Merger Server ... part 1 .... January 7th 2009

Sixfeetunder

http://forums.ageofconan.com/showthread.php?t=179126

AmazingAvery

GJ!

Bit more info:

Tarib Senior Community Manager Merge of first two US Servers this week -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Like announced end of last year, we aim to merge the Age of Conan servers early 2009. As the first step for this, we will merge the two US servers ‘Bloodspire’ and ‘Hyperborea’ this week on Wednesday 7th January. It is important to know that during the time servers will be merged, all servers of the same territory (US or EU) will not be available. This means that during this week's downtime (estimated 6 hours) - where the two above mentioned servers are merged - all US servers will be unavailable. After this first merge has been completed, we will announce the further plans for the other servers soon after. Please note that this week we will also restart the EU servers. This has nothing to do with the server merges but is rather for maintenance. The EU servers will be down for an estimated duration of 3 hours. You find the official downtime announcement in the Server Announcement section of the forums.

 

RightInThere

Hoorayy it's F@cking happening!! Ok, thats it I'm in.

DaveTT

 

Really nice !!

Is it done Jury ? it has just begun. (Red alert2) <-- "i just had too"

 

Jackdog

First off way to go Funcom, I know server merges were a tough pill to swallow but in the end it will make your subscribers a lot happier. I had friends who played Horizons when they did their server merges and the players were a lot happier.

So will it all be merging the least populated into the 2 or 3 most populated ones or maybe taking 4 or 5  low pops into one ? Looks like they are starting by merging a almost deserted server with one of the most popular ones. Looking on the official server forums Bloodspire seems to have very very little traffic on it's forum with only about 3 posts this week, while Hyperboria had almost a full page of posts today.

If they are using this criteria they should be able to get down to about 4 or maybe 5 US servers with good populations.

IKShadow

---

Originally posted by Jackdog
If they are using this criteria they should be able to get down to about 4 or maybe 5 US servers with good populations.

---

One can only hope.
When it comes to EU PvP servers I would merge all of them into one,-> the instancing system allows them to do that as they are not limited by map/zone size.

I still remembering back in May on day 1 when i visited Wildlands there were 35 instances and like 13 day later 20+ instance of keshatta aaaa the good old days .. this days we get 2 if lucky 3 in keshatta.

Unfinished

So begins the 'divide by 2 till we hit zero' slide ...  this outta be fun to watch.

Jackdog

Originally posted by IKShadow


 

Originally posted by Jackdog

If they are using this criteria they should be able to get down to about 4 or maybe 5 US servers with good populations.

 

One can only hope.

When it comes to EU PvP servers I would merge all of them into one,-> the instancing system allows them to do that as they are not limited by map/zone size.

I still remembering back in May on day 1 when i visited Wildlands there were 35 instances and like 13 day later 20+ instance of keshatta aaaa the good old days .. this days we get 2 if lucky 3 in keshatta.

Not trying to derail but it's too bad SOE did not do this with EQII and SWG. I could see them doing much better 2 or 3 servers each also.

Anyway after the server merge is complete  I plan on giving the game a second look, maybe late February or early March. Sorta hoping they will have a "come back to Conan" offer and save myself some bucks if it still is just the SoSDD.

xpiher

Originally posted by Jackdog

Originally posted by IKShadow


 

Originally posted by Jackdog

If they are using this criteria they should be able to get down to about 4 or maybe 5 US servers with good populations.

 

One can only hope.

When it comes to EU PvP servers I would merge all of them into one,-> the instancing system allows them to do that as they are not limited by map/zone size.

I still remembering back in May on day 1 when i visited Wildlands there were 35 instances and like 13 day later 20+ instance of keshatta aaaa the good old days .. this days we get 2 if lucky 3 in keshatta.

Not trying to derail but it's too bad SOE did not do this with EQII and SWG. I could see them doing much better 2 or 3 servers each also.

Anyway after the server merge is complete  I plan on giving the game a second look, maybe late February or early March. Sorta hoping they will have a "come back to Conan" offer and save myself some bucks if it still is just the SoSDD.

 

By your posting history I would wait until DX1, and the new dungeons are in, but your time frame seems spot on.

HURRAY SERVER MERGERS. Now, these are a sepcial case and its not likely that other mergers will go the same route; howerver, I perdict that the servers will be squashed down to 6 and 2 new ones:

1 PvP Oceanic, 2 PvP, 2 PvE, 1 RP-PvP, New PvE, New PvP

monoth

I wouldn't hold your breath, they screwed up the 1st time they tried the server merge... Don't be surprised if they run into more problems and have to undue it again, or worse let people play in a unstable server while they try to fix it...

My account just expired today, so i'll be waiting for the expansion pack before I try AOC again... Hopefully by then they will have a more complete game...

FC-Famine

Originally posted by Jackdog


First off way to go Funcom, I know server merges were a tough pill to swallow but in the end it will make your subscribers a lot happier. I had friends who played Horizons when they did their server merges and the players were a lot happier.
So will it all be merging the least populated into the 2 or 3 most populated ones or maybe taking 4 or 5  low pops into one ? Looks like they are starting by merging a almost deserted server with one of the most popular ones. Looking on the official server forums Bloodspire seems to have very very little traffic on it's forum with only about 3 posts this week, while Hyperboria had almost a full page of posts today.
If they are using this criteria they should be able to get down to about 4 or maybe 5 US servers with good populations.

 

Info has not been fully released on final servers but there will be a good portion left while maintaining the different rulesets. Once the first set are merged then the others should follow rather quickly. That way we can have as less downtime as possible while allowing everyone the free choice of which server to choose from.

 

Crashloop

Would be nice to see they merge all the EU pvp servers into one server. Now that would bring some interesting fights.

Jackdog

Originally posted by FC-Famine

Originally posted by Jackdog


First off way to go Funcom, I know server merges were a tough pill to swallow but in the end it will make your subscribers a lot happier. I had friends who played Horizons when they did their server merges and the players were a lot happier.
So will it all be merging the least populated into the 2 or 3 most populated ones or maybe taking 4 or 5  low pops into one ? Looks like they are starting by merging a almost deserted server with one of the most popular ones. Looking on the official server forums Bloodspire seems to have very very little traffic on it's forum with only about 3 posts this week, while Hyperboria had almost a full page of posts today.
If they are using this criteria they should be able to get down to about 4 or maybe 5 US servers with good populations.

 

Info has not been fully released on final servers but there will be a good portion left while maintaining the different rulesets. Once the first set are merged then the others should follow rather quickly. That way we can have as less downtime as possible while allowing everyone the free choice of which server to choose from.

 

thans for the reply... BTW as hard as I am on the game I have to commend you guys once again for doing this. SOE should have done this long ago with SWG and EQII, it probably would have saved them customers in the long run.

@ Xipher - new dungeons would be nice but I could care less about the DX10. I still use XP and the DX 10 effects I have seen in games so far has not impresssed me enough to move to Vista. In LOTRO I still get "god rays" and moving grass etc in DX9. As far as I can tell landscape shadow quality is about the only real difference in that game.

xpiher

@ Xipher - new dungeons would be nice but I could care less about the DX10. I still use XP and the DX 10 effects I have seen in games so far has not impresssed me enough to move to Vista. In LOTRO I still get "god rays" and moving grass etc in DX9. As far as I can tell landscape shadow quality is about the only real difference in that game.

 

There are more ambiant effects in AoC but I see your point. One of the main things you'll be happy with is the improvements to Siegeing, Partial loot system, new dungeons, and itemization all of which will come in by probably march 20, with most being added in the next patch (itemization is the longeset process)

finnishguy

I had a theory that Funcom purposely postponed server merges for months, hoping that people would rejoing AoC during holidays. They had all kinds of "issues", then right after holidays.. boom, server merges. What a surprise

I've stopped believing what Funcom representatives say a long time ago.

xpiher

Originally posted by finnishguy


I had a theory that Funcom purposely postponed server merges for months, hoping that people would rejoing AoC during holidays. They had all kinds of "issues", then right after holidays.. boom, server merges. What a surprise
I've stopped believing what Funcom representatives say a long time ago.

 

... YOu have no idea what you are talking about. They delayed mergers due to having a problem with the legacy and database where people would lose items if the merge was forced at the time. By dec 18 everything was ready to merge servers, but they held it off because it would mean that servers would be down during the majority of the time during everyones vaction, that and it would cut into their no doubt. So its not suprising. Thinking that FC was expecting a holiday rush to buy the game is tinfoil hat theory and 

finnishguy

Originally posted by xpiher


... YOu have no idea what you are talking about. They delayed mergers due to having a problem with the legacy and database where people would lose items if the merge was forced at the time. By dec 18 everything was ready to merge servers, but they held it off because it would mean that servers would be down during the majority of the time during everyones vaction, that and it would cut into their no doubt. So its not suprising. Thinking that FC was expecting a holiday rush to buy the game is tinfoil hat theory and 

 

Yes, I know the official explanations.

"Server merges are hard.."

"Oops, we had a mystery issue.."

I said long before the merges that for one reason or another Funcom will not do the merges before 2009 and they will have a huge marketing campaning to get people back during holidays. This is EXCATLY what happened.

You need to realize that companies want to make money and sometimes they don't tell you the truth.

xpiher

Originally posted by finnishguy

Originally posted by xpiher


... YOu have no idea what you are talking about. They delayed mergers due to having a problem with the legacy and database where people would lose items if the merge was forced at the time. By dec 18 everything was ready to merge servers, but they held it off because it would mean that servers would be down during the majority of the time during everyones vaction, that and it would cut into their no doubt. So its not suprising. Thinking that FC was expecting a holiday rush to buy the game is tinfoil hat theory and 

 

Yes, I know the official explanations.

"Server merges are hard.."

"Oops, we had a mystery issue.."

I said long before the merges that for one reason or another Funcom will not do the merges before 2009 and they will have a huge marketing campaning to get people back during holidays. This is EXCATLY what happened.

You need to realize that companies want to make money and sometimes they don't tell you the truth.

 

They didn't have a huge marketing campeign thats my point. They have a couple banners on this, and some other gaming websites thats it. They didn't even implement their winback program yet. The only people that were trying to get others to play the game have been the players themselves by answering question about how the game is doing and saying how its improved since launch. Nothing paid for, or done by FC.

The issue was mysterious either. If you knew anything about program and databases you would of known this could have been a problem.

Azrile

Yep, it would be really smart for them to wait until after the mergers to do the free comeback thing.  The first thing returning players are going to look at is populations.

They also should give Warhammer another month to self-destruct.  Players there are getting fed up with fortress crashes and the broken contribution and VP systems.

courtsdad

Hopefully it goes well so the players that enjoy the game can continue to so with adequate population

finnishguy

Originally posted by xpiher


They didn't have a huge marketing campeign thats my point. They have a couple banners on this, and some other gaming websites thats it. They didn't even implement their winback program yet. The only people that were trying to get others to play the game have been the players themselves by answering question about how the game is doing and saying how its improved since launch. Nothing paid for, or done by FC.
The issue was mysterious either. If you knew anything about program and databases you would of known this could have been a problem.

 

Maybe it wasn't "huge" because that costs a lot of money and Funcom probably don't have too much extra cash lying around. But they did have this big snow mammoth campaign and other holiday promotion stuff.

Winback program is not implemented yet because the game is not ready for it. If I were Craig I would polish AoC for 6 more months before starting that winback program.

That last paragraph.. I have no idea what you are talking about.

AmazingAvery

Originally posted by courtsdad


Hopefully it goes well so the players that enjoy the game can continue to so with adequate population

 

Thats what it is about right there. I have a feeling that the servers will be pretty much halved in EU and US.

finnishguy

Originally posted by AmazingAvery




Thats what it is about right there. I have a feeling that the servers will be pretty much halved in EU and US.

 

That's not nearly enough. Look at the numbers. They should cut them down to at least 1/4th.

AmazingAvery

Originally posted by finnishguy

Originally posted by AmazingAvery




Thats what it is about right there. I have a feeling that the servers will be pretty much halved in EU and US.

 

That's not nearly enough. Look at the numbers. They should cut them down to at least 1/4th.

 

I'm sorry I forgot that you had all the official data for all markets in front of you. Like I was saying it is just a guess.  The only servers where I haven't got a real clue are the different language servers specific forums in the EU, because like others I have no clue what is being talked about. Everything else is read often.

The impression I get is the game is gaining new people at the same ratio your posting per day. When the next patch goes in there will be a rush. The notes have got 4 times the page views as any of the other recent additions on test.

Game needs more than 6 servers per continent. I would aim between 8-12 and leave some breathing room.

finnishguy

Originally posted by AmazingAvery


The impression I get is the game is gaining new people at the same ratio your posting per day. When the next patch goes in there will be a rush. The notes have got 4 times the page views as any of the other recent additions on test.

 

I believe most of those "new players" are just restarting on a different server because they're server is dead and Funcom hasn't done merges like they promised.

At least this is my impression after talking to many people ingame. I was lucky in choosing a popular server but even my server way too empty. I don't think there is a single AoC server that is even close to being full on prime time. At least not in EU.

4 EU and 4 US (?) servers would be sufficent imo.

in4sit

Wow, so this game is also starting to die out already...  Wonder what is going on with the newer games that are coming out these days,..  Vanguard, D&D, LOTRO, AOC, WAR,..  as far as I can see, they are ALL sinking ships..  

What do the older style games have that the new ones don't??..  Besides "players"?