FREE Character Transfers are Coming!

[Leggomy]

Transferring everyone off of low-pop servers and shutting them down is NOT a merge, people! This is important because when James Ohlen said there would be NO merges, he's talking about the convoluted, buggy process of merging the economy, loot tables, software and complete environment of two servers together. THAT'S a merge.

 

What BioWare will likely do is close some low-pop servers. That's a TRANSFER.

 

So if you dont want to leave then what? They force you to move? Or do they ask you to unsubscribe?

[Timesjoke]

Transferring everyone off of low-pop servers and shutting them down is NOT a merge, people! This is important because when James Ohlen said there would be NO merges, he's talking about the convoluted, buggy process of merging the economy, loot tables, software and complete environment of two servers together. THAT'S a merge.

 

What BioWare will likely do is close some low-pop servers. That's a TRANSFER.

 

And again here you are playing semantics and talking in circles, why do you spend all day long trying to squash other people's valid concerns? We all pay for this product right? Why can't we voice our concerns without you jumping all over us?

 

 

A merge in rational and logical terms means to combine people from lower populated servers into one bigger. more populated server, the significant different between a merge and a transfer is with a merge we get to keep things like guilds while those are disbanded if we transfer.

 

 

I asked you a direct question that I see you dodged, why not a merge? Who knows better what the active population numbers are than BW? Who knows best how many more people can fit on another server than BW?

 

We need leadership, not chaos to control the flow of people off of dead servers and onto better ones. How does a single person know what server to move to? What if we just swap all over the place and it all stays the same?

 

 

If we need to get to a specific place, then we need those with the most knowledge of the destination (healthy populations) to lead us to that goal using their greater knowledge of what the numbers are and where they need to be, this is only possible if they directly do merges.

[Zolimox]

I'm pretty irritated. Love the game but they refuse to address this problem. This was single biggest fear I had before they launched. I do NOT understand how they could not have seen this coming.... i mean, seriously, its BIOWARE. One of the premier game developers! And they are OK with dead servers?? Or do they think 15 people on the fleet at primetime is "massive".

[JeramieCrowe]

And again here you are playing semantics and talking in circles, why do you spend all day long trying to squash other people's valid concerns? We all pay for this product right? Why can't we voice our concerns without you jumping all over us?

 

Look, it's simple, really. It's no longer a "semantics game" if people are nerd-raging because James Ohlen said "NO MERGES" because the people are using the term incorrectly and misunderstanding JO. Blame the ones raging over nothing, not me.

 

Also, I have said ad nauseum, in TEXT even, that the sharp decrease in concurrent playtimes IS a valid concern. I even stated that the fact that subs are not increasing is ALSO A VALID CONCERN. <-- Read that a few times, mkay?

 

A merge in rational and logical terms means to combine people from lower populated servers into one bigger. more populated server, the significant different between a merge and a transfer is with a merge we get to keep things like guilds while those are disbanded if we transfer.

 

If BioWare can create guilds an keep them together before the game even launched, and transferring them onto servers at launch, I think they can manage keeping guilds together for a transfer.

 

I asked you a direct question that I see you dodged, why not a merge? Who knows better what the active population numbers are than BW? Who knows best how many more people can fit on another server than BW?

 

How is a direct answer a dodge? I'll try to spell it out for you, then: Question: Why not a merge? ANSWER (this is the answer to your question, read carefully, now): Because an actual server merge, where two server clusters are actually MERGED, i.e. economy is merged, loot tables are merged, software is merged, and two separate, completely different SERVER ENVIRONMENTS are merged into one is convoluted, buggy at best, usually results in both servers being unplayable for most people at worst, and accomplishes the same thing as a server transfer/shut-down without all the moving parts.

 

Capice? Do I need to type that all out again?

 

We need leadership, not chaos to control the flow of people off of dead servers and onto better ones. How does a single person know what server to move to? What if we just swap all over the place and it all stays the same?

 

That's why game developers have seen the wisdom in transfer/shut-downs over merges. Because merges have typically resulted in chaos. The proof is in the MMO pudding, bud. I went through it myself several years ago, a few times, and each time was extremely painful. In contrast, the transfer/shut-downs that RIFT did last year was painless, fast, and incredibly successful.

 

If we need to get to a specific place, then we need those with the most knowledge of the destination (healthy populations) to lead us to that goal using their greater knowledge of what the numbers are and where they need to be, this is only possible if they directly do merges.

 

No, it's not. *facepalm* They offer transfers to several servers that will work, which gives the player more choice without penalizing their decision. Again, you're posts are flying in the face of something THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PROVEN.

[JeramieCrowe]

I'm pretty irritated. Love the game but they refuse to address this problem. This was single biggest fear I had before they launched. I do NOT understand how they could not have seen this coming.... i mean, seriously, its BIOWARE. One of the premier game developers! And they are OK with dead servers?? Or do they think 15 people on the fleet at primetime is "massive".

 

How is "FREE character transfers are coming ASAP, and is our TOP PRIORITY!" in any way, shape, or form, "refusing to address the problem"?

[JeramieCrowe]

So if you dont want to leave then what? They force you to move? Or do they ask you to unsubscribe?

 

I'll look into RIFT's transfers and see if that situation actually came up. I, personally, can't see someone insisting on being the only one on a server, but anything's possible. Just look at the posts in this thread...

[JeramieCrowe]

Hmm... interesting:

 

“Although the Internet loves to pronounce the doom of all things, what we’re seeing is a huge increase in activity with [update] 1.2 as people return to see all of the new content,” said Erickson. “The community has generally been excited about the direction the game is going as we finish up our last must-have quality of life features (group finder, etc) and can start concentrating full-time on creative things like the world events.”

 

Article today here.

[Timesjoke]

Look, it's simple, really. It's no longer a "semantics game" if people are nerd-raging because James Ohlen said "NO MERGES" because the people are using the term incorrectly and misunderstanding JO. Blame the ones raging over nothing, not me.

 

Funny, you are the only one spamming his name. The official line changes on things like merges and grouping tools all the time in games, his comment only seems important to you.

 

Also, I have said ad nauseum, in TEXT even, that the sharp decrease in concurrent playtimes IS a valid concern. I even stated that the fact that subs are not increasing is ALSO A VALID CONCERN. <-- Read that a few times, mkay?

 

Sure you like to try and toos around a lot of words to make yourself sound important but you are not an official source and cannot offfer a single linkable fact that the issues are concurrent or anything else, all you do is spend the entire day here on the forum blasting other people and playing word games but if this game has no problems, why are you here? Why are you spending at least 12 hours of your day spamming the forums and not playing the game?

 

 

If BioWare can create guilds an keep them together before the game even launched, and transferring them onto servers at launch, I think they can manage keeping guilds together for a transfer.

 

I am sure they can, and that would require a mass transfer, otherwise known as a merge........the only thing we have officially from them is thewy will allow single voluntary transfers, not guild transfers of anything else so until they actually say it will happen, it won't so this is why we are concerned and voicing that concern while you do everything you can to try and silence opinions you do not like.

 

 

How is a direct answer a dodge? I'll try to spell it out for you, then: Question: Why not a merge? ANSWER (this is the answer to your question, read carefully, now): Because an actual server merge, where two server clusters are actually MERGED, i.e. economy is merged, loot tables are merged, software is merged, and two separate, completely different SERVER ENVIRONMENTS are merged into one is convoluted, buggy at best, usually results in both servers being unplayable for most people at worst, and accomplishes the same thing as a server transfer/shut-down without all the moving parts.

 

Capice? Do I need to type that all out again?

 

Lots of half truths but no answer, so a dodge.

 

Everythin g in the game is exactly the same from server to server. Are you trying to claim there are loot tables that change between one pve server to the next? Everything you try to say is an obsticle is in fact non-existent. The only thing that will cause them any time to work out is where people share the same names for things and that will only require a forced renaming at login.....done.

 

 

That's why game developers have seen the wisdom in transfer/shut-downs over merges. Because merges have typically resulted in chaos. The proof is in the MMO pudding, bud. I went through it myself several years ago, a few times, and each time was extremely painful. In contrast, the transfer/shut-downs that RIFT did last year was painless, fast, and incredibly successful.

 

If there is any chaos it is not caused by the game environment but instead by bad coding. I have never seen a merge cause the kind of all destructive issues you claim will happen. I have been involved in even operating my own private servers for various mmo's so I know what I speak of.

 

 

No, it's not. *facepalm* They offer transfers to several servers that will work, which gives the player more choice without penalizing their decision. Again, you're posts are flying in the face of something THAT'S ALREADY BEEN PROVEN.

Your posts are pure propaganda, the free transfers as stated so far on the official line is the complete loss of all guilds for example, until they officially say otherwise, that is the facts.

 

Only BW knows the best numbers for balance, and only they should control and lead the reforming of the servers, not leave it up to chance and guesswork of individual players who have no idea if they are picking a good server to move to or not.

 

If the move still has them on an inactive server after the dist settles.....then what mr yes man?

 

 

 

How about you stop trying to pretend to be a BW officiial and stop trying to bash people with valid concerns?

[Leggomy]

Hmm... interesting:

 

“Although the Internet loves to pronounce the doom of all things, what we’re seeing is a huge increase in activity with [update] 1.2 as people return to see all of the new content,” said Erickson. “The community has generally been excited about the direction the game is going as we finish up our last must-have quality of life features (group finder, etc) and can start concentrating full-time on creative things like the world events.”

 

Article today here.

 

Haha man I love these guys I am so happy they arent falling for the hype.

[JeramieCrowe]

How about you stop trying to pretend to be a BW officiial and stop trying to bash people with valid concerns?

 

Point out where I "bash"? You can't? Then lay off...

 

Only BW knows the best numbers for balance, and only they should control and lead the reforming of the servers, not leave it up to chance and guesswork of individual players who have no idea if they are picking a good server to move to or not.

 

Oh, so you agree with me? I don't see what you're problem is, then. Except lack of reading comprehension...

 

Also, I'm playing right now. I like to alt-tab out every 20 minutes or so.

Edited May 2, 2012 by JeramieCrowe

[Leggomy]

I think at this point you guys should just agree you wont ever agree and leave it at that.

[Arunas]

How is "FREE character transfers are coming ASAP, and is our TOP PRIORITY!" in any way, shape, or form, "refusing to address the problem"?

 

2 months is not ASAP.

 

Tell that to people in this situation.

[Toxxo]

2 months is not ASAP.

 

Tell that to people in this situation.

 

that doesn't prove anything. that could be posted by a european on a yank server at 4am in the states.

[JeramieCrowe]

2 months is not ASAP.

 

Tell that to people in this situation.

 

I know, that's gotta be frustrating. 2 days doesn't seem soon enough. But they are working to get it to us ASAP, which means "as soon as POSSIBLE". "Possible" being the operative word.

Edited May 2, 2012 by JeramieCrowe

[Sanxxx]

Hmm... interesting:

 

“Although the Internet loves to pronounce the doom of all things, what we’re seeing is a huge increase in activity with [update] 1.2 as people return to see all of the new content,” said Erickson. “The community has generally been excited about the direction the game is going as we finish up our last must-have quality of life features (group finder, etc) and can start concentrating full-time on creative things like the world events.”

 

Article today here.

 

Let's be purposefully picky.

 

The 1.2 activity increase looks to have lasted 10 or so days if you reference TorStatus.

How is community excitement gauged ? (outside of forums)

We know group finder is coming, so just what is 'etc' ?

[JeramieCrowe]

Let's be purposefully picky.

 

The 1.2 activity increase looks to have lasted 10 or so days if you reference TorStatus.

How is community excitement gauged ? (outside of forums)

We know group finder is coming, so just what is 'etc' ?

 

Yep. Only BioWare knows. They have much more concise data than anyone, including TORstatus.

[Lopok]

The thing that gets me is how so many people can just overlook the fact that transfers are already in the game. To say there not is just blindness. They did it for the apacs. Now yes i understand that it needs to be scaled and modified to roll on all servers.

 

But the base system is infact there, And i gaurantee it isnt that big a step to take that base system and mod into open useage.

 

The real reason they dont already have it moded and released is because they know that once it is they will have to either merge or close some servers. As they are ghost towns now. So when the few remaining people on them servers can transfer they will go from ghost towns to pergatorys.

 

And closing or merging will be viewed as game decline. It will give the company a percieved black eye. But once it settles down and the ones needing transfers move it will begin to increase again as people will be alot happier and more active. Since they will have more people to actualy play with.

 

They need to stop with the half truths and soons and maybe and just get it done so the game can recover grow and move on.

 

Better for them to take a black eye and win the fight, Than to keep dancing around and slowly get beat down to a point they cant get up from.

 

I actually agree 100% with this. the fact is, that there are actually more important things to a company that JUST its player base. there investors and always more people to answer to. so perhaps a perceived black eye might cause them some financial embarrassment, but certainly, like all things, when the market DOES improve (it ALWAYS improves - financially, of course) the company will be a stronger entity indeed. plus, it'd make us a happier community. Win-win i say!!

[Griso]

that doesn't prove anything. that could be posted by a european on a yank server at 4am in the states.

 

Unfortunately not, feel free to check yourself, but it's a quite common situation recently, at least in most EU servers.

[Woetoo]

Unfortunately not, feel free to check yourself, but it's a quite common situation recently, at least in most EU servers.

"Check yourself" would be easier to do if you threw in a couple of server names.

 

Got any suggestions of server that are as bad as some people (seemingly including yourself) are saying ?

Because I for one would like to check myself, albeit without checking all 91 european servers across both factions (thought I think we can probably cross "Tomb of Freedon Nadd" and "The Jedi Tower" off the list - since I can already see both are listed as heavy right now this minute.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Woetoo

[Torcer]

Transferring everyone off of low-pop servers and shutting them down is NOT a merge, people! This is important because when James Ohlen said there would be NO merges, he's talking about the convoluted, buggy process of merging the economy, loot tables, software and complete environment of two servers together. THAT'S a merge.

 

What BioWare will likely do is close some low-pop servers. That's a TRANSFER.

 

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin Captain Semantic?

[JeramieCrowe]

How many angels can dance on the head of a pin Captain Semantic?

 

Tell that to the people raging on this forum that James Ohlen said "NO MERGES" because they don't know the meaning of the word.

 

*shrugs*

 

Far be it for me help people understand what he meant. Help people out, and I get called names...

[Griso]

"Check yourself" would be easier to do if you threw in a couple of server names.

 

Got any suggestions of server that are as bad as some people (seemingly including yourself) are saying ?

Because I for one would like to check myself, albeit without checking all 91 european servers across both factions (thought I think we can probably cross "Tomb of Freedon Nadd" and "The Jedi Tower" off the list - since I can already see both are listed as heavy right now this minute.

 

The whole point is that the vast majority of the EU server are affected by the problems we're discussing here... Hence just pick any 'light' popuplated server in EU. The fact is that when we picked our server at game release it was floating between normal to heavy, now its like a desert. Our guild is on Tyrus Academy.

 

Btw I pay these guys to play a MMO and so far, apart the guild mates, its even hard to arrange an HM. It seems you feel like we're all whiners here... Just tell us the truth, are you a EA/BW emplee undercover right? Ehehe

Edited May 2, 2012 by Griso

[Sanxxx]

"Check yourself" would be easier to do if you threw in a couple of server names.

 

Got any suggestions of server that are as bad as some people (seemingly including yourself) are saying ?

Because I for one would like to check myself, albeit without checking all 91 european servers across both factions (thought I think we can probably cross "Tomb of Freedon Nadd" and "The Jedi Tower" off the list - since I can already see both are listed as heavy right now this minute.

 

Using TorStatus I would suggest Kai-Kan and Senator Contispex, try them out and report back.

 

EDit: Did it myself on SC, 22 total on the Imp side at 6.15pm

Edited May 2, 2012 by Sanxxx

[Helistin]

"Check yourself" would be easier to do if you threw in a couple of server names.

 

Got any suggestions of server that are as bad as some people (seemingly including yourself) are saying ?

Because I for one would like to check myself, albeit without checking all 91 european servers across both factions (thought I think we can probably cross "Tomb of Freedon Nadd" and "The Jedi Tower" off the list - since I can already see both are listed as heavy right now this minute.

 

Come check out Ula Wii, 38 people on the empire side total online, at 7pm cet prime time playing time. Rep side is even worse.No warzones for me today either since not enough people i guess

What's sad is there are even worse servers.

Edited May 2, 2012 by Helistin

[Quilland]

ACK!! No thanks! Do you know how buggy and non-playable it would be to merge servers? No, transferring people off of low-pops and closing them down is good enough, and works great. (Which is NOT a merge. It is a transfer...)

 

Six of one, half dozen of the other. Call it what you want its effectively the same thing in the end. The characters on the low population servers are now on a higher population server that actual has a viable number of players to fit the definition of 'Multiplayer' in MMO.

 

However, we are not hearing that from Bioware. We had a post that reached the limit with no response from Bioware. Just an automated message closing the thread and opening a new one. In point of fact they have not posted anything about transfers on their official forum, only on their Blog. It was posted on the forum by a player.

 

I feel like I'm playing a single player game. What the heck am I paying a subscription for?