Downtime Notice: Wednesday, November 16th 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Eastern (-5 GMT)

[Cordovan]

UPDATE: The game worlds have reopened.

The DDO game worlds will be unavailable on Wednesday, November 16th from 9:00 AM - 3:00 PM Eastern (-5 GMT) for maintenance. This downtime includes some additional work requiring additional time from our typical shorter weekly restart.

[Arkat]

This downtime includes some additional work requiring additional time from our typical shorter weekly restart.

Database maintenance (Index Defragmentation, Log File Maintenance, File/Data Compaction, Integrity Check, Backup, etc.) probably.

[cru121]

Database maintenance (Index Defragmentation, Log File Maintenance, File/Data Compaction, Integrity Check, Backup, etc.) probably.

Either that, or the staff is busy LARPing.

[thebeast1985]

At least it doesen't mess up prime time in EU zone...



Oh wait.

[CEastwood]

Getting "searching for logon server" 2hours 15 mins before published downtime

[R1ncewind]

Let's hope this could fix some of the lag we got the last few days..

[QuantumFX]

Database maintenance (Index Defragmentation, Log File Maintenance, File/Data Compaction, Integrity Check, Backup, etc.) probably.

Removing a dead lizard from a cooling fan. You know, normal server maintenance stuff.

[Trillea]

Removing a dead lizard from a cooling fan. You know, normal server maintenance stuff.

The hamsters have to sleep SOME time..

[Volarr]

Removing a dead lizard from a cooling fan. You know, normal server maintenance stuff.

bahh the fan is (done ka-put) with a dead kolbold clutch in there not counting the smell from the rotting trogs besides we gutted it for its copper ;)

[Buddha5440]

At least it doesen't mess up prime time in EU zone...



Oh wait.

So, what? You want people in Boston to come in to work at like 4 AM (2 or 3 AM because they need to set up everything) just to make it convenient for people in the EU?

[Dandonk]

So, what? You want people in Boston to come in to work at like 4 AM (2 or 3 AM because they need to set up everything) just to make it convenient for people in the EU?

This is true, sadly. Probably not going to change.

Still sucks to be on EU times with all the downtimes we've been having, though, even if there is an explanation for it.

[borogrove]

So, what? You want people in Boston to come in to work at like 4 AM (2 or 3 AM because they need to set up everything) just to make it convenient for people in the EU?

They could actually put a server in the EU, and employe somone local to restart it, considering the number of EU timezone customers

[Buddha5440]

This is true, sadly. Probably not going to change.

Still sucks to be on EU times with all the downtimes we've been having, though, even if there is an explanation for it.

Agreed, but it will always be the case for a game this old. You need a lot of capital to run servers and have employees in multiple countries. At least they do it mid-week rather than Mon or Fri.

[KoobTheProud]

So, what? You want people in Boston to come in to work at like 4 AM (2 or 3 AM because they need to set up everything) just to make it convenient for people in the EU?

Actually, yes. It is normal in IT establishments to have routine maintenance work done at the times that it will least impact the enterprise and it's customers.

I speak from experience here, having done overnight backups and mail system restarts at 2am EST so that a US national enterprise with global offices in the EU would be impacted as little as possible. It was an entertainment company also.

Then of course they outsourced us because it was cheaper to pay a company in India to do this work in the normal course of *their* day than to pay off-hours pay to US workers. Still 2am EST though.

[Yvonnel-1]

dam it
!i just took 2hours early off of work, took my 1,5h train home to play a bit, just to see s*** messed up again...

big thanks :(

from Germany

[Arkat]

They could actually put a server in the EU, and employe somone local to restart it, considering the number of EU timezone customers

Years ago, there was an EU server in the EU. It was run by an outfit called "Codemasters."

Not sure exactly what happened, but for some reason Codemasters either lost the rights to run DDO in the EU or they gave it up (may not have been profitable enough for them).

Anyway, that ship sailed long ago.

[Steeme]

So, what? You want people in Boston to come in to work at like 4 AM (2 or 3 AM because they need to set up everything) just to make it convenient for people in the EU?

Even when I was physically going into the office I would start in the middle of the night - you can get so much work done when the sheep are still asleep!

[gravisrs]

Years ago, there was an EU server in the EU. It was run by an outfit called "Codemasters."

Not sure exactly what happened, but for some reason Codemasters either lost the rights to run DDO in the EU or they gave it up (may not have been profitable enough for them).

Anyway, that ship sailed long ago.

They had a separate release plan, updates were around 3-4 months later after US servers (and the gap was increasing over time, when those servers were shut down they weer missing like 2-3 updates). Own C/S, own Q/A, own servers, own login server, own website with own forum etc.
It was more like separate company licensing a mmo on their own infrastructure.

What could work nowadays is what you says - just a remote server located in EU with remote control from Boston.

[Yvonnel-1]

Years ago, there was an EU server in the EU. It was run by an outfit called "Codemasters."

Not sure exactly what happened, but for some reason Codemasters either lost the rights to run DDO in the EU or they gave it up (may not have been profitable enough for them).

Anyway, that ship sailed long ago.

hehe, there was indeed one;) look:

R.I.P. Devourer - 20-Aug-2010 11:00 GMT(+1 DST)
(World Broadcast): World broadcast: 'Farewell to all our loyal players and thank you for your time in Eberron. We wish you all the best for your future adventures. Please log out now as the servers are now going down. Many thanks, Codemasters Online.'

[Dandonk]

hehe, there was indeed one;) look:

R.I.P. Devourer - 20-Aug-2010 11:00 GMT(+1 DST)
(World Broadcast): World broadcast: 'Farewell to all our loyal players and thank you for your time in Eberron. We wish you all the best for your future adventures. Please log out now as the servers are now going down. Many thanks, Codemasters Online.'

Those were the days my friend, we thought they'd never end...

But at least we were on the right server, Devourer. Not like those from the unmentionable other server ;)

[GottDDO]

Actually, yes. It is normal in IT establishments to have routine maintenance work done at the times that it will least impact the enterprise and it's customers.

I speak from experience here, having done overnight backups and mail system restarts at 2am EST so that a US national enterprise with global offices in the EU would be impacted as little as possible. It was an entertainment company also.

Then of course they outsourced us because it was cheaper to pay a company in India to do this work in the normal course of *their* day than to pay off-hours pay to US workers. Still 2am EST though.

And you think the majority of the paying customers are from Europe, Asia and Africa?

[merridyan]

What could work nowadays is what you says - just a remote server located in EU with remote control from Boston.

So... explain how this would work. They make a new server with a different update schedule, still requiring people in Boston to get up at 2AM. This would be a new server so it's population may rival Wayfinders. Who will leave their current server and guild to move to this due to a once a week inconvenience?

[GottDDO]

dam it
!i just took 2hours early off of work, took my 1,5h train home to play a bit, just to see s*** messed up again...

big thanks :(

from Germany

I slept in two hours later today. What got messed up?

[merridyan]

I slept in two hours later today. What got messed up?

Nothing, scheduled downtime is still within in its designated window.

[jskinner937]

Actually, yes. It is normal in IT establishments to have routine maintenance work done at the times that it will least impact the enterprise and it's customers.

I speak from experience here, having done overnight backups and mail system restarts at 2am EST so that a US national enterprise with global offices in the EU would be impacted as little as possible. It was an entertainment company also.

Then of course they outsourced us because it was cheaper to pay a company in India to do this work in the normal course of *their* day than to pay off-hours pay to US workers. Still 2am EST though.

Dude, how many people you suspect play this game actively still? Across all servers, its been speculated to be less than 1800. We need less servers, not more.

[GottDDO]

Nothing, scheduled downtime is still within in its designated window.

I thought so, but that person's post made me think otherwise.

[KoobTheProud]

And you think the majority of the paying customers are from Europe, Asia and Africa?

No. I think it is a pain in the ass that we have a downtime every week on one of my days off in EST USA.

[sago]

I wonder what they are working to fix ?

[drathdragon]

oh no... please don't ... please..

not another roll back, please, i beg.

[Trillea]

oh no... please don't ... please..

not another roll back, please, i beg.

No one has said anything about rollback, it's just an extended downtime for extra maintenance (per OP).

[Yvonnel-1]

I thought so, but that person's post made me think otherwise.

i'm sorry, got confused with my european timezone :)

[GottDDO]

No. I think it is a pain in the ass that we have a downtime every week on one of my days off in EST USA.

The thing is, no matter when they have downtime, someone is going to be upset about it. And if people are going to be upset about it anyway, then why have people working at odd hours to accommodate the people currently complaining, only to have a whole new group start complaining?

The best they can do is choose a time that least inconveniences their paying customers during normal work hours.

If I had to guess, that time would be first thing in the work day, middle of the week, which is what they're doing.

[ahpook]

The thing is, no matter when they have downtime, someone is going to be upset about it. And if people are going to be upset about it anyway, then why have people working at odd hours to accommodate the people currently complaining, only to have a whole new group start complaining?

They could easily do the maintenance at different times. The only reason to do maintenance for all servers at the same time is for cost of staff to do the work. It can be more efficient if they do all at the same time. And there could be complication if they are using some shared resource but that resource (ie a DB) might not need weekly restarts.

[Volarr]

game is up here

[Cordovan]

The game worlds have reopened.

[Dandonk]

The thing is, no matter when they have downtime, someone is going to be upset about it. And if people are going to be upset about it anyway, then why have people working at odd hours to accommodate the people currently complaining, only to have a whole new group start complaining?

The best they can do is choose a time that least inconveniences their paying customers during normal work hours.

If I had to guess, that time would be first thing in the work day, middle of the week, which is what they're doing.

Again, this is true. As far as it goes.

But it does get annoying when you're the one getting the stick just about every single time.

[cmecu]

I wonder what they are working to fix ?

Well I can tell you what it wasnt.. and that is Tiefling Scoundrel.. Still Broke in the core.. Easy fix would be dont change their core to the stupid imbue system. Why would you add an imbue system to a racial core.. Wish they would just leave Tiefling scoundrel the way it was.

[RedPlate]

The best they can do is choose a time that least inconveniences their paying customers during normal work hours.



As someone already mentioned, it's the norm to not inconvenience. In fact it's a standard. But those examples and your comment "inconveniences their paying customers" are not apple to apple comparisons.

Those and yours are referring to services and products that can't be interrupted such as financial, payment, and security servers, and high-end MMOs, and many other types that can't "noticeably" go down or down at all. Maintenance is mitigated by staggering as others have suggested or removed via redundant, mirror servers along with other strategies.

Hell, your grandmas cat pictures are more accessible then DDO, due to the massive competition in that market. Grams will jump ship the minute she loses access to her cat photos.

Comparing DDO to the above or IT norms is like comparing an apple to an olive, very different.

The above depend on high-end services, massive cash flows, and must perform or their competition will acquire their customers.

Whereas DDO has no competition and their cash flow depends on human addiction. Customer service and worrying about inconveniencing any of us is very low on their business model priority list.

[Wahnsinnig]

Again, this is true. As far as it goes.

But it does get annoying when you're the one getting the stick just about every single time.

The world does not revolve around you.

[Dandonk]

The world does not revolve around you.

Thank you for that not helpful comment.

As I've stated repeatedly, I understand why things are as they are. It's just annoying to be out of gaming day after gaming day due to the schedule always happening to be on times when I can play. So no, the world does not revolve around me, SSG has made that very clear.

I do wonder if such a clear message is the best customer care, though.

[jirksa]

Abilities still have this awful post-use cooldown. Hoped it would get fixed

[Yvonne_Blacksword]

Just be glad that the worlds are available outside of normal EST working hours... Like 9AM-4PM EST.... Or 10:45AM to 3:15PM (with 11:30AM to 1:30PM off for lunch) and a 20min to 2hr login wait, and then you get routed to the least busy server and have to make a request to switch servers which will be sent as a request to your primary care CSR who will get back to you in 2-5 days...It could be run by the VA...
Be happy it is not!