"DDOS" for MONTHS on end with no resolution UNACCEPTABLE

[PassinLay]

It was, but the vast majority of consumers are tech illiterate when it comes to stuff like DDoS so its easier for them to tunnel-focus SE with their hatred because its what they're directly interacting with than to do cursory research and learn how to use commands like tracert to see the truth of the situation.

Meanwhile, all SE can do is just take the brunt of the annoyed customers for something they have zero control over, while writing annoyed letters and hope NTT actually does something.

Working in IT myself, I don't envy SE's IT team atm. They're probably internally screaming they can't do anything to stop this, and throwing NTT under the bus in a public statement would likely violate some business contract they have so all they can do is post yet another 'network difficulties caused by DDoS' notification on the lodestone.

oh no the poor little square enix company, i hope they're okay with their multiple billions that they dont even invest in FFXIV at all but instead on NFT's and terrible flop projects like Forspoken etc.

[Eyrilona]

oh no the poor little square enix company, i hope they're okay with their multiple billions that they dont even invest in FFXIV at all but instead on NFT's and terrible flop projects like Forspoken etc.

Whether you agree or disagree with the rest of a company's policies and products, blaming them for the NTT situation that legitimately isn't their fault nor something they have any power to do anything about, is just wasting time, forum space, and tars far more legitimate concerns with the brush of 'the community being unreasonable'. So please stop.

[lolnotacat]

Whether you agree or disagree with the rest of a company's policies and products, blaming them for the NTT situation that legitimately isn't their fault nor something they have any power to do anything about, is just wasting time, forum space, and tars far more legitimate concerns with the brush of 'the community being unreasonable'. So please stop.

I'd agree with you if this was the first or second time NTT has caused issues but we've been dealing with NTT nodes for years, it's just come to a bit of a head with the DDOSing. I work for another game company and if any service provider we were contracted with was causing us as much issue as NTT causes, we'd have dropped them ages ago.

[Eyrilona]

I'd agree with you if this was the first or second time NTT has caused issues but we've been dealing with NTT nodes for years, it's just come to a bit of a head with the DDOSing. I work for another game company and if any service provider we were contracted with was causing us as much issue as NTT causes, we'd have dropped them ages ago.

That's so sad, I wish there was a competitor to NTT so not every MMO had to rely on them. I mean, I'm sure WoW is getting hit with all these DDOS attacks too, right?

I agree with you on that point, but with how contracts work -- especially in how the Japanese deal with them -- I am going to say this becomes SE's problem only on the timescale on which it is realistic they could have looked for a different party to take over the NTT contract. A few months of network issues on one node feels like a very long time to us as consumers, and I understand the anger, but in terms of obligatory contract periods and new negotiations, if an alternative provider can even be found at all, you can get almost nothing done in a few months. If this goes on a full year though, then yes I will say it has become an SE problem.

[lolnotacat]

I agree with you on that point, but with how contracts work -- especially in how the Japanese deal with them -- I am going to say this becomes SE's problem only on the timescale on which it is realistic they could have looked for a different party to take over the NTT contract. A few months of network issues on one node feels like a very long time to us as consumers, and I understand the anger, but in terms of obligatory contract periods and new negotiations, if an alternative provider can even be found at all, you can get almost nothing done in a few months. If this goes on a full year though, then yes I will say it has become an SE problem.

Right, contracts and changing infrastructure can take a while (and cost quite a bit), but like I said, this has been ongoing for years. I will admit it's been stepped up quite a bit recently with all the DDOSing, but NTT being horrible is nothing new.

Infact, the reason I started posting on the forums May of 2023 despite having started in Heavensward is because I was experiencing like a 60% packet drop rate due to NTT nodes. But doing a bit of internet archaeology, those issues with nodes dropping traffic has been an ongoing issue for different segments of players for much longer.

[Kacho_Nacho]

Right, contracts and changing infrastructure can take a while (and cost quite a bit), but like I said, this has been ongoing for years. I will admit it's been stepped up quite a bit recently with all the DDOSing, but NTT being horrible is nothing new.

Infact, the reason I started posting on the forums May of 2023 despite having started in Heavensward is because I was experiencing like a 60% packet drop rate due to NTT nodes. But doing a bit of internet archaeology, those issues with nodes dropping traffic has been an ongoing issue for different segments of players for much longer.

It does seem worse than it has ever been. I cannot imagine this has escaped the notice of Square Enix nor The Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation.

Each DDOS is bad PR for the companies and the game. They aren't going to ignore the issue and hope it goes away.

The thing is, we are never going to know what's being done behind the scenes to combat these attacks, nor the reason for them in the first place.

People upset over Dawn Trail? Business related espionage? Just some people getting their kicks? Who knows?

The best thing we can do, as players, is politely report each DDOS, even if there are pre-existing reports. It's useless to be rude to Square Enix because they are the real victim of the attacks on the NTT nodes.

We're collateral damage.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Right, contracts and changing infrastructure can take a while (and cost quite a bit), but like I said, this has been ongoing for years. I will admit it's been stepped up quite a bit recently with all the DDOSing, but NTT being horrible is nothing new.

Infact, the reason I started posting on the forums May of 2023 despite having started in Heavensward is because I was experiencing like a 60% packet drop rate due to NTT nodes. But doing a bit of internet archaeology, those issues with nodes dropping traffic has been an ongoing issue for different segments of players for much longer.

Before that is was a level3 node that shat the bed between the US and Canada at 6pm west every day. It's been mostly fine with ntt, with some issues here and there. This more recent problem has exacerbated the issue.

[caffe_macchiato]

Meanwhile, all SE can do is just take the brunt of the annoyed customers for something they have zero control over, while writing annoyed letters and hope NTT actually does something.

Whether you agree or disagree with the rest of a company's policies and products, blaming them for the NTT situation that legitimately isn't their fault nor something they have any power to do anything about, is just wasting time, forum space, and tars far more legitimate concerns with the brush of 'the community being unreasonable'. So please stop.

That's so sad, I wish there was a competitor to NTT so not every MMO had to rely on them. I mean, I'm sure WoW is getting hit with all these DDOS attacks too, right?

[AnimalsALot]

Whether you agree or disagree with the rest of a company's policies and products, blaming them for the NTT situation that legitimately isn't their fault nor something they have any power to do anything about, is just wasting time, forum space, and tars far more legitimate concerns with the brush of 'the community being unreasonable'. So please stop.

They literally swapped to NTT because it was cheaper. NA FF14 wasn't on NTT in HW.

[Eyrilona]

They literally swapped to NTT because it was cheaper. NA FF14 wasn't on NTT in HW.

Yes, so both they and you already know how much work and time is involved with making such a provider switch.

Things that could help:
Showing that we players know what is up and urging SE to put every pressure they can on NTT to get the problem fixed a.s.a.p.

Things that will not help:
Foaming at the mouth, getting openly hostile and posting about how SE just sucks. That just drives them into PR face-saving mode against the player base instead of acting on behalf of it.

Unless you prefer relationships between the dev team and the players to be defined through hostility, a fine tradition that has destroyed game after game.