I just got into the open beta today and got to level 4 or so, and I noticed both the tutorial map and the canada map had several versions (or instances) of them. There was an option to go to canada 1-10 i believe and each had about 50 people in them.

Is every zone like that? Or is it just for smaller zones or something?

yes.. and only about 100 per.. lol and even then theres ALOT of people. I have/had to SPAWN camp some quests to get them done. But...

But there wont be that many people playing.. 

Originally posted by jakojako

I just got into the open beta today and got to level 4 or so, and I noticed both the tutorial map and the canada map had several versions (or instances) of them. There was an option to go to canada 1-10 i believe and each had about 50 people in them.

 

Is every zone like that? Or is it just for smaller zones or something?

I am glad they do, do instances other wise it would be lagfest like Eve.

Originally posted by Manchine

Originally posted by jakojako

I just got into the open beta today and got to level 4 or so, and I noticed both the tutorial map and the canada map had several versions (or instances) of them. There was an option to go to canada 1-10 i believe and each had about 50 people in them.

 

Is every zone like that? Or is it just for smaller zones or something?

 

I am glad they do, do instances other wise it would be lagfest like Eve.

Lol havent been playing eve lately have you :P

But im all for instanceing if there are no stupid servers. One server people ONE!!!

Yep, instanced and split into zones with loading screens between each. Total immersion breaker, makes it feel more like a set of levels than a world.

It is kinda like EQ2 where each zone is a capable of spawning many instances.  Unlike most MMOs they went with a single server approach which I think is a great idea.  In every MMO that has been out for a year or more the starting areas are pretty much wastelands where you see a character or two at best.  In CO however it is unlikely this will ever be a problem as each zone will instances to as few as required to have a good population.   So the higher lvl zones might have 20 instances while the lower level zones might have two.  Image this was like normal servers.  The population in the lower level areas would instead be spread across 20 servers giving a population that is 1/10 th normal.

It's a good idea.

The only bad thing is that there is no global chat or zone wide chat that covers multiple instances or any looking for team tools.  So if you want to do a lair or an open quest and need more people it is hard to find people to join.   Your only option is to spam zone chat asking for people to join.

Originally posted by Manchine

Originally posted by jakojako

I just got into the open beta today and got to level 4 or so, and I noticed both the tutorial map and the canada map had several versions (or instances) of them. There was an option to go to canada 1-10 i believe and each had about 50 people in them.

 

Is every zone like that? Or is it just for smaller zones or something?

 

I am glad they do, do instances other wise it would be lagfest like Eve.

Did you really put EVE and lag in the same phrase?

A single-server approach is great, the game is sharded and instanced in so many ways though that I can't really say I prefer it over multiple servers for the community immersion feeling, getting to know people by just seeing them in your everyday playing.

---

Originally posted by kikinchaz
Yep, instanced and split into zones with loading screens between each. Total immersion breaker, makes it feel more like a set of levels than a world.

---

How immersed do you get, really? I don't recall ever wincing in pain when a character of mine ever ate a fireball. I've never spent an hour poking elves with my pointy sticks and then been shocked to discover I live in on 21st century earth.

Some games (Half-Life, e.g.) may come close to attaining a level of immersion sufficient to make you momentarily forget that you're a fat guy in a chair pushing buttons. But no MMO gets remotely there. And I'm not even sure I want it to, because immersion-breaking things like chat windows and stats details are the kind of things that make me want to play the game at all.

The only thing I'll say about it, is that the way its set up it feels more like a mog (Diablo's battle.net anyone?) than a mmorpg. I log in, there are a random bunch of players around me as I beat the hell out of npc's. Yes I know the instance limit is a lot higher than battle.net, but its a lot lower than what I expect to encounter in an MMORPG. And yes I know I can choose what instance I want to be in if I know what instance people I want to play with are in. Still.

Again, not saying that that is particularly bad or good, its obviously a preference up to each player.

With zone instances and one server, every instance is available to you. Its trivial to switch instances or find friends. It addresses problems of overcrowding and undercrowding. It makes the servers more stable by directly addressing one of the fundamental problems MMO's have always faced, too many players in one spot. Remember those portal storms in AC?

With servers, you can never switch without a MT fee. With servers you're better off rerolling when you want to change server instance. With servers you may find yourself cut off from friends. With servers you have to deal with overcrowding and undercrowding.

The choice seems clear to me.

Originally posted by Amarsir

 

---

Originally posted by kikinchaz
Yep, instanced and split into zones with loading screens between each. Total immersion breaker, makes it feel more like a set of levels than a world.

---

 

How immersed do you get, really? I don't recall ever wincing in pain when a character of mine ever ate a fireball. I've never spent an hour poking elves with my pointy sticks and then been shocked to discover I live in on 21st century earth.

Some games (Half-Life, e.g.) may come close to attaining a level of immersion sufficient to make you momentarily forget that you're a fat guy in a chair pushing buttons. But no MMO gets remotely there. And I'm not even sure I want it to, because immersion-breaking things like chat windows and stats details are the kind of things that make me want to play the game at all.

Funny, I guess the more attention the game demands from you the more immersed you will get.  With the right character and powers, one being swing and you get good with everything you can get pretty immersed.  But to just fly around mindlessley (I do that too) poking elves with  pointy sticks,  Where ever they are, Yea, I watch TV while doing that.    I did notice this game has every detail and oppurtunity available to get completely immersed in if ones not too inclined to just want to get to the next level as fast as possible.   Want immersion?  reinstall your old Quake 3 and find the online servers.   Only the hard hard core players play still and focus is manditory or die immediately.