Two Questions...

Chevko - Harshlands

1. Advanced Makeover Scrolls.


... Where the heck are they? The Wiki is of no use and they aren't in the Boutique.


2. Do any of you very lovely higher-ups have any idea if character server moves are in the talks at all?

I understand that this is a very tricky business with some things, but... Pretty much all of the US servers have a shared name database, so moving one character to a new server shouldn't cause a huge amount of issue. Wouldn't it be just character information being cut and pasted to a new server from an old one? I don't know the technicalities of it, but that's about how I imagine it moves.



Thanks!!

Myralis - Sanctuary

1. Nope, don't exist.

2. http://pwi-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=1167321
I doubt anything will change anytime soon. So you're on the server you're on.

Chevko - Harshlands

1. ... Whut? If they really don't, then PWI needs to get their ***** on fixing the chargen screens. They've got options for a few things that say they only exist in Advanced mode.

2. Personally don't quite see how it effects the database, but like I said, I'm not that savvy. And if anything, if they made it paid transfers like Blizzard's done, transferring so often would be more of an ouch to someone's wallet to prevent them from messing with the markets. And if someone does have that money to throw at the game, then more power to the company... But oh well. Thanks!



Edit: Actually, thanks a lot for that FAQ. Got a lot of interesting questions I hadn't thought of. Interesting info in general. ♥

sangodoc

Chevko - Harshlands wrote: »

Pretty much all of the US servers have a shared name database, so moving one character to a new server shouldn't cause a huge amount of issue. Wouldn't it be just character information being cut and pasted to a new server from an old one? I don't know the technicalities of it, but that's about how I imagine it moves.

Actually, only Heaven's Tear, Sanctuary, and Archosaur have a shared name database, the other four US servers do not. So that's less than half of the US servers. Could you imagine the uproar if they only let some people transfer servers? And only to two of the other servers?

Second of all, it's a lot more complicated than copy and paste. Keep in mind things like Guild lists, Friend lists, Blacklists, character histories, and other database info that we don't see, not to mention name collisions when you're going to a server that isn't using the same name database.

Finally, from what I understand, they tried it in the past and it caused problems, which is why they don't do it now.

I hope that helps clear things up.

Chevko - Harshlands

Sangodoc wrote:

Actually, only Heaven's Tear, Sanctuary, and Archosaur have a shared name database, the other four US servers do not. So that's less than half of the US servers. Could you imagine the uproar if they only let some people transfer servers? And only to two of the other servers?

Really? I thought that two groups of four shared a name database, not just one, and that be three anyway.

Sangodoc wrote:

Second of all, it's a lot more complicated than copy and paste. Keep in mind things like Guild lists, Friend lists, Blacklists, character histories, and other database info that we don't see, not to mention name collisions when you're going to a server that isn't using the same name database.

*Nods.* I figured it would be a lot more complicated, but I didn't know quite how much it would be. But if it were something like that, I would figure that the name lists would be utterly wiped out in a transfer to a new server that has a shared database. For those that wouldn't have a shared database, couldn't something be worked on that would scan the new database to see if the username is already in use like how some websites do to help speed along registration to the website? Just a few ideas that I'm sure have already been considered in the dev's rooms.


All-in-all, it does help clear up a lot, even though it does cause a few more questions, hehe.

Thanks

DuckTapez - Archosaur

Chevko - Harshlands wrote: »

1. Advanced Makeover Scrolls.


... Where the heck are they? The Wiki is of no use and they aren't in the Boutique.

from what i learned in private server, there are two types of makeover scrolls..

the regular one only allows you do modify basic attributes and doesn't allow you to change facial features
while the advanced version also includes facial modifications

well that's just a useless piece of information, cuz of course in PWI we only have one kind of makeover scroll which does allow you to change everything b:laugh

Chevko - Harshlands wrote: »

Really? I thought that two groups of four shared a name database, not just one, and that be three anyway.

i think the reason they did that was cuz when they launched Sanc after HT, they figured that since they're both West PvE servers they can share the same name database...back then there weren't as many players of course so it probably wasn't a big concern
and when it came time to launch Archo they thought that not enough people were gonna transfer to Archo (they were right) and just figured they'd save the trouble and do the same thing

that's just my wild speculation...don't take it seriously
lord knows why they really did it, but it sure screwed us Archosaur people over on the names b:surrender

Chevko - Harshlands

I know what they are, they just aren't available for some stupid reason. If they're talking about as part of the GUI, then they should be available for purchase SOMEWHERE especially since the only way to take advantage of some of the options in chargen (legally) is to use one of these scrolls. I find it absolute bullhonky that the client's GUI includes it in tooltips but gives you no legal way of playing with those options.

DuckTapez - Archosaur

Chevko - Harshlands wrote: »

I know what they are, they just aren't available for some stupid reason. If they're talking about as part of the GUI, then they should be available for purchase SOMEWHERE especially since the only way to take advantage of some of the options in chargen (legally) is to use one of these scrolls. I find it absolute bullhonky that the client's GUI includes it in tooltips but gives you no legal way of playing with those options.

plenty of items exist in the China version that doesn't exist here...i wouldn't worry about it that much

sangodoc

Chevko - Harshlands wrote: »

Really? I thought that two groups of four shared a name database, not just one, and that be three anyway.

Nope, just one group of three. See the Servers entry in the PWI wiki.

Chevko - Harshlands wrote: »

*Nods.* I figured it would be a lot more complicated, but I didn't know quite how much it would be. But if it were something like that, I would figure that the name lists would be utterly wiped out in a transfer to a new server that has a shared database.

Yeah, your name lists would be cleared out, but the system would also have to search every other player's name lists to remove your name as well, and those are some pretty intensive searches there.

Also, imagine someone steals your stuff and then transfers servers. They'd have to figure out some way to track that as well, otherwise people could wipe their data trail clean that way.

So it's problematic in all sorts of ways.

Chevko - Harshlands

Ah, okay, I see now. But if they were to go through all the trouble of stealing items from one character and then moving them, that must be an awfully wanted item for them to pay 15$US or more to move the character to a new server since I would think that credit card information for character transfers shouldn't be stored in such a case.


For character names on other's lists, I'd almost say that the names should be something like 'undefined' or 'null' in the list provided such names aren't allowed, but I would think that they are, so... that would definitely be another issue.