A Single Megaserver With Multiple Channels Will Help the Longevity of AoC

YzoEli

From my experience, MMOs with megaservers and multiple channels usually help with the longevity of the game. MMOs tend to get in a pattern where they start off with too many servers and inevitably the lowest populated server would die and then a merger follows, and then the process repeats until there are two or a single server left, and a dead game. Megaservers with multiple channels (for example 20 channels) would provide the same effect of having separate servers, but instead the entire playerbase are together as one community on a single megaserver.

Kreed

For multi channels? Do you mean multiple instances of the same instance? Some games call it other things, but its basically multi phasing / instances where so many people go into one and others are created as the population comes on line in the same area or zone.

I would have to say no, I have disliked this ever since it was invented. The whole primary reason they did this to start was to help lower lag for people who had outdated computers and lack of decent servers. Its a poor fix, it takes away from the population. Ashes of Creation has stated it wants to stay clear of that. It wants everyone in one instance on the same server.

I will use Neverwinter as an example the average is 25 people in one instance for one area max I have seen is 40 people for that game, it makes grouping frustrating when you have people all over the place in other instances and they cant transfer to where you are because of the instance is full.

Age of Conan had a max of 200 people in one instance for one Zone it was terrible.

Lord of the Rings used to be single instancing where you could run across the map from end to the other now you can run the same route and hit multiple load screens. Not to mention the game seems empty because of it. To many people spread out across the instancing.

World of War Craft back when it started was single instancing, this made for epic population pvp battles.
( Although back then the server would stutter and crash when 500 to 1000 would show up in one spot) But they made it so every one was all in the same instance. Later on they brought in the multi phases... game wasnt the same after that.

ESO does it as well but restricts seeing them because its set to auto, grouping is painful sometimes because of zones hitting capacity. World chat or zone chat is separate to each instance...

Equipment and servers are far better now a days and peoples computers are to. There is no reason to do multi instancing. I am all for avoiding it, I do want to see larger populations though for this game per server. It has been stated they are trying to raise that current cap. Personally I would like to see well over 80k to 100k or more on one server.

bloodprophet

Having everyone on one big phasing server divides the community to much. as Kreed called out WOW as a great example. People used to know each other for good or ill. Now look at how crappy the community has become. You join an instance group and even the crickets are quite.
Ashes is aiming to make community a thing again. Having friends and enemies that you see over and over. Player reputation will be important and should be.

Uncommon Sense

when you spread the butter to thin you end up with a dry piece of toast. The issue will be a lack of cohesion and no sense of community.

Asraiel

even do i now this system and seen it in work how you gonna do it with nodes and housing. that would lead tto a tiny amount of players uaseing the full potential of the game. and that would lead to a massiv disapointment and problably a early death of the game

if it may come to merges aint clear yet maybe at a point 10-20 years in the future. but till then theres no need to havfe concerns about that. if played game with those multi channel system was nice those server got merged and died. it didnt help it did creat more space for players so they dont have to interact with eachother. but ashes wants that interaction.

so i must say for ashes that system would be a gamekiller

Daave

Wouldn't this limit the types of interactions they're trying to encourage? For example, running through an open world dungeon and finding a group already has your favorite spot. Do you flag up on them? Wait for them to finish? Ask them politely to move? Find a different spot nearby and periodically check if they're there?

If you can just hop into a different channel where that spot is empty, all those questions are irrelevant. The "open world" conflicts are gone.

Not even to mention how that would even work with nodes and sieges...

Talents