servers Consolidate Shards

[honoroit]

culture forms in about 5 minutes.

 

cataclysmic allopatric speciation event. shard no longer exists. deal with it, kupo.

 

Edited August 8 by honoroit

[Crystal Dragon]

I get the feeling you really don't understand what I'm saying, so let me reiterate.

• You are on one of the most populated server shards.
• You complain that you can't find teams, or anything of the such. (Hm, maybe that's a personal issue that needs working on there.)
• You complain that the smaller servers are still active even with a small population. (Hm, sounds like a difference of preference and play styles collecting there.)
• You "think" that merging the servers is a solution, except it's not. It's difficult to do because of the infrastructure age and design of the game internal systems itself. But that's not to forget the details on how these server shards have their own particular culture and play style majorities housed.
• You seem to be a PVP preferential player, as well as PVE content player, so why not do the shard hop to see what the other server populations have to offer instead of staying on a server that clearly isn't meeting your needs? When I said this was a YOU problem, it literally is just that.
• FORCING a server merger on the populations housed on each of the servers is only going to disrupt, piss off, and uproot players that clearly enjoy the shards they are on.
• So, maybe you should do the simple job and work on the YOU issue first before proposing something as insane and widespread effecting as a server merger.

[shortguy on indom]

49 minutes ago, Bionic_Flea said:

 

• BE THE CHANGE YOU WANT TO SEE!
  • START A NEW SHARD
  • USE WHATEVER SETTINGS YOU WANT
  • SEE HOW MANY PEOPLE WILL JOIN
• YOU COULD SET AS MANY DIFFERENT SHARDS AS YOU LIKE, EACH WITH UNIQUE FLAVORS!!
• YOU COULD BE THE SAVIOR OF THE GAME AS THE ULTIMATE CONTINGENCY PLANNER

• OK SURE, GIVE ME ONE OF THOSE COMBS OVER THERE AND... A BOTTLE OF OLD HARPER.

[GM_GooglyMoogly]

Once again, please refrain from political topics.  I know it's all the rage on social media and regular media, but it's not a topic of discussion for this forum.

 

For those that quoted something hidden, sorry - those get hidden too, even if your non-quoted stuff was non-political.  Please repost without the quote, if you like.

 

Those political posts were also off topic; people were talking about server mergers.  To my knowledge, no merging is being considered by the powers-that-be.  If and when that ever changes, we will let you know with plenty of advance notice.

Edited August 12 by GM_GooglyMoogly

[Rudra]

Okay, re-posting this without quotes in case it helps clarify for those that didn't have a chance to read it yet.

 

Evaluating merging servers on Homecoming:

Excelsior is the most populated server. During the times I play, Excelsior is almost always at 3 red dots for server status. That means the server is under heavy load. It may even be near its full capacity. Everlasting is at a solid 2 green dots for server status. That means the server is under a moderate or strong load. At the same time, other servers are showing as 2 green dots. If the servers were to be merged, especially if the two most populous servers were to be merged, then the server's capacity would be exceeded. What this means is that the server will hit full capacity and any players beyond that capacity will not be allowed to log on until someone already on exits the game. That leads to game queues. And from experience, those queues can run up to an hour. (Sometimes even longer.) And while the server is chugging along at its max capacity, it is under a lot of strain. This can cause the server to overheat and shut down, ejecting everyone from the game until the server can be brought back up. And even if the server does not dump everyone for all the stress it is under, if your computer, or your internet connection, or the game itself causes you to drop from the game? You are stuck going back into the queue to be able to play again. So good luck rejoining your team or finishing that timed mission you were on before it fails.

 

That is the main issue with the merge the servers proposal. That is why games like City of Heroes/Villains maintain multiple servers. And that is why games make new servers and provide incentives to players to migrate to those new servers as the game population grows.

[lemming]

What's fun is, we're getting a new shard at some point, Victory.

[honoroit]

is it an always-on pvp shard? what's it for?

[lemming]

29 minutes ago, honoroit said:

is it an always-on pvp shard? what's it for?

Victory is a server that has been run by @Michiyo that is being brought into the HC family.   There's stuff about it on a few other spots on the forum.

 

I don't know what their culture is, but I strongly suspect it will run the same code as the rest of HC.

[shortguy on indom]

1 hour ago, Rudra said:

Okay, re-posting this without quotes in case it helps clarify for those that didn't have a chance to read it yet.

 

Evaluating merging servers on Homecoming:

Excelsior is the most populated server. During the times I play, Excelsior is almost always at 3 red dots for server status. That means the server is under heavy load. It may even be near its full capacity. Everlasting is at a solid 2 green dots for server status. That means the server is under a moderate or strong load. At the same time, other servers are showing as 2 green dots. If the servers were to be merged, especially if the two most populous servers were to be merged, then the server's capacity would be exceeded. What this means is that the server will hit full capacity and any players beyond that capacity will not be allowed to log on until someone already on exits the game. That leads to game queues. And from experience, those queues can run up to an hour. (Sometimes even longer.) And while the server is chugging along at its max capacity, it is under a lot of strain. This can cause the server to overheat and shut down, ejecting everyone from the game until the server can be brought back up. And even if the server does not dump everyone for all the stress it is under, if your computer, or your internet connection, or the game itself causes you to drop from the game? You are stuck going back into the queue to be able to play again. So good luck rejoining your team or finishing that timed mission you were on before it fails.

 

That is the main issue with the merge the servers proposal. That is why games like City of Heroes/Villains maintain multiple servers. And that is why games make new servers and provide incentives to players to migrate to those new servers as the game population grows.

• WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE FOR THIS INFORMATION?

[Rudra]

1 minute ago, shortguy on indom said:

1 hour ago, Rudra said:

Okay, re-posting this without quotes in case it helps clarify for those that didn't have a chance to read it yet.

 

Evaluating merging servers on Homecoming:

Excelsior is the most populated server. During the times I play, Excelsior is almost always at 3 red dots for server status. That means the server is under heavy load. It may even be near its full capacity. Everlasting is at a solid 2 green dots for server status. That means the server is under a moderate or strong load. At the same time, other servers are showing as 2 green dots. If the servers were to be merged, especially if the two most populous servers were to be merged, then the server's capacity would be exceeded. What this means is that the server will hit full capacity and any players beyond that capacity will not be allowed to log on until someone already on exits the game. That leads to game queues. And from experience, those queues can run up to an hour. (Sometimes even longer.) And while the server is chugging along at its max capacity, it is under a lot of strain. This can cause the server to overheat and shut down, ejecting everyone from the game until the server can be brought back up. And even if the server does not dump everyone for all the stress it is under, if your computer, or your internet connection, or the game itself causes you to drop from the game? You are stuck going back into the queue to be able to play again. So good luck rejoining your team or finishing that timed mission you were on before it fails.

 

That is the main issue with the merge the servers proposal. That is why games like City of Heroes/Villains maintain multiple servers. And that is why games make new servers and provide incentives to players to migrate to those new servers as the game population grows.

Expand  

• WHAT IS YOUR SOURCE FOR THIS INFORMATION?

For the server status? The Select A Server screen when you log into the game. That shows whether the servers are up and provides the dots showing current load.

 

For what would happen if the servers were merged into a single server? My experiences from games that only had 1 server or didn't have enough servers for their game population.

[shortguy on indom]

• THOUGHT THE SERVERS WERE INSTANCED AND VIRTUAL... LOAD BALANCED SO IF MORE PEEPS THAN ZONE CAN HOLD WOULD SPAWN ATLAS2, ATLAS3 ETC.?
• HAS THIS BEEN CHANGED? 

[Rudra]

Just now, shortguy on indom said:

• THOUGHT THE SERVERS WERE INSTANCED AND VIRTUAL... LOAD BALANCED SO IF MORE PEEPS THAN ZONE CAN HOLD WOULD SPAWN ATLAS2, ATLAS3 ETC.?
• HAS THIS BEEN CHANGED? 

Depends on what you mean by instanced. Each server is isolated from the other servers. Except for the AH which apparently goes through some very interesting hoops to work across all the servers. Each zone on each server is basically its own instance. With mission instances themselves being separate from those.

[shortguy on indom]

• DO LUV THESE FAKE SEED THREADS.  A DOG WILL HUNT.

[honoroit]

^ literally the first *confused* reaction I've used on these forums.

 

I agree with shard consolidation tho.

 

It's time, kupo. 

 

You'd all have a nice damned time. Won't even hurt or nuthin'.

 

[TygerDarkstorm]

5 hours ago, Rudra said:

For the server status? The Select A Server screen when you log into the game. That shows whether the servers are up and provides the dots showing current load.

 

For what would happen if the servers were merged into a single server? My experiences from games that only had 1 server or didn't have enough servers for their game population.

To expand upon this: Look how many servers WoW has--they *still* have issues with people waiting in queues to log into the more popular servers (saying this as in it doesn't only happen with games who don't have enough servers or merge too many of them). I'm not sure why this is something we'd want to encourage.

 

More options for folks is always better. As an Everlasting player, I do not want to be forced to have to merge into Excelsior. And I know many of the Indom folks are there specifically because they *want* to be on a low pop server.

 

To further reiterate one of your earlier points, Rudra: Why are the people who already play on Excelsior and thus have the higher server population whining and requiring those of us who don't want to play there to be forced to? Why are the reasons given for why we don't want to not good enough? Having more options for shards to play on is better. I strongly suspect that some of the proponents for this request are just trolling at this point.

[honoroit]

Not trolling at all, I for one just miss critical mass cosplay contest in AP on the regular...

 

...and people talking in channels...

 

I've given up on red side ever being populated (unless they did a 'your locked and can't null-the-gull alignment change, but get QUAD XP')

[Lunar Ronin]

2 hours ago, honoroit said:

Not trolling at all, I for one just miss critical mass cosplay contest in AP on the regular...

 

...and people talking in channels...

 

I've given up on red side ever being populated (unless they did a 'your locked and can't null-the-gull alignment change, but get QUAD XP')

 

People talking in in-game channels hasn't been a thing in any MMORPG since Discord became popular.  You could have 10,000 people on a shard, and most in-game channels would be as quiet as a church mouse.  Just is what it is.

Edited August 9 by Lunar Ronin

[honoroit]

25 minutes ago, Lunar Ronin said:

 

People talking in in-game channels hasn't been a thing in any MMORPG since Discord became popular.  You could have 10,000 people on a shard, and most in-game channels would be as quiet as a church mouse.  Just is what it is.

 

sort of, not really.  the discord posts a few messages a minute at most in channels, and resembles the forums for content in AT rooms.

[Triumphant]

Quote

To my knowledge, no merging is being considered by the powers-that-be.  If and when that ever changes, we will let you know with plenty of advance notice.

Well, I think that pretty much settles that.

[BurtHutt]

On 8/5/2024 at 11:15 PM, lordporkbone said:

Just wondering if anyone would be interested in consolidating shards so only the two most popular ones Excelsior and Everlasting remain. Increasing population would be hugely beneficial for being able to complete certain raid type content on a regular basis.

 

Of course, the sacrifice would likely be toon names but overall the benefits outweigh the sacrifice by several orders of magnitude.

I am sure OP will be so happy when they add another shard!

 

Also, I haven't gone through the replies but what would OP do if there is another influx of players. When HC announced licensing and it became more public, HC got busy. Overall, it wasn't a lot of players relatively speaking but you did have to Q up to get into busy servers. I think a lot of those players are gone. They came, got their dose of nostalgia and left. 

 

I really think the dev team needs to add new and unique content. Otherwise it feels pretty much like the same game that shut down in 2012. Right now you see the player numbers are back to the usual which isn't that busy. OP does have some merit in what he is saying but I wouldn't shut down shard. After Victory gets added, I really wouldn't even think about adding a shard...maybe ever.

 

I am hoping Victory also adds some Devs that can make costume pieces and add some fresh new ideas. Props to the HC Devs for trying something new with the Labyrinth. I am not enjoying it so far but that maybe change with more experience.

[arcane]

5 minutes ago, BurtHutt said:

 

 

I really think the dev team needs to add new and unique content.

Did ya catch the new patch?

[BurtHutt]

20 minutes ago, arcane said:

Did ya catch the new patch?

Yup. Sure did. I like the Marine set. Fun for sure. The Labyrinth is not great so far but I have to give it more chances. I am not writing it off at this point. The story/mission arc is not good. I have also been around for the previous patches where the content was not enjoyable. Poorly designed missions, SFs, the same old factions. I am playing a game, not reading a book or comic. Game play is priority for me, not reading new stories in what looks like the same old stuff. In a lot of these missions you can't even read the entire story because you don't have access if you're not team lead. Some of them there is just WAY TOO MUCH text for a game. 

 

HC, props for trying something new in the new update! 

[Jiro Ito]

On 8/5/2024 at 11:15 PM, lordporkbone said:

Just wondering if anyone would be interested in consolidating shards so only the two most popular ones Excelsior and Everlasting remain. Increasing population would be hugely beneficial for being able to complete certain raid type content on a regular basis.

 

Of course, the sacrifice would likely be toon names but overall the benefits outweigh the sacrifice by several orders of magnitude.

 

Absolutely not.  If I wanted the large server experience, I'd play on a large server.  I know where they are.

 

 

On 8/6/2024 at 10:26 AM, Apogee said:

 

And yet, I would still stop playing if I lost my names, as would others.  People play on the less populated servers for a reason.  Your suggestion would simply drive those players away from the game altogether, resulting in no benefit for the effort.

 

This ^

[WanderingAries]

On 8/6/2024 at 6:48 AM, Luminara said:

Trying to force people to play with you by deleting their names, wiping out their bases, uprooting established sub-communities and imposing long queues during primetime play hours probably won't have the outcome you desire.

 

This, it would be a nightmare and some people just like a quiet server sometimes.

[Troo]

On 8/8/2024 at 10:34 AM, Luminara said:

 

 

you miss spelled 'Merica sweet cheeks.

 

@lordporkbone you could try suggesting closing Excelsior and Everlasting to merge them onto Indomitable or Torchbearer. If that sounds like a bad idea, you might have your answer.