Justin01
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#181
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Finally a company that's informative. :)
Lionsden
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#182
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knoxxer on 02/07/2012, 01:09 PM - view
Glad to see you guys thinking ahead on this front. Obviously, you have the advantage that you're not having to balance opposing 'factions' which should make the job a bit easier, but good to see you still have it as an issue to address on launch.
So far really enjoying the measured response you have taken addressing issues brought up in the Beta. Have yet to see any of the 'omg panic' knee-jerking that has ruined many other MMOs.
Queue times and unbalanced server populations!
- This process has huge benefits for balancing servers and planning of resources.
- -This event will be key in limiting your queue times and ensuring healthy servers going forward.
- This balance is the main reason we will limit players to creating one pre-creation character.
If you have further questions please let ask and I will do my best to answer.
Glad to see you guys thinking ahead on this front. Obviously, you have the advantage that you're not having to balance opposing 'factions' which should make the job a bit easier, but good to see you still have it as an issue to address on launch.
So far really enjoying the measured response you have taken addressing issues brought up in the Beta. Have yet to see any of the 'omg panic' knee-jerking that has ruined many other MMOs.
LaJolla
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#183
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In the past 3 launches I have been involved with, during release there is a huge wave of people and the queue lines become unreasonable, so the company creates many new servers to accommodate them. The biggest problem, of course, comes with the normal attrition that happens a few weeks later, leaving many of the new servers as ghost towns, and then there are the screams for server merges or character transfers.
Besides the early character creation, is there any other plan in place to alleviate the 2-hour queue times at the front end of launch and yet not create servers that won't be needed later when the game has found its stride?
Besides the early character creation, is there any other plan in place to alleviate the 2-hour queue times at the front end of launch and yet not create servers that won't be needed later when the game has found its stride?
Petraeus
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#184
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test
leetdemon
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#185
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so does this mean that if you preordered you can play open beta then use your open beta character at launch?
riffraffgames
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#186
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knoxxer on 02/07/2012, 01:09 PM - view
You know what sucks more? The feeling of spending $96 on this game then finding this thread describing the plan for launch a couple hours later.
Please, it's not too late. Wipe this thread and go with the European model for launch. A 3-day free for all (Open Beta) followed by some character purge at some later date for those who do not buy the game is absurd. The European model is obviously the way to go, it's not even close.
Is this some kind of weird stress test to see if the servers can handle so many people, customers and window shoppers alike, logging on all at the same time?
apqoo on 02/13/2012, 12:49 AM
Knoxxer, you know that knot in your stomach? It's telling you that deep down inside you know this is a really bad idea to launch the game this way. Again, please reconsider, it's not too late.
I'm trying to be optimistic about this game. It really looks like one that will provide a lot of joy to a lot of people. Get off on the right foot!
...I just found out about the Elin artwork changes.. I guess I won't even go there but again these decisions really do not inspire confidence. sigh.
The feeling of playing a character you know will be wiped -- it sucks.
You know what sucks more? The feeling of spending $96 on this game then finding this thread describing the plan for launch a couple hours later.
Please, it's not too late. Wipe this thread and go with the European model for launch. A 3-day free for all (Open Beta) followed by some character purge at some later date for those who do not buy the game is absurd. The European model is obviously the way to go, it's not even close.
Is this some kind of weird stress test to see if the servers can handle so many people, customers and window shoppers alike, logging on all at the same time?
apqoo on 02/13/2012, 12:49 AM
So NA and EU have different beta to launch plans?
According to the EU site http://community.tera-europe.com/home/news/article/overview-about-beta-phases.html their plan is:
CBT -> Wipe -> OBT -> Wipe -> Name Reserve -> Headstart
But from what I've read, NA plan is:
CBT -> Wipe -> Name Reserve -> OBT (no wipe) -> Headstart
Knoxxer, you know that knot in your stomach? It's telling you that deep down inside you know this is a really bad idea to launch the game this way. Again, please reconsider, it's not too late.
I'm trying to be optimistic about this game. It really looks like one that will provide a lot of joy to a lot of people. Get off on the right foot!
...I just found out about the Elin artwork changes.. I guess I won't even go there but again these decisions really do not inspire confidence. sigh.
riffraffgames
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#187
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I'll add something positive here unrelated to the thread =)
Chronoscrolls are an excellent idea. I agree that EvE online has been much better off since their introduction of PLEX there and I applaud you for following such a good idea for Tera. Confidence +1 ;)
Chronoscrolls are an excellent idea. I agree that EvE online has been much better off since their introduction of PLEX there and I applaud you for following such a good idea for Tera. Confidence +1 ;)
leetdemon
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#188
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I love the idea of keeping our open beta toons :) sweet!
SynysterOne
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#189
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I don't see what peoples problem with no wipe after Open Beta is. I'm actually quite used to this...and think it will do just fine.
Think of Open Beta as a pre-launch launch. Instead of having all the issues normally associated with a launch they will get it out of the way. And those that have access to the headstart won't get screwed.
If I may, SWTOR.....They failed their headstart/launch terribly. They staggered access into headstart and even with the staggered enrty, the servers were full with queue times of a couple hours+.
Some people paid for the headstart expecting to get 4 days of headstart which promptly turned into 2 days of headstart which consisted of waiting 2 hours to get in, crashing, waiting again, server gets taken down halfway through your 2nd countdown to get in and so on.
So I highly approve of the way they are going about this, I think it is well thought out and I am happy they came to this decision. Things will only get better from Open Beta moving to headstart.
Think of Open Beta as a pre-launch launch. Instead of having all the issues normally associated with a launch they will get it out of the way. And those that have access to the headstart won't get screwed.
If I may, SWTOR.....They failed their headstart/launch terribly. They staggered access into headstart and even with the staggered enrty, the servers were full with queue times of a couple hours+.
Some people paid for the headstart expecting to get 4 days of headstart which promptly turned into 2 days of headstart which consisted of waiting 2 hours to get in, crashing, waiting again, server gets taken down halfway through your 2nd countdown to get in and so on.
So I highly approve of the way they are going about this, I think it is well thought out and I am happy they came to this decision. Things will only get better from Open Beta moving to headstart.
BiggsTobacco
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#190
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riffraffgames on 03/21/2012, 07:16 PM - view
Wow... assume much?
Let's throw around words like "absurd" and "clearly" but never explain the reasoning behind anything we say! That's LOGIC.
Keeping names and characters from open beta is an incentive I appreciate. I'm already not thrilled with knowing my CBT characters will be wiped but I can understand it because it's necessary to put everything in place for the launch clients and servers. Open beta is a way to test the launch configuration so they can confidently go live.
Plus, from a game design standpoint, no players want to spawn in for the first time in an empty world where there are no players of higher levels around to help explain things or just to check out what things look like at later levels. People want to come into a vibrant, populated environment.
In addition, consider game aspects such as the economy, guilds and for Tera, Vanarchs. No player wants to see an empty auction house. Where are these goods going to come from if there are no higher level characters already in the game? Not everyone wants to start a guild, and people love to join guilds which are already established, which can only happen if OBT characters are retained. Same thing for Vanarchs: people will want to know there is already an example for them to go by. Trailblazing is the reward for OBT players. Most players who are not beta testers want to have things in place for them already, to have examples and mentors. Again, this is not possible unless higher level characters already are in the game.
This is the huge, important why it's smarter to retain characters during open beta testing: it creates a better player experience for new players who were not in the betas. If you read anything about virtual world design, such as Designing Virtual Worlds by Richard Bartle you will see this is something the world's top game designers agree on.
Clearly.
knoxxer on 02/07/2012, 01:09 PM
The feeling of playing a character you know will be wiped -- it sucks.
You know what sucks more? The feeling of spending $96 on this game then finding this thread describing the plan for launch a couple hours later.
Please, it's not too late. Wipe this thread and go with the European model for launch. A 3-day free for all (Open Beta) followed by some character purge at some later date for those who do not buy the game is absurd. The European model is obviously the way to go, it's not even close.
Is this some kind of weird stress test to see if the servers can handle so many people, customers and window shoppers alike, logging on all at the same time?
apqoo on 02/13/2012, 12:49 AMSo NA and EU have different beta to launch plans?
According to the EU site http://community.tera-europe.com/home/news/article/overview-about-beta-phases.html their plan is:
CBT -> Wipe -> OBT -> Wipe -> Name Reserve -> Headstart
But from what I've read, NA plan is:
CBT -> Wipe -> Name Reserve -> OBT (no wipe) -> Headstart
Knoxxer, you know that knot in your stomach? It's telling you that deep down inside you know this is a really bad idea to launch the game this way. Again, please reconsider, it's not too late.
I'm trying to be optimistic about this game. It really looks like one that will provide a lot of joy to a lot of people. Get off on the right foot!
...I just found out about the Elin artwork changes.. I guess I won't even go there but again these decisions really do not inspire confidence. sigh.
Wow... assume much?
Let's throw around words like "absurd" and "clearly" but never explain the reasoning behind anything we say! That's LOGIC.
Keeping names and characters from open beta is an incentive I appreciate. I'm already not thrilled with knowing my CBT characters will be wiped but I can understand it because it's necessary to put everything in place for the launch clients and servers. Open beta is a way to test the launch configuration so they can confidently go live.
Plus, from a game design standpoint, no players want to spawn in for the first time in an empty world where there are no players of higher levels around to help explain things or just to check out what things look like at later levels. People want to come into a vibrant, populated environment.
In addition, consider game aspects such as the economy, guilds and for Tera, Vanarchs. No player wants to see an empty auction house. Where are these goods going to come from if there are no higher level characters already in the game? Not everyone wants to start a guild, and people love to join guilds which are already established, which can only happen if OBT characters are retained. Same thing for Vanarchs: people will want to know there is already an example for them to go by. Trailblazing is the reward for OBT players. Most players who are not beta testers want to have things in place for them already, to have examples and mentors. Again, this is not possible unless higher level characters already are in the game.
This is the huge, important why it's smarter to retain characters during open beta testing: it creates a better player experience for new players who were not in the betas. If you read anything about virtual world design, such as Designing Virtual Worlds by Richard Bartle you will see this is something the world's top game designers agree on.
Clearly.
Edited by: BiggsTobacco
about 1 year ago
- Reason: Added additional info about economy and guilds.