47 replies to this topic

[Josef Nader]

I was not aware that there were sub-Atlantic cables. I knew we tried to do them a few times before, but I thought they were dubiously successful, especially in lieu of satellite communication.

It still doesn't change the fact that physical distance is causing the lag, and unless you posses the ability to bring the US and the EU physically closer together you can't get rid of that lag.

I was using 'worldwide' 'cause I know a few players in Asia and Australia that would love playable pings. There are people outside the US and the EU, though that is the majority of the playerbase.

[Davers]

There have been TransAtlantic cables since the days of the telegraph.

[Josef Nader]

I've known about that. I just didn't know they laid them for modern digital communications when there are so many perfectly good satellites floating around.

I mean, it makes sense now that I've brushed up a bit. 'Scuse me for having a brain fart.

[Kaarde]

How does EVE handle just being on one shard and having world wide players?

[operator0]

Josef Nader, on 11 February 2013 - 06:47 PM, said:

Someone doesn't understand server architecture or networks.

In order to solve lag issues for worldwide players, you need a physical server that is physically closer to their location. You cannot shorten the distance between the EU and the US. You cannot run wired connections between the EU and the US. You have to rely on satellites to transmit across the ocean, and satellites are slow. Ergo, to eliminate the severe lag some players have to deal with, you must put a physical box in their locality and let them connect to that. There is no way to remove that lag that comes from hopping the Atlantic. The only way to do that would be to put a server equidistant between Europe and North America with a wired connection, and even then it would just split the latency evenly between the two areas and also BE IN THE MIDDLE OF THE ATLANTIC.

Giving non-US players their own local servers to connect to so they can play lag-free is vital to getting lots of players worldwide.

All of that is possible. First, the vast majority of the communications between Europe and N.A. go through undersea cables, not satellites. Nearly all of that is Fiber Optic. In fact, nearly all communication on this planet goes through cables, either underwater or terrestrial. Second, there's an Island almost equidistant between Europe and N.A. That Island is called Flores. It's the Western most Island of the Azores. I suspect the financial viability of running a server (farm) from that Island is not good. There's probably not an undersea cable connecting that Island to the rest of the world due to the very low population (3900). But, technically, it's quite possible.

I don't understand why people continue to believe that our trans continental communication, and even our intracontinental communication goes through satellites. It's not true, but clearly there's a perception that it is true. Could someone explain it to me.

[Josef Nader]

Because space. Why would we use boring old cables when we could BLAST OUR INFORMATION INTO SPAAAAAAAAAACE!

[Davers]

Josef Nader, on 11 February 2013 - 07:20 PM, said:

Because space. Why would we use boring old cables when we could BLAST OUR INFORMATION INTO SPAAAAAAAAAACE!

Somewhere an alien race has decided not to attack us because they intercepted a transmission of our giant stompy mechs. The world can thank us later.

[Vahnn]

Kaarde, on 11 February 2013 - 07:16 PM, said:

How does EVE handle just being on one shard and having world wide players?

EVE actually has this new thing (or it was new a year ago) where the more lag, the slower time goes. Literally. When there are, say, 300 ships duking it out, there's a lot of information to be exhanged, so to cope, the in-game time literally slows down, meaning the data is all sent where it needs to be before further actions can be taken. This ensures that everyone is on the same page, and input from the players is all being made with the same, most up-to-date information as all the other players. And the decrease in time scales with the amount of lag present.

I haven't actually played recently, nor have I discussed the matter in depth with anyone, but to my understanding, the system works beautifully. Still, though, I'm not sure if time slows for everyone in EVE, or just the players involved? And if time slows only for those involved in any given battle, what happens when the battle is over? Does time simply jump forward and people miss out on that time? Or is there a sort of fast forward? Hmm.

They call it "time dilation."

[Rattazustra]

As a former EVE ONLINE player, I have no tolerance whatsoever for the thought of fractured player base. There is no reason whatsoever to split up servers. It only hurts the game. It also means that I won't be able to keep playing with some of my friends and vice versa AND it takes a lot of meaning out of any event type experiences.

EVE has and had some issues with lag BUT it is also a MUCH larger game world with a LOT more players.

Individual player lag is NOT crippling the game right now, so it won't in the future. Every time someone has REALLY bad ping or horrig lag blackouts, he is on a cellphone connection or something equally crappy. Splitting up servers does not fix any of that.

Edited by Rattazustra, 11 February 2013 - 07:42 PM.

[Kaarde]

Thanks for the answer, I hadnt known about the time dialation.

I would imagine with users all over the world that Eve has different server points that people access that then reports to a master? I cannot imagine that someone in China or the Ukraine would log onto servers with 100k other people that is placed in the Eastern US. or where ever they physically are.

[CMDR Sunset Shimmer]

Grabes, on 11 February 2013 - 06:29 PM, said:

sorry - saw ponies and lost the want to care.

Well if such an idiotic view is going to keep you from reasonable discussion, I suppose your opinion should be discounted anyway. Heck I'm not even a fan of EQRG but at times they do have valid points.

[Josef Nader]

Or, you know, this isn't the correct forum for posting ponies and we all have our respective hives of scum and villainy we can go post gratuitous amounts of ponies at.

Just a thought.

[CrashieJ]

I hope, that someday, ELP and EQRG can deal with whatever caused this mess

because we're mercenaries... and the only thing that should dictate our friendship should be money, that's it.

updated picture for you people who like mechs but dislike ponies.

Edited by gavilatius, 11 February 2013 - 07:55 PM.

[Josef Nader]

Oh take it down already. This isn't the place. Ponies have nothing to do with giant robots beyond my chosen paint schemes.

[Faldrin]

Sorry but I would be one of the first to sign up to a EU server as lag does effect a game that has a FPS system. And yes have noticed that most of the people who think this is a bad idea are US players who have good ping 60 or less for most US players. You must understand that people will pay to play the same game as you but ping on this kinda game changes how a game is a lot at higher pings.
Eve can make the ping seem less bad due to how the game is played where as MWO is a twitch game that ping over 100 is a problem. Maybe not a major problem at 100 but once you start hitting 200+ its a nightmare, but players seem to put their heads in sand when it comes to problems of this nature and when you have a few problems of this level it then becomes a major issue.

[CrashieJ]

Josef Nader, on 11 February 2013 - 07:58 PM, said:

Oh take it down already. This isn't the place. Ponies have nothing to do with giant robots beyond my chosen paint schemes.

Edited by gavilatius, 11 February 2013 - 08:14 PM.

[Gammanoob]

Give everyone one global account that is by default set to their region but can be changed on a whim to another region.

That way those that prefer to only play with great ping can do so, but those that want to play with other friends from a different region or timezone can still have fun.

[Thorqemada]

Regional Servers still can be connected to a global playerbase...

[CrashieJ]

Gammanoob, on 11 February 2013 - 08:05 PM, said:

Give everyone one global account that is by default set to their region but can be changed on a whim to another region.

That way those that prefer to only play with great ping can do so, but those that want to play with other friends from a different region or timezone can still have fun.

actually that would be a great idea and then have both areas be part of 1 community universe.

[Josef Nader]

gavilatius, on 11 February 2013 - 08:04 PM, said:

Finally get your tags sorted out?

I'm fairly certain these aren't the forums for the Eridani Light or the EQRG. Since that seems to be the case, I would also hazard that this is not the place to be posting ponies. Go back to the EQRG forums and post ponies to your hearts content. Leave them off of these forums.

Edited by Josef Nader, 11 February 2013 - 08:26 PM.