My server is dead - we need transfers now, not in early summer

[-Dench]

the people who are posting in this thread care about the game. they want to play the game. they don't want to quit. they just want problems, some of them are painfully obvious, to be fixed so they can continue playing the game.

 

quiting is not desirable for those who actually do want to play and enjoy the game, but cant due to server pops.

[asbalana]

Someone said they have to relase number of sub at 7th.So, lets see.But I seriously doubt it is more then 400K.

 

Although we will never get the real numbers (whatever that means), it will be interesting to see what is reported and how it compares to the 1.7 million as I remember the previous number release. I think that BW has said that the number of subs has remained relatively steady. It is not clear how the gross numbers that will be reported, which include new subs, cancelled subs with remaining play time, and short term free subs, will reflect the number of people who have left the game.

 

It is clear to everyone that total play time, whether based on the number of subs or not, is significantly decreased from initial reports and from my own meaningless observations has taken a large dip over the last few weeks.

[Overtone]

Screw transfers, just shut down the low pop servers. Sorry people on low pop servers but you might lose your toon names and Legacy name but you will play on a better populated server.

[Cmder-Shepard]

Screw transfers, just shut down the low pop servers. Sorry people on low pop servers but you might lose your toon names and Legacy name but you will play on a better populated server.

 

I don't think you should just close them down with no thought to the people who put time and effort into the characters or what they did there. Free transfers are better but to just get rid of peoples time and effort your asking for trouble there

[DjSnazzyduds]

the people who are posting in this thread care about the game. they want to play the game. they don't want to quit. they just want problems, some of them are painfully obvious, to be fixed so they can continue playing the game.

 

quiting is not desirable for those who actually do want to play and enjoy the game, but cant due to server pops.

 

I agree with you, the server population issue has really driven a hole into many player's experience especially those who are fans of the Star Wars Lore. However they've announced a fix, sure it sucks that we must way, but it's better than the silence the community endured that past couple months. All the Community Q&A's with no word on the major issues just babble about questions and terms never heard of before, and they finally say something. It should count for something.

 

If some of the players in this thread really like the game, why constantly bash it and the people who worked extremely hard to have it up. Bioware worked hard to get this game going, because of them we get to enjoy some more Star Wars. The way things are going no matter what they do no one will be pleased.

[evildestroyer]

15 pages of nagging jeeeezus. Simple solution. They announced transfers already. Not patient enough to wait? Quit. Save yourself $15. You love SWTOR but can't stand the loneliness. Quit and come back when the game is to your liking.

 

It astounds me to see how much frustration is displayed in this topic, the complaints of being alone with single digit numbers in one's server. Just quit. Why burden yourself, continue anymore frustration, it's as if you stay around to punish yourself. It's easy to leave, there is a plethora of other games out there. Weeks of yelling for transfers, mergers, LISTEN TO ME BIOWARE threads, and action is finally being taken and somehow the masses get angrier. At least they finally talked and have a plan. A plan is better than NO plan. I'm sure you'll disagree because it isn't how YOU want it but hey, that's why is a multiplayer game. They'll base changes on what the majority say than the minority. They'll cater to the masses and not what one sole player wants.

 

If you were paying 15$ a month for a single player game you would complain but i suppose biodrones like you dont understand that. These people are customers and they have the right to complain about the product they bought. Oh and people are already quitting as it is, you think bioware would like to stop that seeing most are quitting because they are sick of their dead server.

 

Oh fyi the more people complain the faster something will be done, after all if no one complained about ME3 ending bioware wouldnt have done anything about it then.

 

I bet you play on fatman and not on one of the many dead servers.

[ironix]

This is what I mean. You insult the game and constantly bash it, why are you still here. You quote people's responses and make a quirky remark to it as if their point isn't valid. You're a troll in every sense of the word. You stick around the forums of a game you seem to despise, crack some jokes here and there at anyone who disagrees with you. Maybe you love Star Wars, but if the game isn't to your taste you have nothing to tie you here.

 

I assume you're saying "you" figuratively. For I don't hate the game, though I'm not in love with it either. I see the flaws and enjoy the bits that I, well, enjoy. However, this particular issue of server population is something that hampers many people's enjoyment of the game and if not dealt with in a timely manner will quickly snowball.

 

You call people like me haters and trolls. Perhaps we're just on a crusade against the Bioware apologists and cultists. Would you really like to have the forums filled with only people who agree with each other and praise Bioware for allowing them the honour of using their product?

 

Also: http://xkcd.com/386/

Edited May 4, 2012 by ironix

[Maccaz]

I won't be giving up on this game because of my low pop server, but it would be appreciated by all if you (BW) would keep us all up to date with the progress of how you are doing in working out the transfer system at this moment.

[Cerion]

If some of the players in this thread really like the game, why constantly bash it and the people who worked extremely hard to have it up. Bioware worked hard to get this game going, because of them we get to enjoy some more Star Wars. The way things are going no matter what they do no one will be pleased.

 

Well partly it's the entitled, spoilt mindset of many posters. If they got ice cream, they'd cry and stomp because it didn't have rainbow sprinkles.

 

It's also part of the consumer mindset: I'm paying for this, I want action now. Never mind that implementing something well in a fast manner costs a lot of money. Could BioWare hire 100 programmers to create the transfer system within a month? Possibly. Would the player base appreciate BioWare passing that cost on to them? I think we all know the answer to that.

[ironix]

Could BioWare hire 100 programmers to create the transfer system within a month? Possibly. Would the player base appreciate BioWare passing that cost on to them? I think we all know the answer to that.

 

The hyperbole is strong with this one. A transfer system like this is max a 3-person job for a month. And even if it took three people a month, I'd seriously start to question their competence.

Edited May 4, 2012 by ironix

[DjSnazzyduds]

If you were paying 15$ a month for a single player game you would complain but i suppose biodrones like you dont understand that. These people are customers and they have the right to complain about the product they bought. Oh and people are already quitting as it is, you think bioware would like to stop that seeing most are quitting because they are sick of their dead server.

 

Oh fyi the more people complain the faster something will be done, after all if no one complained about ME3 ending bioware wouldnt have done anything about it then.

 

I bet you play on fatman and not on one of the many dead servers.

 

Funny, because I defend something I enjoy and disagree with you then I must be some drone incapable of seeing reason. Complain all you want, however they've already stated their plan. Sure you have the right to blablabla because you pay XX amount of dollars but you also have the right to leave if you feel your money isn't being well spent. Sure people may be quitting due to the low population servers, but until May 7th you can keep that "fact" to yourself.

 

And I like how you don't actually read this thread. Just a few posts up, I play in a Low Populated server.

[jeffrico]

I think the real kicker is going to be how they will implement the transfers. We know that there will be free transfers from specified realms to other specified realms..... Right so how will that work? Free transfers off Fatman to lower pop servers? They can't possibly let people from low pop transfer to high pop- that would completely destroy servers. Obviously they are going to charge you to move from low pop to high pop, which is the only transfers that make sense. So not only do you need to pay monthly fee to play- but you will also have to pay to transfer to a server that has enough people to play with.

[Cerion]

Oddly enough, Angry Birds is more successful than this game.

 

In any case, no, I don't deal with such high-level stuff. More low-level systems programming, network I/O protocols and such. However, regardless of that, you're now equating the entire sum of the game's complexity with that the relatively simple part of extricating a player's data from one database to another. Transfers have been done, the complex problem of this extrication has been solved.

 

To say that just because a developer isn't working with an MMO doesn't mean that the process in moving data from one place to another would somehow be opaque to him. There are many things that are relatively universal regardless of which specific arena of development that you belong.

 

I know you BELIEVE you have an idea about how difficult it is, but you really don't know the complexities that might be involved with SWTOR. Again, I say, if it were so easy, then why not implement it now?

 

Nobody has yet stated any sensible reason WHY BioWare would be willing waiting. The only reason that makes any sense is that this system is difficult, that it takes time and testing.

[Helistin]

I mainly just play pvp in this game but it's been four days since the last level 50 warzone was played on my 'pvp' server since there aren't enough people on the server anymore.But guess i don't have the right to be upset , since it's only been 5 months since launch and they are going to fix population issues 'early summer' .

[DjSnazzyduds]

I assume you're saying "you" figuratively. For I don't hate the game, though I'm not in love with it either. I see the flaws and enjoy the bits that I, well, enjoy. However, this particular issue of server population is something that hampers many people's enjoyment of the game and if not dealt with in a timely manner will quickly snowball.

 

You call people like me haters and trolls. Perhaps we're just on a crusade against the Bioware apologists and cultists. Would you really like to have the forums filled with only people who agree with each other and praise Bioware for allowing them the honour of using their product?

 

Also: http://xkcd.com/386/

 

Lol the link made me laugh.

 

It is already being dealt with, but to shoot the developers for not rolling it out at your convenience isn't right. Everyone thinks that the end of times are coming for this game unless this isn't resolved by tomorrow. That if Bioware doesn't listen to (insert specific player here) then the game will explode! Everyone seems to think Bioware is signing their own death warrant. Why does it matter? Let them. You can be here when it happens or you can move on to greater pastures.

[ironix]

I think the real kicker is going to be how they will implement the transfers. We know that there will be free transfers from specified realms to other specified realms..... Right so how will that work? Free transfers off Fatman to lower pop servers? They can't possibly let people from low pop transfer to high pop- that would completely destroy servers. Obviously they are going to charge you to move from low pop to high pop, which is the only transfers that make sense. So not only do you need to pay monthly fee to play- but you will also have to pay to transfer to a server that has enough people to play with.

 

Having lived on a low-population server in WoW for a couple years before biting the bullet and coughing up some transfer money, I can tell you first hand that transfers from high population servers -> low population servers do not work... Ever.

 

My server was on the receiving end of the high->low pop transfers many, many times (US-Nazjatar). It got all exciting and busy for a couple months and then all the new people realized how decrepit the server really was and paid to leave. It was quite a depressing cycle.

[Cerion]

The hyperbole is strong with this one. A transfer system like this is max a 3-person job for a month. And even if it took three people a month, I'd seriously start to question their competence.

 

Again. You have no idea. I know you claim to be a 'developer' (the fact that you have to state such on a forum in order to gain some fake authority calls your sincerity and ability into question frankly), but you have little clue. And the more you insist you do, the less I believe you.

[Maccaz]

If anyone played SWG and when they did the free cts when it 1st hit then you will remember that a lot of problems happened from items/structures/beast master pet stats, and the list continues didn't fully transfer over until they rectify the problems.

 

They want to give you a perfect transfer to another server utility before they make it official to everyone.

 

Btw, I miss my Beast Master and my Mando armor.

[ironix]

Lol the link made me laugh.

 

It is already being dealt with, but to shoot the developers for not rolling it out at your convenience isn't right. Everyone thinks that the end of times are coming for this game unless this isn't resolved by tomorrow. That if Bioware doesn't listen to (insert specific player here) then the game will explode! Everyone seems to think Bioware is signing their own death warrant. Why does it matter? Let them. You can be here when it happens or you can move on to greater pastures.

 

Oh no, I think you misunderstand my position here. I'm not blaming the developers. I'm well aware of what they need to go through in order to make such a system work, and they have already demonstrated a working model.

 

What I'm suggesting is that the delays lie with management. I'm confident that the developers could roll out a functional system within weeks with relatively minimal manpower involved, and they may already have the system waiting in the wings. I just think that for some management/marketing reason, they're not allowed to roll such a system out until the beginning of their 2nd fiscal quarter. Interestingly enough, their first fiscal quarter ends on June 30.

Edited May 4, 2012 by ironix

[DjSnazzyduds]

Oh no, I think you misunderstand my position here. I'm not blaming the developers. I'm well aware of what they need to go through in order to make such a system work, and they have already demonstrated a working model.

 

What I'm suggesting is that the delays lie with management. I'm confident that the developers could roll out a functional system within weeks with relatively minimal manpower involved, and they may already have the system waiting in the wings. I just think that for some management/marketing reason, they're not allowed to roll such a system out until the beginning of their 2nd fiscal quarter. Interestingly enough, their first fiscal quarter ends on June 30.

 

Ah, I totally understand, we found some common ground lol. If it were up to Bioware, this game would definitely be different and this issue probably would have been resolved long ago. It's usually the case with most gaming developers, all their ideas and strategies are limited due to Management. It just so happens that Bioware is under EA Games, hands down the worst gaming publisher. Activision sucks but EA makes Activision look like Hello Kitty. Have you seen how terrible the Need For Speed series has gotten?

 

It sucks that the creative it limited due to the fat cat up top who has no idea what games are about. I don't know about you but Rockstar Games seems to be under amazing management, you don't see many Rockstar games on shelves because they take their time and do as much work as possible. Sure the wait sucks but the wait is well worth it. Not the greatest example I know but you get the idea. I'm sure SWTOR was meant to come out with a bunch of other features, but knowing EA, they rushed Bioware.

Edited May 4, 2012 by DjSnazzyduds

[ironix]

Again. You have no idea. I know you claim to be a 'developer' (the fact that you have to state such on a forum in order to gain some fake authority calls your sincerity and ability into question frankly), but you have little clue. And the more you insist you do, the less I believe you.

 

*lets out a long drawn out sigh*

 

Well then, lets assume for the sake of argument that I am not a 'developer' (assuming you used air quotes for that). Working under this assumption, and given what you just said, I can say the following and have it be 100% true within the framework of your argument against my qualifications.

 

You also have no idea. I know you claim to know that server transfers is a difficult problem that requires many months of development, but you have little clue. And the more you insist you do, the less I believe you.

[ironix]

Ah, I totally understand, we found some common ground lol. If it were up to Bioware, this game would definitely be different and this issue probably would have been resolved long ago. It's usually the case with most gaming developers, all their ideas and strategies are limited due to Management. It just so happens that Bioware is under EA Games, hands down the worst gaming publisher. Activision sucks but EA makes Activision look like Hello Kitty. Have you seen how terrible the Need For Speed series has gotten?

 

It sucks that the creative it limited due to the fat cat up top who has no idea what games are about. I don't know about you but Rockstar Games seems to be under amazing management, you don't see many Rockstar games on shelves because they take their time and do as much work as possible. Sure the wait sucks but the wait is well worth it. Not the greatest example I know but you get the idea. I'm sure SWTOR was meant to come out with a bunch of other features, but knowing EA, they rushed Bioware.

 

Then we agree! This is fantastic.

 

As for Need For Speed, no, I've never been one for those types of games. I'm a die-hard science fiction nerd and there never seems to be enough good games for that genre.

 

EDIT: As for EA, I live in Vancouver. They have a division of EA Sports located here. New graduates from BCIT and UBC tend to avoid them like the Rakghoul plague.

Edited May 4, 2012 by ironix

[Oddzball]

*lets out a long drawn out sigh*

 

Well then, lets assume for the sake of argument that I am not a 'developer' (assuming you used air quotes for that). Working under this assumption, and given what you just said, I can say the following and have it be 100% true within the framework of your argument against my qualifications.

 

You also have no idea. I know you claim to know that server transfers is a difficult problem that requires many months of development, but you have little clue. And the more you insist you do, the less I believe you.

 

No he is wrong. I could probably prove that not only do I work in the software industry, but work a LOT with databases, and in my opinion character transfers shouldn't take this long to develop. Its just a damn database people. Its not some holy grail alien code.

 

I could take a picture of myself outside my office next to the sign for my company, which is globally recognized(SAIC) with his name on a piece of paper, and he would still deny that I know anything about the issue.

 

Everyone acts like anyone that doesn't agree with them is a 13 year old troll.

Edited May 4, 2012 by Oddzball

[Satans_Puppet]

What upsets me about the last closed thread is that it's obvious the community doesn't want free character transfers, they want server merges. I know I'd be upset if my guild went one way to a server and then others from my server decided to join a different server.

 

We have a WZ community on HIdden Beks and I think Character Transfers will just punish players for BW not planning ahead when it comes to community functions and server itegrity.

[Chloe]

I am so tired of my server. It's not dead, but it's dying. If they can do manual transfers for Oceanic players, why can't they do manual transfers for those stuck with 60 people on their server at prime time? That doesn't seem like an unmanageable number.

 

Also, I would prefer server merges to server transfers. Actually, just do both. Merge low pop servers, and have a transfer system in place.