Hmm..Pretty good update from Tasos today.   I'm not in the game, but he said that server queues have been resolved.  Can any player confirm this?  Also, patch notes! yay!

forums.darkfallonline.com/showthread.php

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We have been permanently banning all accounts that we detect are using 3d party software exploits. Still, there are a few people who don’t understand this and continue installing and using these exploits. You will definitely be banned if you do this. No appeals and no excuses are accepted.

Macroing: We are working to address it at its source, but until then we need to enforce our policies. Before we do that we will appeal to players not actually playing the game to log off rather than leaving their character in-game. This will allow more people to be able to enjoy Darkfall instead of unmanned characters taking up server space. If you’re skilling up by not playing the game as it was intended, you will be kicked and repeated offenses will result in a ban."

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This is the single most encouraging thing I've seen from any company in the last few years.

General consensus in the official forums is that queues are solved.

Queues are no more; confirmed. Lots of people have confirmed that this is the case at various login times as well.

 I like my 34 free days:)

I woulda been happy if they had given us 10-15, but damn, I'll take 34!

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Originally posted by APEist
 I like my 34 free days:)
I woulda been happy if they had given us 10-15, but damn, I'll take 34!

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Are you reading that right? I think he said a total of 34 days. That would include 30 you get when you buy and an additional 4 days for technical problems.

Four days is still pretty good though, you don't see many companies giving much more than one. But then, other companies usually don't NEED to give more than one so it's a wash either way.

Overall fair deal for paying customers.

Originally posted by popinjay

 

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Originally posted by APEist
 I like my 34 free days:)
I woulda been happy if they had given us 10-15, but damn, I'll take 34!

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Are you reading that right? I think he said a total of 34 days. That would include 30 you get when you buy and an additional 4 days for technical problems.

 

Four days is still pretty good though, you don't see many companies giving much more than one. But then, other companies usually don't NEED to give more than one so it's a wash either way.

 

Overall fair deal for paying customers.

 

:...(

I'm an idiot.

In that case, I honestly think we should recieve more time.  Think about all the time we spent in queues.  Though, I will admit, I didn't spend nearly as much as some people... and I have my reasons... muahahahhaha.

(I kinda already said it, but yea-- we should get 10 free days at least IMO)

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Originally posted by APEist

 
:...(
I'm an idiot.
In that case, I honestly think we should recieve more time.  Think about all the time we spent in queues.  Though, I will admit, I didn't spend nearly as much as some people... and I have my reasons... muahahahhaha.
(I kinda already said it, but yea-- we should get 10 free days at least IMO)

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Hehe, well at least the queing is pretty much a non-issue now. Grats on your game starting to get rid of the problems and have fun with all that intrigue and espionage stuff (I miss that in games nowadays).^^

Originally posted by popinjay

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We have been permanently banning all accounts that we detect are using 3d party software exploits. Still, there are a few people who don’t understand this and continue installing and using these exploits. You will definitely be banned if you do this. No appeals and no excuses are accepted.

 

 

Macroing: We are working to address it at its source, but until then we need to enforce our policies. Before we do that we will appeal to players not actually playing the game to log off rather than leaving their character in-game. This will allow more people to be able to enjoy Darkfall instead of unmanned characters taking up server space. If you’re skilling up by not playing the game as it was intended, you will be kicked and repeated offenses will result in a ban."

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This is the single most encouraging thing I've seen from any company in the last few years.
 

The problem is that it is too late.    So after a few weeks of the 'beta' players macroing up their skills, and exploiting non-responsive mobs.... after weeks of guilds exploiting non-stop, now they are going to try and stop it?

These were all things that were highly reported before launch.  Every person did exactly as he mentioned... you never log off, you simply move your character to a safe area and unattended macro while you sleep.

Also, I highly doubt they actually fixed anything... the same people are posting about exploiting all over the other forums.  Nobody has mentioned being caught, let alone banned.   Once again, Tasos is talking about doing something he doesn't have the skill to do. (anyone remember 10,000 concurrent users LOL).

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Originally posted by steven1966

 
The problem is that it is too late (FOR ME).  ).
 

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Fixed.

They will have more than enough subscriptions in the future to keep this game alive, as long as they continue to show improvements as they are doing now.

Ok so in short he said..

We are sorry and that they are still to inept to offer new copies.

Ok I can accept that. Queues are down because the first wave of people have left. I have no doubt that the turnover from launch will be large while over time it will settle into the community that has been over there for years. And for them that is great and I am actually happy they have their game no matter if it what was actually promised or not. I hope AV can get on its feet while at the same time hope much like I do with Brad McQuaid that they never attempt or are financed to make another hollow game again.

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Originally posted by parrotpholk

And for them that is great and I am actually happy they have their game no matter if it what was actually promised or not.

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Then you'll be happy to know your dreams and wishes are coming true before your eyes for the Darkfall community. It appears that the vast majority of the Darkfall fans are happy, as well as some other gamers looking for a different type of game to play, but not the intended group Aventurine was targeting. The majority say they expected very little, but were pleasantly surprised they actually found the game good.

Isn't it a warm and fuzzy feeling inside when your wishes, hopes and dreams come true? :)

Originally posted by steven1966

Originally posted by popinjay

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We have been permanently banning all accounts that we detect are using 3d party software exploits. Still, there are a few people who don’t understand this and continue installing and using these exploits. You will definitely be banned if you do this. No appeals and no excuses are accepted.

 

 

Macroing: We are working to address it at its source, but until then we need to enforce our policies. Before we do that we will appeal to players not actually playing the game to log off rather than leaving their character in-game. This will allow more people to be able to enjoy Darkfall instead of unmanned characters taking up server space. If you’re skilling up by not playing the game as it was intended, you will be kicked and repeated offenses will result in a ban."

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This is the single most encouraging thing I've seen from any company in the last few years.
 

 

The problem is that it is too late.    So after a few weeks of the 'beta' players macroing up their skills, and exploiting non-responsive mobs.... after weeks of guilds exploiting non-stop, now they are going to try and stop it?

These were all things that were highly reported before launch.  Every person did exactly as he mentioned... you never log off, you simply move your character to a safe area and unattended macro while you sleep.

Also, I highly doubt they actually fixed anything... the same people are posting about exploiting all over the other forums.  Nobody has mentioned being caught, let alone banned.   Once again, Tasos is talking about doing something he doesn't have the skill to do. (anyone remember 10,000 concurrent users LOL).

 

I'm pretty sure there HAVE been 10k concurrent uses online, at least several times.

Think about it.  There were 10k pre-orders sold (some of which didn't work, admittedly).  The following two weeks Aventurine sold at least a 1000 accounts on each business day (I say at least 1000 because AV stated the number was in the four digits).  The third week they increased the number of accounts sold per business day (I'll approximate as 1500), and this is when queues became horrendous.  I believe they stopped selling on Wednesday of the third week?

Anyways.... 10k pre-orders, 1000 x 10 (business days), 1500 x 3 (business days) = 24500 accounts sold (approximately).

Taking into account botched pre-orders and people quitting, I would estimate that there are around 18000-19000 people playing Darkfall.

Now, you gotta take that "1/5th  of your player base is your concurrent user number" rule of thumb and throw it out the window.  Why?  Because this is Darkfall's launch.  

• The people who purchased it went through a lot more than you normally have to go through when it comes to purchasing entertainment.
• The niche Darkfall targets are competetive power gamers.  The launch of an open world pvp-ffa-conquest game (that most all the hardcore pvp guilds are participating in) is an extremely formative timeframe.  Things which happen in the first month of a servers existence will have great impact on what happens down the road, and all the power pvp guilds realize this.  They are putting in as much time as they can possibly dedicate to the game ATM.
• When queue times were rampant, you had to wait for upwards of an hour (and in many cases, several hours) in order to get in game.  This created an incentive to stay logged into the game.
• Macroing harvesting and magic has been rampant, and lots of people will macro whilst sleeping or at work.

Once you combine all of those points, you can understand the feasibility of my statement "I'm pretty sure there HAVE been 10k concurrent uses online"

Originally posted by popinjay

 

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Originally posted by parrotpholk

 

And for them that is great and I am actually happy they have their game no matter if it what was actually promised or not.

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Isn't it a warm and fuzzy feeling inside when your wishes, hopes and dreams come true? :)
 

Indeed it is. Darkfall is so good, pvpers will pay to stresstest the servers. Those of us that can`t pay to stresstest are pissed because we are left out.  It`s a smart move from Aventurine to do it this way. When they open the new servers the know how many they can have on each server, and the complaining will be small. They have to do something about the unattended macroing though. Not because some players will gain an advantage, but because they block the spots for players trying to enter the game.

Originally posted by APEist

 

I'm pretty sure there HAVE been 10k concurrent uses online, at least several times.

Think about it.  There were 10k pre-orders sold (some of which didn't work, admittedly).  The following two weeks Aventurine sold at least a 1000 accounts on each business day (I say at least 1000 because AV stated the number was in the four digits).  The third week they increased the number of accounts sold per business day (I'll approximate as 1500), and this is when queues became horrendous.  I believe they stopped selling on Wednesday of the third week?

Anyways.... 10k pre-orders, 1000 x 10 (business days), 1500 x 3 (business days) = 24500 accounts sold (approximately).

Taking into account botched pre-orders and people quitting, I would estimate that there are around 18000-19000 people playing Darkfall.

Now, you gotta take that "1/5th  of your player base is your concurrent user number" rule of thumb and throw it out the window.  Why?  Because this is Darkfall's launch.  

• The people who purchased it went through a lot more than you normally have to go through when it comes to purchasing entertainment.
• The niche Darkfall targets are competetive power gamers.  The launch of an open world pvp-ffa-conquest game (that most all the hardcore pvp guilds are participating in) is an extremely formative timeframe.  Things which happen in the first month of a servers existence will have great impact on what happens down the road, and all the power pvp guilds realize this.  They are putting in as much time as they can possibly dedicate to the game ATM.
• When queue times were rampant, you had to wait for upwards of an hour (and in many cases, several hours) in order to get in game.  This created an incentive to stay logged into the game.
• Macroing harvesting and magic has been rampant, and lots of people will macro whilst sleeping or at work.

Once you combine all of those points, you can understand the feasibility of my statement "I'm pretty sure there HAVE been 10k concurrent uses online"

 

 Did they (AV) announce somewhere they sold 10K pre-orders before launch, or are you just assuming that?

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Originally posted by Hotjazz

They have to do something about the unattended macroing though. Not because some players will gain an advantage, but because they block the spots for players trying to enter the game.

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Tasos grants another wish! It's just like Christmas all over again!

Congrats!

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Originally posted by Tasos (DF forums):

Macroing: We are working to address it at its source, but until then we need to enforce our policies. Before we do that we will appeal to players not actually playing the game to log off rather than leaving their character in-game. This will allow more people to be able to enjoy Darkfall instead of unmanned characters taking up server space. If you’re skilling up by not playing the game as it was intended, you will be kicked and repeated offenses will result in a ban.

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Originally posted by winter

 

 Did they (AV) announce somewhere they sold 10K pre-orders before launch, or are you just assuming that?

Total fanboi conjecture to try and make the game look better then it is.
 

There has never been any formal announcement of number playing and they took down the counter a couple weeks ago so no one can see just how small the numbers really are.

I am really sure that a company that needs several 10's of thousands to just break even are really kicking and perma-banning people. If they are then that is where the new accounts are coming from.

Since it has always appeared ever since close beta that the server can only handle 10K total entities I am sure that they have probably cut back the NPC population in out of the way places so that more people can get in quicker thereby reducing the queue times.

Half ass fixes for the lose

Originally posted by popinjay

 

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Originally posted by Hotjazz

 

They have to do something about the unattended macroing though. Not because some players will gain an advantage, but because they block the spots for players trying to enter the game.

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Tasos grants another wish! It's just like Christmas all over again!

 

Congrats!

 

 

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Originally posted by Tasos (DF forums):

 

Macroing: We are working to address it at its source, but until then we need to enforce our policies. Before we do that we will appeal to players not actually playing the game to log off rather than leaving their character in-game. This will allow more people to be able to enjoy Darkfall instead of unmanned characters taking up server space. If you’re skilling up by not playing the game as it was intended, you will be kicked and repeated offenses will result in a ban.

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 Humm color me skeptical, after all your source IS Tasos, who has never been known for being very factual. (ie the game will be released in 2008, there is no way we will announce a release date and miss it, The game is more ready for release now (Dec 2008) then anyother MMO. We will not take pre-orders etc etc etc.)

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Originally posted by phrank

I am really sure that a company that needs several 10's of thousands to just break even are really kicking and perma-banning people. If they are then that is where the new accounts are coming from.

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So your argument is they really are losing tons of subscriptions and lying that they are getting new ones... but at the same time they are kicking and perma-banning people and that's where the NEW accounts are coming from?

As goofy as that logic is, you do realize that those would still NEW accounts counting towards the totals, right?

Originally posted by popinjay

 

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Originally posted by phrank

 

I am really sure that a company that needs several 10's of thousands to just break even are really kicking and perma-banning people. If they are then that is where the new accounts are coming from.

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So your argument is they really are losing tons of subscriptions and lying that they are getting new ones... but at the same time they are kicking and perma-banning people and that's where the NEW accounts are coming from?

 

As goofy as that logic is, you do realize that those would still NEW accounts counting towards the totals, right?

He is saying that Tacos is lying about banning people, but if they actually are banning, then the new sales they get are actually just the "slots" that opened up from banning ppl.   He is implying that DF hasn't actually added new members but just filling in the empty spaces.