Data Centers/World Locations Info from the LIVE Letter

[Alhanelem]

Because it's essentially the same when the mass majority are going to play on servers close to themselves. I'm not going to go on a japanese server because there'll be only japanese people. I want a mix. If there were global servers it'd be different. If you can't understand that then I don't know what to tell you.

The multiculturalism isn't going to disappear over night. That being said, it's not vital to having a good game experience. Less lag has a bigger impact on my experience than seeing japanese shouts and occasionally playing with a Japanese player. That being said, I might stay on my current server if the sever system improvements reduce input delay enough to where a lower ping isn't essential to survival (e.g. doging ifrit cracks).

I'm not going to go on a japanese server because there'll be only japanese people. I want a mix.

there clearly plenty of like minded people to you that there will be at least some people of other regions on each server (especially the JP ones, which are the original servers and currently house all of us.)

[Seirra_Lanzce]

So nobody gonna talk about why they do not make the regional servers the way that they should? you know.. like DCUO super servers?

[Coyohma]

So nobody gonna talk about why they do not make the regional servers the way that they should? you know.. like DCUO super servers?

There definitely are attractive alternatives to this, which is why people are so upset.

[Scratches]

Alright! lets see if I get this straight now :

- Every Server is a Global Server
- Physical Location of said Server(s) is in other locations a crossed the world.
- Those Physical Locations of those servers is "Global" and will act that way just as it would be if it were in Japan
- Conclusion No matter what server you go on everyone is united?

This is all based on what I read from you, correct me if I'm wrong anywhere Scratches ^.^.

(PS: I would love to play with ya on ARR if there is a way that we could) =)

Sounds about right. ^_^

For an analogy (why didn't I think of this sooner? o.O lol), let's use Google's search pages. They have their main search page, which is in English/US, but then they also have search pages for just about every other country/region on the planet, right?
I'm in Miami, so, by default, I'd prefer to use Google's main search page due to relevance and whatnot, but there's nothing preventing me from also using Google's other search pages, like for the UK, Canada, or any other country (except maybe a language barrier), just as there's nothing preventing a Brit from using Google's US page.
Same concept with Square setting up servers in new regions, yet still keeping them all open to all players.

I don't see why we wouldn't be able to play together, btw, what with being able to create at least one character on each server in ARR. I'll probably be re-rolling on a US East server, if they go the route of setting up East/West coast shards.

[Starlord]

Sounds about right. ^_^

For an analogy (why didn't I think of this sooner? o.O lol), let's use Google's search pages. They have their main search page, which is in English/US, but then they also have search pages for just about every other country/region on the planet, right?
I'm in Miami, so, by default, I'd prefer to use Google's main search page due to relevance and whatnot, but there's nothing preventing me from also using Google's other search pages, like for the UK, Canada, or any other country (except maybe a language barrier), just as there's nothing preventing a Brit from using Google's US page.
Same concept with Square setting up servers in new regions, yet still keeping them all open to all players.

I don't see why wouldn't be able to play together, btw, what with being able to create at least one character on each server in ARR. I'll probably be re-rolling on a US East server, if they go the route of setting up East/West coast shards.

Good, I hope that's the way it goes!

I be re-rolling as well =) ( still keep my awesome character here ^.^)

[WHS]

If you want to continue playing with other cultures and don't mind lagging like you currently do to their superior connection to the data then so be it. But don't whine and spoil it for those of us that want the same competitive edge as the rest of the game players. Fair is Fair and I for one will be looking forward to a spiffy new connection to the game. I am so tired of lag.

[Evangelus]

If you want to continue playing with other cultures and don't mind lagging like you currently do to their superior connection to the data then so be it. But don't whine and spoil it for those of us that want the same competitive edge as the rest of the game players. Fair is Fair and I for one will be looking forward to a spiffy new connection to the game. I am so tired of lag.

Agree 100%

[Scratches]

There definitely are attractive alternatives to this, which is why people are so upset.

Um, wat?
The person you quoted brought up DCUO, but Sony's Magic MegaServers are regional as well. There's "one" in NA, and "one" in EU. There's no bypassing the laws of physics; crossing the pond adds significant amounts of latency, and, in a game with such a high combat tempo (mouse-click combos, anyone?), it's just an unnecessarily risky move to force people to all connect to a single, global location as it greatly degrades the play experience.
(I put one in quotes, btw, because while it just appears as one server to you, there's still just as many servers and shards working behind the scenes as there were before... their appearance has just been obfuscated to players. Pick a geographically central location to house servers for each region, and you don't even need to worry about bi-coastal servers either... making them appear even more magical.)
And players still play on different servers (what they call "phases") from other players as well; it's just, again, obfuscated from the player.

To Sony's credit, however, it does allow them to dynamically add/remove hardware to meet demand, without having to inform players that, "Uh, we have to merge or take some servers offline due to low population", or whatever. Easy PR, lol.

[Alhanelem]

There is really absolutely no way to please everyone in this situation. No regional servers, and some people will complain about the resulting lag. Regional servers, and people will complain that it divides the community. There's really no way to have your cake and eat it too, without some magical invention that removes communication lag regardless of physical distance.

[Kojihimself]

Why not do a channel system? Each server has a US, EU, and JP channel where the data center is located. You could switch through the channels at will and let players chat in LS chat regardless of channel.