Branflakes, I respect all the hard you folks put into this game, and I have enjoyed virtually every other aspect of "Star Trek: Online". As someone who is sitting on the outside, the only thing I can verify is that this occurred after the patch and maintenance. I know you guys do not have a reason to lie; however, I just have a problem with seeing this as a coincidence.
If you guys can repeat this in-house, I just have this feeling it was cause in-house.
No, from the first post in the forums about the issue and the tweets I received before the game went into maintenance. Here is the first post, just about 1.5 hours before maintenance stated: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=241232&page=78 (starts with post #777)
1) I'm a network engineer so I'm qualified to make these statements:
A) The problem exists within the router/routes/cables/or physical hardware in or connected to the edge router and patch server.
Even if they tried to explain it 99% of you would not understand the explanation.
C) When networks break they don't often break cleanly, meaning it may be difficult to pinpoint the actual failure. So you may need to replace parts/cables/routers etc.
D) These "parts" may or may not be readily available to the engineers at/PWE/Cryptic and there will be a delay, Usually a minimum of 4 hours based on contracts with Cisco and other network providers.
E) Once the parts arrive then do need to be unpackaged, tested and "racked". Then loaded with backup configurations and tested again.
F) Finally when all that's up the connection will be restored and they will monitor the equipment and it's load, which will be much higher than normal with everyone trying to login at once.
G) So chill, its an imperfect world (pun intended), stuff breaks all the time. You should not have the expectation that it doesn't or it wont and your gaming time is NOT so valuable that you deserve compensation for a short outage.
F) Go outside...see the sun...I would but I have the flu...worse things than gaming issues exist.....get out of the MATRIX...
Well, I just started playing this game yesterday. I had a few issues starting the game, but after a quick youtube visit I got it figured out. Yesterday I enjoyed the game so much, I decided to buy the steam starter pack and possibly subscribe. Got up today clicked the game and the same issue everyone is having here, "unable to establish connection to patch server" etc. Included with all the complaints I see here, leaves me wondering if anyone should spend any money here at all!
I almost considered upgrading to gold this morning, but then the same issues from yesterday reared its head. Since it seems the powers that be haven't even bothered to say whats going on, the customer service question makes me glad I didn't upgrade.
I don't know if its anyone else, but even this forum glitches up. I have to refresh refresh refresh every time I go to a new page or nothing but the logo on top appears. This makes me doubt their service is worth paying for also.
1) I'm a network engineer so I'm qualified to make these statements:
A) The problem exists within the router/routes/cables/or physical hardware in or connected to the edge router and patch server.
Even if they tried to explain it 99% of you would not understand the explanation.
C) When networks break they don't often break cleanly, meaning it may be difficult to pinpoint the actual failure. So you may need to replace parts/cables/routers etc.
D) These "parts" may or may not be readily available to the engineers at/PWE/Cryptic and there will be a delay, Usually a minimum of 4 hours based on contracts with Cisco and other network providers.
E) Once the parts arrive then do need to be unpackaged, tested and "racked". Then loaded with backup configurations and tested again.
F) Finally when all that's up the connection will be restored and they will monitor the equipment and it's load, which will be much higher than normal with everyone trying to login at once.
G) So chill, its an imperfect world (pun intended), stuff breaks all the time. You should not have the expectation that it doesn't or it wont and your gaming time is NOT so valuable that you deserve compensation for a short outage.
F) Go outside...see the sun...I would but I have the flu...worse things than gaming issues exist.....get out of the MATRIX...
ummm not to sound stupid, but couldnt they just hook up an OHM meter or something else to find a drop in current or connection?
Old Electronic Tech...use to tune RF Microwave filters:P
Was haplly playing then i get discconected and well what a suprise the damn client stops working again.
Idk wth is with the development team or your engineers there at cryptic but this has past irratating or even nerd rage and went to TRIBBLE this i quit.
If i do try this game again it will be a long time before i do so this issue has just made me sick of STO and cryptic for that matter.
1) I'm a network engineer so I'm qualified to make these statements:
A) The problem exists within the router/routes/cables/or physical hardware in or connected to the edge router and patch server.
Even if they tried to explain it 99% of you would not understand the explanation.
C) When networks break they don't often break cleanly, meaning it may be difficult to pinpoint the actual failure. So you may need to replace parts/cables/routers etc.
D) These "parts" may or may not be readily available to the engineers at/PWE/Cryptic and there will be a delay, Usually a minimum of 4 hours based on contracts with Cisco and other network providers.
E) Once the parts arrive then do need to be unpackaged, tested and "racked". Then loaded with backup configurations and tested again.
F) Finally when all that's up the connection will be restored and they will monitor the equipment and it's load, which will be much higher than normal with everyone trying to login at once.
G) So chill, its an imperfect world (pun intended), stuff breaks all the time. You should not have the expectation that it doesn't or it wont and your gaming time is NOT so valuable that you deserve compensation for a short outage.
F) Go outside...see the sun...I would but I have the flu...worse things than gaming issues exist.....get out of the MATRIX...
You are 99% right, but if they indeed took it down for testing purposes, that is not the customer friendly way... you got it fixed (for now) you go ahead and test it in a lab, not a productive system... thats kinda rude is what it is...
No, from the first post in the forums about the issue and the tweets I received before the game went into maintenance. Here is the first post, just about 1.5 hours before maintenance stated: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=241232&page=78 (starts with post #777)
Cheers, Brandon =/\=
No problem. It looks like it started to occur about a good half hour to an hour before the patch and maintenance was started. If things like this happen again, could we possibly get some sort of warning? Since I didn't experience the issue prior to the downtime, my perspective was based upon what I saw on the surface.
Who in their right mind runs invasive tests such as this, knowing it will likely cause major issues for people again, whilst the game is live? Surely tests such as these should have been carried out during a maintenance period. An emergency maintenance at least should have been called.
One other symptom I have noticed that I have not seen anyone else mention is I cannot browse the C-Store from within my browser whilst this is happening. Was the same last night.
Umm....Network Engineers who saw the outrage yesterday and the numerous requests and demands to: "Fix it once and for all!"
As to why they're doing it with the Live environment, the Live environment is the system with the issue. Just doing some simulated testing with a non-real world load setup wouldn't ensure a full/final resolution. It's also possible that what they're doing still may not, but obviously someone higher up wants to try something in the hopes such an outage situation won't occur again
(And sorry as someone who also works in the IT field, I hate it when your user-base demands you fix it once and for all, yet when you take steps to do that that does cause some intermittent service disruptions, it's "Why now?"; and then if it happens again (because you didn't take steps to fix it after the last occurrence -- "Hey guys, why didn't you take steps to fix it after the last time?!")
^^^
This is the type of end-user 'logic' loop IT support folks encounter all the time. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
Formerly known as Armsman from June 2008 to June 20, 2012 PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
ummm not to sound stupid, but couldnt they just hook up an OHM meter or something else to find a drop in current or connection?
Old Electronic Tech...use to tune RF Microwave filters:P
Not really. Networks are organic, the device that stops traffic isn't always the device causing the problem. In addition, networking hardware isn't just a stop and go set of patches between two ports at a distance. Software plays a key role on these devices that manipulates and processes where things are supposed to go. Narrowing down the problem is rarely, if ever, as simple as hooking up a meter anymore. While the basic transmission is still just simply an electrical signal... the signals are a few million a second now, and its extremely difficult to determine the particular signal having a problem from the line.
Depending on where the problem is isolated, it may be directly hardware related, but it can easily be something more difficult than that. Large server clusters, especially those that support more than one collective group of applications, are like trying to debug punch cards =/
Is everybody crazy here ? Just came here to check what is going on after the updater failed a couple of times and everybody here is going crazy as if Cryptic had killed your family or something.
It's an online game, and games can break from time to time - live with it and do something else and try again tomorrow, what the heck is the problem ? Everybody here is acting like a drug addict who ran out of **** - jeez, losing contact to reality must be hard - lol
No problem. Its looks like it started to occur about a good half hour to an hour before the patch and maintenance was applied. If things like this happen again, could we possibly get some sort of warning? Since I didn't experience the issue prior to the downtime, my perspective was based upon what I saw on the surface.
Thank you for clarifying the issue.
I did clarify, and posted about it being unrelated as soon as I got into the office in several threads, including this one (*looks for 3-5 posts in the dev tracker saying the same thing since yesterday*); however, the threads go by so fast, it's easy to miss
We want you guys to be able to get in-game, so it it's frustrating for us to see this happening too. But, these tests are necessary, especially with our amazing anniversary event right around the corner.
Umm....Network Engineers who saw the outrage yesterday and the numerous requests and demands to: "Fix it once and for all!"
As to why they're doing it with the Live environment, the Live environment is the system with the issue. Just doing some simulated testing with a non-real world load setup wouldn't ensure a full/final resolution. It's also possible that what they're doing still may not, but obviously someone higher up wants to try something in the hopes such an outage situation won't occur again
(And sorry as someone who also works in the IT field, I hate it when your user-base demands you fix it once and for all, yet when you take steps to do that that does cause some intermittent service disruptions, it's "Why now?"; and then if it happens again (because you didn't take steps to fix it after the last occurrence -- "Hey guys, why didn't you take steps to fix it after the last time?!")
^^^
This is the type of end-user 'logic' loop IT support folks encounter all the time. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
Its the entitlement perspective. Drives me mad. Its not only limited to those of us trying our best in IT roles. You see it at restaurants, doctors offices, hotels, the DMV... no one considers that there might be someone else in front of them, or that their thick steak cooks longer than a salad. They are inconvenienced, so it automatically makes their priority the only important priority.
God forbid they ignore a broken elbow for a heart attack
I did clarify, and posted about it being unrelated as soon as I got into the office in several threads, including this one (*looks for 3-5 posts in the dev tracker saying the same thing since yesterday*); however, the threads go by so fast, it's easy to miss
We want you guys to be able to get in-game, so it it's frustrating for us to see this happening too. But, these tests are necessary, especially with our amazing anniversary event right around the corner.
No, from the first post in the forums about the issue and the tweets I received before the game went into maintenance. Here is the first post, just about 1.5 hours before maintenance stated: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=241232&page=78 (starts with post #777)
Cheers,
Brandon =/\=
Can concur that it started before maintenance did yesterday. I can also add that it took out Champions Online for me as well.
I did clarify, and posted about this as soon as I got into the office in several threads, including this one (*looks for 3-5 posts in the dev tracker saying the same thing since yesterday*); however, the threads go by so fast, it's easy to miss
After watching how fast this thread was moving, I think only Data could have digested all the information.
We want you guys to be able to get in-game, so it it's frustrating for us to see this happening too. But, these tests are necessary, especially with our amazing anniversary event right around the corner.
Cheers, Brandon =/\=
Personally, I cannot wait for the anniversary. Getting a chance to drive the Ambassador Class ship is exciting.
It's an online game, and games can break from time to time - live with it and do something else and try again tomorrow, what the heck is the problem ? Everybody here is acting like a drug addict who ran out of **** - jeez, losing contact to reality must be hard - lol
*starts twitching from "Star Trek: Online" withdrawals*
Does this happen all the time or is it just the past couple days? If it doesn't happen very often then I will reconsider buying the lifetime package. I just don't want to waste my money on a game that will continually frustrate me and give me trouble. I really like the game so far though. So any long time players have any advice (preferably ones that are still right in the head).
its happening again now ..im from israel if it helps in anyway ...game simply froze on me and when i tried to relaunch i got the same "cant connect to the patch server" msg..
Umm....Network Engineers who saw the outrage yesterday and the numerous requests and demands to: "Fix it once and for all!"
As to why they're doing it with the Live environment, the Live environment is the system with the issue. Just doing some simulated testing with a non-real world load setup wouldn't ensure a full/final resolution. It's also possible that what they're doing still may not, but obviously someone higher up wants to try something in the hopes such an outage situation won't occur again
(And sorry as someone who also works in the IT field, I hate it when your user-base demands you fix it once and for all, yet when you take steps to do that that does cause some intermittent service disruptions, it's "Why now?"; and then if it happens again (because you didn't take steps to fix it after the last occurrence -- "Hey guys, why didn't you take steps to fix it after the last time?!")
^^^
This is the type of end-user 'logic' loop IT support folks encounter all the time. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
No. You are completely missing my point. Which is the game should have been brought down for emergency maintenance for this. There are several people, sorry customers, who were kicked out of the game mid-mission whilst mapping as a side effect of these tests and now cannot log back in. The fact this might happen was not broadcast, just an after thought forum post once the proverbial had already hit the fan. That is poor customer service and a poor experience for a customer no matter how it is dressed up.
Oh and this is coming from an "IT support folks" of some 15 years.
Does this happen all the time or is it just the past couple days? If it doesn't happen very often then I will reconsider buying the lifetime package. I just don't want to waste my money on a game that will continually frustrate me and give me trouble. I really like the game so far though. So any long time players have any advice (preferably ones that are still right in the head).
Of the time I've been playing (about a year on and off), this is the only major issues I've hit so far.
Does this happen all the time or is it just the past couple days? If it doesn't happen very often then I will reconsider buying the lifetime package. I just don't want to waste my money on a game that will continually frustrate me and give me trouble. I really like the game so far though. So any long time players have any advice (preferably ones that are still right in the head).
The last time that I remember experiencing launcher fails like this was during the headstart. That isn't to say they haven't happened since or that they hadn't happened to me, just that I don't remember similar in recent time.
Of the time I've been playing (about a year on and off), this is the only major issues I've hit so far.
Last instance of this exact problem was in September I think.
Also various other issues now and then.
I'd estimate there's one day with serious problems per month on average.
Comments
No, from the first post in the forums about the issue and the tweets I received before the game went into maintenance. Here is the first post, just about 1.5 hours before maintenance stated: http://sto-forum.perfectworld.com/showthread.php?t=241232&page=78 (starts with post #777)
Cheers,
Brandon =/\=
A) The problem exists within the router/routes/cables/or physical hardware in or connected to the edge router and patch server.
C) When networks break they don't often break cleanly, meaning it may be difficult to pinpoint the actual failure. So you may need to replace parts/cables/routers etc.
D) These "parts" may or may not be readily available to the engineers at/PWE/Cryptic and there will be a delay, Usually a minimum of 4 hours based on contracts with Cisco and other network providers.
E) Once the parts arrive then do need to be unpackaged, tested and "racked". Then loaded with backup configurations and tested again.
F) Finally when all that's up the connection will be restored and they will monitor the equipment and it's load, which will be much higher than normal with everyone trying to login at once.
G) So chill, its an imperfect world (pun intended), stuff breaks all the time. You should not have the expectation that it doesn't or it wont and your gaming time is NOT so valuable that you deserve compensation for a short outage.
F) Go outside...see the sun...I would but I have the flu...worse things than gaming issues exist.....get out of the MATRIX...
I almost considered upgrading to gold this morning, but then the same issues from yesterday reared its head. Since it seems the powers that be haven't even bothered to say whats going on, the customer service question makes me glad I didn't upgrade.
I don't know if its anyone else, but even this forum glitches up. I have to refresh refresh refresh every time I go to a new page or nothing but the logo on top appears. This makes me doubt their service is worth paying for also.
Old Electronic Tech...use to tune RF Microwave filters:P
Was haplly playing then i get discconected and well what a suprise the damn client stops working again.
Idk wth is with the development team or your engineers there at cryptic but this has past irratating or even nerd rage and went to TRIBBLE this i quit.
If i do try this game again it will be a long time before i do so this issue has just made me sick of STO and cryptic for that matter.
:mad::mad:
You are 99% right, but if they indeed took it down for testing purposes, that is not the customer friendly way... you got it fixed (for now) you go ahead and test it in a lab, not a productive system... thats kinda rude is what it is...
Thank you for clarifying the issue.
The problem will go away in between 30 minutes and 2 weeks.
He's dead, Jim.
Umm....Network Engineers who saw the outrage yesterday and the numerous requests and demands to: "Fix it once and for all!"
As to why they're doing it with the Live environment, the Live environment is the system with the issue. Just doing some simulated testing with a non-real world load setup wouldn't ensure a full/final resolution. It's also possible that what they're doing still may not, but obviously someone higher up wants to try something in the hopes such an outage situation won't occur again
(And sorry as someone who also works in the IT field, I hate it when your user-base demands you fix it once and for all, yet when you take steps to do that that does cause some intermittent service disruptions, it's "Why now?"; and then if it happens again (because you didn't take steps to fix it after the last occurrence -- "Hey guys, why didn't you take steps to fix it after the last time?!")
^^^
This is the type of end-user 'logic' loop IT support folks encounter all the time. Damned if you do, and damned if you don't.
PWE ARC Drone says: "Your STO forum community as you have known it is ended...Display names are irrelevant...Any further sense of community is irrelevant...Resistance is futile...You will be assimilated..."
Not really. Networks are organic, the device that stops traffic isn't always the device causing the problem. In addition, networking hardware isn't just a stop and go set of patches between two ports at a distance. Software plays a key role on these devices that manipulates and processes where things are supposed to go. Narrowing down the problem is rarely, if ever, as simple as hooking up a meter anymore. While the basic transmission is still just simply an electrical signal... the signals are a few million a second now, and its extremely difficult to determine the particular signal having a problem from the line.
Depending on where the problem is isolated, it may be directly hardware related, but it can easily be something more difficult than that. Large server clusters, especially those that support more than one collective group of applications, are like trying to debug punch cards =/
It's an online game, and games can break from time to time - live with it and do something else and try again tomorrow, what the heck is the problem ? Everybody here is acting like a drug addict who ran out of **** - jeez, losing contact to reality must be hard - lol
I did clarify, and posted about it being unrelated as soon as I got into the office in several threads, including this one (*looks for 3-5 posts in the dev tracker saying the same thing since yesterday*); however, the threads go by so fast, it's easy to miss
We want you guys to be able to get in-game, so it it's frustrating for us to see this happening too. But, these tests are necessary, especially with our amazing anniversary event right around the corner.
Cheers,
Brandon =/\=
Its the entitlement perspective. Drives me mad. Its not only limited to those of us trying our best in IT roles. You see it at restaurants, doctors offices, hotels, the DMV... no one considers that there might be someone else in front of them, or that their thick steak cooks longer than a salad. They are inconvenienced, so it automatically makes their priority the only important priority.
God forbid they ignore a broken elbow for a heart attack
Testing... the only thing you're testing is us!
He's dead, Jim.
Cheer's to all the network engineers in the forums. We hold the line...
Can concur that it started before maintenance did yesterday. I can also add that it took out Champions Online for me as well.
Let us upgrade the Seleya Ceremonial Lirpa and Kri'stak Blade
I did CCNA am I cool yet?
He's dead, Jim.
Personally, I cannot wait for the anniversary. Getting a chance to drive the Ambassador Class ship is exciting.
*starts twitching from "Star Trek: Online" withdrawals*
What do you mean addiction?
i hope u fix it soon.
hehe I had a big crush on Data as a teen.
No. You are completely missing my point. Which is the game should have been brought down for emergency maintenance for this. There are several people, sorry customers, who were kicked out of the game mid-mission whilst mapping as a side effect of these tests and now cannot log back in. The fact this might happen was not broadcast, just an after thought forum post once the proverbial had already hit the fan. That is poor customer service and a poor experience for a customer no matter how it is dressed up.
Oh and this is coming from an "IT support folks" of some 15 years.
U.S.S Banshee
Federation Fleet
Of the time I've been playing (about a year on and off), this is the only major issues I've hit so far.
The last time that I remember experiencing launcher fails like this was during the headstart. That isn't to say they haven't happened since or that they hadn't happened to me, just that I don't remember similar in recent time.
Last instance of this exact problem was in September I think.
Also various other issues now and then.
I'd estimate there's one day with serious problems per month on average.
He's dead, Jim.
*puts on red uniform and sits next to Ricker on the bridge*
It was the beard.