Lag Addressed

[Artha]

As I mentioned in days past we've renewed our efforts to track down and eliminate unneccesary latency in the game. Latency generally has three sources, that generated from GSL scripts, that generated from core C code and that generated at the webserver level.

The primary onsite developers have taken additional steps to indentify and optimize core C code systems that may be contributing towards latency. Also, additional hardware has been ordered that should increase system performance. On the GSL side we've been updating all scripts that have shown tendencies to produce unwanted latency. Over the course of the past few weeks a number of systems have been optimized, and the process will continue indefinately.

Previously three major game systems relied on webservers for critical support. Most notably the new map systems, character creation systems and skill manager systems. We're in the process of offloading a number of different applications from the primary webservers to secondary web servers. The forums will be moving to a new webserver, the skill manager will be moving to a new server, and staff sites, applications and databases will be moving to a new webserver. What does this all mean? We've increased our web services by a factor of four which should produce a dramatic reduction in the down time of all our web-based applications. This additional redundancy will also ensure that the majority of web applications and web services will have a signifcantly improved uptime and performance.

Futher updates will be posted as information becomes available.

Brauden

[Artha]

My own thoughts:

This is probably the reason for the pricing increase.

[Latrinsorm]

Originally posted by Artha
My own thoughts:

This is probably the reason for the pricing increase. You better be joking.

[Celexei]

simu would gladly raise our prices for there measly equipment which will soon enough fail anyway....*shrugs* so is technology, finances and life

[Blazing247]

In other words...Simu states a price hike. Customers state they want lag and stability fixed before a price hike. Simu (full of shit) states the issue is now addressed. See, that post right there is proof Simu did something about the lag and stability. It's definitely good justification for the price increase. It's definitely not lip service. /sarcasm

[Celexei]

i'll take my lag personally anyday

[Nakiro]

hey, atleast its an improvement.

[Zeyrin]

SIMU is a business. Why didn't they anticipate the increase in the number of players prior to the release of GS IV and already to have these upgrade in place? I think it's a shame that a business neglects the needs of their customers and will only correct a situation when people stop using their product.

To me, whoever heads the marketing and development department (if one even exists) needs to be put in the stocks and let us throw fruit at them.

[Sean]

I don't see those changes being cause to increase price at the magnitude they did.

[ElanthianSiren]

Originally posted by Artha
Previously three major game systems relied on webservers for critical support. Most notably the new map systems, character creation systems and skill manager systems.


Even if they wanted to cite that as the reason for the price increase, it still would fall under the heading of GSIV which was the reason for the FIRST price increase (after which, no new price increases were promised).

-Melissa

[AnticorRifling]

New equipment? Let's say 1000 basic accounts with an increase of 2 dollars a month, that's 2000 dollars a month to spend on this "new equipment" a year at that rate is 24000 additional dollars I want to know what the hel lthey are buying and who is ripping them off because whatever it is I can get it for alot cheaper.

[Parkbandit]

No company simply raises prices only to cover costs... you big dumb dope.

[Suppa Hobbit Mage]

Lets face it, the price increase isn't at issue. 2 Bucks, 7 bucks, sure it adds up if you have 5 accounts or whatever, but I think the general outrage on these and the official boards is that nothing has changed. Service is still crappy, product still crashes nightly, lag is still predominate though they claim it is us, etc, etc, etc.

What is at issue is the service for cost relative to the current economy. I don't think SIMU understands that.

[Galleazzo]

And fuck, Gemstone costs now TWICE what its most expensive competitor does.

[SiKWiDiT]

Originally posted by Galleazzo
And fuck, Gemstone costs now TWICE what its most expensive competitor does.

What's it's most expensive competitor?

What are some other good text based games on the web?

[Galleazzo]

Highest price I've seen quoted for another one is $19.95.

[SiKWiDiT]

Originally posted by Galleazzo
Highest price I've seen quoted for another one is $19.95.

That's not half.

It's more than what Simutronics charges for Gemstone IV.

[Artha]

Even if they wanted to cite that as the reason for the price increase, it still would fall under the heading of GSIV which was the reason for the FIRST price increase (after which, no new price increases were promised).

They hired two new on site programmers for GSIV. Guess who gets to pay their salaries?

(We do!)

Now they're buying new equipment and reducing lag, and see it as a chance to get more money long-term (and they will), so they increase prices again.

[Zeyrin]

I just love how they now address the lag thing as their problem and not our ISPs.