MMORPGs moving to 1-10 MS server side polling

[Dwill]

Translation: We plan to remove open world completely, and instead make everything instanced.

Swing and a miss.

What this means is that they are trying to create a system where in case that a zone is being overcrowded (North Shroud as an example) and it starts affecting the whole server with performance issues, the server will instead create a second copy of North Shroud to redirect players to said copy so that the server doesn't take a performance hit. Another way this is done is by having the server create multiple copies of the same zones and let player switch between these copies. The former is the more likely option (in my opinion).

Next time, read what you quote and try to understand it.

[Amberion]

Swing and a miss.

What this means is that they are trying to create a system where in case that a zone is being overcrowded (North Shroud as an example) and it starts affecting the whole server with performance issues, the server will instead create a second copy of North Shroud to redirect players to said copy so that the server doesn't take a performance hit. Another way this is done is by having the server create multiple copies of the same zones and let player switch between these copies. The former is the more likely option (in my opinion).

Next time, read what you quote and try to understand it.

That is instancing and not open world. Just because they want to go cheap on hardware doesn't remove that fact.

You have to remember that the only reason instancing in exists in the first place, is to not have to spend as much on server cost. And with how much they proclaim this game to be a huge success, they should not have to go that route.

Or making the game in a way that spreads people around and not clumping them together.

[Dwill]

That is instancing and not open world. Just because they want to go cheap on hardware doesn't remove that fact.

Every zone by definition are already mini-instances dues to having to load between each of them. If it was a real open world, you would log in Gridania for example and you could travel between any Shroud without having to load between each of them. What they are doing is just making sure that there is no performance issue due to overcrowding. If the solution that they choose is similar to the first one I mentioned earlier on, most of you are never going to even notice a difference in your gameplay.

You have to remember that the only reason instancing in exists in the first place, is to not have to spend as much on server cost.

It is true that server cost is a big reason for instancing but is far from the only one. Instancing allows for multiple group to do dungeons and raids at the same time and this is another huge reason why instance exists in the first place.

And with how much they proclaim this game to be a huge success, they should not have to go that route.

Or making the game in a way that spreads people around and not clumping them together.

I agree that Square Enix dropped the ball hard on the server aspect and that they could have had a much better insight on how many people this would attract. Though right now, adding new servers and data centers would be even harder, as it was explained earlier in the thread.

[Amberion]

Every zone by definition are already mini-instances dues to having to load between each of them. If it was a real open world, you would log in Gridania for example and you could travel between any Shroud without having to load between each of them. What they are doing is just making sure that there is no performance issue due to overcrowding. If the solution that they choose is similar to the first one I mentioned earlier on, most of you are never going to even notice a difference in your gameplay.

No, a zone isn't an instance. Instance has since the very beginning in '96 (I think it was created for the first time for MMORPGs then), meant that you made copies of a place/zone/whatever. A single occurrence of it doesn't make it instanced.

It is true that server cost is a big reason for instancing but is far from the only one. Instancing allows for multiple group to do dungeons and raids at the same time and this is another huge reason why instance exists in the first place.

The server cost is actually the only reason it was created. At least from what I remember from when I studied it. BTW, not talking about this game, but from when it was actually first used.

I agree that Square Enix dropped the ball hard on the server aspect and that they could have had a much better insight on how many people this would attract. Though right now, adding new servers and data centers would be even harder, as it was explained earlier in the thread.

Well, at least we agree on something.

EDIT:

When I played SWTOR I had much better MS(and their servers are in the USA). Not to say my ping to FF14 is horrible...it's just not good.

The thing is, some are just better at masking lag. And SE is not good at it.

[Dwill]

No, a zone isn't an instance. Instance has since the very beginning in '96 (I think it was created for the first time for MMORPGs then), meant that you made copies of a place/zone/whatever. A single occurrence of it doesn't make it instanced.

It actually does. The zones are mini-instances, that much is easy to see by the fact you have to load in between each of them. Something more on the side of open world is like in World of Warcraft where one can just mount up and go from Orgrimmar straight to Thunder Bluff without single loading screen. What Square Enix is creating is just something that would toss people in North Shroud #2 instead of everyone clogging #1.

The server cost is actually the only reason it was created. At least from what I remember from when I studied it. BTW, not talking about this game, but from when it was actually first used.

Actually, it was first created to allow multiple people to have access to the same content without people having to wait awhile (sometimes hours) to have a go at content. Then companies started noticing it could actually be used as to save on server cost and certain companies went way overboard with that (Age of Conan comes to mind).