Guild Wars 2

The situation right now:

• Can’t do the marionette fight in the main map because it’s constantly full.
• Can’t do the marionette in overflow because there are like 15 overflows with 5 people each.

Please come up with a way to merge overflows together (for instance via pop-up… “travel to higher populated overflow”) or always place people into the highest populated overflow when they enter a map.

I assume that overflows, right now, exist as long as a single player is still on the map. When you enter a map, you appear to be placed in a random overflow (I’ve been overflow-hopping a lot, hoping to get into one that even has a chance at the boss fight.)

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

The situation right now:

• Can’t do the marionette fight in the main map because it’s constantly full.
• Can’t do the marionette in overflow because there are like 15 overflows with 5 people each.

Please come up with a way to merge overflows together (for instance via pop-up… “travel to higher populated overflow”) or always place people into the highest populated overflow when they enter a map.

I assume that overflows, right now, exist as long as a single player is still on the map. When you enter a map, you appear to be placed in a random overflow (I’ve been overflow-hopping a lot, hoping to get into one that even has a chance at the boss fight.)

100% agreed. This would be such an improvement. Just allow us when traveling to diff overflow for it to be highest populated till that one gets full and so on. So frustrating hopping to a diff overflow hoping for it to have more than the 10 people in the current one you’re in and being sent to one with 5 people instead.

There’s definitely enough people to do the boss events even at 4 am, but it is of no use to anybody if they’re spread out over 10 overflow servers without a tool to consolidate at group up in a single map.

I was under the impression that you were added to the first non-full overflow, and then new ones were created when that one got full and so on.

lordkrall.7241:

I was under the impression that you were added to the first non-full overflow, and then new ones were created when that one got full and so on.

That may well be what happens initially, but once all those overflows exist, it doesn’t really matter when and why they were created. Days later they’re all still up (they only get “destroyed” when every single player has left) and at that point, players appear to be randomly distributed when entering the map. And bam, everybody is too spread out.

That’s my impression anyway. If each player was added to the fullest overflow when entering a map, then I wouldn’t be hopping from overflow to overflow when leaving/reentering the map… right? I’d just keep ending up in the most crowded one.

That would of course depend.
If all the crowded ones are full, you would end up in a less crowded one, correct?

That also seem to be the case at least for me.
If I leave a crowded overflow, I tend to join a much less crowded one when reentering.

Thats imo something, with that the LFG Tool should be improved, that we should be able to change the overflows via the LFG-Tool and that you can see how many Overflows oen Map has right now at the moment.

Either this, or the game should as been suggested here always create new overflows only, once the current Overflow gets also full to the brim.

Makes no sense that the game randomly creates unendless new Overflows and puts randomly small sums of palyers on them. But I think this would be the more problematic solution.
I think it would be easier, if players can just change their Overflows via the LFG Tool, so tjhat palyers could manually decide over it, if they want to get merged with other players from an other overflow.

It would be awesome if overflows could use the ‘district’ system from guild wars 1, where basically something similar to overflows were created when the main map got full but one could switch overflows via a dropdown menu (provided the district was not hard-capped)

they pretty much can’t. Each instance is perfectly balanced to not overload a CPU core in their server farm. Meaning that when a overflow is formed, the existing instance is already running a CPU core at 100% and maxing out its RAM allotment.

At best what they could do was link the state of the boss mob across instances somehow, but even that is a nightmare when one consider the various phases and such.

digiowl.9620:

they pretty much can’t.

Please elaborate on how “they can’t”.

What’s wrong with the suggestions from the OP? (Please answer)

This is not about how overflows are created, but what happens with nearly empty overflows many hours later.

Right now they aren’t “managed” at all. I think they need to be.

digiowl.9620:

they pretty much can’t. Each instance is perfectly balanced to not overload a CPU core in their server farm. Meaning that when a overflow is formed, the existing instance is already running a CPU core at 100% and maxing out its RAM allotment.

This is not true, as players can still go into that overflow via their partymembers. That instance is not taking up the full resources it can have. You can fill up an overflow to the hardcap of the map just like the main map ( guilds with no main server do this for world events).

A system like the districts from gw1 with a visible ‘x / 150 players’ or ‘full’ tag from a simple drop down menu or popup would be great.

Also I cant really remember how this worked in gw1, but the district system was in fact very similair to the overflows. They were created and deleted as needed. You even had the same issues as to not beeing able to go to the ‘main’ district etc…

If more open-world raid bosses will be coming up in the future, an overflow mechanic revamp is absolutely necessary!
Kick AFKers, get people into highest populated overflow, allow the choice of overflows.

People wouldn’t loose the morale for being stuck in an overflow, If that overflow would be able to quickly get the population like the Main. The other day in Lornar’s, several overflows were created. After DCing, I traveled several times, but the 2nd overflow I went to had more than the 4th, which technically should be the one closer to the Main server.
This randomness is really killing the big events. And this is not a matter of content it created for casual or hardcore players, it’s a matter of dumb luck, speced up PC and not disconnecting.

hedix.1986:

If more open-world raid bosses will be coming up in the future, an overflow mechanic revamp is absolutely necessary!
Kick AFKers, get people into highest populated overflow, allow the choice of overflows.

I’m not sure that kicking AFKers is the right method though, some people are AFK because they’re trying to get into the non-overflow. A district-like solution would probably be a lot better, and it would also allow for kicking AFKers while not making it too difficult for them to get back

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

digiowl.9620:

they pretty much can’t.

Please elaborate on how “they can’t”.

What’s wrong with the suggestions from the OP? (Please answer)

This is not about how overflows are created, but what happens with nearly empty overflows many hours later.

Right now they aren’t “managed” at all. I think they need to be.

Perhaps the OP should explain how the developers can merge the Overflows?

As someone else said, the overflows start once the first server is full.. and then that overflow begins to fill. EVERY server ends up using the same overflows, but once those cap a new one is created.

Essientually there should be only 1 overflow that MAY not have enough people in it for the event. All others should be full. If there are people who are AFKing or camping out in an overflow and keeping that one open for hours and even days, what could ANET do? Do they just force people to merge into an overflow server? How would that work? Disconnect that player and have them reload into the zone? Perhaps when they WP they have to reload into the zone?

It seems the complaint is that people are holding overflows and somehow getting a low number of people back into them after the event has taken place. I’m not sure how that could be solved honestly. I’m also not a game developer though.

Delvoire.8930:

Perhaps the OP should explain how the developers can merge the Overflows?

[…]

what could ANET do? Do they just force people to merge into an overflow server? How would that work? Disconnect that player and have them reload into the zone? Perhaps when they WP they have to reload into the zone?

I mean no offense but it appears to me that you haven’t actually read the original posting beyond the first two sentences:

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

Please come up with a way to merge overflows together (for instance via pop-up… “travel to higher populated overflow”) or always place people into the highest populated overflow when they enter a map.

I assume that overflows, right now, exist as long as a single player is still on the map. When you enter a map, you appear to be placed in a random overflow (I’ve been overflow-hopping a lot, hoping to get into one that even has a chance at the boss fight.)

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

Delvoire.8930:

Perhaps the OP should explain how the developers can merge the Overflows?

[…]

what could ANET do? Do they just force people to merge into an overflow server? How would that work? Disconnect that player and have them reload into the zone? Perhaps when they WP they have to reload into the zone?

I mean no offense but it appears to me that you haven’t actually read the original posting beyond the first two sentences:

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

Please come up with a way to merge overflows together (for instance via pop-up… “travel to higher populated overflow”) or always place people into the highest populated overflow when they enter a map.

I assume that overflows, right now, exist as long as a single player is still on the map. When you enter a map, you appear to be placed in a random overflow (I’ve been overflow-hopping a lot, hoping to get into one that even has a chance at the boss fight.)

Ouch. yeah I did miss the Pop Up thing in the OP. The other option though, that should be how the overflows work. Only a developer could chime in on that unfortunately.

Delvoire.8930:

Pixelpumpkin.4608:

Please come up with a way to merge overflows together (for instance via pop-up… “travel to higher populated overflow”) or always place people into the highest populated overflow when they enter a map.

I assume that overflows, right now, exist as long as a single player is still on the map. When you enter a map, you appear to be placed in a random overflow (I’ve been overflow-hopping a lot, hoping to get into one that even has a chance at the boss fight.)

Ouch. yeah I did miss the Pop Up thing in the OP. The other option though, that should be how the overflows work. Only a developer could chime in on that unfortunately.

Yeah, my personal experience is that it is randomized, which doesn’t really help with consolidating overflows / allowing old overflows to die off. I can enter a map five times and end up in 5 different empty overflows (I’ve tested this thoroughly). Wish it was different.

It could work with numbered overflows. Sorted on number of players. Ingame a menu like this:

• Main 150/150 players full
• Overflow 1 150/150 players You are currently in this overflow
• Overflow 2 120/150 players Click to join this overflow
• Overflow 3 60/150 players Click to join this overflow

So lets say you are in overflow 2, doing the event. After the event the maps start empting. Once a certain treshold is reached (let’s say 20 players) you get an ingame message that lets you travel to a higher overflow. This is similair to the current message, but it just lets you go to a more full overflow, not per se directly to the main.

This message is also timed , but instead of just going away you will be forced into a higher overflow, this way AFK’ers won’t endlessly hold overflows open. You can however always freely travel between existing overflows.

New players are always put into the fullest available overflow. The overflows get resorted if they change in numbers so the highest overflow in the list is always the fullest. Once the lowest fills op to the cap ( the normal cap at wich overflows now start to be made, not the hardcap) the next overflow is created.

You also always have the option to go to an overflow even if your main is not full. Low population servers can so get too a fuller overflow if they wish.

Minae Iss.7054:

It could work with numbered overflows. Sorted on number of players. Ingame a menu like this:

• Main 150/150 players full
• Overflow 1 150/150 players You are currently in this overflow
• Overflow 2 120/150 players Click to join this overflow
• Overflow 3 60/150 players Click to join this overflow

So lets say you are in overflow 2, doing the event. After the event the maps start empting. Once a certain treshold is reached (let’s say 20 players) you get an ingame message that lets you travel to a higher overflow. This is similair to the current message, but it just lets you go to a more full overflow, not per se directly to the main.

This message is also timed , but instead of just going away you will be forced into a higher overflow, this way AFK’ers won’t endlessly hold overflows open. You can however always freely travel between existing overflows.

New players are always put into the fullest available overflow. The overflows get resorted if they change in numbers so the highest overflow in the list is always the fullest. Once the lowest fills op to the cap ( the normal cap at wich overflows now start to be made, not the hardcap) the next overflow is created.

You also always have the option to go to an overflow even if your main is not full. Low population servers can so get too a fuller overflow if they wish.

So similar to the sPvP server menu.

That actually sounds like a great idea.

Buy better servers to get people to enjoy the content you created but has to be done with lots and lots of people. If your servers cannot handle it please upgrade.

The hardware is not really the problem, it more about how they handle the players and overflows. And currently the overflows are not really handled really well in terms of creating them and dividing people over them.

Here’s an idea: split the world bosses like Marionette out of the main map, similar to how Obsidian Sanctum was split out of Eternal Battlegrounds, and possibly how Edge of the Mists works.

Not quite instanced content, still arguably open world.

For a example, Marionette could have been constructed up in the mountains (it very nearly is, just put it further up, past where players can normally get to it, but still very visible from the ground). When the event starts, an arrow points to the portal (which would always be open) that takes you to the battlefield. This battlefield is actually a different map, and overflows on it’s own (and it might be interesting to just make every instance of it an overflow, like Edge of the Mists). Since this map is dedicated to this one event, it can have different AFK rules attached, and can be scripted to close if there are no players in it, and possibly if the event is inactive.

I agree.

1. It would also help to have a better UI for overflows. I’m thinking something like the district system in gw1; a list with named/numbered overflows. This certainly would stop the confusion ("Where the heck am I now? Am I with my friends/guild/server?).

2. It will allow for better organization rather than frantically hop servers and overflows 10 minutes before it starts.

I mentioned this in a previous post..
I wish over flows would start with your home servers till they are full then intermix other servers. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a Home server if your always playing with people on different servers.. i.e. Blackgate Main>BG over flow>mixed overflow..I think doing it like this will help with the working together theme Anet wants..Last thing i wanna do is help someone on say SOR while im supposed to be battling them in WvW!
Better yet go back to districts like GW1. BG district 1,2,3 and so on..
any thoughts???

NYG.2568:

I mentioned this in a previous post..
I wish over flows would start with your home servers till they are full then intermix other servers. Kind of defeats the purpose of having a Home server if your always playing with people on different servers.. i.e. Blackgate Main>BG over flow>mixed overflow..I think doing it like this will help with the working together theme Anet wants..Last thing i wanna do is help someone on say SOR while im supposed to be battling them in WvW!
Better yet go back to districts like GW1. BG district 1,2,3 and so on..
any thoughts???

My opinion: that would be a very, very bad approach.

There are currently 24 servers in NA. That means that during NA peak time, 24 overflows would be created when the main maps are full.

If you read the original posting: we have problems doing events in overflows because they are TOO EMPTY. Spreading the existing overflow population out over 24 different “home overflows” before even starting to combine groups would make our problems even worse.

Right now we have 10 overflows with too few people to succeed with an event, while combined into 2 or 4 overflows, people would absolutely succeed. Due to the nature of how/when overflows are created and how/when overflows are destroyed (or not), we end up with too many overflows and those stick around too long in nearly empty state.

Minae Iss.7054:

It could work with numbered overflows. Sorted on number of players. Ingame a menu like this:

• Main 150/150 players full
• Overflow 1 150/150 players You are currently in this overflow
• Overflow 2 120/150 players Click to join this overflow
• Overflow 3 60/150 players Click to join this overflow

In Guild Wars 1 this feature was called districts, and it was there from the very beginning.

I haven’t been in an empty overflow so far, but if this is happening, they do need some sort of collapse rule.

If > 1 overflows exist and none are full, then a rule should kick in that sets all but the most full one to “depleting,” so that nobody else can enter any map except the one that is most full. If two are tied for fullest, then randomly select one to be the sole target for new entrants.

Then the emptier ones will deplete and go away as people leave and cannot reenter.

Maybe allow party invites into depleting overflows, in case someone needs to finish something up and needs to invite friends. Otherwise, just let them deplete and collapse, and then there will never be graveyard overflows.

Yup this would fix my only issue with the new content.

Unorganised overflows have been a pet hate for me since the Tower of Nightmares.

If overflows filled to the brim and kept on filling up again after d/c’s, a lot of people would have a better time with new large scale content!

Heezdedjim.8902:

I haven’t been in an empty overflow so far, but if this is happening, they do need some sort of collapse rule.

If > 1 overflows exist and none are full, then a rule should kick in that sets all but the most full one to “depleting,” so that nobody else can enter any map except the one that is most full. If two are tied for fullest, then randomly select one to be the sole target for new entrants.

Then the emptier ones will deplete and go away as people leave and cannot reenter.

Maybe allow party invites into depleting overflows, in case someone needs to finish something up and needs to invite friends. Otherwise, just let them deplete and collapse, and then there will never be graveyard overflows.

Yeah, that would definitely help!

cephiroth.6182:

In Guild Wars 1 this feature was called districts, and it was there from the very beginning.

Both Inc and me already mentioned districts in posts above, but yes this would be a great solution. Also mentioning that this way , like in gw1, guilds can host ‘their’ overflow , just like in the cities in gw1 on holidays. This would make things much easier for guilds such as TTS and the like.

I’ve never been in an Overflow that lost just due to numbers.