FREE Character Transfers are Coming!

[JeramieCrowe]

I feel for you guys. Right now on Fleet there are 117 in the second instance. Yes, Fleet right now has instanced itself. So, the population to share is here...just need to hurry up and share 'em, BioWare! And cull the number of servers, of course. Edited May 3, 2012 by JeramieCrowe

[Emrill]

Actually it was James Ohlen who said "No merges". But that's not the same as a transfer/shut-down.

There is always a chance Bioware's position changes. Only time will tell. As they work through the transfer they have planned they may find it would be easier and less buggy to just move all the characters automatically instead of giving players a choice of destination. We won't know until their plan is fully announced and implemented.

[Soullessone]

They need to just do the transfers now. My server is getting deader and deader by the day. I play on anchorhead, when 1.2 came out the population started going back up 105 was the highest i had seen on fleet since Feb. Now it has dropped to maybe 50 or less, sometimes not even breaking 40 players. I still can't find groups for crap. Oh well by June I am gone. Do not get me wrong I do like this game but when you have hardly anyone to group with and a dead guild, it kind of makes it pointless to even log in.

[Zolimox]

There is always a chance Bioware's position changes. Only time will tell. As they work through the transfer they have planned they may find it would be easier and less buggy to just move all the characters automatically instead of giving players a choice of destination. We won't know until their plan is fully announced and implemented.

 

Don't worry, they'll announce it by "early summer" !

[Raideag]

To continue from this other post: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=441194&highlight=lfg+tool

 

I don't need a Transfer I need a LFG Tool for FP and Operations that actually works. Our server Juyo is pretty populated and for the person that said it isn't a social server it isn't that. It's because most of the people won't do FP or OP's unless your in their guild or in their special click. Yes I'm already in a guild but that doesn't help matters when yesterday most of the people had the day off and were playing yet couldn't even get a small FP group togethor like they promised. Because they went to go help some other guild on a Denova 8 man OP and left the rest of us hanging.

 

Basically I logged off in frustration like I do every other day after waiting 4 hours on fleet with no one to do the Daily FP's with. In a blue moon once a month our guild actually all comes online to actually do something. Frankly once a month just doesn't cut it for me.

[Valkirus]

The free transfers is not going to work like some think it will. You will be able to transfer from a high pop one to a low pop one. Not the other way around. The paid transfers however will allow you to pick a server and will not be restricted as much as the free transfers. I would'nt get too excited over it. And no way in h*** I am paying for a transfer.

[JeramieCrowe]

The free transfers is not going to work like some think it will. You will be able to transfer from a high pop one to a low pop one. Not the other way around. The paid transfers however will allow you to pick a server and will not be restricted as much as the free transfers. I would'nt get too excited over it. And no way in h*** I am paying for a transfer.

 

Source? Otherwise your spreading assumption and conjecture as fact...

[JeramieCrowe]

To continue from this other post: http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=441194&highlight=lfg+tool

 

I don't need a Transfer I need a LFG Tool for FP and Operations that actually works. Our server Juyo is pretty populated and for the person that said it isn't a social server it isn't that. It's because most of the people won't do FP or OP's unless your in their guild or in their special click. Yes I'm already in a guild but that doesn't help matters when yesterday most of the people had the day off and were playing yet couldn't even get a small FP group togethor like they promised. Because they went to go help some other guild on a Denova 8 man OP and left the rest of us hanging.

 

Basically I logged off in frustration like I do every other day after waiting 4 hours on fleet with no one to do the Daily FP's with. In a blue moon once a month our guild actually all comes online to actually do something. Frankly once a month just doesn't cut it for me.

 

It is true that more and more people are becoming disillusioned with PuGing. I really hope the upcoming LFG tool helps you with that.

[islander]

But srsly i want free time until server transfers are out. Today Logged on and if all the 50's grouped up we would still need one more person to form an ops group. thats assuming six dps and one tank is an optimal raid comp

 

Time is free until May 24th, I think. There's a reason they did this free month promotion. Especially coming from EA, it's surprisingly forward thinking.

 

Can always unsub for a couple weeks after that if it really bugs you though.

[islander]

The free transfers is not going to work like some think it will. You will be able to transfer from a high pop one to a low pop one. Not the other way around. The paid transfers however will allow you to pick a server and will not be restricted as much as the free transfers. I would'nt get too excited over it. And no way in h*** I am paying for a transfer.

 

You are probably right.

 

The caveat I'd add is this: They are probably doing this intelligently. The thought is setting up the transfer system to effectively be a server merge.

 

Think about it. If we got server merges, we wouldnt be merged into a healthy server.

 

They might just take two servers that are light, say X and Y servers, and offer free transfers into standard server T.

This ramps up T from standard to heavy, maybe evern very heavy, and everyone wins.

 

The idea that we'd be able to jump onto a top 2-3 pop server is absolute foolishness.

[Leggomy]

You are probably right.

 

The caveat I'd add is this: They are probably doing this intelligently. The thought is setting up the transfer system to effectively be a server merge.

 

Think about it. If we got server merges, we wouldnt be merged into a healthy server.

 

They might just take two servers that are light, say X and Y servers, and offer free transfers into standard server T.

This ramps up T from standard to heavy, maybe evern very heavy, and everyone wins.

 

The idea that we'd be able to jump onto a top 2-3 pop server is absolute foolishness.

 

I dont want to be on a heavy or very heavy server tho. If I did I would have rolled on one. So its not a win for me.

[Timesjoke]

Seems like captain semantics is also captain dodge as well, I went line by line and ripped apart your false clains and you avoid that and turn to trying to change the subject.....so typical of an 'yes man'.

 

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

 

You do it all the time, you call people stupid if they do not blindly accept the garbage you speak, take the last part of this comment I am quoting, you pretend we agree (but we do not) and you claim any claim we don't agree is from a lack of understanding how to read. I will point out the difference in what we are saying below your attack on me calling me stupid, but if you look back on most of the posts you make on the forum it is all about kissing up to BW and calling people names and implying they are stupid or uninformed if they voice their issues with things.

 

 

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

 

I'm sorry, you don't get away with that little trick.

 

My main point made over and over again (maybe it is not me who does not understand what is written) is very clear, based on what has been said and without inserting false things not said by BW, we will get a free transfer under certain restrictions. That means all guilds are lost. This also means that they will leave it up to individual players to try and fumble around and pick a server without any idea where they are going or if their situation will be made better ot not.

 

 

Being as you are having so much difficulty understanding why this is bad, let me offer you a real example, I play mostly during the day, my RL does not have room for evening play. How do I know what servers will have enough daytime activity for me to find groups?

 

Only BW knows what time of day each account plays, only BW knows the exact numbers for every server and only BW can use their information to perfectly balance every server to get the maximum number of players over the most wide ranges of time on each of the servers they end up with.

 

By the way, why is there all this talk about having too many people on a server? You have any idea how many people are on 1 server playing WoW? During the middle of the day there are hundreds of people in each of the major cities and at night we have thousands on good evenings, is there some reason BW can't use the same technology WoW uses?

 

 

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

 

If the game is great with no problems and populations so perfect you can run operations or anything else you want to do all day long how could you tear yourself away from all that fun to come here and attack people all day long?

 

 

We are here to voice our valid concerns with things, if you have no concerns why are you here? Go enjoy the game and let us have thei right to be heard without 'yes men' like you getting in the way.

 

 

 

*************************************

 

One more point I think you fail to understand,

 

You ever hear of companies dropping vague ideas and rumors on purpose just to see how a community responds? Many times a company (or even a politician) can be on the fence on how they want to address a issue and so they intentionally release half formed ideas to see where the commentary goes to help them make up their minds.

 

 

Mergers do not have any of the problems you try to claim they have, even I maintained 2 database backups for my servers and when I merged three servers into one I simply did comparative scans to each database to ensure I had correctly saved all content from all 3 servers and after one day of work, I had all 3 perfectly joined together, I don;t think I had more than a dozzen complaints of issues with items or money.

 

The thing is, a merger is not more complicated in reality than putting a batch of mp3's on your ipod. It is all just data, as long as your drop tables and maps are all identical on all the servers, merging them is actually very easy. As I pointed out before, we need leadership and moves done using the information only BW has at their disposal.

Edited May 3, 2012 by Timesjoke

[Darkhosis]

They are just waiting because they have to present themselves to stockholders in early summer. Merging servers would make them look bad to the stockholders. It's for their benefit not ours... They could allow transfers today because the infrastructure is already there.

 

The right thing to do for the game and community RIGHT NOW would be to allow transfers... Chasing money and trying to make themselves look good will be their undoing.

[Leggomy]

They are just waiting because they have to present themselves to stockholders in early summer. Merging servers would make them look bad to the stockholders. It's for their benefit not ours... They could allow transfers today because the infrastructure is already there.

 

The right thing to do for the game and community RIGHT NOW would be to allow transfers... Chasing money and trying to make themselves look good will be their undoing.

 

These are character transfers not merges. They have already said there are no plans to merge any servers. Also transfers in early summer will be limited with a broader system coming later. If they could offer them right now they would.

[islander]

I dont want to be on a heavy or very heavy server tho. If I did I would have rolled on one. So its not a win for me.

 

don't transfer then?

 

Also, what you said about merges being off the table is categorically false. Erickson himself said 'Everything is ont he table, including merges', but that character transfers would be utilized first.

Edited May 3, 2012 by islander

[Torcer]

They are just waiting because they have to present themselves to stockholders in early summer. Merging servers would make them look bad to the stockholders.

 

Stockholders don't give a rat's tuckus about the number of Servers for goodness sake, they just wan't to know about profitability which is a function of total subscriber numbers.

[GatorSixCharlie]

I am very worried, not only do I feel these transfers are not going to be here soon enough but after reading the APAC transfer thread I have concerns with all the issues players had...

 

( http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=435916 )

 

Page after page of bad customer support, and utter lack of support...

 

I want to keep playing this game, but the abhorrent lack of customer support, is a real stumbling block, and I don't feel optimistic that it will get better...

 

I read the APAC thread and saw some people who had multiple level 50 got split up, ie one transfered and others stuck on an old server, I know North American/Europe transfer are different but if the screwed up APAC so much how much hope can we have about our upcoming options...

 

Bioware you can't expect people to continue to buy this product with this severe lack of Customer Service... My guild had 85+ members, 50+ members were highly active, that was 6 weeks ago, today as I write this, my guild has 28 members with 6-8 active... everyday it gets worse (server Naddis Rebels), my server is a ghost town...

 

I want to stay a loyal customer, but you are making it so hard...

[Anngwyn]

Patience doesn't seem to be a predominant character trait in gamers, and that being said perhaps it isn't anywhere, but we all need to remember that this is a very new and immature game. Yes, Bioware did a fabulous job through years of development as even their beta testing period was relatively hassle free, but if we want the depth of gameplay, mature server populations and expanded options of a long-lived game (like WoW as an example) we're going to have to wait a bit. (And please don't blast me if you don't like my example game.) It's obvious that the Dev. Team knows our feelings. This thread is the tail end of several maxed out threads on the subject of server transfers. Nobody wants either free or paid server transfers more than this consular. I abandoned my original toons and rerolled on a server for a guild group which has fallen apart. It would be great to consolidate my toons into one Legacy family and move to a high popularion PvE server with some fun guilds who chat on Ventrilo and run together regularly. It's just not an option right now, so until it is, and within the remaining months left on my current paid subscription, I'll stick it out and give Bioware some time to decide what they wish to do. Just like in beta testing, we need to provide clear input so that problems can be solved. Whining won't help locate a null pointer exception then and it won't help us plead our case for server transfer options now. The squeaky wheel does usually get oiled first, but we also need to understand this is a business - for profit - and there are many factors involved in how or when Bioware gives us this option. Until that time, hope everyone can find their happy place and thanks to all the great players we run across who are helpful and friendly. MTFBWY.

[Blaynn]

Character transfers or server merges are realy needed. On [EU]Pius Dea there is often not even one Warzone open. More and more people are leaving and I understand why. Who wants to pay for a mmo with dead servers? Edited May 3, 2012 by Blaynn

[MinimumForce]

While we're on the subject of free character transfer how about something being done to address the population imbalance as well? Maybe the transfers will fix the imbalance but probably not. Right now the benefit to roll an Imp is greater than a Pub. Free character transfers may increase population on the server but will they increase population in the right manner?

 

I play on Dark Reaper as Republic and it has slowly become a ghost town for who knows what reason. Now I'm not sure if there will be an influx of folks to the server since it is looking grim right now. And while we're on the subject of population why (probably never) have we not received any kind of concrete data on population spread? I'm not talking about the torstatus.net information but something that BioWare releases that allows players to pick the servers and to guarantee their experience to be better than a ghost town?

 

And how about some incentive to play Republic? I'm sure Imperial players will be angry but two days ago when I was on my Imperial alt a conversation broke out about the population not having enough tanks and players in general. Fleet had 130+ people and they were complaining about population? Just please bring the transfers as quickly as possible or a lot of folks are just going to give up.

[Skienz]

Cross server LFG for both PvE and PvP would of been the more intelligent idea. But then you couldn't of charged for it though. Hmmmm

[MinimumForce]

Cross server LFG for both PvE and PvP would of been the more intelligent idea. But then you couldn't of charged for it though. Hmmmm

 

Cross server LFG solves nothing when it comes to populations on a server. It expands the pool to other servers but if you don't have the population on your server then where's the draw? Consolidate the servers and then put in the feature. 'Cause most likely it won't include operations.

[JeramieCrowe]

Cross server LFG solves nothing when it comes to populations on a server. It expands the pool to other servers but if you don't have the population on your server then where's the draw? Consolidate the servers and then put in the feature. 'Cause most likely it won't include operations.

 

Especially when such a large population, me included, wouldn't use it even if it were in. Can't find groups if people don't use it...

Edited May 3, 2012 by JeramieCrowe

[MinimumForce]

Especially when such a large population, me included, wouldn't use it even if it were in. Can't find groups if people don't use it...

 

Exactly. Right now it's kind of filler for folks that will actually use it. It would help me get the last few HMs for my vehicle achievement but that's about it. Population first.. then worry about how to get them to play together in a more coordinated manner. If there is no population then a group finder tool is about as useful as a box of rocks. Granted some people can flintknap and make said rocks into tools.. but that's beside the point.

[Fanforran]

I play on Hidden Beks (EU EN) the difference from the night of 1.2 and now is like night and day . We have gone back to nobody online from the insane lag on the fleet of 1.2 launch.

I personally would prefer the lag on the fleet to the ghost town we have atm . The sooner we have server mergers the better as far as I am concerned