ARR: Choosing server, reclaiming characters, etc.

[Eremite]

Do we have any information about how we'll go about choosing a server and reclaiming our characters when ARR is released?

Ideally, I was hoping that we wouldn't have to pick a server/redesign our character immediately so we can test out different servers first. I'm thinking of going with an overseas server, but I want to test out my connection to see what it's like first.

Maybe they'll have a list of characters that have been transferred that you can select from when ready, then redesign them and choose a server afterward. I hope so at least.

[Abriael]

AFAIK, we got no firm info yet, other that we won't be able to join the servers designed for new players with our old characters for a while.

[Altena]

It has been confirmed to be a "once only" thing when the game is released (to create character / pick server) however it has also been mentioned a few times that they are also "looking" or "trying" to implement a world transfer service (like that of XI) if you don't like the server you're on.

Hopefully the content finder will be successful enough that there will be no need to change servers though.

[Quesse]

Hopefully the content finder will be successful enough that there will be no need to change servers though.

cept if you're one of those ppl QQing about lag......

[rina_inverse]

Ideally, I was hoping that we wouldn't have to pick a server/redesign our character immediately so we can test out different servers first. I'm thinking of going with an overseas server, but I want to test out my connection to see what it's like first.

and how are you gonna do that?

[Altena]

cept if you're one of those ppl QQing about lag......

I live in a country that isn't blessed by amazing internet connections, and do experience the odd issue. Yes packet loss exists, but truly people just need to learn to play with minecraft graphics on their garbo computers instead of blaming their connection with their fails.

and how are you gonna do that?

A suggestion I have for the OP would be to create a "dummy" account (level 1 character/mule) before going ahead with setting up their main account.. Play it til level 10 or so and see how the connection runs etc. If it sucks then delete it and make a new one on a different server. This would also give them multiple opportunities to play with the character editor to figure out what they like/hate.

[Punainen]

If you wanna test other servers, why don't you create a new character for that server to test it. Then if you like it, move your main character to it.

[Punainen]

cept if you're one of those ppl QQing about lag......

Well lag actually is an issue. I get small lag all the time, but sometimes it turns into BIG lag and gets really frustrating.

[Abriael]

Lag in FFXIV was determined not by distance, but by the amazingly horrible server structure and netcode.

Yoshida already promised that the server structure of ARR will be completely redone. We'll probably see in the alpha/beta how much of this claim holds true.

From Italy (despite our internet infrastructure being crap) i never go over the 125 ping from US and Asian servers, and that's negligible latency in MMORPG. In FFXIV my lag was MUCH worse than usual.

Hopefully ARR will be on par with the rest for this. We'll see soon anyway. At Gamescom there was no noticeable lag from what I've seen, and the servers were in Japan, while the game was played from Germany.

[Eremite]

and how are you gonna do that?

A suggestion I have for the OP would be to create a "dummy" account (level 1 character/mule) before going ahead with setting up their main account.. Play it til level 10 or so and see how the connection runs etc. If it sucks then delete it and make a new one on a different server. This would also give them multiple opportunities to play with the character editor to figure out what they like/hate.

If you wanna test other servers, why don't you create a new character for that server to test it. Then if you like it, move your main character to it.

This is exactly what I wanted to try. I was just worried that when you log in for the first time, you'll immediatly have to pick a server/redesign for your existing characters before you can create new ones. Maybe I explained it wrong.