64 replies to this topic

[capnjosh]

I pulled the trigger.  New server regions.  They're here.

 

The goal is to get more players together so the matchmaker has a better opportunity to do its thing, indicate where a specific gameserver is physically located, and hopefully make things a little more obvious to a new player (fewer fuzzy bunny expletives are typically good).

 

Here's the new region list:

• North America
• South America
• Asia-Oceania - or "Oceana" for those of us with fat finger syndrome ;)
• Europe

 

All gameservers (except private servers) should now start with the city (or state if it seemed more internationally obvious) in which they are physically located.

 

As a bonus, a new a drop-down menu shows up the first time you click "Play" that allows you to specify your matchmaking region.  This becomes your default region.

 

 

Here's the new region selection:

 

 

Here's what the new region names look like in-game:

 

 

 

 

 

Feedback I'd like from you:

 

1. "Oregon" vs. "Portland" for the naming of the west coast server.

2. General impressions of the server region

3. Has performance seemed to change for you after this change?

[SciFiFanatic]

I am totally biased - and totally love it :) !

[Amidatelion]

Portland. Standardize to city names.

[crockrocket]

This might be different for non-west coasters, but I would agree with labeling as Portland instead of Oregon. Though it may be worth considering that Portland Maine is also a thing that exists.

[Loglino]

Hey, I think it seems pretty good to know exactly where the server is.

 

1. I think either could work, but Portland is more specific so it might be a better choice.

2. I like the fact that I can see where the server is, and how it makes North America a whole group. It seems less like there is a wall between east and west, west being the empty half.

3. I have not noticed any performance changes, but I played on a western server (I usually east)  and I had no problems.

 

Thanks for the small update :)

Edited by Loglino, 06 April 2015 - 06:34 PM.

[nokari]

Portland, OR

[OmegaNull]

All I have to say is that I am digging it so far. Merl was in TS speak and some others as well. We dig it. 

[Kryptochid]

I dig it also as long as i keep my 38 ping lol.

[OmegaNull]

I had 88 ping west and 12-4 ping on NY. :D

[oNSLoT]

Feedback:  Being from Portland, Or., I know that it is often confused with Portland, Me. But to list it as Oregon seems too vague and a little weird. So, of the two choices: Portland   

 

Although, imo, the most appropriate label would be: Portland (OR) ; Portland, OR  (only because of the afore mentioned confusion with Maine)

Edited by oNSLoT, 06 April 2015 - 07:19 PM.

[Amidatelion]

Just a heads' up, most people from outside the US have no idea that Portland, Maine exists.

[chackn]

servers run on AWS?

[oNSLoT]

My conclusion: Nobody in their right mind would host a server in Maine, so: Portland is a great descriptor

 

 

 

Also: CaptJosh and Tiggs, I love the change!!! YOu're a genius! The West coast servers have been veritable ghost towns. In the evening, there'd be one, Maybe two active. This evening FOUR west coast servers were active!!! I am amazed at results of your improvement. I just bought another $30 in Meteor credits, and it looks like it was WELL worth it for the new Hawken Developement team. I wuv you guys <3 

Edited by oNSLoT, 06 April 2015 - 08:14 PM.

[kvazarsky]

You forgot about tab/option showing PING/latency - most important thing when browsing servers in fps game.

[devotion]

i made a topic in the suggestions forum here: https://community.pl...gion-selection/

 

op text quoted below:

 

i think the broad region selection+visible location in name change is a good idea to stimulate activity with a lower player base, but at high mmrs server selection is not an option. at a certain point, the only way to find games is to queue into matchmaking, which assures you that you will be placed in either the highest mmr available server or as the fourth player in a game to allow it to launch; it has already happened today that my only option was to get matched into a 120-130 ping server on west.

 

i think having an advanced region selection option of "us east/west/central" only would be a nice option for those of us in the minority. i don't mind the inconvenience of long queues to find a game (if even), but alienating the higher level players and being forced into subpar game experiences seems avoidable and easily fixable.

 

the only other solution i have is to make hit confirmation clientside, but i don't really know a lot about that.

 

thanks for reading,

 

- devotion

 

edit: just want to be clear, i'm not advocating that we revert the change. i think it's a good, intelligent design overall and should be the primary region select option. it just had the unforeseen side effect of overly affecting people who can't use the server listing to manually join games.

 

 

 

Edited by devotion, 06 April 2015 - 10:17 PM.

[Lioot]

1. What is America? I know its a continent with lots and lots of little states. I have no idea what these states are or where they are. Is Washington DC a choice? I saw that in a movie once.

 

2. Now I can see all my Asian buddies too :D

 

3. I'm still at work so I am sad

[Dawn_of_Ash]

Thank you.

 

The AU servers have been flooding with players and we have managed to get 2 full TDM servers in the new Oceania-Asia region, and I've been finding it great. Thanks new devs. :) 

[hestoned]

BIZNESS AS USUAL

[ticklemyiguana]

Just a heads' up, most people from outside the US have no idea that Portland, Maine exists.

Most people from inside the US have no idea that Portland, Maine exists.

[AsianJoyKiller]

Most people from inside the US have no idea that Portland, Maine exists.

I occasionally remember it does... when reminded of it like this thread has done.

[bacon_avenger]

In my experience, it's been the opposite, I say Portland and people think of Maine, not Oregon.

Edited by bacon_avenger, 06 April 2015 - 10:06 PM.

[AsianJoyKiller]

In my experience, it's been the opposite, I say Portland and people think of Maine, not Oregon.

Well, that's odd. Statistically speaking, most people will think of Portland Oregon.

[Anichkov3]

Well, that's odd. Statistically speaking, most people will think of Portland Oregon.

Let's not talk nonsense. "most people...." Speak well: most Americans! Fair Enough. Consolidated server. I honestly do not care, I'm using the "Browse Server".

But why should change the server name? I, like most people in the world (not Americans) have no clue what we ping to Dallas, New York, etc. 

Return the name servers belonging to specific regions - use, usw, uk  etc ...This is quite clearly separates the server, and the server name does not enter in thought.

People do not want to know where the server is located.

People want to know what awaits them Ping.

To do this, just need to add a button. In the "Server Browser", right under the description of the server. Button and on it the word "ping". By clicking on that occur ping to the server and displays the player. 

Why is the button? To wasted not send pings to the server.

[Lioot]

I think the server name is a good indication of the ping, living near somewhere like New York would mean you would get the best ping there. 

[Grollourdo]

Wait am I able to change the defaults or play on oyer regions?

Edited by Grollourdo, 06 April 2015 - 11:08 PM.

[bacon_avenger]

Let's not talk nonsense. "most people...." Speak well: most Americans! Fair Enough. Consolidated server. I honestly do not care, I'm using the "Browse Server".

As do I.

But why should change the server name? I, like most people in the world (not Americans) have no clue what we ping to Dallas, New York, etc.

And I have no idea what I would get as a ping to a server in your area. I can guess based on past experience that it's over 200.

Return the name servers belonging to specific regions - use, usw, uk  etc ...This is quite clearly separates the server, and the server name does not enter in thought.
People do not want to know where the server is located.

Speak for yourself, I like knowing where the server is located at. If there is any oddness in the routing from my location, knowing the general area the server is located in can help figure that out.

People want to know what awaits them Ping.
To do this, just need to add a button. In the "Server Browser", right under the description of the server. Button and on it the word "ping". By clicking on that occur ping to the server and displays the player. 
Why is the button? To wasted not send pings to the server.

This isn't bad idea IMO.
 

I think the server name is a good indication of the ping, living near somewhere like New York would mean you would get the best ping there.

Not necessarily.  Routing on the 'net can be a very odd thing.

[LiveBacteria]

I would prefer City-ServerName to State-ServerName as I can choose which is closest to me as opposed to guessing which part of the state its in, some states are huge.

[Anichkov3]

I think the server name is a good indication of the ping, living near somewhere like New York would mean you would get the best ping there. 

The Truth? In my better indication ping will - to see on the monitor screen real ping to the server. Perhaps you are forgetting that the game is played not only the inhabitants of one continent. But also people from other parts of the Earth. And not everyone knows where the city within a radius of 1,000 km from them and how to ping it.

[MaxDmg]

I like renamed servers, this gives additional information where's server located. I was surprised to know is that all Europe servers based in Germany.

[capnjosh]

I agree with the desire to be able to see the actual ping time to each server.  I have it high on my list of things to address when we start releasing new client builds.  That would be a much better solution.

[Vespu]

Just wondering any possible way to reduce ping as a player in Singapore. Both asia-oceanic / N-America giving me 250+ ping.

[SINnestro]

i hope that there will be more players soon on eu servers becouse when i klick play somethimes 10min on more its matchmaking.then i lose my patients and go to us east and play like man! 

[moosa17]

1) I'm from Maine, and I don't know the name of every city in the country, let alone world, but I do know Portland refers to at least two cities in the USA and I would never assume that it doesn't refer to any other place in the country or world unless someone (I considered knowledgeable) told me so. (For the record, Maine contains all sorts of city names that are shared in other parts of the world.)

2) If more servers were added in the future and just happened to be located in cities I couldn't point to on a map without google, that would be a little lousy. I think it would be odd to assume everyone would know where specific cities are located (there are some in the USA who can't label every state on a map, let alone cities).

3) Why cities instead of state names? What purpose is that serving that can't be served as well with state names? I understand the difference between San Diego and San Francisco but you don't have nearly enough server locations currently for that to be relevant. 

[MatsuhiroMaru]

1. Most of us asked for a way to check the ping (does someone read our comentaries?) , because if the way to check the ping its the name of the city in Europe all gameservers are in Frankfurt...so all have same ping ? how i know what city in other region have good Ping ? 2. No idea where are Portland and Oreg�n, i m from Granada, Spain (Europe) 3.The new drop-down menu to select default region its a good idea 4. i find the merge of regions good. 5. Whats this numbers next to the city ?

[CapAllan]

I couldn't play yet. But I like the change.

All the talk about Oregon is making me hungry for Oreos.

[HorseHeadProphet]

I will add my voice to the clamor for ping to be displayed, as well as the ability to sort by ping. Barring situations where you are trying to join a friend or party in a particular server, that is how most players choose where they will play- lowest ping rules, plain and simple. Also add the ability to right-click and see server info such as player list, map, any mods or mutators or custom rules/gametypes (ah one day) ping, and any friends in the server.

 

thanks for the small update, very glad to see things are in the works!

[thalenko]

I found pretty neat, cause finally I could play in my region (South America) with a decent ping. The selector popping right into your face "forces" we to choose the nearest place. Good job guys!

[DarkRavensTree]

The server list function is still useless,

• Any attempt to join any of the games listed results in, "Join game failed" Error: 931D9C29 failed to join game. The server is not accepting players at this time. Please try again later. Game Server reservation failed.

 

• This happens regardless of the servers listed condition (empty and half-filled game servers give same error)

 

• Synchronizing stats when logging on and leave a game seem to take much longer now.

[Aelita]

Suddenly EU players! Awesome. Well done developers! 

[hobboy]

1. Don't know anything about this :)

2. Aus region has population, that's great! Time will tell what the long term outlook is, but the Japan servers also have a good pop as well

3. No performance changes as far as I can tell.