don't have to be down two out of three days. It's not like you're not going to do maintenance on the new hardware anyways. Or save the hardware upgrade for the next weeks server maintenance. I know the servers are going to be down from time to time, but this is getting to be almost daily. How does freedom break your hardware so badly? Maybe you should've tested it more before going live? No wonder the Freedom expansion is free to play. Because you can't charge for a Beta.
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Oh, I dunno, we got a load of extra servers...some of them with actual players on them! |
Originally Posted by Dylan Clearbrook
in fact, the EU players seem to have gotten the short end of the stick
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And free transfers to move them over |
Originally Posted by Sugar_Rush
Oh, I dunno, we got a load of extra servers...some of them with actual players on them!
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(and getting 99,9% chance of a name thats been taken..)
50)Sinergy X/(50)Mika.
(50)MaceX/(50)Encore
Sign the petition, dont let CoH go down! SIGN!
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When (as of late) has that been the case? The issues with the servers really only started after the first downtime for "hardware upgrade"? Then (after emergency maintenance) it was fine for a week or so, until the next maintenance for "upgrade" caused more issues, and it's been unstable on and off after that...|
Originally Posted by Demobot
I can go a few hours without playing a videogame, especially if that downtime results in more stable servers.
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Seems to me that Paragon messing with the servers is the very cause of it, not the solution...
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Originally Posted by tbrian_2000
No wonder the Freedom expansion is free to play. Because you can't charge for a Beta.
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Our saying is the customer is always right.
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Originally Posted by Frost Warden
Sorry, this is wrong. The correct one is: Treat the customer as if they were always right.
It's a minor, but very distinctive, difference. And, yes, I worked 10 years in customer service, so I do know a little about it. |
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Exactly, good call.
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Originally Posted by Devin_Wilson
Stop trolling.
We have valid gripes and THIS is where we can post them.. Im sure for you, this is no big deal. Youll go play Gears 3, yell down stairs to mom when you want lunch and then play tonight only to rinse and repeat tomorrow. But the rest of us who work have limited playing time and have a right to be angry. |
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Originally Posted by Heyman
If you guys just came out and said "Yeah, its an NA based game, so everything will be favoured towards them" then its fine. But you haven't, you have promised to treat us all as equals and have failed to keep that promise.
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I would like to see Server Maintenance in NA prime time - bet that thread like this would have more than 1000 posts.
If Server Maintenance must be in EU prime time, can we at least get badge "I've survived Server Maintenance" or something like that, since we won't get any other compensation.
"If you want to win you must not lose."
"Easiest way to turn defeat into a victory is to put on the enemy's uniform"
"Better strategic retreat than dishonorable defeat"
- Il Numero Uno (The Number One)
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I think you make too many assumptions. |
Originally Posted by Nos482
And to all those no offense, but and with all due respect, but people, that´s easy to say while your gametime isn´t affected that much, but you´d sure as hell you´d be pissed too if you had the short stick (again).
So, no offense and with all due respect, but I think you´re hypocrits on this. |
Right now, while the servers are down, *IS* my primary game time. And I am NA. And no, I'm not pissed about "having the short end of the stick." When they come up, I'll be at work. When I'm done with work, most of my friends will be heading to sleep so they can be up when THEY work.
So do stop trying to assume your impatience is what everyone feels. For one, I've *done* some of what they're doing, and for another, *IT'S A GAME.* Not a vital service.
And, seriously, you want them to schedule workers around *European* time? You don't think they've had people in *earlier* preparing for this move BEFORE the downtime? Just how early do you want them in, and how much overtime (assuming they're not salaried, which makes "Come in at midnight" suck EVEN MORE) would you care to pay them?
Sheesh. You'd think someone's life depended on COH being up 24/7. How dare they make hardware upgrades and changes! And do it over time so they can watch for problems as they occur before the next stage, instead of doing it all at once, keeping the game down *longer* and making problems just that much *harder* to track down...
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There were many requests for a 'I survived the lag' badge during the first few weeks in the EU; we didn't get that and to be honest that was far, far worse. |
Originally Posted by CatAstrophy
I would like to see Server Maintenance in NA prime time - bet that thread like this would have more than 1000 posts.
If Server Maintenance must be in EU prime time, can we at least get badge "I've survived Server Maintenance" or something like that, since we won't get any other compensation. |
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Then your saying is short-sighted and foolish, because the customer most certainly is NOT always right. Not in the least.
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Originally Posted by Gemini_2099
Our saying is the customer is always right.
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I want that badge!|
Originally Posted by CatAstrophy
I would like to see Server Maintenance in NA prime time - bet that thread like this would have more than 1000 posts.
If Server Maintenance must be in EU prime time, can we at least get badge "I've survived Server Maintenance" or something like that, since we won't get any other compensation. |
....and with Mereman and me posting on the same thread this is now the thread of DOOOOOM!!
<looks mysterious....but still bald emote>
My life depends on CoX. If you want to belittle me, or make fun of me because I am a nerd... fine. But that is the truth.
100 paragon points sounds fair as compensation IMO.
Come on NC Soft, you have had more down time than Jordan's knickers in the last 2 weeks & always to the detriment of the european subscribers.
Precisely why i have cancelled my subscription - why pay for something i can't use???
Boooo you lot suck
Am off to see what that strange warming yellow ball in the sky is ....
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My company has good track record when it comes to customer service because the customer is always right.
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Originally Posted by Memphis_Bill
Then your saying is short-sighted and foolish, because the customer most certainly is NOT always right. Not in the least.
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So... |
Originally Posted by Richochet
EU players have effectively lost 3-4 days (peak-time) from a 31 day paid for monthly subscription this month.
From what I understand much of this work is to get the infrastructure in place for when Free to play launches?. Which is of zero benefit to me as a paying subscriber. F2P is just a way for the devs to try to make more money by expanding it's customer base. In reality what this will mean for the paying subscriber is an increased server loads resulting in more lag in game when f2p arrives along with the influx of new players and throwaway accounts.. Devs, at least stop treating us like all this work is necessary and for the benefit of the already existing paying customer base, because it's not. Unless of course you all plan on giving vip subscibers a small commision on all monies your going to make from future f2p related sales.. We pay real money not silly paragon points to play this game.. Compensation of some kind would be most welcome please. |
Expanded server hardware that can handle more players is of no benefit to paying customers? Do you *really* believe that? That once the "shakedown" of the new hardware is done and we can deal with less lag, etc. will be of zero benefit?
The hardware upgrades will benefit *everybody.*
You mention increased server loads. Now stop and think... just *why* would they, maybe, possibly, have decided to upgrade hardware? Perhaps, just maybe, to *handle* those increased server loads?
Nah, crazy thought.
Go ahead and complain. Like I said earlier, I'm missing time, too - this *is* my "prime time." But think about what they're doing, and what they've BEEN doing, and what might be involved before saying much of what's been said in this thread. This is not a fast job - servers never are. And, like it or not, it *is* better for them to do this sort of thing in stages. Frustrating for us when inter-hardware communication glitches, or hardware itself has an issue, causing lag and other server downtime, absolutely - but three months from now, nobody will even remember this.
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No, they aren't. |
Originally Posted by Gemini_2099
My company has good track record when it comes to customer service because the customer is always right.
|
If your customer came up and said "I deserve everything you make, free," are they right? Do you just hand over the keys to the warehouse and rent a truck for them?
Or are they... oh... *not right?*
Extreme example, but if the customer was "always right," that's what you'd do - and you'd then be out of business in a month.
Perspective: Customer is always right.
