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

[Neamhan]

Hindsight being 20/20, Bioware should have had the names on all inactive accounts flagged for change. That way fewer people coming from the origin servers would have had to change their names.

 

Actually, some of us had the FORESIGHT to suggest this long before the first transfers started. We were told by Bioware themselves that these transfers were 'voluntary' and if we wanted to keep our names we should just not transfer. We knew the whole 'voluntary' thing was so much BS, but the forum apologists latched onto it anyway. Now here we are, a not a month later and 'voluntary' is exposed as mandatory after all. Talk about being disingenuous.

[Luap]

As a player who stuck with SWG for almost 3 years without complaining much even through the CU and the NGE I can lay claim to being quite loyal to any game "Star Wars". I have been subbed since before launch and up to now. I cancelled my sub last week and am watching the remaining days tick off.

 

I am not one to do a lot of complaining, I don't post a whole lot in the forums. I just like to play the game. I can understand that issues arise and sometimes things need to change and normally I just move right along. However, I have some problems with the current fiasco.

 

I paid extra money off the bat to get early game access soley to get the character names I desired.

The current destination server I have been offered will negate that by causing me to lose 6 of the 8 names I have plus my legacy name.

I was told that I could avoid this by using my option to stay put. So this is what I did.

I am now being informed that despite what I was told before I will now be forced to move because they will be shutting down the empty server. Frankly I mostly expected this but the catch is that it will be forced to the same designated server?

My computer can not handle a near full server. I would much rather be on a light or standard server.

 

I am hoping that the last remaining possible option may be that they did not specify that the "designated" server would be the same one that is my current option. It is possible that they will designate one of the remaining light servers for all of the remaining light servers from a particular region to get forced to go to. I see this as pretty much the only option left that they could give me that would get me to resub.

 

I refuse to pay more money for transfers later to achieve something that I already paid more money to have.

I refuse to move to where they are telling me to go.

I can not stay where I currently am.

I will not waste more time working on my toons that I may endup never playing again.

 

Pretty sad Bioware to have lost a player as easily satisfied, loyal, and willing to pay as this one.

[NovaNoir]

Man, remember when everyone was upset because character transfers weren't a thing, and everyone was begging Bioware to merge servers so that servers weren't ghost zones?

 

Those were the times.

 

I really wish this playerbase would make up its mind. People spent months begging Bioware to introduce paid transfers/server merges and threatening to unsub if Bioware didn't, and now that Bioware has finally introduced them, people are... begging Bioware not to go through with it and threatening to unsubscribe if Bioware goes through with it.

 

Bioware really can't win, can they?

[InnerPieces]

You are imagining life on the destination servers much, much worse than it actually is. Either about node stealing, queues and lag, none of this is true.

 

Actually, it is true for me and apparently many others. It's been so bad for me that I don't even play my 50s anymore.

 

Again, just because you don't experience a problem does not the problem doesn't exist for others.

Edited July 11, 2012 by InnerPieces

[Guidani]

They are not full to capacity.

This incoming wave of mandatory transfers will be barely noticeable as most have transferred already.

 

Yep, they did. And Destination server listed as Full. And our Guild hasn't even transferred.

 

Knew I only used Game Cards for a reason. Bioware is done getting my money. I'll find someplace else to play that actually gives a damn about their customer base.

[Mergon]

Man, remember when everyone was upset because character transfers weren't a thing, and everyone was begging Bioware to merge servers so that servers weren't ghost zones?

 

Those were the times.

 

I really wish this playerbase would make up its mind. People spent months begging Bioware to introduce paid transfers/server merges and threatening to unsub if Bioware didn't, and now that Bioware has finally introduced them, people are... begging Bioware not to go through with it and threatening to unsubscribe if Bioware goes through with it.

 

Bioware really can't win, can they?

 

That was before they delayed character transfers so bloody long that many of us were forced to reroll completely new characters from scratch, on a new server without the benefit of all the time we'd already put in on our previous server. If Bioware forces me onto a server that is not of my own choice, then yes I will cancel and delete my account. And Bioware will go on to my very short list of game companies not to trust or buy from.

[Mergon]

Yep, they did. And Destination server listed as Full. And our Guild hasn't even transferred.

 

Knew I only used Game Cards for a reason. Bioware is done getting my money. I'll find someplace else to play that actually gives a damn about their customer base.

 

+1 I quite agree.

[ThomasDoss]

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.

 

+1 I quite agree.

 

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.

 

 

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.

 

 

Alot of us are fortunate in that this merger will be happening just prior to our first 6 month sub expiring. If it goes badly then some people will inevitably vote with the hard earned cash.

 

I'm voting with my wallet right now. Just unsubbed over the lies and false advertising. Its a shame. I really liked this game. Pre-ordered, got most of my names in EGA, got my Legacy name, loved the ideas if not the execution. I've been a very loyal BW customer since at least NWN was released. I've now sworn off the entire company and all of their product lines. They've killed this game. ME3 had one of the worst endings in video game history.

Choose your color of galaxy razing explosion, your three games, ~240 hours, of decision history is irrelevant to the ending

. This is just pathetic. So long and thanks for the memories. It's all I have left.

[InnerPieces]

Man, remember when everyone was upset because character transfers weren't a thing, and everyone was begging Bioware to merge servers so that servers weren't ghost zones?

 

Those were the times.

 

I really wish this playerbase would make up its mind. People spent months begging Bioware to introduce paid transfers/server merges and threatening to unsub if Bioware didn't, and now that Bioware has finally introduced them, people are... begging Bioware not to go through with it and threatening to unsubscribe if Bioware goes through with it.

 

Bioware really can't win, can they?

 

No MMO company can truly "win" with everyone. Most of us know that.

 

The damage of poor decision making at launch was already present. The key, from my perspective, was to take the damage control seriously. Marketing gimmicks and wordplay is not damage control when you are dealing with at least semi-intelligent people. We're not watching commercials on television. "If you act now, we'll throw in a set of Ginzu knives," just isn't going to cut it (pun intended). Neither was the obviously veiled attempt to make us feel as though transferring was optional. The only thing that that makes it seem like the marketing tricks should've worked was that people are actually coming around now acting all surprised merges are coming.

 

BioWare would still get complaints, but if they truly wanted to control the damage, they would've handled this situation exactly like this guy (and many of us have for the past nearly 2 months now) have suggested:

 

Interesting. Looks like server merges after all, though it was pretty obvious from the get go.

 

Kinda time consuming to:

1. Give people the choice to transfer.
   
2. Give them a reward for transfering.
   
3. Stop people from going to anything but the destination servers.
   
4. Auto-move anyone left on the dead servers to the populated ones.
   

 

Instead of just, I don't know, call it a server merger and just merge them from the get go.

 

Cloak and dagger tactics, very interesting approach to dealing with a player base...

 

I don't like to be treated like a moron. I feel like they expected me to be moronic enough to not see very clearly what they were doing. Now, not only did they treat me like a moron ("What a maroon" beat ya to it), but they strung this thing out over a month so far, it will clearly be strung out through the rest of this month, they will continue to string it out over next month (with the actual merges) and then, finally I'll have an option where I want to move.

 

It's annoying. It's frustrating. It's insulting. That's what had me so up in arms over the last week or so.

 

I'm over losing the names I paid extra to have a chance to get (unique or not, it is what I paid early and extra for). I'm over losing my Legacy name (which I powerleveled and missed story and immersion to try and get quickly so I could have my choice). I'm over losing a reputation built up over 5 months (linked to my names, but more importantly my Legacy name). I'm over having to move from a server with a population I didn't mind all that much to one I don't even want to reach 50 on or play the 50s I have. The last hope I feel like I have is the chance to move (for free) to the server my friends of years ended up on. I'm tired of watching BioWare do everything except that, but we'll see. I'm certain the day paid transfers come with no character consolidation or free moves to a destination server of choice will be the last straw. Here's to hope *lifts glass*.

 

BioWare does a lot of things right. When the things they do wrong affect people to their core, or in their wallets, it's difficult to stay focused on the good things.

Edited July 11, 2012 by InnerPieces

[MorgothQuick]

I just made a character on my original origin server, which had no characters on, but does now, so yeah, hows that server lock working out for you Bioware? Edited July 11, 2012 by MorgothQuick

[TargetOne]

Just looking at the server status page, here in the USA in the middle of primetime, I see a dozen servers that are "heavy" to "full"... and over a hundred that are "Light". (None that are "standard".)

 

it seems that just about everyone who could take advantage of the "limited" server transfers has done so.

 

How much longer before those hundred-plus "light" (which might as well mean "empty") servers are shut down for good? It can't be cheap to keep that much hardware running!

[InnerPieces]

I just made a character on my original origin server, which had no characters on, but does now, so yeah, hows that server lock working out for you Bioware?

 

As intended.... http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?t=502186

[InnerPieces]

How much longer before those hundred-plus "light" (which might as well mean "empty") servers are shut down for good? It can't be cheap to keep that much hardware running!

 

It'll be in August.

 

It'll be after the puppy treats have been distributed. That's what "server merges" mean.

[Neamhan]

Man, remember when everyone was upset because character transfers weren't a thing, and everyone was begging Bioware to merge servers so that servers weren't ghost zones?

 

Those were the times.

 

I really wish this playerbase would make up its mind. People spent months begging Bioware to introduce paid transfers/server merges and threatening to unsub if Bioware didn't, and now that Bioware has finally introduced them, people are... begging Bioware not to go through with it and threatening to unsubscribe if Bioware goes through with it.

 

Bioware really can't win, can they?

 

They could 'win' by doing it the right way, by addressing all the problems inherent in merging populations. Instead not only did they ignore those problem, they were actively dishonest.

[Blackavaar]

This is a very underhanded, sneaky, spin doctor way to handle what amounts to SERVER MERGERS. You can't call it what it is for fear of losing subs so you spin it and make us think we have some control when we have none and you make us think that it's all for our own good. Yeah, bend over and take it, you'll like it.

 

Very wussy of you BioWare! I'm very disappointed.

 

[Rasticles]

That was before they delayed character transfers so bloody long that many of us were forced to reroll completely new characters from scratch, on a new server without the benefit of all the time we'd already put in on our previous server. If Bioware forces me onto a server that is not of my own choice, then yes I will cancel and delete my account. And Bioware will go on to my very short list of game companies not to trust or buy from.

 

 

Oh, come on, no one forced you to re-roll completely new characters from scratch, on a new server. You did that yourself.

[SidneyFault]

Way to lie to everyone, Bioware.

 

If you thought to had had problems before, I would place a bet in Vegas that people unsubscribing to this game will double in the next few days... way to kill off this amazing game.. Looks like we have another Star Wars Galaxies on our hands folks.

 

I feel absolutely cheated. If they don't fix this I will never by another Bioware game, period!

[SidneyFault]

I say flood their customer service lines with calls about this. maybe then they will listen.

[Tuscad]

 

Bioware really can't win, can they?

 

They could have if they did what everyone was expecting them to when begging for server transfers, allow free transfers to any server.

Edited July 11, 2012 by Tuscad

[Tuscad]

Oh, come on, no one forced you to re-roll completely new characters from scratch, on a new server. You did that yourself.

 

I suppose that everyone that rerolled coud have just unsubbed and let this game die...

[InnerPieces]

I suppose that everyone that rerolled coud have just unsubbed and let this game die...

 

True.

 

For the naysayer, I don't think forced means "at gun point" in this context. I think it means, due to BioWare's action (or in this case, inaction) people felt they had no other choice.

[E-Zekiel]

Oh, come on, no one forced you to re-roll completely new characters from scratch, on a new server. You did that yourself.

 

A man has a gun. He can shoot himself in the cerebellum, or jump into a slow-burning fire.

 

Man chooses to shoot himself.

 

 

 

That's his fault. Nobody made him shoot himself.

[RolandeDeschaine]

On the day you force my toons on to laggy overloaded servers one of which has wait times on week nights is the day I walk. My whole guild has already quit but I've been patient hoping for the best.

 

So fix the overcrowding, lag and wait time issue and I'll be happy to keep paying for this although I still want my separated toons merged (we are only talking 6 lots total so no reason this shouldn't happen and if the only way to merge is to do a paid transfer well, to hell with that to.

[RolandeDeschaine]

Oh, come on, no one forced you to re-roll completely new characters from scratch, on a new server. You did that yourself.

 

Nobody forced us true. But Bioware suggested it often as a solution for overcrowding in December and as a solution for Ghost towns in April. So no it wasn't forced but BW should have KNOWN that re-rolls and separated toons was going to be a HUGE issue and it is one of the few things they haven't planned for.

[FunkeFisher]

I'm just floored that they announce this before increased character slots or alternate destination servers. Because as it stands now I couldn't force all my characters onto one server even if I wanted to. The official replies in this thread saying that aren't ready to release that information are beyond confusing. Why tell us that they'll be closing down BEFORE telling us ways we won't be losing characters?

 

I'm more determined now to just beat all the class stories and make this game a thing of the past. Which is a shame because I really enjoy it, but the uncertainty with characters, names, servers, etc is becoming extremely tedious