Transfer Guidance for our upcoming 64-bit server transfers

[Frantik]

After decades of IT work I know better than to assume how simple it would be to resolve an issue with no knowledge of the underlying code that supports the function.

A 32 bit character model exists. So does a 64 bit version. 32 bit to 32 bit transfers used to work fine. 32 bit to 64 bit transfers worked fine...

 

[Sylvado]

A 32 bit character model exists. So does a 64 bit version. 32 bit to 32 bit transfers used to work fine. 32 bit to 64 bit transfers worked fine...

Those transfers were only for character inventory, this is different and there were a number of issues.

 

[Frantik]

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

I took a module in communication. As an engineer, I wasn't thrilled by the idea at the start, but did I find it interesting? YES! Because of the professors, guest speakers and content.

The Challenger disaster (January 1986). The launch was planned during winter and some engineers formulated that there was a real danger of too much thermal stress during the launch routine. A report was compiled explaining in detail the assumptions, calculations and predictions. It was a lengthy, technical document, that was presented before the launch to the NASA commitee; the report did not persuade the commitee to delay or stop the launch, thus not preventing the disaster and the death of the seven astronauts. There was enquiry afterwards and one of the major flaws identified was the manner in which the report was drafted; too complex, not concise, the dangers poorly communicated. The report did not target the audience and failed to make the case of the NASA engineers.

Poor communication (looking at you, SSG) is rife throughout of societies, our organisations and networks. Misinformation, fallacies and being kept in the dark are frustrating. This is why I give SSG a hard time; they blatently don't get it, don't care. This is their policy.

A footnote to the Challenger story; the engineers knew what was coming, and my prof told us that he had met the NASA programme team leader who'd told them that the morning of the flight, bets were being placed, based on assumptions and calculations, of exactly when the shuttle would explode; the two cases were 69 [iirc] milliseconds after launch or 69 seconds. The Challenger exploded at approx 73 seconds after launch.

I'm getting old now, but this is one of the most impactful stories I learned. Be humble. Don't make too many assumptions (it's still hard not to!). Be true. Try your hardest to get things right and explain things clearly.

 

[Blaster]

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

I took a module in communication. As an engineer, I wasn't thrilled by the idea at the start, but did I find it interesting? YES! Because of the professors, guest speakers and content.

The Challenger disaster (January 1986). The launch was planned during winter and some engineers formulated that there was a real danger of too much thermal stress during the launch routine. A report was compiled explaining in detail the assumptions, calculations and predictions. It was a lengthy, technical document, that was presented before the launch to the NASA commitee; the report did not persuade the commitee to delay or stop the launch, thus not preventing the disaster and the death of the seven astronauts. There was enquiry afterwards and one of the major flaws identified was the manner in which the report was drafted; too complex, not concise, the dangers poorly communicated. The report did not target the audience and failed to make the case of the NASA engineers.

Poor communication (looking at you, SSG) is rife throughout of societies, our organisations and networks. Misinformation, fallacies and being kept in the dark are frustrating. This is why I give SSG a hard time; they blatently don't get it, don't care. This is their policy.

A footnote to the Challenger story; the engineers knew what was coming, and my prof told us that he had met the NASA programme team leader who'd told them that the morning of the flight, bets were being placed, based on assumptions and calculations, of exactly when the shuttle would explode; the two cases were 69 [iirc] milliseconds after launch or 69 seconds. The Challenger exploded at approx 73 seconds after launch.

I'm getting old now, but this is one of the most impactful stories I learned. Be humble. Don't make too many assumptions (it's still hard not to!). Be true. Try your hardest to get things right and explain things clearly.

This may not so much be an SSG issue as a DDO issue.

LOTRO’s dev team is more communicative, especially Orion, their systems lead and defacto producer. He communicates far more frequently on their forums, Discord, and has his own streaming show on their Twitch. Other members of their dev team also communicate more frequently via these same channels.

This communication isn’t just standard PR, Orion and his team explain their decisions and take accountability for their actions, and mistakes. When was the last time you saw DDO’s team do this?

That’s not to say LOTRO has it perfectly, they have issues too, but from my vantage point, there’s a big gap between the two dev teams, and one could clearly learn from the other. Unfortunately, stubbornness, hubris, or lack of caring may be preventing this learning, which is regrettable for the player base.

 

[Frantik]

This may not so much be an SSG issue as a DDO issue.

LOTRO’s dev team is more communicative, especially Orion, their systems lead and defacto producer. He communicates far more frequently on their forums, Discord, and has his own streaming show on their Twitch. Other members of their dev team also communicate more frequently via these same channels.

This communication isn’t just standard PR, Orion and his team explain their decisions and take accountability for their actions, and mistakes. When was the last time you saw DDO’s team do this?

That’s not to say LOTRO has it perfectly, they have issues too, but from my vantage point, there’s a big gap between the two dev teams, and one could clearly learn from the other. Unfortunately, stubbornness, hubris, or lack of caring may be preventing this learning, which is regrettable for the player base.

The Dev teams don't (normally) make policy decisions... they implement them. Don't blame the devs!? But let's say you are correct; this would mean that the DDO Devs hold more sway than the DDO Producer etc. Want do we know? Who makes the decisions? Whoever they are, it's frustrating for the community.

 

[Arch-Necromancer]

Someone said that they still have an open ticket for transfer problems so maybe they did not clear their backlog for that enough to fill it with new problems by opening new transfers.

But it would be nice if the team communicated more on that topic here on the forums.

 

[Solarpower]

Poor communication (looking at you, SSG) is rife throughout of societies, our organisations and networks. Misinformation, fallacies and being kept in the dark are frustrating. This is why I give SSG a hard time; they blatently don't get it, don't care. This is their policy.

They've already said it's impossible to transfer-to-server and transfer-from-server at the same time.
The 'ghost' worlds are still active and 32-to-64 bit transfers are active.
Can you draw the conclusion ?

 

[Frantik]

They've already said it's impossible to transfer-to-server and transfer-from-server at the same time.
The 'ghost' worlds are still active and 32-to-64 bit transfers are active.
Can you draw the conclusion ?

Impossible is an awful excuse; technically impossible? Not easy because of limited ressources? All it would take would be to suspend 32-64 transfers for a period and implement 64-64 transfers instead.

 

[Sylvado]

Impossible is an awful excuse; technically impossible? Not easy because of limited ressources? All it would take would be to suspend 32-64 transfers for a period and implement 64-64 transfers instead.

If every stuck transfer issue has been resolved.

 

[Darmore]

A long, long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away...

I took a module in communication. As an engineer, I wasn't thrilled by the idea at the start, but did I find it interesting? YES! Because of the professors, guest speakers and content.

The Challenger disaster (January 1986). The launch was planned during winter and some engineers formulated that there was a real danger of too much thermal stress during the launch routine. A report was compiled explaining in detail the assumptions, calculations and predictions. It was a lengthy, technical document, that was presented before the launch to the NASA commitee; the report did not persuade the commitee to delay or stop the launch, thus not preventing the disaster and the death of the seven astronauts. There was enquiry afterwards and one of the major flaws identified was the manner in which the report was drafted; too complex, not concise, the dangers poorly communicated. The report did not target the audience and failed to make the case of the NASA engineers.

Poor communication (looking at you, SSG) is rife throughout of societies, our organisations and networks. Misinformation, fallacies and being kept in the dark are frustrating. This is why I give SSG a hard time; they blatently don't get it, don't care. This is their policy.

A footnote to the Challenger story; the engineers knew what was coming, and my prof told us that he had met the NASA programme team leader who'd told them that the morning of the flight, bets were being placed, based on assumptions and calculations, of exactly when the shuttle would explode; the two cases were 69 [iirc] milliseconds after launch or 69 seconds. The Challenger exploded at approx 73 seconds after launch.

I'm getting old now, but this is one of the most impactful stories I learned. Be humble. Don't make too many assumptions (it's still hard not to!). Be true. Try your hardest to get things right and explain things clearly.

If this is to say that the devs are at fault for not clearly communicating how to avoid problems during transfer, I have to say that I would blame the NASA committee for not taking the report seriously. If you're dealing with literal rocket science you should probably take the time to understand what you're dealing with. Same goes for transfer errors here. I was able to fully understand the precautions given, which were given on multiple platforms and quite easily understood. Way less complicated than rocket science. Just clear your reincarnation cache and don't try to transfer while flagged for reincarnation. Seemed pretty clear and straightforward. The vast majority of the errors people have faced were because they didn't heed these warnings. Just like the NASA guys who could have just read the header of the report and said "Maybe we should look into this safety issue before launching a rocket full of people?" Place the blame where it belongs, with the people who made the actual mistake not with the people who gave adequate warning that some people didn't heed.

 

[Zavina]

They've already said it's impossible to transfer-to-server and transfer-from-server at the same time.
The 'ghost' worlds are still active and 32-to-64 bit transfers are active.
Can you draw the conclusion ?

Wouldn't surprise me it occurs when the old 32b worlds are deleted +1 year. So that'll be.. Oct 2028?

 

[Vandyl]

Crickets......Crickets......! Been almost a year now, let's get some resolution to the 64 to 64 transfers please before people start finding better things to do with their time & money!

 

[Solarpower]

let's get some resolution to the 64 to 64 transfers please before people start finding better things to do with their time & money!

Of course, why play a game when you can play "transfer character".

 

[Frantik]

BUMP, some feedback from SSG would be much appreciated here.