Data Centers/World Locations Info from the LIVE Letter

[Starlord]

As the saying goes: The person who wants everything.. ends up with nothing

[tymora]

each server can only have one data center in the first place

Please google the term "global data replication". Each machine can physically be in 1 location, but its data can be replicated across multiple locations in the world. A "server" is then not bound to a single physical machine but refers to all of its copies. A database is at the heart of every MMO, so this concept can be applied to them.

It is not impossible just difficult to implement (synchronization issues).

[Apricoth]

This.

Dear lord.... SE can just put a guesting (from GW2)/battle net/cross realm zone type of thing (from WoW) in and be done with it.

Everyone with friends on other servers can keep them on their friend list, talk all day long, join parties, zones etc. And everyone else doesn't have to sacrifice latency for social networking.

If you have no idea what any of that is, here (Google for more information):

http://massively.joystiq.com/2012/08...nsfers-and-re/ (Guesting hasn't been implemented yet, so the info is a bit limited.)

http://us.battle.net/en/realid/ (This doesn't say it, but you can join dungeons and raid finder with battle net people on other servers in WoW-- You can also display a Gamer Tag instead of your real name)

http://www.wowwiki.com/Cross-realm_zones -- This is where you can make raids with people from other zones... I don't play WoW currently, but I believe if they're on your friends list there isn't a barrier.

SE can probably make their own variation of any one of these things. The technology is there.


Again, if you include all of the new players ARR is supposed to bring in (who have no friends, yet), the majority of people will be perfectly fine with regional servers. You can't have faster combat, without faster data transfers... same with PvP advantages/disadvantages. SE would have to choose between its new battle system and the current one-- which one do you think they're going to pick?

I don't think anyone understands that SE's goal is to bring in MORE people; if it goes well, the current player base will become the minority-- this game is no longer about keeping/making you happy.

The reference to what GW2's set-up is like is exactly what I was thinking! Or something similar or even better if it that is at all possible. I would be happy with that solution. All doors are left open at all times - you choose your "home" server but you can go visit friends if you wish. Or as suggested, doing something along the lines of what WoW has. I just hope SE has not set this server business in stone yet...

I think people do fully understand that SE wants more people coming into this game. But I do believe you are incorrect on the comment that this game is no longer about keeping/making us happy - it is quite the opposite, actually. We are all paying money here and, quite frankly, those of us who have stuck it out through the subscription period have invested our monies into the game should be considered non-official investors. I know, small pocket change compared to the big wig investors. Just the major difference between us and those suits is that we, as the customer, will dictate (as a community) if FFXIV continues on to succeed. It hinges on how well Yoshi~san and the FFXIV team pull this off and how we, as the subscribers, respond to their implementation. That includes their proposal on the Datacenters.

FFXI and FFXIV stands out to all other mmorpgs (in my opinion mind you) based on the uniqueness of this community. Yeah, I guess you might see it as a forced situation in some ways but truly I think it's a damn good thing. The social environment here is so much more preferable over other games for me. I have played and tried many mmorpgs but I keep coming back to FFXIV for the very reason I have stated here. From time to time, in order to get some sense of cohesion, to obtain the skill of tolerance of other cultures and to come together despite language barriers, you have to force people together.

Those of you that have had "bad" experiences with Japanese players - guess what? They have had just as many bad experiences with the Western players. No one on either side are innocents where that is concerned. So lets leave that argument out of this - it's not relevant.

I think I have digressed. As a side note, thanks to listening to my myriad of EU ls-mates, I don't have a huge issue figuring out what people are saying that have heavy accents. It's quite awesome!

[Soulfire]

I have a question. If I were to choose a world based in NA because that's where I am now, then later physically move to Japan, would I be able to reassign my character to a world of a Japanese data center?

[Jynx]

I have a question. If I were to choose a world based in NA because that's where I am now, then later physically move to Japan, would I be able to reassign my character to a world of a Japanese data center?

Chances are yes if you are willing to pay for it.

[Zumi]

I have a question. If I were to choose a world based in NA because that's where I am now, then later physically move to Japan, would I be able to reassign my character to a world of a Japanese data center?

Probably have paid server transfers like they do in FFXI which cost $25.

[Evangelus]

or $00, like some other game (Rift )

[Asiaine]

Any chance that they can have some servers designated as 'International Servers' with the description: Aimed at people who want to live in an international setting with players from around the world.

[Jynx]

I'm ok with having a server designated to catering to people who enjoy the always alive feeling of a global server.

[Soukyuu]

Instead of

Server 1 [JP]
Server 2 [JP]
Server 3 [JP]
Server 4 [EU]
Server 5 [EU]
Server 6 [EU]
Server 7 [US]
Server 8 [US]
Server 9 [US]

on login, they should present you this:

Server 1
Server 2
Server 3

After choosing one, you get into the game. In the game, give the player a dropdown menu to choose a channel,

Global
English [UK]
English [US East]
English [US West]
French [FR]
German [DE]
Japanese [JP]

Pros:

- still regional servers
- no community segregation

Cons:

- you tell me.

Edit: clarification: the labels indicate the physical location of the server