Be seriously serious about server status!

[Rabalder]

As long as you don't have paying customers, you're not required to give support.  ...yes but it doesn't hurt to do so, does it?

At http://www.planeshift.it/ there's no information about what's going on!
At http://laanx.fragnetics.com/ there's no information about what's going on!
At http://www.hydlaa.com/smf/ (current page) we have to dig and read between the lines to get an idea of what's going on.
At http://www.hydlaa.com/ (which i found, by removing "smf/" from the URL of this forum) there's no information about what's going on LATELY!

This is totally unprofessional! ..is this unprofessional behavior a part of Planet Shift's branding or a part of the the medieval theme?
..sorry for being so rude, but I seriously believe that one little chunk of information like:

Server's down for maintenance. We hope to be back on-line in 24 hours. yyyy.MM.DD

...at  http://www.planeshift.it would answer almost all of our questions.

I believe that all the pages mentioned above, should or could have this information as the first information in the page, or atleast a very visual shortcut to the web page that shows the server status, called; "server status".


My questions:- Is this a server update, client update or both?
If this is a server and client update-attempt, and nobody knows for sure if it's going to be this or that result. I believe you should tell us so. I don't believe you can lose more or less of our trust in the team by leaving us alone in the dark.

- How long do we have to wait?
At the in-game warning/s about 45 sec, before permanent darkness we got told that it could take a day. ..is this just a maybe, hopefully but we don't know thing?

- Where do we find information about changes, updates, new patch or client?


Sorry for the negative angle to this post, but at least 20 posts in this forum so far is about what's going on, and I believe that's totally unnecessary.

[Jekkar]

"Welcome to Planeshift, take a seat in the waiting room."

*soft dentist music plays in the background*

"Please, have something to read."

[Velh Krome]

i found the following, posted by Quantus, in the german forums, 09.07.2007:

(12:32:11) >Server Admin: SERVER WILL REMAIN DOWN FOR ALL TODAY
(12:32:22) >Server Admin: WE NEED AT LEAST 1 DAY FOR THE UPGRADE
(12:32:33) >Server Admin: PLEASE DISCONNECT TO SAVE YOUR POSITION

[Rabalder]

i found the following, posted by Quantus, in the german forums, 09.07.2007:

(12:32:11) >Server Admin: SERVER WILL REMAIN DOWN FOR ALL TODAY
(12:32:22) >Server Admin: WE NEED AT LEAST 1 DAY FOR THE UPGRADE
(12:32:33) >Server Admin: PLEASE DISCONNECT TO SAVE YOUR POSITION

Yes this is the "in-game warning/s" i mentioned in the first post. You allso find it in this forum, if you read all post's from the the last 24 hours.

Unfortunately I was "standing on" an Ulbernaut when the shutdown warnings came, so I decided to get out of the Ulbernut's reach first and then shut down, to avoid starting my next game session by being attacked by an Ulbernaut.
As i tried to climb up the hill behind the "Ulby" a 4th message came up it was something like, "you have 20 sec to shutdown", and about 10 sec later I got the "connection lost" thing.
Pretty un-cool as I seriously wanted to "disconnect to save my position" before shudown. 

[Velh Krome]

I dont expect that a reason to worry - worst thing to happen may be that you stand some meters off your last position. Some awareness upon your next login wont be such a bad idea though.. be prepared to run=P
Server usually saves positions in certain intervals (-> /unstick-like).

Anyone feel free to correct me if I should be wrong.

[Krann Omins]

Re original topic;
the guy makes a fair point... at the least one would hope to see something posted in rules & notifications... but such is the way with server updates... makes me think i should wishlist that the client have some setting at sign on window so when server goes down specificaly for updates something explains, for new players, that it may be a few days & specifically where in forums they could look to see if new version is available.. I know way back when i kept losing new friends as they were just a few days in when an update happened, and they wouldn't return.. can never know for sure but i would guess they just didn't understand & gave up... i suppose it's good for weeding out the let's say less determined or less web-savvy players.. but it seems like something unintentional & easily remedied... hope you guys don't go too crazy waitin for the new ver

[oningo]

Hmm Well.... i totally agree with what the first post says. I fell especially sorry for those who are downloading the client 0.18 as we read these thread and wait for new version. The onus of informing new players who are downloading the game is on the game team. And as far as i can see this hasnt been bothered by them at all. Busy they maybe...however a simple updating of the websites on the state of the game, like server /client update , doesnot take long. especailly for the admin of the websites. If a simple thing as that is a major coordination problem for the team, i can well imagine how the rest gets done. This is common sense i think. If it cant bedone byt he person who has admin privilages to update the website, then get another to join who has the foresight of doing it. We old players can search and find out the reason and wait. But new players need to to see that info easily. Lack of an easy display of crucial info would make new players (if they still have a good impression about the game when client 0.18 they just downloaded does work) think that the game is dead or is so mis managed, some (especially future potential devs) would not bother waiting around or be curious to try later.

Hmm... well again i am i think wasting my time on a topic that wouldnt be considered impotant by the teams i guess. lol only response i get is more important things to do and few people to do too many things. If updating the websites to inform new players of the update takes the team 30mins-1hr more to finish updates i would think its well worth the effort. Oh well ... its all old stuff being told again by me in a new post. Realy feel sorry for those new players who have downloaded at this time are checking the client very few mins and wondering whats gone wrong. Lucky are those feww who then bothered to get themselves intot he forum to find out whats wrong.

See ya all in game....and i guess ...never see those who give up at this moment cos they think the game is dead as they cant get in and can find no news easily.

[Velh Krome]

brrr sorry for having missed the essence of the initial post..

i fully agree, and theres not much to add. the main page (www.planeshift.it) shows up news, and adding a sentence there shouldnt be much of a hassle. its not necessary to give a date for when the update to be finished will be, yet the reason for why the server is down at all may show some, in addition to Krann and Oningo, sort of respect as well.
i can understand people complaining/thinking about devs may not give a hey about what people think..

gosh.. yeah Oningo, its old stuff, but as all the new ones over and over again mention it, its still the same, each update.. - i vote for making a change, for also the with PS still unfamiliar ones have some more insight!
cheers

[mbr1110]

Alright all you children throwing a temper tantrum, this is the Lady's opinion. There is a place on the main screen that states "Donation" which means that the developers and maintainers of this game are doing Planeshift as a very time-consuming hobby. They generously let us play it without charging a monthly fee......... at this time.

In the real world of us adults that have to work to keep the wheels of commerce going so the opportunists can get a free ride as often as possible at our expense, if you want better service than you better make a donation and show your appreciation for the hours the game developers are putting in for your pleasure.

Lady Ananath

[Sardoan]

if you want better service than you better make a donation and show your appreciation for the hours the game developers are putting in for your pleasure.

Thats not the point. The point is, that the developers did  not informe the users. Without us there is no Planeshift and we have the right to be informed. The developer can put 2 banner on the side and earn enough money...

[allad]

we have the right to be informed.

Haha, that's funny...
And who told you this? They (Devs) do not have to tell us anything if they don't want to.  They let us "test" this game for nothing.  They have all the rights... not us.

[Anonymous Coward]

Thats not the point. The point is, that the developers did  not informe the users. Without us there is no Planeshift and we have the right to be informed. The developer can put 2 banner on the side and earn enough money...

That's where you are mistaken. You are not a user. You are a tester. And the devs are far, far too busy to post a message in Server Status saying "Updating to 3.019 system. Expect downtime for 1 to 5 days." Testers are not worthy of this courtesy.

--< AC >--

[Velh Krome]

i agree, we dont have the rights to demand getting crucial information like that.
i do as well agree in we are testers.. ok, users.. depends on point if view and/or definition.

yet this thread is about that it would be kind, if devs would inform the players, in meanings of necessary testers.
me myself i dont have a problem if they dont, as i am informed well enough about some update to come - as many of you also are.
but what about the guys having heard of a decent rpg, eager to go for it and in the end.. leave again because they only see a shutdown server for two days?

and misses mbr1110, do you think talking to people the way you did is a sign of maturity?

[allad]

but what about the guys having heard of a decent rpg, eager to go for it and in the end.. leave again because they only see a shutdown server for two days?

Then I say let them move on... this is sometimes considered a way to "filter out" players who would not like PS in its current state anyway.

[Akana]

Many topics like this, It could be 1-5 days, Maybe today, Hopefully soon , But we all must be patient