Bounty Hunter Archive
Thread: A TIMELINE CORRECT, JEDI-FREE SERVER OPTION?
ktanner3
Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:40 am
#66
mikeymonkey wrote:
This is pretty pathetic.
YOU WOULD BE OUT OF A JOB.
And if you hunt Jedi out of real life hate for them, then please, step away from the computer, walk outside, and get some fresh air.
Okay.Let me cap myself for emphasis. NO I WOULD NOT BE OUT OF A JOB. Jedi hunting does not consume my life like it does for some people. The npc fix has made that aspect more fun plus if I want pvp I can always go overt with some friends of my guild. I don't need the jedi in any way shape or form. Without them around maybe I can enjoy the quests on kashyyk without hate tells telling me to leave their grinding spot . Maybe when i go special forces the outcome won't be determined by how many jedi each side has. Sorry, there is not one aspect of this game where I will say" gee, I sure miss all those jedi"
Emmgel
Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:49 am
#67
I suspect the real problem would be that almost everyone non-Jedi (all 5 of us I hear you cry!) would immediately leave for such a server and it would be swamped.
On the other hand, just imagine - a proper GCW pvp system back in place, proper Imp v. Reb battles between cities rather than jedi just sweeping in as the alpha class ruining it for others (as they have on my server).
Would be brilliant in my opinion.
Emmgel.
Draxie
Thu Jul 28, 2005 4:58 am
#68
this topic is useful to read, obvious a few jedi couldn't resist to post:
but if you are mentioning a jedi-free server:
I would like a totally NEW server.....no player-cities (there are currently no cities in SWG, just lone houses polluting a field, no walls/pavement/defences whatsoever---------->andSOE calls this a real player city), no characters, no option to transfer characters...just start over on a empty server.
imagine this......no housing pollutions (like EQ2-style housing better), no established characters yet.
The unbalance of the jedi profession has lead to the fact that the best content is allmost jedi-only...no jedi, would look like fun to me.....and if the shuttlkeports could get deleted so it's impossible to travel 20 cities on tatooine in 3 mins it would new roleplay.....some sort of Outlands which you have to travel through to some distant outpost/dungeon...
would like to see this on a new server. 
PS. and no jedi. 
Message Edited by Draxie on 07-28-2005 02:00 PM
AllHandlestaken
Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:56 am
#69
I would jump for joy! Been suggesting that forever. SWG was at its best when Jedi were few and far between, especially for pvp
ProzacRefugee
Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:10 am
#70
It's not going to happen - maintaining the seperate code would be a nightmare for SOE with all the updates, and I don't think the Jedi code has an easy off switch after being in the codebase over a year.
The only way I could see this happening is voluntarily - move to the lightest pop server, and have every player ban Jedi from everything they can. Designate the unofficial Jedi free server.
MaitaXibo
Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:30 am
#71
It's not going to happen - maintaining the seperate code would be a nightmare for SOE with all the updates, and I don't think the Jedi code has an easy off switch after being in the codebase over a year.
The only way I could see this happening is voluntarily - move to the lightest pop server, and have every player ban Jedi from everything they can. Designate the unofficial Jedi free server.
Lol it is easy just turn off the viilage or set the phase time to 10 years. No FS village no Jedi.
captenjonny
Thu Jul 28, 2005 9:40 am
#72
mikeymonkey wrote:
This is pretty pathetic.
YOU WOULD BE OUT OF A JOB.
And if you hunt Jedi out of real life hate for them, then please, step away from the computer, walk outside, and get some fresh air.
you idiot. I'm out of a job as of the last publish.
but, yeah....I'd pay the $100 to be on a jedi-free server. Jeezums if such a place were for real you wouldn't have to move me ... I'd grind all new characters!
ProzacRefugee
Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:17 pm
#75
TheMadCoder the issue isn't if it can be done - of course it could. But SOE isn't going to want to switch that bit is the truth - not just to please the jedi, but because introducing special behavior for a single server means somebody has to manage it, somebody has to remember to make the special update EVERY patch for that server so that bit is still off, and (most importantly)that server now has to be tested on it's own EVERY time.
Coder and ex-build engineer myself - and believe me, there is nothing that will make QA scream worse than having a non-uniform code base. They don't like one-offs for the simple reason that it increases their workload, and if some bug gets through it's their ass on the line.
They could work around it by having the jedi on/off switch as DB driven (databases being seperate for each server), but a responsible QA department would then still have twice as many test cases for each patch, testing if the new content works with both jedi on and off. QA is a major cost in software, so I really don't see SOE taking on a huge cost for a change that negatively impacts their marketing spearhead of the jedi. So again, my opinion is a jedi free server is never going to happen.
The player base, like I said before, could easily force one through server culture. Go to the least populated server, and have players agree not to group with, not to help in any way, and to ban every jedi ever seen. It wouldn't ensure a jedi free server, but the visibility problem would go way down.
Coder and ex-build engineer myself - and believe me, there is nothing that will make QA scream worse than having a non-uniform code base. They don't like one-offs for the simple reason that it increases their workload, and if some bug gets through it's their ass on the line.
They could work around it by having the jedi on/off switch as DB driven (databases being seperate for each server), but a responsible QA department would then still have twice as many test cases for each patch, testing if the new content works with both jedi on and off. QA is a major cost in software, so I really don't see SOE taking on a huge cost for a change that negatively impacts their marketing spearhead of the jedi. So again, my opinion is a jedi free server is never going to happen.
The player base, like I said before, could easily force one through server culture. Go to the least populated server, and have players agree not to group with, not to help in any way, and to ban every jedi ever seen. It wouldn't ensure a jedi free server, but the visibility problem would go way down.
Message Edited by ProzacRefugee on 07-28-2005 07:19 PM
BishopCole
Thu Jul 28, 2005 7:18 pm
#76
This is EXACTLY waht I have been championing!
AWESOME idea.
I would pay more to play on a server like this.
I also love to see how many players seemed to be threatoned by it - LOL
YES YES YES
TheMadCoder
Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:10 pm
#77
ProzacRefugee wrote:
TheMadCoder the issue isn't if it can be done - of course it could. But SOE isn't going to want to switch that bit is the truth - not just to please the jedi, but because introducing special behavior for a single server means somebody has to manage it, somebody has to remember to make the special update EVERY patch for that server so that bit is still off, and (most importantly)that server now has to be tested on it's own EVERY time.
Coder and ex-build engineer myself - and believe me, there is nothing that will make QA scream worse than having a non-uniform code base. They don't like one-offs for the simple reason that it increases their workload, and if some bug gets through it's their ass on the line.
They could work around it by having the jedi on/off switch as DB driven (databases being seperate for each server), but a responsible QA department would then still have twice as many test cases for each patch, testing if the new content works with both jedi on and off. QA is a major cost in software, so I really don't see SOE taking on a huge cost for a change that negatively impacts their marketing spearhead of the jedi. So again, my opinion is a jedi free server is never going to happen.
The player base, like I said before, could easily force one through server culture. Go to the least populated server, and have players agree not to group with, not to help in any way, and to ban every jedi ever seen. It wouldn't ensure a jedi free server, but the visibility problem would go way down.
Message Edited by ProzacRefugee on 07-28-2005 07:19 PM
Oh, I have no doubt that manager two code-bases is more difficult that one, but I can't think of any game that doesn't have different rulesets for differing servers (except for games like AO, which when one server cluster gets over-populated, they add another - up to 3 now.)
Almost everygame Ihave playedhas PvPand/or PvE servers.
UO has Siege Perilous (& Mujen,) a cluster with the exact gameplay, but completely different ruleset compared to the other 20+ servers they run. Yes, it has its problems every time a patch hits the servers, but it's there to keep the VETS playing.
Really, unless the game is really new (like in the past two years, where there really aren't enough vets to complain - won't let me use the "b" word) there are servers with varying rulesets.
I know, the kiddies don't want a Jedi free server, as they like being uber where they are. However, when school goes back in session next month, are they going to go back to catering to the adults or the children? Not to say all Jedi are children, but I think most agree that a significant portion are. Alpha professions attract kids because it makes them feel "special," as our public schools have obviously not cottled them enough (I taught middle school for three years...no comments, please.)
A mature, low-Jedi (permadeath) or no population server(s) would attract more adults into STAYING in this game, rather than moving on to the more classic games that DO cater to a veteran player's gaming style.
Games that do not cater to vets or try to raise their numbers by introducing idiotic systems (like 1000s of Jedi) are just going lose customers. Look at the numbers prior to SW:G adding the village (lowish) then the numbers when everyone could become a Jedi so long as they grinded enough (went up a bit,) to the point where everyone who wanted a Jedi NOW is one (the numbers are not only down again, but LOWER than they were prior to the village.)
Check for yourself: http://mmogchart.com/Chart2.html
They used Jedi as a marketing ploy, and it's backfiring on them. It will get worse over time.
A Jedi-free server (or more) is inevitable if they wish to keep their veteran players. SW:G had a huge start, but is clearly losing numbers rapidly.
ProzacRefugee
Thu Jul 28, 2005 8:41 pm
#78
Nice resource - but it might be a bit out of date, just because WoW is not listed. And I don't think SWG still has 200K players, but I could be wrong.
Again, it is totally possible to implement this - but like I said testing will be the bottleneck, and right now SOE can't even put out Publishes without bugs for one system, much less 2. Part of this might be they need some better internal tools - from what TH was describing their bugs wind up being transported some of the way on Excel spreadsheets. Regardless, I don't see SOE putting more pressure on QA for a task which will flow directly in the direction of their marketing, even if that marketing is ultimately a bad idea.
Again, it is totally possible to implement this - but like I said testing will be the bottleneck, and right now SOE can't even put out Publishes without bugs for one system, much less 2. Part of this might be they need some better internal tools - from what TH was describing their bugs wind up being transported some of the way on Excel spreadsheets. Regardless, I don't see SOE putting more pressure on QA for a task which will flow directly in the direction of their marketing, even if that marketing is ultimately a bad idea.