Cross-region data center travel works, they just don't want to implement it.

In the press interview, it's already confirmed by Yoshi P that there is a completed system for cross-region data center travel that works, they just want to wait a little while longer before choosing to implement it or not.

They're really hesitant to, and haven't gathered enough data with players yet (likely opinions that is favourable to the feature), so they need to wait longer.

I'm gonna guess that they're waiting until 6.5 before they make the big decision and then will implement it during 6.58 during the really long content lull, because it will definitely get players to resub and see how the experience is with cross-region data center travel.

However, their second plan is to create a system where it's cross-region matchmaking for instance content, but it seems it's difficult with making it work with the spaghetti code. But if they do make this work, then they're most likely scrapping cross-region data center travel, and will implement this instead to avoid a huge culture clash. It will definitely be a good feature to have for Dynamis and Materia data center.

So this can go either two ways (or maybe three):

1. They fail to make a system for cross-region matchmaking, and will have to implement cross-region data center travel, thus we will see the shitstorm of culture clash.
2. They successfully create a system for cross-region matchmaking, and will no longer implement cross-region data center travel, which is still good and the best case scenario for this game and its playerbase.
3. They fail to make cross-region matchmaking, choose to miqo'te out and NOT implement cross-region data center travel, and Materia and Dynamis are doomed in the future.

If they manage to do either option 1 or 2, I'm definitely going back to Materia which is my local region. I do think they should pick with either. But definitely not option 3. That would suck.

6.58 is the perfect time to do it. We're really bored. And the culture clash would probably give us amazing drama that FFXIV players just thirst for. It will be fun. And the drama probably won't even be bad. You guys are just amazing at losing your minds over the little things.

I just want to see all the NA club spam work its way over to the JP servers, the drama that will unfold from that will be unforgettable.

Cross-Region Duty Finder is by far the best option, as it will not kill off player populations on OCE like Cross-region travel will.

If its not here by 7.0, then it's pretty obvious that they really do not care enough about the red headed stepchild called Materia to bother continue playing.

They should probably hold out and only add cross-region matchmaking for instanced content (on the assumption they get it to work). Having full access to all data centres with cross-region DC travel is a disaster waiting to happen and we all know it.

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Originally Posted by DixieBellOCE

I just want to see all the NA club spam work its way over to the JP servers, the drama that will unfold from that will be unforgettable.

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It is VERY unlikely, that you will see NA club spam on JP servers.



Cheers

Honestly, I think our options are only going to be 2 or 3, with 3 being the more probable outcome. 1 might be entertaining to watch but ultimately I don't think it will lead to healthy interactions and just cause more damage on all fronts. As soon as someone does a different strat for something, fists are gonna fly. I've seen it already happen on Materia during an alliance raid when someone did an NA strategy for a boss and got dragged through chat for it. Im sure there are also people who will gladly say they dislike the NA playerbase as well and how we do things. And I'm sure we all know by now that the JP playerbase is very against the idea of playing with anyone who isn't from JP.


There's no way to predict who you'll be running content with so are we just supposed to learn every strat then and shuffle them depending on who we're with? What if it's an NA member, an EU member, a JP member and an OCE member?

If it's not forced region queue but rather optional, that might be the best option.

Realistically #2 would happen, unless they really want #1.

On the off chance #3 happens, Materia might be doomed, but Dynamis should be perfectly fine because there's actually a fairly large population of players there that usually just hop to other Data centers. Once 7.0 comes out, the whole DC will be flooded again and content in Dynamis will start taking off as there will be consistent queues afterwards from being unable to hop to other DCs in a time-efficient manner. Of course, that's assuming 7.0 doesn't flop on release and pre-order sales stay high like in previous expansions. That's usually is a given since it's CBU3, but I have seen a lot more people saying they aren't sure whether to pre-order Dawntrail only because they are worried the lack of persistent content to keep them subbed as in the case for Endwalker. I'm not sure if that would actually have an impact this time around. A high pre-order sales will guarantee a large number of people will login simultaneously on expansion release, and this is what drives people to stay on their DC/world from 7.0 onwards. People can still make a purchase for Dawntrail even if they don't pre-order a couple months or a month after expansion release, but without a large population of players to flood the Data centers on 7.0 release, Dynamis won't be flooded with players to do content with.

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Originally Posted by AnotherPerson

Realistically #2 would happen, unless they really want #1.

On the off chance #3 happens, Materia might be doomed, but Dynamis should be perfectly fine because there's actually a fairly large population of players there that usually just hop to other Data centers. Once 7.0 comes out, the whole DC will be flooded again and content in Dynamis will start taking off as there will be consistent queues afterwards from being unable to hop to other DCs in a time-efficient manner. Of course, that's assuming 7.0 doesn't flop on release and pre-order sales stay high like in previous expansions. That's usually is a given since it's CBU3, but I have seen a lot more people saying they aren't sure whether to pre-order Dawntrail only because they are worried the lack of persistent content to keep them subbed as in the case for Endwalker. I'm not sure if that would actually have an impact this time around. A high pre-order sales will guarantee a large number of people will login simultaneously on expansion release, and this is what drives people to stay on their DC/world from 7.0 onwards. People can still make a purchase for Dawntrail even if they don't pre-order a couple months or a month after expansion release, but without a large population of players to flood the Data centers on 7.0 release, Dynamis won't be flooded with players to do content with.

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An issue is definitely low pop on Dyna but that's not the only issue we have. A big one that is affecting *all* DCs in NA is that it's now basically the norm to go to Aether for all forms of content. The other DCs PFs have taken a hit while Aether's skyrockets to 130-150+ at most hours of the day. Honestly unless that mentality changes in 7.0, I feel like we're just going to see everyone dogpiling on Aether and causing server problems just like Endwalker's launch and not actually trying to pop the DCs as a whole.

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Originally Posted by Edelgarde

In the press interview, it's already confirmed by Yoshi P that there is a completed system for cross-region data center travel that works, they just want to wait a little while longer before choosing to implement it or not.

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He told us this a long time ago as well, actually. That it wasn't an issue of if they could do it, but that it was an issue with cultures crossing into eachother and they weren't sure yet. Yet a lot of people seemed to continue to believe they couldn't do it yet.

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However, their second plan is to create a system where it's cross-region matchmaking for instance content, but it seems it's difficult with making it work with the spaghetti code.

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I think spaghetti code is not really going to be the primary issue with that. The primary issue is if you have 3 people from JP, 3 people from EU and 2 people from NA, how do you decide which region the content occurs in? Half of them will have high pings, and SE has to decide who gets that high ping. That is the issue.

So in cross-region matchmaking, someone will have high ping and it may not be possible to predict who. You may not even have a way to know which region you ended up in for the duty without checking your ping in resource monitor.

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1. They fail to make a system for cross-region matchmaking, and will have to implement cross-region data center travel, thus we will see the shitstorm of culture clash.

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There was a culture clash with World Visit and DC travel, but people got over it. We already clash because people do paid transfers to JP and between NA and EU as well.

But one thing for sure is I don't think NA and EU are going to care about clashing with eachother much. This concern of Yoshi-P's is overblown.

They should open it up partially. like allow NA to visit EU data centres and vice versa.

but allowing JP / NA to mix would likely end up being devastating all you need to do is look at the attitudes to wards content and how the df / pf / rf are all used. there's just no compatibility there.

JP uses the df/rf/pf tools correctly and thats why players there can literally pug ultimates.. but on the NA side RF is a joke and avoided like the plague. hell at least 3/4 of PF groups are complete failures. You're lucky if you can clear an EX trial in a farm party on NA/EU

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Originally Posted by Jeeqbit

I think spaghetti code is not really going to be the primary issue with that. The primary issue is if you have 3 people from JP, 3 people from EU and 2 people from NA, how do you decide which region the content occurs in? Half of them will have high pings, and SE has to decide who gets that high ping. That is the issue.

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Actually it's quite easy. Just have the matchmaking be for a dedicated region you're going for. It will not effect the people who choose to queue up in their own data center.

Like, say I'm back in Materia, this cope dead data center, I'm from WA, so most of the Aussies are asleep except for me. I can queue up for JP and play with them but with JP ping. There may be an NA player in that party too who used the feature to cross-region matchmake, but they're the ones who need to adjust the ping.

So it won't affect the people who choose to queue in their own data center.

As the founder of a medium to large size online community centered around cross cultural communication within the FF14 community, I can say that I find the idea of cross region travel to be facinating.
On one side, I think it would be extremely beneficial for communities that want to help increase cross cultural experience and cooperation.
On the other side, having participated in many cross region player events, I can also see that sometimes it can be very difficult to bridge the gap between culture. I think that it can often be quite difficult to go against what you believe to be "the comon sense" brought to you by your background.
I found definitely want to be able to contribute to this cross world travel by being able to help bridge that gap.
As a result I really hope that they take their time in making sure that it does not lead to region drama. ＾＾

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Originally Posted by DixieBellOCE

I just want to see all the NA club spam work its way over to the JP servers, the drama that will unfold from that will be unforgettable.

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Believe it or not, it's actually already happening over there. To a far lesser extent, but it is there.

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Originally Posted by Edelgarde

Actually it's quite easy. Just have the matchmaking be for a dedicated region you're going for. It will not effect the people who choose to queue up in their own data center.

Like, say I'm back in Materia, this cope dead data center, I'm from WA, so most of the Aussies are asleep except for me. I can queue up for JP and play with them but with JP ping. There may be an NA player in that party too who used the feature to cross-region matchmake, but they're the ones who need to adjust the ping.

So it won't affect the people who choose to queue in their own data center.

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I'm sure somebody on these forums will heavily disagree with what i am about to say.

Ping is never going to be an issue in normal DF content, regardless of which region you get put in, because the content is designed that ANYONE can do it.
I have raided on both JP and NA, and don't have an issue doing mechanics properly on 130/170 ping respectively. Normal content isn't punishing enough that a few mistakes is going to matter at all.

The only issue comes down to communication, but luckily for us, XIV has already solved this issue by making all base level content in the DF so braindead easy that you do not need to communicate to begin with, With a small exception being extreme trial queues (Which could just be removed from DF anyway).

With the effect even same region xcenter travel has had on servers and data centers, Im not keen on the idea of doing this at all.

needs to be some limitation because so many people will just go to crystal or Aether
an incentive to go to the smaller DCs (road to 80/90 while visiting,50% of gil rewards from DF/challenge log etc etc) would be nice
or even just not allow visiting for a certain period for DC similar to "Changes in Congested/Preferred Worlds"

Heres how I see it, if theyre afraid of the culture clash they could start off with limited travel like.
Jp <> Oc <> Na <> Eu <>Jp

Road to 90 for visiting places like Dynamis sounds nice lol or even just road to 80.

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Originally Posted by DixieBellOCE

Ping is never going to be an issue in normal DF content, regardless of which region you get put in, because the content is designed that ANYONE can do it.
I have raided on both JP and NA, and don't have an issue doing mechanics properly on 130/170 ping respectively. Normal content isn't punishing enough that a few mistakes is going to matter at all.

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I agree, but ping is something people are concerned about despite that. It's like how people care about graphics when graphics have never mattered as much as good gameplay (otherwise nobody would have played all the games in the 80s and 90s :D). It's a concern people will have just because.

We could argue the graphics update doesn't matter and that SE should focus on better gameplay and content, but you know a lot of players wouldn't accept that and they can be like this with ping as well and blame ping for their lack of understanding of casts and snapshotting, bad ISP/route and so on.

But it does genuinely affect weaving and abilities such as Swiftcast which can fail to make rez swift if rez is pressed too quick and the player would want to at least expect or be aware this is going to be the case so they can anticipate it or adjust weaving behaviour.

We should isloate the US from the other regions, but allow cross-region travel between the others. Keep the US out, and most problems with regards to racism/xenophobia/culture bullying, will be solved.

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Originally Posted by PirateRyanG

We should isloate the US from the other regions, but allow cross-region travel between the others. Keep the US out, and most problems with regards to racism/xenophobia/culture bullying, will be solved.

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So you're just going to casually accuse the US players of exactly what a rather vocal portion of the JP players have been doing this entire time. Aight.

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Originally Posted by Absimiliard

So you're just going to casually accuse the US players of exactly what a rather vocal portion of the JP players have been doing this entire time. Aight.

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I am just saying that study after study has shown that Americans are (generally) less accepting of other cultures than other countries due to US propaganda, and the fact that only a smattering of Americans travel overseas. It's not my fault your country is racist/xenophobic. Your government made you that way with 50-60 years of propaganda.

You wouldn't believe the number of Americans who think their country is the freesest on the planet, has a population that pollutes less than China, and is a safe country to visit. Stick London on a list of American cities, and it would be 60th most dangerous place in the US. The US is an absolute hellhole, full of racists and xenophobes. It needs to be kept separate from everybody else. Japanese people are fine to deal with. Not much during FFXI, but they are better now.

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Originally Posted by PirateRyanG

We should isloate the US from the other regions, but allow cross-region travel between the others. Keep the US out, and most problems with regards to racism/xenophobia/culture bullying, will be solved.

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Oh man, this reads so bad.
Let's fight racism and such by separating an entire country from everyone else as some of them may be a problem.
Doesn't sound hypocritical one bit. /s

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Originally Posted by PirateRyanG

I am just saying that study after study has shown that Americans are (generally) less accepting of other cultures than other countries due to US propaganda, and the fact that only a smattering of Americans travel overseas. It's not my fault your country is racist/xenophobic. Your government made you that way with 50-60 years of propaganda.

You wouldn't believe the number of Americans who think their country is the freesest on the planet, has a population that pollutes less than China, and is a safe country to visit. Stick London on a list of American cities, and it would be 60th most dangerous place in the US. The US is an absolute hellhole, full of racists and xenophobes. It needs to be kept separate from everybody else. Japanese people are fine to deal with. Not much during FFXI, but they are better now.

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You're gonna have to dial it back a bit if you want people to take the bait consistently. You kinda showed your hand here, mate.

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Originally Posted by Thurmnmurmn

Oh man, this reads so bad.
Let's fight racism and such by separating an entire country from everyone else as some of them may be a problem.
Doesn't sound hypocritical one bit. /s

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68% of Americans believe their nation is the freest nation on the planet. The ultimate piece of American propaganda was designed to get Americans to look down on other cultures.

The US doesn't even make the top 10 countries for overall freedom.

It isn't a minority. It is the vast majority.

Americans should NOT interact with cultures they look down on.

Maybe partial like someone suggested? NA and EU, OCE and JP? I do think vast differences in culture and behavior is something that could create friction. So I imagine they want to try to minimize that.

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Originally Posted by TaleraRistain

Maybe partial like someone suggested? NA and EU, OCE and JP? I do think vast differences in culture and behavior is something that could create friction. So I imagine they want to try to minimize that.

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I don't think mixing OCE solely with JP is a good idea. That's like trying to put out a house fire by throwing gasoline on it. The simple truth here is the lion's share of JP players seem to want nothing to do with outsiders whatsoever. It may be best for all involved if they're permitted to remain separate. Not because of the cultural differences or what have you, but because that genuinely seems to be what the bulk of them want in the situation. As for JP and OCE relations in particular, there's a pretty huge disconnect there already. A lot of OCE players were originally on JP servers out of necessity, as we all know, but that doesn't mean their interactions were necessarily good. That's not to say they were all bad, but on the whole it wasn't exactly a wonderful experience for either demographic.

I'd like cross-region travel so that I could do stuff with my US-based friends. They tried playing with me on EU, but their ping was unbearably high and they ended up on Adamantoise.

I really do hope that they would do something with cross region DC travel. It's no shocker that I have talked about this before on the forums based on some of my posts, but my reason is mainly so I could hangout with my friends from EU and NA whenever. I also feel like it *could* help with queue times maybe a little bit easier, I'm not sure how they would implement this though. I know that players play differently, but from my experience EU and NA are not that much different, so maybe the only real concern would be how JP and OCE servers play, because I *think* they use different PF strats and such (I'm not too certain though because I don't really look into it or play on JP servers.) I think like other people suggested, maybe merging OCE and JP together and NA and EU together would be a better bet, so that things wouldn't get too hectic, and could help with the concern Yoshi P has.

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Originally Posted by EstelleCere

I really do hope that they would do something with cross region DC travel. It's no shocker that I have talked about this before on the forums based on some of my posts, but my reason is mainly so I could hangout with my friends from EU and NA whenever. I also feel like it *could* help with queue times maybe a little bit easier, I'm not sure how they would implement this though. I know that players play differently, but from my experience EU and NA are not that much different, so maybe the only real concern would be how JP and OCE servers play, because I *think* they use different PF strats and such (I'm not too certain though because I don't really look into it or play on JP servers.) I think like other people suggested, maybe merging OCE and JP together and NA and EU together would be a better bet, so that things wouldn't get too hectic, and could help with the concern Yoshi P has.

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It would only help queues in the sense that everyone would just travel to aether even more.



DC travel was and still is a mistake in it's current form.

IMO, I think they should do the Cross region DF first to get better data from people before deciding making DC travel region wide. I personally wouldn't mind both though, though I'd prolly use the latter to see a few overseas friends I know that are playing in a different regional data center.

When the uptight jp servers meet the toxic na and eu servers that's gonna be some avengers level event, I cant wait bro. Sign me up!

What about Option #4? We get cross-region travel, but they implement some of the restrictions tied to Free Trial accounts, like being unable to use PF and having to be invited to parties manually (which would significantly mitigate the culture clash issues with things like raiding), and maybe removing access to the marketboard to maintain some regional protectionism.

That way, people from NA, EU, OCE, and JP could visit each other's servers and Data Centres, meet their friends, chat, GPose together, use Duty Finder, etc. All of the benefits, with far fewer of the downsides, and JP could just implement a "No English Client" policy for high-end content if they feel the need to.