So i realized after playing kTera that I cant see my friends in the game unless we are in the same channel. There are 3 channels in a server.

So an example would be, a friend and I would like to party to kill a monster, We could be in the same party but If I am in channel 1 and my friend is in channel 2, we are technically in different worlds and could not fight the same monster together.

Of course its possible to change channels instantly but it really takes away from the open world feeling and i was really turned off by this. So depending on what channel you are in you will be seeing different people in the game although it is the same server.

Love the game but anyone else bothered by this?
Or maybe this is just a feature in kTera?

I haven't seen this mentioned at all so i decided to post it, sorry If this was already mentioned somewhere else.

That's a bit strange, but if it helps the server and engine handle the load...then immersiveness takes a backseat.

I will assume that the low level areas and high level areas will have different amount of channels and they are there for a reason... Imagine the amount of players in the beginning zones without multiple channels... Even then I doubt it'll be sufficient.

Quote: kyuin214 on 2012-02-07 19:37:03 UTC

Once you get to around 40+ the channels go away.

Supposedly, there will only be channels in the starter areas and during heavy loads (such as at launch) ... EM has said in the past that the goal is to eventually have only a single (or very few)channel(s).

Personally don't think it takes out of the immersion. We're in a dream, there has to be several different ones of the same kind, but with different people.

That's how i see it atleast. It's still open world.

THANKS! Thats just the answer i was hoping for!

It's actually insanely useful trust me you'll appreciate it at launch. Killed all the quest mobs or looted all the quest items? Too many people in your channel competing for quest mobs and items? switch channels, finish quest.

Quote: CatsonKeyboard on 2012-02-07 19:43:44 UTC

Well if its on a PVP server you could just kill them.

Honestly I like it, say if someplace I'm at is overcrowded, I like to be able to decide if I want to be there or not. Lets me get my stuff done, not wait for spawns if it's PvE I'm doing atm. I don't want the amount of players around me (who they are and where we're at, even) to dictate what I feel like doing and when. If I'm looking for a group I'll go to the populated area and look for people wanting to do the same thing as me. Maybe it's just that I got used to channels in AION, even though I know this won't be the same.
As far as friends go, why wouldn't you all be in the same channel anyways?

And I do like Viscule's take on it, there's always going to be parallel instances of any dream or any world. If you were concerned about immersion, that's a great way to look at it.

I like my space, so for me, immersion sometimes has to do with fewer people, or people that I've never met, that way I'm not freaking out about how many people there are or that I get annoyed because of so-and-so. Fewer channels or none in the higher zones I'm OK with, but I know I'll prefer them in the starter zones for sure.