Generally the release of a Feature Episode results in two things:
- A huge increase in the number of players trying to get online.
- A server load issue.
So I have come up with an idea that would spread the load, thus ensuring everyone will be able to get on. Stagger the release times based on status. For instance.
8AM PST Gold
10AM PST Silver (100CP C-Store Token)
12PM All Players
This would not only ensure that the bulk of the load is spread out ensuring the server stays up, but would also give a minor perk to Gold members. Plus it would give Cryptic another very minor source of revenue. Not to mention, the latest anyone would have access is only one hour later than they would have otherwise (assuming the server would have been up anyway). Everyone is happy.
Thoughts?
Edit: Removed the LTS distinction due to concern people were focusing more on that rather than the subject of the thread.
Comments
We've been down this road on the forums before, so I'll just leave it at that.
I'd rather see;
Gold = Access on release day
Silver = Access day after release day
This^^^
LTS and gold should be counted as one, silvers play a day later...
Maybe it does - for example, do silver players see the Aenigma Nebula portal thing in Sol/Quo'nos? Or do they just not get the option to go through it?
On the angle of server load on release day.
And also on the angle of giving Gold players an extra perk. Because... they still don't get a whole lot for 15$ a month.
I like the notion of release day being for gold players, and silvers getting to it a day+ later.
Seconded. Considering $TO miraculously survived the F2P launch, I'm sure it'll survive the episode release.
I think it would be a good idea for Golds to get one day head start on the FE episodes. It's not blocking anyone from the content, should help smooth things out on the servers, and give the Golds a "+1" for their patronage.
Unfortunately I think it may be a bit late in the game for the devs to pull this on the first episode of the upcoming FE. They have broadly advertised it to be on a specific date and it's too close to really change that. Maybe for subsequent FE episodes, or subsequent FE series (haha, subsequent FE series... as if those'll ever get released)
LTS (Gold + Lib Borg)
Gold
Silver + Purchase
Silver
While I agree that having only a couple hour difference between them wouldn't make much difference, one thing we have always seen is everyone tries to play the game the moment it goes live. And with the priority queue, Silver players aren't going to get to play anyway. So we might as well just say this:
"Feature Episode launches at 12PM PST! Gold Players get early access at 8AM! Silver players can buy a token for 100CP that will give them early access at 10AM and will not subject them to log in queue."
As far as I know, the FEs are always scaled to any player when they launch. They are only sliding them into the gaps after the next one launches.
Well, I was talking beyond the general "SPAM" account prevention measures. I'm sure they'll still have min level, but I doubt it'll be as high as waiting to get to the Cardassian front. With the new XP rewards, everyone would have to be a RA.
and since it's highly unlikely to be done before the release of the new FE, i'll wait till the day after it releases (despite my burning desire to play it, and not because of the content drought, as it didn't affect me at all).
that way, i'll avoid much server lag, and any possible crashes
Can they? I thought they had it set up sequentially now so that you cannot start the Cardassian front at all until you finished the Romulan front regardless of whether you are of minimum rank or not.
Ah, I got you. I have an alt I'm starting from scratch and never really had any desire to go out of order so I didn't realize how that worked.
They added a "skip" function on the mission window. You can skip up to your level. Now when it was on Tribble, it had no skip and forced you to do everything. And that royally sucked.
if (status = Gold)
{ ReleaseTime=0800}
else if (Status = Token)
{ReleaseTIme=1000}
else
{ReleaseTime=1200}
And I even had to quickly look it up to get the syntax right. I'm sure the programming guys would be quicker.
on a small team like Cryptic, who's priorties, list of things to do, etc etc are highly stressed... i doubt it will be high on the priorties, or even on the list, with everything else to do. so i'm skeptical here
You can hit the skip button repeatedly but then you have to be the minimum appropriate level so they are basically just combo-gated by level and mission pre-reqs in the form of other missions.
True, but I think server stability is at the top of everyone's list. And if a five minute code addition could help spread out the load, I think they would make time.
You are right, I don't know. But this entire thing is just discussion. I think it would be worth the effort even if it only applies to future events. I think the server is going to be hammered when the next FE launches due to all the new F2P traffic trying to all access the same mission at the same time.