Keep in mind, some of the topics were a bit all over the place so it was kind of hard to keep track of when they were talking about what, so there may be some incorrect things here. But I did my best to organize all the bits of info I could pull from watching the stream. More Information about a lot of this should be coming in the weeks ahead. But hopefully this will help some of you get an idea of what's ahead and what exactly got said during the stream.
Standard 64-Bit Server Information
- First and foremost, Severlin lets us know that this is NOT a Commodore 64 OR N64 Port. (Little bit of Humor there)
- They are still trying to figure out how exactly they want to use the technology and integrate it into DDO.
- Do not have the capability nor do they want to just deploy this to all the servers cause they want to see how this works over time and keep an eye on it
- New 64-Bit Servers will be hosted on New Datacenter in Las Vegas, so it’s not only a new server, but a new Data Center. Ping will be slightly higher on East Coast then.
- EU Server not likely to happen. Can’t justify the cost. It would be even more expensive. Will see how things go though.
- DDO Store Account Purchases will carry over to new servers. (Just not Character or Server Specific purchases that you would typically have to purchase on a new server anyways.)
- Uses Cache of backend processes to optimize memory.
First Test Server
Next Week or week after: Test of 64-Bit Server that allows Free "Character Copies" (Similar to it is currently done on Lammania) for all players to flood the server and stress test the server. Free to all players
- Lammania Game Launcher
- New Server, not Lamannia.
- Future Stress Test Servers expected as well.
- Event won’t be previewed on this server
First LIVE 64-Bit Server:
- Cormyr is the name of the Server
- VIP Only Server No Character Transfers
- Server will stay up long term. Not limited to like a 90 day period like a traditional hardcore server, but the event could come and go.
- Normal Server so doesn’t have the restrictions that a normal hardcore server does.
- Launch of Server will include the Lanterns in the Mist Event: (Associated with Mist of Ravenloft)
- Server will stay up long term. Not limited to like a 90 day period like a traditional hardcore server, but the event could come and go.
Lanterns of The Mist
Associated with Mist of Ravenloft, so can expect things to take on this theme.
Lanterns:
- Claim 1 or more lanterns at first level. 5 in Total Available
- You equip it to your trinket slot.
- One Lantern Allows you to See Mistwalkers, but it can’t be destroyed. (Thus not earning rewards? Like participating in the event but not being forced to worry about the “Hardcore Aspect”
- One Lantern you equip and if you die it is destroyed and it destroys any other lanterns you have. “Hardcore-Esque where you earn rewards”
- Have to get to certain level or goals in order to proceed. I.E. Level 20 and earn Lanterns that give you rewards?
- Can use Lantern that is not destroyed and still play with players that are using Lanterns that can be destroyed. To encourage people to stick around and play even if you aren’t participating in the hardcore aspect of the event.
- Lantern is Opt In
Mist-Walkers
- Similar to Hounds from Previous Hardcore Event. A mob that spawns during the event.
- Mistwalkers won’t appear to people outside level range of quest.
- Can only appear if someone in group has a lantern.
The Future of 64-Bit
This is all speculation for the most part because it depends entirely on how all the future server tests go down the line. But it establishes kind of what they are hoping to do.
They would like to set up New 64-Bit Servers that allow for transfers and free to all players, but have to first establish a successful 64-bit Server. Still a ways off. Will require:
- Setting up and Reworking the data Center to make room for them, which is more time intensive than they’d like.
- Needs to see how it performs because there is a cost.
- Wants to open new server and allow transfer, which eventually people will move from old server to these new consolidated servers (Mega Servers). This doesn’t happen now because of performance of servers. Many people are on smaller servers now cause less performance issues associated with lower number of players playing on that server. A consolidated server however on better performing servers will make that less of an issue. The idea is to have fewer servers to hold more players.
- Need to work on issues with Guild Transfers, Monster Manual Transfers and other things that currently don’t transfer before asking players to transfer from 34 bit to 64 bit.
- Need to work on serialization of characters (your character footprint per say) that would help so that bringing over these characters with all this preexisting memory would not degrade not only your game and the performance of the new 64 bit server but also how it might affect other people. (A good test will be getting as many people with their big high level characters in on these server stress test)
Other News:
- Night Revels coming 1st or 2nd week of October
- Mimic Hunt Still on schedule of events for the future.
- Will have more Sun/Moon Augments in the future
- Goal is eventually get to the point where players aren’t locked into big set bonuses.
- Expecting to see more Ravenloft content in the undetermined future.
- New Adventure pack for 4th Quarter still coming. No news on that yet.