Snapshot of PF activity on North American data centers

[Jojoya]

Just putting this data out there for now in this post.
Discuss!

What's to discuss that hasn't already been discussed in the last 6+ months?

Aether has become the go-to data center for NA content PFs.

SE is aware of the problem, though they thought it was a JP-only problem at first.

Even though SE gave players the tool to make it possible, such use of the tool wasn't their intent.

SE doesn't have an available solution at the moment other than to shut down data center travel, which they would prefer to avoid doing unless congestion gets extremely bad. They are trying to find other solutions.

Players have the ability to fix the problem if they wanted since they're the ones that created it.

Players as usual will expect everyone else to "do the right thing" to fix the problem while they personally continue to go to Aether for PF.

Everyone will talk in circles accomplishing nothing while the problem will persist.

[EorzeaWanderer]

Some interesting comments thus far!

In particular regarding Thanksgiving holiday travel, that shouldn't be too relevant to this thread, as the question we are looking at is not, "Are people playing?", but rather, "When people are playing, where are they playing?"

Players have the ability to fix the problem if they wanted since they're the ones that created it.

Players as usual will expect everyone else to "do the right thing" to fix the problem while they personally continue to go to Aether for PF.

I cannot disagree more strongly with the idea that players somehow created or are responsible for, in any way, the problems that arise from unlimited data-center travel.

Server and data center design for a multiplayer game are part of the game design, just as much as the amount of HP a boss has or what abilities our jobs have. And the players did not design this game, SE did!

The stated intent behind enabling data-center travel (allowing you to play with your friends) is not relevant at this point. The game, as currently designed by SE, allows for unlimited travel for all NA players, not just those seeking to play with some pre-existing friends.

Multiplayer games function better with more people. People WILL tend to cluster together given unlimited means to do so. And that is what we currently have. Asking players not to cluster in this environment (doesn't matter where, it's Aether but that is not important, it could be any ONE location) is like asking water not to flow downhill.

Players who want to play together in a multiplayer game will join up with each other. It is the logical, rational thing to do.

Indeed, the current DC travel paradigm, that being unlimited DC travel for any character, actually *incentivizes* people to all play in one location.

What happens to those of us who are bound to other DCs? We weaken our connections in our FCs, we lose our retainers, etc. We have fewer options for people to play with if we stay home.

In other words, we receive a lower-quality experience playing the game as it is currently designed, with unlimited DC travel and the current restrictions on off-worlders.

This is 100% SE's problem to solve.

[EorzeaWanderer]

Now for some updated data! This is for weekly reset, prime time on Tuesday, November 28, 2023, at around 6:45 p.m. PST (give or take 5 minutes or so for DC travel times).

------------------------------
Aether (191 PF groups):
166 content
25 other
------------------------------
Crystal (85 PF groups):
18 content
67 other
------------------------------
Dynamis (10 PF groups):
2 content
8 other
------------------------------
Primal (50 PF groups):
9 content
41 other
------------------------------

[Boblawblah]

the question we are looking at is not, "Are people playing?", but rather, "When people are playing, where are they playing?"

The problem is you're still assuming PF is the main measure of "playing". do you have any source on what percentage of players spend the majority of their time in PF?

[NanaWiloh]

Players pissed, moaned and cried about not being able to play with friends, piss moaned and cried about not wanting to transfer worlds. SE gives a way play with friends and avoid paid transfers. Now you piss, moan and cry cause your data centers are suffering. Karma at its finest.

[Doozer]

Although DCs like Crystal have less PFs active at any given time, there's still people doing them. I was hosting a Golbez EX PF a past weekend and it didn't take too long to fill up, we just saw a few familiar faces every time (which is fine actually, rapport is nice). There will always be people who don't want to DC travel to join a PF.

As an additional note that I don't think I've seen anyone mention (though I could've missed it): Open PF listings are not indicative of groups that have formed via PF and are actively entering and completing duties. Once they fill up they don't show up in PF anymore.

[Volgia]

The problem is you're still assuming PF is the main measure of "playing". do you have any source on what percentage of players spend the majority of their time in PF?

But isn't the discussion itself about PF and content that you can't do without using that feature?

[PyaKura]

Players pissed, moaned and cried about not being able to play with friends, piss moaned and cried about not wanting to transfer worlds. SE gives a way play with friends and avoid paid transfers. Now you piss, moan and cry cause your data centers are suffering. Karma at its finest.

Asking for DC travel and getting it doesn't mean people shouldn't provide feedback about the way it was implemented. DC travel is overall great I think, you get to play with a larger playerbase than you would normally. However it's everything but seamless, and like it or not but people are allowed to complain about how much of hassle it is to manually log out to the character selection screen, navigate the menus, wait a few minutes for the visit process to complete, then click on their character to wait again for a bit because of the artificial login queue... And then you're locked out of your retainers and FC features.

If you want to post in bad faith, I can do the same and say SE was wrong to split DCs and divide the playerbase in the first place.

[NanaWiloh]

Asking for DC travel and getting it doesn't mean people shouldn't provide feedback about the way it was implemented. DC travel is overall great I think, you get to play with a larger playerbase than you would normally. However it's everything but seamless, and like it or not but people are allowed to complain about how much of hassle it is to manually log out to the character selection screen, navigate the menus, wait a few minutes for the visit process to complete, then click on their character to wait again for a bit because of the artificial login queue... And then you're locked out of your retainers and FC features.

If you want to post in bad faith, I can do the same and say SE was wrong to split DCs and divide the playerbase in the first place.

*face palm*

[Hanayumi]

What's to discuss that hasn't already been discussed in the last 6+ months?

Aether has become the go-to data center for NA content PFs.

SE is aware of the problem, though they thought it was a JP-only problem at first.

Even though SE gave players the tool to make it possible, such use of the tool wasn't their intent.

SE doesn't have an available solution at the moment other than to shut down data center travel, which they would prefer to avoid doing unless congestion gets extremely bad. They are trying to find other solutions.

Players have the ability to fix the problem if they wanted since they're the ones that created it.

Players as usual will expect everyone else to "do the right thing" to fix the problem while they personally continue to go to Aether for PF.

Everyone will talk in circles accomplishing nothing while the problem will persist.

Is it really a problem though? And does SE believe its a problem? As far as I see everything is working as intended. Personally dont think the PF is much of an issue, much id rather see regional queues implemented so those smaller/newer servers dont suffer with a lack of a playerbase.