Character copy question

Max2497

With the EU copy on Tuesday, I lost access to my NA characters, as expected. Can I expect that another NA copy will be made later so that I can test more?

ZOS_JasonLeavey

Hey there, @Max2497‌. Since European character copies are currently on PTS, we plan to do another NA character copy during our next patch. We'll continue to switch the megaserver for character copies with each patch. That way, all of our players can test out all the new Update 6 features with their live characters.

sheltonrwb14_ESO

My characters on the US server have disappeared as of today when I logged in to test.

ShadowHvo

ZOS_JasonLeavey wrote: »

Hey there, @Max2497‌. Since European character copies are currently on PTS, we plan to do another NA character copy during our next patch. We'll continue to switch the megaserver for character copies with each patch. That way, all of our players can test out all the new Update 6 features with their live characters.

Honestly, why can we not just get to keep our characters like they are? Why do you have to wipe out the EU or NA chars to get the others in?

This current system you guys are running is really annoying, and quite literally dreadful for both sides.

Perhaps instead of the current system you're running (Since I assume you aren't wiping either side for the laughs) give us a way to chose specificly what chars we want copied over to the PTS, regardless of megaserver. That way you guys don't have to wipe them all the time, and that way we get to test out what we feel is most important.

Both WoW and SW:TOR did this, and I never saw a complaint about that system, sometimes it's okay to pick a little thing or two from another game!

ZOS_JasonLeavey

@ShadowHvo, we certainly understand the frustration of losing your characters after a PTS patch. Unfortunately, overwriting that data is necessary during this process, so we're unable to include the character data of both megaservers at the same time when we do a patch. Taking turns has been the best way to ensure that all players have an equal chance to test the content.

Robbmrp

ZOS_JasonLeavey wrote: »

Hey there, @Max2497‌. Since European character copies are currently on PTS, we plan to do another NA character copy during our next patch. We'll continue to switch the megaserver for character copies with each patch. That way, all of our players can test out all the new Update 6 features with their live characters.

This process is very inefficient. With only 1 test server available you have to "hope" that the majority of the bugs are caught between the two groups(EU & NA). This needs to be addressed and another test megaserver added.

With both groups testing their copied characters simultaneously, issues will be reported a lot sooner leading to quicker resolution and reduced programming time. Reduced programming time means more time to create new content/updates.

By adding another test server you could help increase/maintain revenue three ways:

1-For those that aren't on a monthly subscription, they have an incentive to get one instead of having to pay for DLC each month/every other month.
2-For those that still don't want a subscription, they can pay cash for the DLC they choose.
3-By providing more frequent DLC, those people with a monthly subscription now HAVE an incentive to keep it.

The quicker delivery of DLC available, the greater the revenue.

Sounds like a win for players and ZOS......

ben_ESO5

Robbmrp wrote: »

This process is very inefficient. With only 1 test server available you have to "hope" that the majority of the bugs are caught between the two groups(EU & NA). This needs to be addressed and another test megaserver added.....

It's really easy to think that it's inefficient, if you ignore the full reality of what it would take to make this happen. The US and EU databases are separate (most likely so that they can each be located in the same relative geologic location as their prospective megaserver), and as such, having both US and EU chars on the PTS would require merging two massive databases together before copying the product to the PTS. That's not so easy, given the fact that there would be tons of duplicate data collisions to resolve.

Other MMOs do similar procedures when they merge servers, which they try to do as few times as possible, for the same reasons. Having to do this over and over to keep PTS up to date would be ridiculous. I'm just fine with the US and EU taking 'turns' playing on PTS, instead of the devs wasting tons of time and resources taping databases together ad nauseam.

Darlgon

ZOS_JasonLeavey wrote: »

Hey there, @Max2497‌. Since European character copies are currently on PTS, we plan to do another NA character copy during our next patch. We'll continue to switch the megaserver for character copies with each patch. That way, all of our players can test out all the new Update 6 features with their live characters.

Intriguing... Does this translate into at least 3 more weeks of testing? (This week of EU char, next week of NA, and the following of EU again?)

Max2497

Darlgon wrote: »

ZOS_JasonLeavey wrote: »

Hey there, @Max2497‌. Since European character copies are currently on PTS, we plan to do another NA character copy during our next patch. We'll continue to switch the megaserver for character copies with each patch. That way, all of our players can test out all the new Update 6 features with their live characters.

Intriguing... Does this translate into at least 3 more weeks of testing? (This week of EU char, next week of NA, and the following of EU again?)

That's my guess. Although I'd rather they push it up and bring it to live sooner. I feel like I'm just treading water on live at this point. I may not like some changes, but I'd rather get it over with so I can start adapting.

Robbmrp

ben_ESO5 wrote: »

Robbmrp wrote: »

This process is very inefficient. With only 1 test server available you have to "hope" that the majority of the bugs are caught between the two groups(EU & NA). This needs to be addressed and another test megaserver added.....

It's really easy to think that it's inefficient, if you ignore the full reality of what it would take to make this happen. The US and EU databases are separate (most likely so that they can each be located in the same relative geologic location as their prospective megaserver), and as such, having both US and EU chars on the PTS would require merging two massive databases together before copying the product to the PTS. That's not so easy, given the fact that there would be tons of duplicate data collisions to resolve.

Other MMOs do similar procedures when they merge servers, which they try to do as few times as possible, for the same reasons. Having to do this over and over to keep PTS up to date would be ridiculous. I'm just fine with the US and EU taking 'turns' playing on PTS, instead of the devs wasting tons of time and resources taping databases together ad nauseam.

I never said to Merge both NA and EU together. Just to get another Test Server so NA and EU could test at the same time. With having 1 PTS it takes 2 weeks to perform the testing that could be done in 1 week on 2 PTS servers. Taking twice as long do perform the same amount of testing is inefficient imo.

ZOS has the money to afford another server and it would greatly benefit them to get one.

Black_Wolf88

Robbmrp wrote: »

ben_ESO5 wrote: »

Robbmrp wrote: »

This process is very inefficient. With only 1 test server available you have to "hope" that the majority of the bugs are caught between the two groups(EU & NA). This needs to be addressed and another test megaserver added.....

It's really easy to think that it's inefficient, if you ignore the full reality of what it would take to make this happen. The US and EU databases are separate (most likely so that they can each be located in the same relative geologic location as their prospective megaserver), and as such, having both US and EU chars on the PTS would require merging two massive databases together before copying the product to the PTS. That's not so easy, given the fact that there would be tons of duplicate data collisions to resolve.

Other MMOs do similar procedures when they merge servers, which they try to do as few times as possible, for the same reasons. Having to do this over and over to keep PTS up to date would be ridiculous. I'm just fine with the US and EU taking 'turns' playing on PTS, instead of the devs wasting tons of time and resources taping databases together ad nauseam.

I never said to Merge both NA and EU together. Just to get another Test Server so NA and EU could test at the same time. With having 1 PTS it takes 2 weeks to perform the testing that could be done in 1 week on 2 PTS servers. Taking twice as long do perform the same amount of testing is inefficient imo.

ZOS has the money to afford another server and it would greatly benefit them to get one.

I would believe they have considered several options for the pts server when it comes to character copy and such.
Having only eu or us characters there is probably the easiest(technically) and cheapest solution with least amount of trouble and ways where thing could go wrong.

AlnilamE

Robbmrp wrote: »

ben_ESO5 wrote: »

Robbmrp wrote: »

This process is very inefficient. With only 1 test server available you have to "hope" that the majority of the bugs are caught between the two groups(EU & NA). This needs to be addressed and another test megaserver added.....

It's really easy to think that it's inefficient, if you ignore the full reality of what it would take to make this happen. The US and EU databases are separate (most likely so that they can each be located in the same relative geologic location as their prospective megaserver), and as such, having both US and EU chars on the PTS would require merging two massive databases together before copying the product to the PTS. That's not so easy, given the fact that there would be tons of duplicate data collisions to resolve.

Other MMOs do similar procedures when they merge servers, which they try to do as few times as possible, for the same reasons. Having to do this over and over to keep PTS up to date would be ridiculous. I'm just fine with the US and EU taking 'turns' playing on PTS, instead of the devs wasting tons of time and resources taping databases together ad nauseam.

I never said to Merge both NA and EU together. Just to get another Test Server so NA and EU could test at the same time. With having 1 PTS it takes 2 weeks to perform the testing that could be done in 1 week on 2 PTS servers. Taking twice as long do perform the same amount of testing is inefficient imo.

ZOS has the money to afford another server and it would greatly benefit them to get one.

I don't know if having two test servers would be such a good idea. You need to track and fix issues, and I think having one server makes that easier.

Another thing that you need to consider is this:

When our NA characters were first copied, there was a bug with the way inventory slots were assigned because of the changes in the mount system. Many players lost between 10 and 60 inventory items when they first logged on. Having a fresh copy of our characters with the next patch will give us peace of mind that the issue has been fixed, and will also enable us to use the items that we lost to test the content.

I for one lost 4 of 5 items from my Healer's Habit set and had to run a dungeon wearing half light half medium armor and just be grateful that at least the Eyes of Mara part of my gear was all there.

sarttsarttsarttub17_ESO

Makes no sense you all have to delete anything for a PTS, and then not giving us a option to manually copy our characters from live to pts is kinda of a bad move.