"Underflow server" system

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: starwatto.4527

starwatto.4527

Hi folks,

What is this about: When there are for example just 10 players in the whole area, they should have automatically option (it would pop out just like overflow leaving option) to go to some sort of “Underflow server”, where players can play with many players from servers, which were unpopulated in that exact area on their server too.

What is the reason for this: I usually meet with this problem – I want to level my alt, but it’s just so boring I usually log back to my main after few minutes. And it’s not because I don’t like to play different classes or something, it’s just because there is almost nobody I can play with, group events are impossible, normal events are boring.

That’s the first example, the second one is similar – I see no point in returning to lower level areas on my main (except bosses with chests), and I love some of these areas pretty much, I’d love to play in these, but it isn’t fun when I meet 1 player per 20 minutes.

And the third and probably not the last reason for this: Sometimes, when I have a day off, or holidays, or anything like that… I want to spend good time in Guild Wars 2 even in the hours, when there is almost nobody playing in my region, this would be good solution, atleast I think so.

Thanks for your time guys, keep making the game great!

Casually hardcore since 2012
Aurora Glade
[rddt]

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Aeri.5738

Aeri.5738

Wow, you kittening read my mind.
I was literally about to suggest the same thing!

+1

“We just don’t want players to grind in GW2.” – Well, I guess you really failed, ANet!
Update 5.9.2013: getting better ANet, still way to go!
A Lannister always pays his debts – For everyone else, there’s Mastercard.

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: chnet.1832

chnet.1832

Yeah, that’s the exact reason why I pay for my brother’s game – just want to find someone that can level with me.

There’s LFG but groups going to lower level maps are not that common… most are looking for crafting materials only.

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Lord Trejgon.2809

Lord Trejgon.2809

agree with that with all heart

“-Shield is meant to be broken!”
“-and on this occasion I keep mine plate armors”
discussion about offensive/deffensive playstyles

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Astral Projections.7320

Astral Projections.7320

Please ANet, consider this as a something to look into. The game is so much more fun when there are other people around. They start talking in chat. Informal groups form, split up, reform. This game needs a certain population amount per zone to really shine. Without it, it’s frustrating and lonely. I think it discourages people from going to the mid level zones when they feel isolated there. Those zones end up being the ones people do as they are leveling and then never return to.

(edited by Astral Projections.7320)

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Mist Y.5214

Mist Y.5214

They should just merge servers in PvE tbh. In the beta and just after release we had a lot more fun with heavily populated areas, and being put into an overflow because the map was full was never a problem. It felt great to be around other players, and now the game feels dead even though there are probably hundreds of others in the same area, just on different servers.
Unfortunately your suggestion would result in an annoying pop-up appearing when your zone reaches an artificial arbitrarily low population. I prefer this guy’s solution: http://youtu.be/XMEq4PAFmnI?t=17m48s – the relevant section of the video is about 4 mins long. If you don’t wanna watch it, here’s the tl;dw: merge all the servers in PvE, and only create overflows when the map actually fills up. A simple algorithm automatically throws you into the appropriate overflow, and you can choose to manually switch to another if you want. This also allows for more advanced options like different versions of the same area, depending on how far your personal story has advanced.

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Astral Projections.7320

Astral Projections.7320

They should just merge servers in PvE tbh. In the beta and just after release we had a lot more fun with heavily populated areas, and being put into an overflow because the map was full was never a problem. It felt great to be around other players, and now the game feels dead even though there are probably hundreds of others in the same area, just on different servers.
Unfortunately your suggestion would result in an annoying pop-up appearing when your zone reaches an artificial arbitrarily low population. I prefer this guy’s solution: http://youtu.be/XMEq4PAFmnI?t=17m48s – the relevant section of the video is about 4 mins long. If you don’t wanna watch it, here’s the tl;dw: merge all the servers in PvE, and only create overflows when the map actually fills up. A simple algorithm automatically throws you into the appropriate overflow, and you can choose to manually switch to another if you want. This also allows for more advanced options like different versions of the same area, depending on how far your personal story has advanced.

That description sounds like the district system in Guild Wars 1. The game made shards of towns depending on population numbers, anywhere from one district to over one hundred depending on how busy the town was. When you zoned into town it would put you in a district and you could ask to move to a lower number, more populated district and it would do so if there was a slot open or you could move to a higher number, less populated district. This allowed you to find the level of crowding that you liked or to move away from annoying people. This is the type of system that I wish GW would bring back.

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: mercury ranique.2170

mercury ranique.2170

They should just merge servers in PvE tbh. In the beta and just after release we had a lot more fun with heavily populated areas, and being put into an overflow because the map was full was never a problem. It felt great to be around other players, and now the game feels dead even though there are probably hundreds of others in the same area, just on different servers.
Unfortunately your suggestion would result in an annoying pop-up appearing when your zone reaches an artificial arbitrarily low population. I prefer this guy’s solution: http://youtu.be/XMEq4PAFmnI?t=17m48s – the relevant section of the video is about 4 mins long. If you don’t wanna watch it, here’s the tl;dw: merge all the servers in PvE, and only create overflows when the map actually fills up. A simple algorithm automatically throws you into the appropriate overflow, and you can choose to manually switch to another if you want. This also allows for more advanced options like different versions of the same area, depending on how far your personal story has advanced.

In MMO’s merging servers is something not done. It is seen by the community and by the press that you are doing badly. So company’s keep servers running even when there are less then 100 players actually active. That is why the system of the OP is such a good one. It saves the hassle and bad advertising that comes with deleting or merging servers and still solves the problem very well.

+1 to the OP.
Though I do wonder where the name comes from

Arise, ye farmers of all nations
Arise, opressed of Tyria!

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Lord Trejgon.2809

Lord Trejgon.2809

They should just merge servers in PvE tbh. In the beta and just after release we had a lot more fun with heavily populated areas, and being put into an overflow because the map was full was never a problem. It felt great to be around other players, and now the game feels dead even though there are probably hundreds of others in the same area, just on different servers.
Unfortunately your suggestion would result in an annoying pop-up appearing when your zone reaches an artificial arbitrarily low population. I prefer this guy’s solution: http://youtu.be/XMEq4PAFmnI?t=17m48s – the relevant section of the video is about 4 mins long. If you don’t wanna watch it, here’s the tl;dw: merge all the servers in PvE, and only create overflows when the map actually fills up. A simple algorithm automatically throws you into the appropriate overflow, and you can choose to manually switch to another if you want. This also allows for more advanced options like different versions of the same area, depending on how far your personal story has advanced.

That description sounds like the district system in Guild Wars 1. The game made shards of towns depending on population numbers, anywhere from one district to over one hundred depending on how busy the town was. When you zoned into town it would put you in a district and you could ask to move to a lower number, more populated district and it would do so if there was a slot open or you could move to a higher number, less populated district. This allowed you to find the level of crowding that you liked or to move away from annoying people. This is the type of system that I wish GW would bring back.

You forgot about something – districts were still segregated for “america/europe”/“country/international”/[district number]
players from America had whole another districts than european – and in european there was many national districs, and some international (as I remember player had acces to their own national districts and all internationals…)
I think those “national/international” was something like serwers in gw2 – but still players could switch this districts – but again there was no WvW…..

“-Shield is meant to be broken!”
“-and on this occasion I keep mine plate armors”
discussion about offensive/deffensive playstyles

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Astral Projections.7320

Astral Projections.7320

They should just merge servers in PvE tbh. In the beta and just after release we had a lot more fun with heavily populated areas, and being put into an overflow because the map was full was never a problem. It felt great to be around other players, and now the game feels dead even though there are probably hundreds of others in the same area, just on different servers.
Unfortunately your suggestion would result in an annoying pop-up appearing when your zone reaches an artificial arbitrarily low population. I prefer this guy’s solution: http://youtu.be/XMEq4PAFmnI?t=17m48s – the relevant section of the video is about 4 mins long. If you don’t wanna watch it, here’s the tl;dw: merge all the servers in PvE, and only create overflows when the map actually fills up. A simple algorithm automatically throws you into the appropriate overflow, and you can choose to manually switch to another if you want. This also allows for more advanced options like different versions of the same area, depending on how far your personal story has advanced.

That description sounds like the district system in Guild Wars 1. The game made shards of towns depending on population numbers, anywhere from one district to over one hundred depending on how busy the town was. When you zoned into town it would put you in a district and you could ask to move to a lower number, more populated district and it would do so if there was a slot open or you could move to a higher number, less populated district. This allowed you to find the level of crowding that you liked or to move away from annoying people. This is the type of system that I wish GW would bring back.

You forgot about something – districts were still segregated for “america/europe”/“country/international”/[district number]
players from America had whole another districts than european – and in european there was many national districs, and some international (as I remember player had acces to their own national districts and all internationals…)
I think those “national/international” was something like serwers in gw2 – but still players could switch this districts – but again there was no WvW…..

I didn’t forget about it, but I had figured my explanation of the district system was sufficient for what we were talking about here. Especially since a person on a NA server can’t guest to a European server, and vice versa. I made the assumption that underflow servers wouldn’t be segregated as the districts were but made of 2 groups, NA and European.

Edit: your post does bring up an interesting point. The language consideration. People from different languages have already staked out different servers and may not appreciate being placed in one big multi language server. How would this be addressed?

(edited by Astral Projections.7320)

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Mist Y.5214

Mist Y.5214

I don’t think segregating people onto different servers based on their native language is a good idea, but then I’m a native English speaker so I don’t feel any pressure to seek out people I can talk to. For those who prefer to communicate in a minority language, would it seriously be a problem to share your map chat with a few other languages?

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: CureForLiving.5360

CureForLiving.5360

I don’t think segregating people onto different servers based on their native language is a good idea, but then I’m a native English speaker so I don’t feel any pressure to seek out people I can talk to. For those who prefer to communicate in a minority language, would it seriously be a problem to share your map chat with a few other languages?

Clearly you’ve never been on a EU overflow, the moment someone brings out the German (usually the German) then it’s all moaning and complaining.

As for the original topic… A underflow system would be nice, I’m 80 and on a fairly high population server so rarely run into this problem, but whenever I go to a low level area is does feel… empty. It’s not as though I need help or anything in low level areas but it is nice to see people doing events running on joining in etc.

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Astral Projections.7320

Astral Projections.7320

Maybe when you zone into an area, you have the option to leave the underflow server and go to your home server. This way people who actually want an empty server, to stay in their language group or get away from someone they don’t like can do so. Everyone else can be in the underflow server. It’s not a great compromise maybe, but it should handle most objections.

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Engraved.8197

Engraved.8197

I totally agree with OP,
Its annoying when you want to level an alt but there are almost no people around the areas to level your alt, I’ve ended up soloing a lot of events because there was literally nobody around my area, I got so bored and sick of it I just gave up and crafted to 80

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Shanok.5396

Shanok.5396

It is realy good to hear that more people have tought about this!
Luckily i can level my alt without loads of people but man was it fun when there were like hundreds of people doing events and just socialising in the world!
Please Anet consider this! It would make my quest for “all classes lvl 80” worthwhile again!

"Underflow server" system

in Suggestions

Posted by: Dommmmmmmmmm.6984

Dommmmmmmmmm.6984

Awesome suggestion! Too bad all my alts are already level 80