Lack of SE Response to Lag

[Shadex]

What boggles me and what no one, player or Square, seems to want to touch is the reason why so many players that are dealing with these lag issues are able to play WoW, Rift, AoC, LotRO, TSW, etc., etc., etc. with no issues yet... they log into FFXIV and the lag is unplayable. Let us say for a moment that Square is not doing anything 'wrong' per se. So what are countless MMO companies the world over doing so 'right' that makes their games completely playable even in difficult twitch based end game? That I feel is the elephant in the room.

[Tupsi]

What boggles me and what no one, player or Square, seems to want to touch is the reason why so many players that are dealing with these lag issues are able to play WoW, Rift, AoC, LotRO, TSW, etc., etc., etc. with no issues yet... they log into FFXIV and the lag is unplayable. Let us say for a moment that Square is not doing anything 'wrong' per se. So what are countless MMO companies the world over doing so 'right' that makes their games completely playable even in difficult twitch based end game? That I feel is the elephant in the room.

Because your connection to other games isn't getting throttled and there's necessarily nothing wrong with that because it's simply ISPs trying to curve P2P (Torrenting) which sadly, XIV's data is considered at such likely due to the multiple datacenters and packet handling - that is the "elephant in the room."

[Cons]

I like to think they know about the problem and are trying to deal with it, as well as other issues raised, but choose not to reply until trying to work something out.

[Tagihi]

how about battleping? some friends use it and they seems have no lag anymore for now.

[Shadex]

Because your connection to other games isn't getting throttled and there's necessarily nothing wrong with that because it's simply ISPs trying to curve P2P (Torrenting) which sadly, XIV's data is considered at such likely due to the multiple datacenters and packet handling - that is the "elephant in the room."

Ah so it could be a difference in how Square Handles their packets. If they are utilizing some form of P2P technology that no other MMO is doing... perhaps they may want to rethink that. *shrug* I am just saying countless MMOs manage to handle multiple datacenters and shards without resorting to technology that ISPs are going to have issues with. 'If' this is the case, and I am not saying it is, but if so then either Square needs to drop the P2P format or get in touch with alot of ISPs get them to play nice with what they are doing. Whether a direct result of server coding or the result of a specific choice in connection handling it would appear that this lag issues may very well be lying in the lap of Square Enix.

[ispano]

Ah so it could be a difference in how Square Handles their packets. If they are utilizing some form of P2P technology that no other MMO is doing... perhaps they may want to rethink that. *shrug* I am just saying countless MMOs manage to handle multiple datacenters and shards without resorting to technology that ISPs are going to have issues with. 'If' this is the case, and I am not saying it is, but if so then either Square needs to drop the P2P format or get in touch with alot of ISPs get them to play nice with what they are doing. Whether a direct result of server coding or the result of a specific choice in connection handling it would appear that this lag issues may very well be lying in the lap of Square Enix.

Actually other mmos do use P2P tech, especially for patches. The problem is that it MIGHT look like P2P, even if SE has told them it's not. ISPs don't generally care or think about it, if it even looks like it and they throttle it, they throttle it. They don't investigate further. The other thing people miss is that the routers that seem to be failing, aren't the same routers you'd use for say WoW servers, due to location. And for that same reason, those routers may not be coping with the increased bandwidth use from SE switching the position poll rate from 0.3 seconds to 0.1 seconds for most major instances.

[Ulathskullsplitter]

Uhm where have you been? They did respond. Did you not zoom your camera out?

[Shadex]

Actually other mmos do use P2P tech, especially for patches. The problem is that it MIGHT look like P2P, even if SE has told them it's not. ISPs don't generally care or think about it, if it even looks like it and they throttle it, they throttle it. They don't investigate further. The other thing people miss is that the routers that seem to be failing, aren't the same routers you'd use for say WoW servers, due to location. And for that same reason, those routers may not be coping with the increased bandwidth use from SE switching the position poll rate from 0.3 seconds to 0.1 seconds for most major instances.

Perhaps Square needs to rethink its location choice then. These other MMOs did something right somewhere that caused this to not be an issue with them. Matter now is for Square to simply find it and replicate it.

[ispano]

Perhaps Square needs to rethink its location choice then. These other MMOs did something right somewhere that caused this to not be an issue with them. Matter now is for Square to simply find it and replicate it.

The problem with doing that comes down to this. Is it worth it for THEM to do it. I'm talking about money here. You might say they'll lose money if they don't, but are they going to make MORE money if they do. Enough to compensate for it and then some?

[Shadex]

The problem with doing that comes down to this. Is it worth it for THEM to do it. I'm talking about money here. You might say they'll lose money if they don't, but are they going to make MORE money if they do. Enough to compensate for it and then some?

Absolutely, this is the crux of the issue. My personal opinion is that word will continue to spread among those that have not tried 14, "Yeah it's cool... if you live in just the right place to get a decent connection." and those that are currently playing that are eventually going to get tired of it and leave. With the investment that Square has made into this title and the revenue it 'could' generate if it survives long enough to get some things worked out will in the long run outweigh the cost of moving the datacenter somewhere more stable for the playerbase. I know it will be a tough decision but it may be one that makes or breaks the future of Eorzea.