Realm Queues - They Work!
Posted by: Snafzg
On: Sep 08, 2008 at 10:41am
One thing I became intimately familiar this weekend was the realm queue feature Mythic implemented to ensure in-game population balance in Warhammer Online. I don't know the specific numbers of population difference they allow for, but it all seems pretty closely balanced from what I've seen in-game.
They only drawback of this system is being a member of the more popular realm and sitting in a queue before being able to log in. The most people I ever saw on the queue was 228 for Destruction on Chrace and it took me about 15 minutes before I could log on. Other times I was sitting at 100+ in the queue with an estimated log in time of 10 minutes left and then was instantly put in. Chances are, that was due to players crashing to desktop and not some bug. If Mythic gets their way, CTDs will be nonexistent at release, so I won't count on this as quick-login method.
This has got me and a few members in my guild thinking... Do we really want to pick a server on day one of the Head Start program? The first servers that launch with a game almost always have the highest populations and that means we'll be sitting in the queue more often than not. Picking a server right away also has the drawback of not knowing how the realm population balance will pan out. Chances are, these first servers won't be lacking in either realm, but one side could still skew higher, meaning there's a chance of getting into a longer queue.
Alternatively, if we wait a day or two, we'll be able to pick one of the newer servers that get released to meet the demand of the large player base. We can also check to see who has the higher realm population. If there's any chance Order will come out on top of Destruction in terms of numbers on a server, we rant to roll on that server.
On a personal non-guild related note, one of the reasons I bought the CE was for the head start program. The only day I'll be able to play will be Sunday because I'll be out of town Mon-Wed for work. If I don't log in on day one, I'll pretty much be giving up one of the main reasons I bought the CE. Less value for my $.
Hmmm, decisions, decisions, decisions... Doh. Not the end of the world of course, but it still gives me something to write about.
They only drawback of this system is being a member of the more popular realm and sitting in a queue before being able to log in. The most people I ever saw on the queue was 228 for Destruction on Chrace and it took me about 15 minutes before I could log on. Other times I was sitting at 100+ in the queue with an estimated log in time of 10 minutes left and then was instantly put in. Chances are, that was due to players crashing to desktop and not some bug. If Mythic gets their way, CTDs will be nonexistent at release, so I won't count on this as quick-login method.
This has got me and a few members in my guild thinking... Do we really want to pick a server on day one of the Head Start program? The first servers that launch with a game almost always have the highest populations and that means we'll be sitting in the queue more often than not. Picking a server right away also has the drawback of not knowing how the realm population balance will pan out. Chances are, these first servers won't be lacking in either realm, but one side could still skew higher, meaning there's a chance of getting into a longer queue.
Alternatively, if we wait a day or two, we'll be able to pick one of the newer servers that get released to meet the demand of the large player base. We can also check to see who has the higher realm population. If there's any chance Order will come out on top of Destruction in terms of numbers on a server, we rant to roll on that server.
On a personal non-guild related note, one of the reasons I bought the CE was for the head start program. The only day I'll be able to play will be Sunday because I'll be out of town Mon-Wed for work. If I don't log in on day one, I'll pretty much be giving up one of the main reasons I bought the CE. Less value for my $.
Hmmm, decisions, decisions, decisions... Doh. Not the end of the world of course, but it still gives me something to write about.
You could count on other people to give up and move. I'd hate to give up the head start weekend for something that is probably the result of a bit of a zerg rush (seems like EVERYONE went to Chrace) and part them not opening enough servers to comfortably fit 47000 people since half the point is testing the servers durability.
My Bright Wizard Zilar was kicking some major ass in the EvC RvR lake last night - Saw Snafzg there, tearing it up as a Squiggy.
I read somewhere that they were slowly increasing the server limits and therefor the queue limits to accommodate a growing population. I think they're playing it safe with the numbers, maxing out at around ~500 active users per side. I bet in a live environment the servers will be able to handle at least double that.
Let's pretend 5000 is the server cap and 2500 Destruction are online. That means you'll be in a server queue until some Destruction players log off. This queue will only come into play if the maximum number of Order and Destruction players are online at once.
If there are 2400 Destruction on and 2200 Order on, presumably you'd still be in the Destruction realm queue until 200 more Order logged on or 200 Destruction logged off (or some equalizing combination thereof). This assumes they allow for a 0% +/- realm balance variable.
If they have server queues, waiting will matter because the newer servers may never reach their total cap.
Launch the head start servers and cap them at 10-15% below max capacity for the first couple weeks and open new servers beyond the initial amount as needed.
Once the major rush is over, remove that limit and if everyone spreads out as planned, people should rarely encounter any server queues. :)
This will also give people a good idea of how the realm balance is playing out and they can fill up the additional 10-15% based on who needs more help.
Come to think of it, they should just have an all chicken ruleset server.
Maybe I just need to go eat lunch.
Here's what also doesn't work, not having enough servers at launch. This crap of rolling out servers over time, doesn't cut it. It just leads to queues. Why? Because big guilds like the one I'm in pick a server at the start, and then a few hundred others have to follow and also join it. This just leads to... dun-dun-dun... longer queues!
Tip for Mythic, put three times the number of servers you currently have listed, and do it come Sunday, not a month later. This will lead to balancing things out.
And for those who say "then servers won't have enough players to do blah, blah, blah." Yes, they will, players come in groups, and they will come.
This whole launch is going to be a mess, and that goes beyond the GOA disaster. I can see these problems coming. It's glaring, and Mythic is ignoring it.
Queues suck, but how else could they ensure one side won't dominate in terms of numbers?
The servers they have up now are designed to be stress tested by 47000 people. If they opened every server they'd need for release now, there'd be servers with 20 people on it.
Or, would we likely just end up facing bigger queues? Anyone have experience with this?
BTW, I don't think the OB comparison and moving the guild will have the success being talked about above because as was mentioned, you're going to have a heck of a lot more people playing on release day and the early servers are going to keep getting more influx, even for months to come hopefully, unlike open beta.
Thanks!
Therefore, yes, your guildie could roll on your server even if it is brutally overpopulated, but chances are, your entire guild will be faced with a long queue when they want to log in.
Our guild is currently arguing over this. Some of us have bought a CE preorder, while most of us bought an SE preorder (means they can't play until two days later).
Our current strategy is to have the CEs pick a server a few hours after the game launches to hopefully choose a more balanced one. We'll re-evaluate things on the 16th when our SE friends come on... Hopefully they can roll on our servers without any issues, but if our server has massive queues, we'll roll on a new server together.
It's a bit of a pain in the ass, but that's what happens when they launch their game in three different phases. It's actually more difficult to play together with your friends unless you all buy the same package.