The goal of this system is to ensure the best Open Realm vs. Realm experience for as many people as possible and to prevent server crashes. Overall, this system will only take effect in the most extreme server load situations, and will only happen as a last measure before the zone would actually crash.Interesting solution, but any solution that doesn't address the root of a problem is going to face criticism.
In order to accomplish this goal "The Winds of Change" will now teleport a small number of players in Realm vs. Realm lakes to the closest "safe point" when crowds are large enough to threaten the stability of the server. This will generally be the nearest Warcamp, however, it may also be a Chapter Hub within the zone depending on where performance is being impacted the most.
Server stability is a fundamental of an MMOG. When there are issues, development needs to come to a screeching halt and all resources need to be redirected to evaluate the stability/performance issues. Mythic has continually shown the opposite, opting to steamroll develop new content in the face of continually worsening performance.
Maybe, Mythic does have all cylinders firing on the problem, but what little they tell the community shows no signs of it and in the case of announcing something like the Winds of Change, one has to wonder if Mythic is taking the problem seriously.
Personally, if this system stays in the game, it nails the door shut on any chances that I would play WAR again.
Update: 29 April, 2009 - As Werit pointed out in the comments, the Winds of Change have been retracted.
After reviewing the metrics and community feedback Mythic have removed the Winds of Change feature from Dark Crag. - Nilax, English Community Manager
This sounds... incredibly halfassed. WAR's server infrastructure sucks anyway, and the solution is to port players out of whatever they're doing? Seriously?Like the new look, by the way.
ReplyDeleteContrast this with recent LotRO server stability issues (Dev posts suggest it's due to a huge number of solo instances being run at once). This is the number one priority for the entire staff over there, and any new content and patches are more-or-less on hold till the servers are rock solid again.
ReplyDeleteNote this also causes a ton of complaints from the forum-going community.
They retracted it and the system is not going in.
ReplyDeleteIt makes no difference with it or without it. On Dark Crag - my server - we are the test rodents. Before and after the Winds of Change, there is nothing better or worse. The lag is still tha same as it was 4 months ago when I subbed and now they limit City Sieges to instances that become repetative PvE, lock down other parts of the game for what was this time 16 hours(meaning if your not in the city, your not playing) and I waited - no joke - 2.5 hours to get into the Inevitable city and ... gave up.
ReplyDeleteSo lag is always and forever present and this is with awesome gaming rigs working on lowest settings and super speed Internet.You dont get to see cool graphics for spell effect - you get a slide show and mass server crashes each and every large battle.
I am still playing Warhammer and yes sir it Blows. If any MMO released tomorrow - I would be gone in instantly.
People wait days and weeks to hear from a CSR about issues.
ANd if you don't believe me - read the forums in T4 - all it is is a long long list of very sad gamers complaining about a game that goes from t1 - t3 and is pretty fun but then epically self destructs at level 32 and then on.