Guild Wars 2

Hey guys!

I hope someone can answer…

I’m wondering how overflows work. Obviously, if the server is capped out you are thrown into an overflow. Is this overflow specific to that server, or is this overflow for the entire game? I ask because the times I have been in overflow, it seems most players there are trying to get to the same place – my server, however not everyone. Does anybody know? Thanks. ^^

Overflows are a mix from multiple servers.

And there can be more than one overflow per zone.

The reason you may see a lot of people with you in overflow trying to get to your server is probably due to the new events. Players from all sorts of servers are flocking to servers that have been known to defeat Tequatl or at least have a better chance to do so. So if you are on one of those servers good luck trying to actually do the event with people on your server.

Basically this is how it works.

Each zone has a soft and hard cap. When one zone hits the soft cap for the first time on any server, an overflow of that zone is created. Every player trying to enter into that zone from every server (within the same area, EU or NA) goes into that overflow, so you’ll find people from different servers in the same overflow.

When the soft cap of the overflow is reached, a new overflow is created and people trying to zone in (again, from every server) are directed to that new overflow. Repeat as many times as necesary with as many overflows as they’re needed to fit everyone.

Each zone and overflow also has a hard cap, which is a bit higher than the soft cap (we don’t know exact numbers). This is so that if you want to join your friends/guild on the main server map, or on a specific overflow you can just party with them, and join in their map. However, that’s where the hard cap goes into effect, once it’s reached (the zone is really full), then if you try to join them you’ll get a “map is full” error. If that happens then they can either try to join your map, or the entire party leaves the map and zones back in, the game will either create a new overflow or accomodate all of you in one that still has space.

And the reason that you’re seeing so many overflows with tequatl, for example, is that there are LOTS of people trying to do it, and also most people stay after the fight is done discussing new strategies and so they don’t lose their spot for the next fight, specially if a previous attempt was somehow succesful, like it happened last night on Yak’s Bend, one attempt got him down to 5% on main map, and everyone stayed for the next fight discussing new strategies and killed it on the next try.

Thanks for all of the clarifications, guys!

I had figured that they were mixed server, but what makes me more curious about it is when there is a large portion of one particular server in an overflow. Such as a lot of TC players, or in the case yesterday, one of our TC players was in an overflow with a lot of BG people. I’m just curious how it gets grouped that way, but I suppose it really is just random.

Thanks again!

Mimir.4690:

Thanks for all of the clarifications, guys!

I had figured that they were mixed server, but what makes me more curious about it is when there is a large portion of one particular server in an overflow. Such as a lot of TC players, or in the case yesterday, one of our TC players was in an overflow with a lot of BG people. I’m just curious how it gets grouped that way, but I suppose it really is just random.

Thanks again!

I’m guessing that the overflow system takes home server into account. Also, some big organized guilds are using overflows as a way to play together, by joining all into one overflow when they find one that isn’t too full.

Also the overflow system takes parties into account (if you join a full map while in a party, it’ll send all party members to the same overflow), maybe it does the same with commander squads.

Overflows work in such a way to ensure I’m always in overflow on my home server.