Data Center Travel is ruining server Party Finder

[Doozer]

The only thing Data Center travelled ruined was Labyrinth of the Ancients.

We never used to bother wasting time pulling the Bone Dragon out into the middle of Timbuktu on Aether until Data Center travel became a thing and a bunch of Primal and Crystal players came over and started pulling the Bone Dragon far away from the center and wasting time as it stupidly caught on. Am I being unreasonably salty? Yes. Yes I am. <.<

That's interesting, I didn't know other DCs didn't do that. I find it annoying as well, having been someone who did it normally back in ARR. There are so many lazy strats for old content that make it extra boring, and I had no idea it was a DC-exclusive thing. I've learned something new. And sorry for your current experience with it.

[Tsurayu]

That's interesting, I didn't know other DCs didn't do that. I find it annoying as well, having been someone who did it normally back in ARR. There are so many lazy strats for old content that make it extra boring, and I had no idea it was a DC-exclusive thing. I've learned something new. And sorry for your current experience with it.

Well I can't say it definitively, but I did spend a decent amount of time with an alt on Leviathan and every time I ran Labyrinth there was a tank that pulled the Bone Dragon away from the middle. I was in Discord with a friend I had made during my time on Lebviathan during one of those runs and was complaining to him and he told me that was pretty standard behavior. Surprised me.

[Jeeqbit]

It didn't used to happen in the past, for sure. I assumed it started happening because it sometimes would wipe parties due to healers not healing or mitigating well, or the enemies not being killed before reaching the boss. At the minimum item level it's a tough mechanic where the strategy can involve dragging it away, so they probably got it from guides or from doing it when it was new.

[Tsurayu]

It didn't used to happen in the past, for sure. I assumed it started happening because it sometimes would wipe parties due to healers not healing or mitigating well, or the enemies not being killed before reaching the boss. At the minimum item level it's a tough mechanic where the strategy can involve dragging it away, so they probably got it from guides or from doing it when it was new.

Yeah. Probably.

I'm just not a fan of having to change an entire way an encounter is handled just because a few people in the party are being lazy or incompetent. No one else's fault that the healer(s) aren't paying attention. It's possibly to heal through every single Platinal reaching the Bone Dragon if you time your heals properly. Maybe I'm just an elitist jerk at heart, I also get annoyed when people piss and moan if Phlegethon is tanked in the middle of the arena instead of near B's pad. You have time to move for Ancient Flare no matter where the boss is if you are paying attention. *shrugs*

[Jeeqbit]

I also get annoyed when people piss and moan if Phlegethon is tanked in the middle of the arena instead of near B's pad. You have time to move for Ancient Flare no matter where the boss is if you are paying attention. *shrugs*

I think that is not about time. It's about making it more obvious to people who don't know what cast bars are that the boss is doing something significant, because it runs to the middle to cast it. If it's already in the middle then this isn't noticed by players occasionally.

[Doozer]

I think that is not about time. It's about making it more obvious to people who don't know what cast bars are that the boss is doing something significant, because it runs to the middle to cast it. If it's already in the middle then this isn't noticed by players occasionally.

They have to learn somehow. People are too accustomed to playing lazily in stuff like CT that they fail those same mechanics later on. I still can't believe I see people try to stack up multi-stack mechanics because they see people do it in Syrcus Tower. The game only gets more complex from there, so people should start looking at cast bars.

[Sqwall]

Cross Datacenter Travel is ruining far more than the Party Finder. It's everything.

I will die on this hill, but I think the person who green-lit the idea of Cross DC Travel is a moron. They have created a sweeping issue that effects everyone from their own home DC's population and down even to their chosen Free Company and their friends list. It's the crappy gift that keeps on giving!

"Your Duty Finder dead? Go to Aether."

"Your Party Finder dead? Go to Aether."

"Your Free Company is dead? Well, go to Aether."

I don't want to go to Aether. I want the game I pay for to work. And I don't want to have to be burdened by the fact that I don't play on Aether. I don't want to play on Aether.

This is pretty much the consensus that I'm reaching. Yesterday was a treat when I saw 4 EX's in the PF, which allowed me to get some practice in with SAM under pressure. It was a rough experience, and was forgetting my filler GCD to line up for the 2 min.

All that said....it WAS still better then having to DC travel. Just logged in...checked the PF...joined up...within maybe 2 min. DC travel would be close to maybe 6 min of just clicking and waiting. And still no guarantees that the EX I was looking for was in PF, and I would have to make my own.

Just way to many barriers to DC travel being an efficient alternative to giving us expanded choices to completing content. DC travel is great for trying out different communities, looking for an FC maybe, or just a change of pace. DC travel works great for all that. However, when you are trying to complete content and sometimes it takes hours to get a party together, well that's just a waste of my time, and others joining the party. No wonder people are just sliding over to aether just to get in a place where the population is due to this practice of abandoning communities just out of shear annoyance.

I'm not saying it's something that's got to go...but SE really needs to examine this closer, and find a way to keep the communities and FC's together. I dread the day when my FC decides to move to aether just being fed up with que times and PF gather time. The day that I have to pay for a permanent transfer to a DC out of my time zone...is probably the day I just stop playing...what's the point if you don't have friends to play with.

[OliverQ]

Have the Devs ever acknowledged that they're aware this is a problem now and it's killing off all DCs but the raid DC? Or are they just pretending it's not an issue?

[Saraide]

Have the Devs ever acknowledged that they're aware this is a problem now and it's killing off all DCs but the raid DC? Or are they just pretending it's not an issue?

They know they should make cross DC PF and DF. Massive changes in server structure are unfortunately not easy.

[Sqwall]

They know they should make cross DC PF and DF. Massive changes in server structure are unfortunately not easy.

I agree, and I think transparency would be greatly appreciated if it's something that can be done, or simply isn't possible. Just let us know what the limitations are, or if it's something that can be done...just not right now.

Then maybe it would help stem some of the distain around DC travel and it's affects on server/FC communities.