I know a whole lot of people are gonna have their own opinions about this one... I'd like to push the idea of a Downtime Time Zone Rotation.
I'm in Perth, Western Australia and we are +8hrs GMT. The eastern side of Australia is at +10hrs GMT. Last night, at the "Scheduled Downtime", the server went offline at (WST) 1900 and didn't come back online till well after 2200. This is precisely on the computer prime time where the majority of Australian trekkers spend their time... well, trekking.
I understand the majority of subscribers do not live in Australia. I understand this is a "New" game that has some wrinkles to iron out. I understand there are times you are unable to help and attend to everyone personal grievances. I have an understanding, of a probable concept of operation where the server resides, of manpower, realistic timings and other personnel and logistical managing issues of a rotation of down times. However, to keep things fair in all timezones, Australian subscribers wallets and perhaps other people around the world, a "Scheduled Maintenance" could be scheduled for other times and not constantly one timezone.
Well, as much as I feel for you guys, having a rotation will just end up confusing things more. It's easier to plan for and around a constant than it is a rotation- even if the rotation itself follows a predetermined plan.
For instance.. if/when they add some sort of raiding content or other activity that requires folks to show up weekly at a set time, you'd be looking at an inconsistent weekly schedule if the maintenance rotation interferes. It's easier for players to have the same expectations week to week.
Maybe they could tweak the time slightly... move it earlier an hour or two, but then they should really do it on a weekday. I remember EVE's maintenance kicking me off from time to time and I could deal with that since it was a late hour already and I should have been in bed.
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For instance.. if/when they add some sort of raiding content or other activity that requires folks to show up weekly at a set time, you'd be looking at an inconsistent weekly schedule if the maintenance rotation interferes. It's easier for players to have the same expectations week to week.
Maybe they could tweak the time slightly... move it earlier an hour or two, but then they should really do it on a weekday. I remember EVE's maintenance kicking me off from time to time and I could deal with that since it was a late hour already and I should have been in bed.