Party Finder needs to be unified across data centers

[Jojoya]

It could propably work as long as the DCs are also physically connected. It could be difficult to, lets say, letting EU- and NA-players to play together.
Cheers

We've been told multiple times that Cross-region data center travel is not a problem. The system was designed to allow it from the start.

It initially wasn't enabled because of fears about cultural differences. Now there are the concerns about player behavior (with respect to congregating on a single data center for PF) that has made them choose to delay it even longer.

Ship's already sailed on that one. Disabling cross-DC travel now would just cause an exodus on Crystal/Primal towards Aether. Players have already gotten too used to the ease of content parties on Aether.

Can't transfer or create a character if all worlds on the data center are Congested. Aether has already been there once and I have no doubt SE is prepared to do it again if necessary.

[Nezerius]

Can't transfer or create a character if all worlds on the data center are Congested. Aether has already been there once and I have no doubt SE is prepared to do it again if necessary.

Sure, SE would have no issue just completely locking down a server or datacenter, as I've personally experienced in Stormblood (full lockdown on Gilgamesh and Balmung). Doesn't mean it's a healthy solution though. It was steadily killing activity on Gilgamesh, while the RP community was the only thing that kept Balmung alive.

[Jojoya]

Sure, SE would have no issue just completely locking down a server or datacenter, as I've personally experienced in Stormblood (full lockdown on Gilgamesh and Balmung). Doesn't mean it's a healthy solution though. It was steadily killing activity on Gilgamesh, while the RP community was the only thing that kept Balmung alive.

Neither is having 75% of NA trying to congregate on 8 out of 28 worlds.

For the time being, SE doesn't have anything to use for a good solution. Any current solution to the PF issue needs to be one of the players' efforts.

If the cloud data center testing works out decently, that might give SE a tool to help but even that will take time to get the current logical data centers integrated with the cloud data centers.

[HermitUK]

If the cloud data center testing works out decently, that might give SE a tool to help but even that will take time to get the current logical data centers integrated with the cloud data centers.

In the interim I wonder if restricting players so they can only create PFs on their home data centre would help. So if one player wants to hop over and join a PF that's fine, but groups looking to fill one or two spots have to recruit on their DC.

Very much a blunt instrument but might balance things a bit more until a proper solution is implemented.

[Payadopa]

. Yes it is a problem created by player behavior but it's impossible to put the genie back in the bottle now and tell everyone to not travel.

Again, by saying it's impossible you're just furthering the problem. It's not impossible. Peer pressure can be overcome. lol People make it sound like it's now impossible to find 7 other people on their server. People are autonomous beings. SE don't need to shepherd us all for every little thing.

[WeebAlert]

This is an MMO not a Fortnite lobby. There's nothing stopping you and your friends from making characters on the same server.

Frankly that makes it more prohibitive. I’ve put a lot of time and effort into my character. If I meet someone new in real life who I want to play with on a different data center, you’re saying I should just make a new character?

[Ardeth]

Any kind of restrictions placed on us players on dead servers/data centers would only make us leave. It's already far and away a better idea to not play on Dynamis. And most Googling will tell you that. A lot of people have this pie in the sky notion that our woes will be gone when the Xbox players come or when 7.0 comes, but I just can't fathom a reality where they don't join Dynamis see how bad it is and leave or happen to Google the common sentence "What server should I join?" And get an awnser that isn't Dynamis.

I know this post isn't specifically about Dynamis, but playing on this server for so long with barely a full PF where most of it is venues with the occasional person needed help because the queues are bad. It's dead.

Personally, I think SE knows this, and the cloud data center is just a tool to widen the Aether belt. I hope I'm wrong because playing on Dynamis is pretty bleak. Sure, I could DC travel, but you could argue that DC travel started this mess. Also, why should I be punished for SE's incompetence in fixing or even adressing the issue? I'm here because of my friends and my FC. Do you think I like spending my subscription money on an inferior server? Because I don't. The day I start DC traveling to other servers for queues is the day I transfer off.

[WeebAlert]

Also, why should I be punished for SE's incompetence in fixing or even adressing the issue? I'm here because of my friends and my FC. Do you think I like spending my subscription money on an inferior server? Because I don't. The day I start DC traveling to other servers for queues is the day I transfer off.

I don’t know if that comment is directed at the original suggestion in this thread, but I don’t see how having the party finder listings in Aether be browsable and joinable while still on Dynamos would punish you. In fact wouldn’t it be a benefit because the Dynamis players would be able to stay in their own realm and still have access to the larger network of players.

[Ardeth]

I don’t know if that comment is directed at the original suggestion in this thread, but I don’t see how having the party finder listings in Aether be browsable and joinable while still on Dynamos would punish you. In fact wouldn’t it be a benefit because the Dynamis players would be able to stay in their own realm and still have access to the larger network of players.

You're missing the point. We HAVE to use what little is on our PF now. So expanding it would be great. The only issue is that on the general end, the players who are just queuing for their roulettes and not using the PF are the ones being left out in the cold. I spent 55 mins(I gave up, it never popped) in an expert roulette at position #1 at prime time NA. Now sure I could've made a PF to do it, but I just got off work. I'm lazy sometimes. It happens we're people. I'm doing my Island crap checking my retainers, etc. I'm buying time for that queue to pop. And most days it doesn't. So honestly, as a player, I don't care how much you extend the PF, because I'm not going to use it 100% of the time anyway. Anymore, it's just for hunts. I don't do high-end content, so I couldn't care less. I don't do venue crap. I want the DF fixed. Because at the end of the day, my experience is worse because of it.

[WeebAlert]

You're missing the point. We HAVE to use what little is on our PF now. So expanding it would be great. The only issue is that on the general end, the players who are just queuing for their roulettes and not using the PF are the ones being left out in the cold. I spent 55 mins(I gave up, it never popped) in an expert roulette at position #1 at prime time NA. Now sure I could've made a PF to do it, but I just got off work. I'm lazy sometimes. It happens we're people. I'm doing my Island crap checking my retainers, etc. I'm buying time for that queue to pop. And most days it doesn't. So honestly, as a player, I don't care how much you extend the PF, because I'm not going to use it 100% of the time anyway. Anymore, it's just for hunts. I don't do high-end content, so I couldn't care less. I don't do venue crap. I want the DF fixed. Because at the end of the day, my experience is worse because of it.

Oh sure. I mean they might as well both be unified. If they develop the technology to let you join premade groups across DC I don’t see why they shouldn’t also do that for matchmaking.