Official Response to Congestion (as of Dec. 11)

[Elopeppe]

I can understand there being difficulty with heavy user load. Problems are to be expected with a big launch, and that's acceptable.

But what I can't understand is creating a game client that just quits completely out due to an overloaded server. The fact I have to restart the whole program, retype my password, let it load up, click to start the game, wait for it to connect to the server and then select my character just to get back into the queue... That's making me WORK to just get back to the point where I was previously sitting not able to do anything while waiting to play your game, and it's unacceptable.

The fact the program requires active connections for a login queue instead of using connectionless polling points to poor launcher design, and that's also unacceptable.

Here are improvements I recommend to ease this situation:

1) The launcher should remain resident and/or cache my full login credentials so I don't have to retype a secure password every time it crashes
2) Implement mini-games that can be played client-side while waiting in the queue to pass the time.
3) Instead of requiring active connections for clients waiting in the queue, issue a secure token for each client. Maintain a database of client positions server-side and have the clients use connectionless polling to query for position. When a login spot is available the client can be transferred to a full connection.

[NegativeS]

All good, my official response is unsubbed by dec 28th unless its fixed by then, ill be off till it is. Im not even mad at SE honestly. I'm mad at the players and community. When you get logged in and run through a town like limsa and see tons of obvious afk people... the gamer community is terrible. The problem cant even rest 100% on SE. Honestly i think it would be funny if SE did rolling zone resets randomly on cities to force everyone off in the zone with a 2 to 3 minute warning to clear the zone. I dont care who this antagonizes. Its evident the aether community of afks dont care either anyway. I blame this generation of bad parrenting and kids that can do whatever they want and get away with it.

I'm probably not going to unsub since I've been able to play some early in the morning and late at night (I got in with only a 36 queue at 9 AM today, once in a lifetime chance) but I share the sentiment. Queue times would definitely be half what they are now if people didn't feel entitled to no queue time at all, or if multiboxers didn't idle all 20 of their accounts at the same time.

Time will tell what the timeline will be, but if they don't have a fix or solution for the servers or AFKers by Christmas, they're going to fall behind big time. Christmas is when a lot of people buy/get the expansions, so if they log in Christmas evening to a 4k queue that's going to be terrible for PR.

[Kacho_Nacho]

Summary:

"The situation with congestion and our servers has been crap, is still crap, and will likely to continue to be crap for at least a few months. We have done nothing to alleviate these problems because we are incompetent. Hope you enjoyed your 'free' 7 days game time. P.S. 2002 error is your fault lmao."

You spelled "We are doing everything we can to alleviate these problems but our ability to do so is severely hampered by the worldwide shortage of semiconductors in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope you enjoy your free seven days of game time. P.S. We have identified the source of the 2002 and have taken steps to reduce the frequency of its occurrence." wrong.

[say0]

You spelled "We are doing everything we can to alleviate these problems but our ability to do so is severely hampered by the worldwide shortage of semiconductors in the aftermath of the Covid-19 pandemic. We hope you your enjoy your free seven days of game time. P.S. We have identified the source of the 2002 and have taken steps to reduce the frequency of its occurrence." wrong.

le semiconductors!! *conveniently ignores that these issues date back all the way to ARR*. Guess there was a semiconductor shortage in 2013 as well.

[QT_Melon]

Wasn't part of the FFXIV launcher using Internet Explorer btw?

le semiconductors!! *conveniently ignores that these issues date back all the way to ARR*. Guess there was a semiconductor shortage in 2013 as well.

Huh? This wasn't the same issue. I mean HW/ARR had to be load balanced IN game because of server instability. They also resolved it and worked on getting more equipment. Shadowbringer I didn't have login issues. Stormblood was a lesson about instanced duties.

The game works perfectly fine. The worst "bug" it has is more people are trying to get into it than they can allocate for since the massive increase was in JULY.

[Shibi]

3) Instead of requiring active connections for clients waiting in the queue, issue a secure token for each client. Maintain a database of client positions server-side and have the clients use connectionless polling to query for position. When a login spot is available the client can be transferred to a full connection.

That would be a very nice addition. Very sensible suggestion to my DevOps eyes.

Guess there was a semiconductor shortage in 2013 as well.

My memory of ARR launch day, was the queue wasn't there. Lots of people hitting the solar, stacks of people in each instance crowding Minfilia, as back then it was shared with everyone like a normal zone... but no extremely long queues.

[xbahax92]

le semiconductors!! *conveniently ignores that these issues date back all the way to ARR*. Guess there was a semiconductor shortage in 2013 as well.

Sorry but, they did add many servers and data centers over time. Not to forget the data centre for oceania which was planned. And the "2013 shortage" definetly did not stop them from doing so.

[Kes13a]

Wasn't part of the FFXIV launcher using Internet Explorer btw?



Huh? This wasn't the same issue. I mean HW/ARR had to be load balanced IN game because of server instability. They also resolved it and worked on getting more equipment. Shadowbringer I didn't have login issues. Stormblood was a lesson about instanced duties.

The game works perfectly fine. The worst "bug" it has is more people are trying to get into it than they can allocate for since the massive increase was in JULY.

actually something I read from Yoshi said they noticed things trending upward faster in the spring in terms of population. I imagine in July he just about fainted at the numbers....

[basilbc]

actually something I read from Yoshi said they noticed things trending upward faster in the spring in terms of population. I imagine in July he just about fainted at the numbers....

I imagine the devs had a mixed feeling of elation and dread, because "yay more players!" But also "it's too close to make any big changes to infrastructure now oh no"

[_Pigzig]

i have no problem with 2002 error i live in oceania. there are queue times to get in that is all