Free Character Transfers Now Available On Select Servers

[JimG]

This is not the case. We understand that having to wait can be a source of frustration, but we definitely did not come into this with no plan.

 

You're never going to be able to satisfy all of the people, all of the time. There's always going to be people who complain and whine no matter what you do. "There's not enough people on my server.....now, there's too many people on my server." "The Black Hole is dead, takes forever to find a group for the heroic....now, there's too many people in the Black Hole, I have to wait a couple of minutes for re-spawns on dailies because I don't want to group with anyone for the non-heroic dailies." After all the ranting about dead servers and the game dying or whatever, people are actually complaining now that there's too many people on servers. Geez, BW can't win with some of these people. While some people undoubtedly have legitimate complaints, other people just like to complain about everything and others are just too impatient in this instant gratification, A.D.D. society to wait more than 2 seconds for anything.

 

From what I've seen on The Harbinger, the transfers have been a rousing success. Our Fleets have gone from 90-130 people during primetime to 230-270 people. The Black Hole used to get about 8-15 people during primetime and there 36 people there last night around primetime. Saw a lot of comments in general chat from people coming from the low pop servers and they were ecstatic....it was like they were playing a whole different game now. Good job, BW!

[Elfindreams]

..., besides laziness I don't understand why they wouldn't do this.

 

Fear. A lot of time companies are so risk averse (especially large ones like EA) that they take the overly cautious route to their own detriment. Conversely companies sometimes react to user pressure too easily as well (give them what they want and the will leave us alone) which causes other problems. Its a balancing act that is easy to get wrong and hard to get right.

[Mcsinn]

i hope crevasse city gets to be on the transfer list i have toons that have never pvp its dead

[Daesis]

Fear. A lot of time companies are so risk averse (especially large ones like EA) that they take the overly cautious route to their own detriment. Conversely companies sometimes react to user pressure too easily as well (give them what they want and the will leave us alone) which causes other problems. Its a balancing act that is easy to get wrong and hard to get right.

 

What is so fearful in doing the right thing and merge the remaining 2 PVP NA servers with the server they merged the other few? What is so fearful about merging the remaining 10 PVE EU servers with Bacca or Bantha like they did with the other 9 going to Red Eclipse? There is no logic in letting 18% of your subscribers rage to collect 2 days worth of data which is nothing to do a comprehensive analysis with.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Daesis

[Xiahoufig]

Fear. A lot of time companies are so risk averse (especially large ones like EA) that they take the overly cautious route to their own detriment. Conversely companies sometimes react to user pressure too easily as well (give them what they want and the will leave us alone) which causes other problems. Its a balancing act that is easy to get wrong and hard to get right.

 

Indeed. It's the latter situation from launch that's causing them to act like the former now. The MMO market is probably one of those where it's impossible to find a happy medium between the two.

[DroidDreamer]

Prophesy of the Five server went from 20 or less players in the Imperial Fleet at primetime to 280+ at 3 a.m. East Coast/midnight West Coast time. PvP WZ pops one after the other! Players actually seeking other players for Flashpoints (unheard of for weeks now on the server)! I've never been so thankful so the slight amount of lag in the fleet.

 

I hope population stabilizes at a higher level so can continue to, you know, play the game with people.

 

Well done, Bioware, well done.

[Fireheat]

i hope crevasse city gets to be on the transfer list i have toons that have never pvp its dead

 

I am there too! It is so aggrivating. REALLY hoping we can leave that place soon.

[Elfindreams]

What is so fearful in doing the right thing and merge the remaining 2 PVP NA servers with the server they merged the other few? What is so fearful about merging the remaining 10 PVE EU servers with Bacca or Bantha like they did with the other 9 going to Red Eclipse? There is no logic in letting 18% of your subscribers rage to collect 2 days worth of data which is nothing to do a comprehensive analysis with.

 

You are making a few suppositions about populations and likely lack of upswing in populations that a truly risk adverse party wouldn't.

 

As for statistically significant data, it is the sad truth that in most IT industries, it is impossible due to the frequency of environmental change to get truly statistically significant data. SO basically people learn to make do with what they can get. So they can't do a comprehensive analysis, they can do a simple analysis and make best guess projections from that.

 

That last bit (along with a few other things that would be waaay off topic) is what makes IT different than say computer science and why some recent graduates have some growing issues going into the corporate world. It would be nice if we could get statistically significant data and do a comprehensive anlaysis, its just not likely we can.

 

NOTE: (edit) let me be clear and say I don't necessarily agree with their conclusions or what they are doing, but not having the data they do or been in the meetings they have, I can't rightfully say I disagree with them on their face.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Elfindreams

[Daesis]

Prophesy of the Five server went from 20 or less players in the Imperial Fleet at primetime to 280+ at 3 a.m. East Coast/midnight West Coast time. PvP WZ pops one after the other! Players actually seeking other players for Flashpoints (unheard of for weeks now on the server)! I've never been so thankful so the slight amount of lag in the fleet.

 

I hope population stabilizes at a higher level so can continue to, you know, play the game with people.

 

Well done, Bioware, well done.

 

mate you're just throwing fuel on the fire.

[Shneakie]

There is no logic in letting 18% of your subscribers rage to collect 2 days worth of data which is nothing to do a comprehensive analysis with.

 

I believe that BW's biggest mistake up to this point is a lack of clear, concise communication. People would stop raging if BW would supply a schedule for the remaining transfers, and an explanation as to what exactly they are monitoring.

 

I too, am sitting on a low population server that has not yet been selected for transfers. It's frustrating not knowing what and when BW intends to do with us.

[Nerth]

From what I've seen on The Harbinger, the transfers have been a rousing success. Our Fleets have gone from 90-130 people during primetime to 230-270 people. The Black Hole used to get about 8-15 people during primetime and there 36 people there last night around primetime. Saw a lot of comments in general chat from people coming from the low pop servers and they were ecstatic....it was like they were playing a whole different game now. Good job, BW!

 

Awesome, so you went from a semi-functional server during prime time to a great server. Those of us on servers with 50 or less people during prime time are still waiting.

 

When our server (Luka Sene EU) had 90-130 on fleet during prime time we could actually play the game. Now we can't. And let me tell you, it's been a while.

[NotSevv]

Prophesy of the Five server went from 20 or less players in the Imperial Fleet at primetime to 280+ at 3 a.m. East Coast/midnight West Coast time. PvP WZ pops one after the other! Players actually seeking other players for Flashpoints (unheard of for weeks now on the server)! I've never been so thankful so the slight amount of lag in the fleet.

 

I hope population stabilizes at a higher level so can continue to, you know, play the game with people.

 

Well done, Bioware, well done.

 

They had more then 20 lol

[Daesis]

You are making a few suppositions about populations and likely lack of upswing in populations that a truly risk adverse party wouldn't.

 

As for statistically significant data, it is the sad truth that in most IT industries, it is impossible due to the frequency of environmental change to get truly statistically significant data. SO basically people learn to make do with what they can get. So they can't do a comprehensive analysis, they can do a simple analysis and make best guess projections from that.

 

That last bit (along with a few other things that would be waaay off topic) is what makes IT different than say computer science and why some recent graduates have some growing issues going into the corporate world. It would be nice if we could get statistically significant data and do a comprehensive anlaysis, its just not likely we can.

 

NOTE: (edit) let me be clear and say I don't necessarily agree with their conclusions or what they are doing, but not having the data they do or been in the meetings they have, I can't rightfully say I disagree with them on their face.

 

Yes but in your honest opinion would you if you were in their position risk roughly 20% of your subscribers for 2 days of data which is unnecessary as they can just merge the remaining 9 EU PVE servers with bacca's or bantha as they did with the other 9 going to Red Eclipse (it wont fit there anyway, 2 days of data won't do jack). And keeping 2 PVP NA realms out of the loop while the rest is just disrespectful as 2 realms out of the 60 won't make a difference in data percentage.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Daesis

[HelinCarnate]

I believe that BW's biggest mistake up to this point is a lack of clear, concise communication. People would stop raging if BW would supply a schedule for the remaining transfers, and an explanation as to what exactly they are monitoring.

 

I too, am sitting on a low population server that has not yet been selected for transfers. It's frustrating not knowing what and when BW intends to do with us.

 

Agreed. Even though it would have caused a flood of people reserving names on the servers, they would have been better off saying "Here is our planned list of mergers. WARNING, THIS MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME BASED OFF OF INFORMATION WE GET FROM THE ONGOING TRANFER PROCESS SO MAKE PLANS BASED OFF OF THIS INFORMATION AT YOUR OWN PERIL." Have a nice day.

[Elfindreams]

Yes but in your honest opinion would you if you were in their position risk roughly 20% of your subscribers for 2 days of data which is unnecessary as they can just merge the remaining 9 EU PVE servers with bacca's or bantha as they did with the other 9 going to Red Eclipse (it wont fit there anyway, 2 days of data won't do jack). And keeping 2 PVP NA realms out of the loop while the rest is just disrespectful as 2 realms out of the 60 won't make a difference in data percentage.

 

With no additional data and not knowing what has been discussed internally, I would tend to agree with you. However those are big caveats and I am still willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. However being on a transfer destination, I admit I have that luxury and my perspective is no doubt tainted by that knowledge.

[Elfindreams]

Agreed. Even though it would have caused a flood of people reserving names on the servers, they would have been better off saying "Here is our planned list of mergers. WARNING, THIS MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME BASED OFF OF INFORMATION WE GET FROM THE ONGOING TRANFER PROCESS SO MAKE PLANS BASED OFF OF THIS INFORMATION AT YOUR OWN PERIL." Have a nice day.

 

If only that were the case. In reality if you look back people have a huge tendancy to ignore everything including and after the word WARNING and then promptly complain loudly if changes. Not saying they shouldn't have done it anyway and dealt with the potential backlash, just pointing out its not as easy as , this way good, this way bad.

[Shneakie]

Agreed. Even though it would have caused a flood of people reserving names on the servers, they would have been better off saying "Here is our planned list of mergers. WARNING, THIS MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME BASED OFF OF INFORMATION WE GET FROM THE ONGOING TRANFER PROCESS SO MAKE PLANS BASED OFF OF THIS INFORMATION AT YOUR OWN PERIL." Have a nice day.

 

Agreed. As an aside, HelinCarnate, I think scissors should be nerfed as well.

[Xiahoufig]

Agreed. Even though it would have caused a flood of people reserving names on the servers, they would have been better off saying "Here is our planned list of mergers. WARNING, THIS MAY CHANGE AT ANY TIME BASED OFF OF INFORMATION WE GET FROM THE ONGOING TRANFER PROCESS SO MAKE PLANS BASED OFF OF THIS INFORMATION AT YOUR OWN PERIL." Have a nice day.

 

I think they would have no problems sharing that kind of information...IF (and that's a pretty huge if) the community as a whole was mature enough to read all the information provided including the fine print. As it's been proven time and time again though, the community as a whole is not mature enough to do so.

 

Granted, if the CMs are being kept in the dark just as much as we (collectively) are, then this point is pretty much moot.

[Jaavik]

With no additional data and not knowing what has been discussed internally, I would tend to agree with you. However those are big caveats and I am still willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. However being on a transfer destination, I admit I have that luxury and my perspective is no doubt tainted by that knowledge.

 

I'm in the same boat. Both of my servers were destination servers, and I'm trying to get on a completely DIFFERENT server (from PvE to PvP) so I can play the game the way i want to play it. These guys are in a much worse-case scenario.

[Chartman]

You aren't even TRYING to understand what I'm saying if you're going to jump to such an absurd conclusion.

 

I am trying, just not understanding. You, and it seems Bioware as well, are planning on some kind of mass return to the game because server transfers have happened. We will never reach the levels we were after 1.2 launched (First few weeks) no matter how many people return. The last couple of months of aggregate populations, accounting for types of servers, locations, populations on specific days (aka weekends), populations at different times of the days (Peek time to off time) should be a fairly accurate representation for population planning. You seem to have a head on your shoulders so I don't need to explain to you how IT can pull this type of info quickly and painlessly, and regularly need to do this for resource and expansion needs as well as server consolidation and virtualization. They are not re-inventing the wheel here. We are probably talking about a 1-2% skew in population - or + to account for returning players, net new, and people unsubscribing from those aggregate numbers. If I could not plan a resource action for my systems based on those types of figures, they would outsource me and find someone who could.

[LightForse]

Bioware says "..we need server transfers so we can get people( Subs) back

Player say..' Yes we need these transfers so my friends and guildies will come back

Bioware say " We need to stop transfers..cause people will come back to play this weekend

Player thinks ' ***

[varrangian]

This has been asked. Bioware will not consolidate your characters at this time. Maybe some time in the future, and there might be an additional charge to your account. It could be that they're waiting until the micro-transaction store is set up in game, but they haven't said anything specific regarding that.

 

It is a no-brainer. If Bioware was given a choice between having you cancel your account or making a commitment to help you out with your fractured account some time in the next couple months, they would much rather you cancel.

 

Do you have a link to a dev post about this? From the tone of your post I take it that some of this is conjecture based off of something said, I'd like to know where that is coming from.

 

While I foresee micro-transactions especially for things like extra character slots, I don't know that they are specifically looking to prevent "legacy" consolidation with the transfers. As it is possible if you just happen to have characters on the two servers they have picked.

[Chartman]

You're never going to be able to satisfy all of the people, all of the time. There's always going to be people who complain and whine no matter what you do. "There's not enough people on my server.....now, there's too many people on my server." "The Black Hole is dead, takes forever to find a group for the heroic....now, there's too many people in the Black Hole, I have to wait a couple of minutes for re-spawns on dailies because I don't want to group with anyone for the non-heroic dailies." After all the ranting about dead servers and the game dying or whatever, people are actually complaining now that there's too many people on servers. Geez, BW can't win with some of these people. While some people undoubtedly have legitimate complaints, other people just like to complain about everything and others are just too impatient in this instant gratification, A.D.D. society to wait more than 2 seconds for anything.

 

From what I've seen on The Harbinger, the transfers have been a rousing success. Our Fleets have gone from 90-130 people during primetime to 230-270 people. The Black Hole used to get about 8-15 people during primetime and there 36 people there last night around primetime. Saw a lot of comments in general chat from people coming from the low pop servers and they were ecstatic....it was like they were playing a whole different game now. Good job, BW!

 

Said the guy on the second highest populated West Coast PVE server. Your tune might change if you were on the second lowest populated West Coast PVE server.

[Hambunctious]

I am trying, just not understanding. You, and it seems Bioware as well, are planning on some kind of mass return to the game because server transfers have happened. We will never reach the levels we were after 1.2 launched (First few weeks) no matter how many people return. The last couple of months of aggregate populations, accounting for types of servers, locations, populations on specific days (aka weekends), populations at different times of the days (Peek time to off time) should be a fairly accurate representation for population planning. You seem to have a head on your shoulders so I don't need to explain to you how IT can pull this type of info quickly and painlessly, and regularly need to do this for resource and expansion needs as well as server consolidation and virtualization. They are not re-inventing the wheel here. We are probably talking about a 1-2% skew in population - or + to account for returning players, net new, and people unsubscribing from those aggregate numbers. If I could not plan a resource action for my systems based on those types of figures, they would outsource me and find someone who could.

 

I get what you're saying, but they might not have been in this bind had forward thinking on what the game changes would cause. It might have also helped had they put into effect some way for accounts to keep their first names, at least, and not also lose those people.

 

I don't think we can blame D3 for the sudden population loss this last month. I've seen a number of people just quit after, what they described as overnerfing their class, and it seems many felt alienated. You have to admit, BW is heavy handed on class "adjustments".

 

There is also very little no combat fun stuff to do at max level. People get tired of running the same things every day, and for me, I would be much less bored if there was something else to do. Like housing, decorations, non-rail space, etc.

Edited June 15, 2012 by Hambunctious

[DarthDunc]

Awesome, so you went from a semi-functional server during prime time to a great server. Those of us on servers with 50 or less people during prime time are still waiting.

 

When our server (Luka Sene EU) had 90-130 on fleet during prime time we could actually play the game. Now we can't. And let me tell you, it's been a while.

 

I'm on Luka Sene, we aren't in a terrible state on the republic side, I've had lots of pvp today too.