Character Transfer, Server Populations, and You (Part II)

[crunchbarry]

I tend to think they shouldn't shut down so many servers. They should shut down a lot, but not so many. Some people want to play on low pop servers. But until today, there were waaaaay too many servers to chose from. The solution to this would be quite simple, and that would be to open up about 20 more servers and then go ahead and merge the others to the 12 "super" servers. After the merge, offer those players a free transfer to any of the "low pop" servers. Bioware and EA should keep in mind that more people may end up buying this game and sub numbers will likely grow as the game evolves, so they'll need these servers anyway.

[SiriusVD]

Cool story bro but WHEN CAN I TRANSFER ALL MY TOONS ON TO ONE SERVER?

 

To date I still have months of effort, especially developing crafting recipes, WASTED as my high level toon sits on a server where I don't know anybody, do not play, and do not have much in the way of assets.

 

MONTHS WASTED because of your inability to maintain stable server populations, jerks. I still don't have a lvl 50 toon because I had been foolishly believing you might actually take steps to fix this problem.

 

Implement transfers NOW.

[Blattan]

Have anyone ever told you just a game?

 

If it is "just a game," how can you justify spending money on it? If it doesn't matter to you so much that it "is just a game," why throw your money away on it? I mean, solitaire is "just a game," and all it takes is a one time small purchase that can be reduced further by making your own cards.

Are you that irresponsible?

 

Its just a name use Alt letters to make it or you might wanna come up with a name others wouldent use. Its your faults not Bioware

 

If it was "just a name," then we would be allowed to make names that are nothing but jiberish. Even BioWare/EA know it is more than "just a name," so why don't you?

[joeypesci]

Hello everyone,

 

Please discuss the Character Transfer, Server Populations, and You (Part II) community blog in this thread.

 

Thank you!

 

So basically it was a SERVER MERGE. But you're foolish PR department appear to feel SERVER MERGE is a bad term and makes it look like the game is failing. Are they foolish enough to think the press AND players are stupid enough to not realise it was a SERVER MERGE? Not calling it a SERVER MERGE when it really was, is more a PR mess because it makes it look like BW has something to hide.

 

There is no shame in the SERVER MERGE, so just say what it is.

[Tiralyon]

I tend to think they shouldn't shut down so many servers. They should shut down a lot, but not so many. Some people want to play on low pop servers. But until today, there were waaaaay too many servers to chose from. The solution to this would be quite simple, and that would be to open up about 20 more servers and then go ahead and merge the others to the 12 "super" servers. After the merge, offer those players a free transfer to any of the "low pop" servers. Bioware and EA should keep in mind that more people may end up buying this game and sub numbers will likely grow as the game evolves, so they'll need these servers anyway.

 

I have to agree with this. They should leave a few of those light servers up. Any time, they could get a more subscribers. I have a few friends interesting in checking ToR out, but they're waiting till this transfer stuff is done before they join our community.

[joeypesci]

What happens if your destination server is already full of 8 toons?

 

What he/she said. Yet again they don't appear to be thinking ahead. This will be a mess.

[DredSithis]

If it is "just a game," how can you justify spending money on it? If it doesn't matter to you so much that it "is just a game," why throw your money away on it? I mean, solitaire is "just a game," and all it takes is a one time small purchase that can be reduced further by making your own cards.

Are you that irresponsible?

 

 

 

If it was "just a name," then we would be allowed to make names that are nothing but jiberish. Even BioWare/EA know it is more than "just a name," so why don't you?

 

all games cost money so try finding another point to use and for the name thing people can have one alt letter and its not jiberish.

[Alxandria]

I don't see how anyone is really surprised by this announcement once we saw how the free transfers were going to work.

 

I think this trickling effect is detrimental however to player morale. BW is drawing out the consolidation process and each time we get a new announcement about it, we get a new wave of people upset. If they had made the process quick, clear, and upfront about their timeline from the very beginning, I think they would at least be able to combat the negative feedback better. Just rip off the band-aid, scream a little, move on.

 

We could be talking about any number of other things now, instead we have news cycle number 3 about server transfer, server closures, server mergers, and an angry player base.

 

Whomever is guiding the ship on this issue is too gun shy about bad press, and is just letting the game bleed itself out on the internet rumor mill.

[Blattan]

all games cost money

 

Rock, paper, scissors; hide and seek; I spy... List goes on.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Blattan

[MillionsKNives]

So basically it was a SERVER MERGE. But you're foolish PR department appear to feel SERVER MERGE is a bad term and makes it look like the game is failing. Are they foolish enough to think the press AND players are stupid enough to not realise it was a SERVER MERGE? Not calling it a SERVER MERGE when it really was, is more a PR mess because it makes it look like BW has something to hide.

 

There is no shame in the SERVER MERGE, so just say what it is.

 

 

Would you be happy if they said something like this:

Server mergers are coming later this summer.

 

Or how about this:

Later this summer, we will initiate a server merge at which point we will merge selected origin servers into a set of designated servers.

Might want to give this a look http://www.swtor.com/transfer

[Overtone]

This is definitely my main concern. I didn't move because I don't want to lose my character and legacy names.

 

Use one of dem fancy characters.

 

But seriously how did people not see this coming.

[JerOverbay]

Greetings,

 

We noticed that our community is concerned about character slots and additional transfer options. Here's what Lead Game Designer Daniel Erickson had to say about additional character slots...

We don't have a timetable right now, but as soon as we have more information we will let you know. Thank you!

 

 

I for one, have no problem with the server transfers, merges, whatever you wan to call them. It does help bring in more population in a game that is SUPPOSED to be interactive. I will take the good with the bad.

 

I only have one concern and one suggestion:

 

Concern: Like many of the people in this thread, I already have characters filling slots on my designated destination server. I would be HAPPY to transfer, if I could have the choice between two servers, or some other way to address the number of character slots. I simply can't move all of my characters off of their current server, or I would do so.

 

Suggestion:

Since we are consolidating servers, I want to point out a problem. There is currently no difference between RP and non RP servers. It the very least, I would expect there to be some guidelines for naming or some other way to differentiate the play styles. Why bother having the RP designation if there is zero enforcement? You might as well label all server as PVE or VPV and be done with it.

 

As a note. I love this MMO and it is the only one I am willing to keep paying for at this time. I love the stories, characters and game-play. I still recommend it to friends and coworkers on a regular basis. I cannot wait to see what is on the horizon and I am looking forward to continuing my subscription.

 

Please continue to keep your loyal subscribers in mind as you move forward with these changes and consolidations.

[Suzina]

I hate that the PR just let them call them what they are, mergers. By calling them "free transfers" they tricked some players into thinking they could stay and just keep all their names and such. Nope. Just like SWG.

[DredSithis]

Rock, paper, scissors; hide and seek, I spy... List goes on.

 

damn it lol. Arnt we talking video games? they all cost loot and I dont play for fun so its not just a game to me but a name is just sad to unsub for. most people are so uncreative cant find a new name or change it a bit or they blame huge server numbers for lag when they say they lag on almost dead servers its just pointing fingers at others when the real problem is looking back at you when you look into a mirror. This message isent aimed at you but others who only complain about sever numbers being low and needing xfers then when they get it its a giant ***** fest couse of a name its F'in sad

[Aricus]

If it is "just a game," how can you justify spending money on it? If it doesn't matter to you so much that it "is just a game," why throw your money away on it? I mean, solitaire is "just a game," and all it takes is a one time small purchase that can be reduced further by making your own cards.

Are you that irresponsible?

 

 

 

If it was "just a name," then we would be allowed to make names that are nothing but jiberish. Even BioWare/EA know it is more than "just a name," so why don't you?

 

Some games cost money some don't (but do through hidden purchases). It's just a game.

 

You are taking things way to seriously. Don't try to tell me that SWTOR isn't just a game when it is. A name is a name. You're not trying to pass on your dynasty here in a game. Get it together.

Edited July 10, 2012 by Aricus

[Laurreth]

Why not just come out and announce server mergers and sever closures a server is not going to be kept open if it only have 10 active subscriptions no matter how much they want to stay put.

 

Server merges would be extremely damaging, since they would shove tons of characters to the destination servers, blocking names and taking up live storage. It makes a lot more sense to keep characters on the origin servers or in limbo once those close down, and require players to transfer them, incurring potential name changes when that happens.

[AramusTor]

Why Sony Online, I almost didn't recognize you! You've improved a bit on your keeping a straight face. I almost....almost...thought that you might actually have meant what you said with telling players they were welcome to stay on their origin servers, rather than breaking out the old smoke and mirrors and dancing around what you really intended. Silly of me, to be sure. At the end I had hoped that there was at least a sliver of Bioware left there at your organization. Thankfully the mask was lifted with only six months sunk into actual play.

 

I'd wish you all the best of luck, Bioware, but I was raised to say things only if I meant them.

[Lord-Maknoe]

So if you can't pick your destination server, then wouldn't all of your characters, legacy, crafting recipes, equipment, high level gear, hundreds of thousands of credits, friends, and guilds all be scattered across a multitude of different servers?.....

 

That doesn't sound good at all!!!

[Tahana]

Why Sony Online, I almost didn't recognize you! You've improved a bit on your keeping a straight face. I almost....almost...thought that you might actually have meant what you said with telling players they were welcome to stay on their origin servers, rather than breaking out the old smoke and mirrors and dancing around what you really intended. Silly of me, to be sure. At the end I had hoped that there was at least a sliver of Bioware left there at your organization. Thankfully the mask was lifted with only six months sunk into actual play.

 

I'd wish you all the best of luck, Bioware, but I was raised to say things only if I meant them.

 

Right before transfers started I put out a post that basically stated that the origin servers wouldn't last long.. They would have to have signed a completely stupid hosting contract etc to keep that much hardware active for such a low density population.

 

btw I'm not a rocket scientist nor do I play one on tv.

[mithriltabby]

I understand that there isn’t yet a timetable for when we can transfer to a server of our choice, though it’s in the works long-term. Can Customer Service find out if “transfer to a server of your choice” will be available before “compulsory server merge”, in which case those of us hoping to transfer from an East Coast to a West Coast server should just be patient, or if the compulsory merge comes first and we might as well rip off the band-aid and get it over with?

[joeypesci]

I don't see how anyone is really surprised by this announcement once we saw how the free transfers were going to work.

 

I think this trickling effect is detrimental however to player morale. BW is drawing out the consolidation process and each time we get a new announcement about it, we get a new wave of people upset. If they had made the process quick, clear, and upfront about their timeline from the very beginning, I think they would at least be able to combat the negative feedback better. Just rip off the band-aid, scream a little, move on.

 

We could be talking about any number of other things now, instead we have news cycle number 3 about server transfer, server closures, server mergers, and an angry player base.

 

Whomever is guiding the ship on this issue is too gun shy about bad press, and is just letting the game bleed itself out on the internet rumor mill.

 

It's not a surprise but I think it's the lying that everyone is getting annoyed with.

 

All the weeks before the transfers we were told people could stay on their origin server if they want. A few weeks pass and they get told "We're moving you by force as we're going to shut down the Origin servers but not admit that's what we're going to do".

 

This is why SWTOR is failing and people now are starting to hate BW because all the disinformation and lying.

[Ipea]

The longer info is held back from the community the bigger the unsub button gets for people....

[Ipea]

It's not a surprise but I think it's the lying that everyone is getting annoyed with.

 

All the weeks before the transfers we were told people could stay on their origin server if they want. A few weeks pass and they get told "We're moving you by force as we're going to shut down the Origin servers but not admit that's what we're going to do".

 

This is why SWTOR is failing and people now are starting to hate BW because all the disinformation and lying.

 

That is the biggest problem...just be honest and give info and instead of that old we are working on it BS

[Guidani]

I understand that there isn’t yet a timetable for when we can transfer to a server of our choice, though it’s in the works long-term. Can Customer Service find out if “transfer to a server of your choice” will be available before “compulsory server merge”, in which case those of us hoping to transfer from an East Coast to a West Coast server should just be patient, or if the compulsory merge comes first and we might as well rip off the band-aid and get it over with?

 

This is exactly what I want to know. Because right now I know our destination server blows. If we're not gonna be given a choice, bet I'm taking the guild on a massive farming spree, and we're gonna make some money out of this deal.

[jediknightcub]

Here's an idea to deal with the issue of server population, character names, and legacy names that also rewards player loyalty.

 

Make some previously abandoned servers into "new" destination servers and make character transfers to those servers based on when players had Early Game Access (that data was compiled and most likely saved somewhere, right?). Then have an orderly server merge that rewards your most loyal players and doesn't completely invalidate the pre-launch programs you encouraged us to participate in.

 

I didn't choose my origin server--the pre-launch guild program did.

 

I pre-ordered because we were promised (and were given) Early Game Access. I did that so that I could have a decent shot at getting the character names I wanted. I got all 8 names that I wanted on the first day of EGA on the server chosen by the pre-launch guild program.

 

I've checked and my 3 main character names are taken, not just on the assigned destination server, but also on ALL destination servers.

 

Player loyalty and pre-launch involvement amount to nothing in the current scenario. Please fix that.

 

Footnote: Yes, character names matter. BioWare has made that position clear from their focus on Legacy names. If character names don't matter to you, then the current situation works for you and you can go on about your business. But for those of us whose character names matter to us, who have found that our names are taken on the destination servers, and who thought we had this issue beat by getting EGA, we'd at least like to have that taken into consideration during the server merge process.