Server Failage

[Iamsmart]

Branch off - As I'm not sure Backing up the server is viable (even if it is, this is the better solution, unless the game continues to tick?)

I don't know if it can be automatically done, but I know Azzer has done it in the past - So it can't be that hard to do manually - and it should become the first rule in the What-To-Do-If-Server-Fails Manual.

as soon as server comes up all mobs should be recalled

I don't think I should need to point out the reasons, but I'll mention a few anyways.

As the server did this time - It came up about 3 minutes before the tick. People aren't constantly refreshing during a server downtime so you can't just say that "no time was lost, your fault for not being on" as that is completely unfair.

People who sent out an attack or defense who expected it to happen at a certain time when they were online - Only to find out the server goes down for 4 hours and can't be on at that time get screwed.

Those should be good enough examples.

 

[Souls]

!support. Reasoning is there.

 

[pinpower]

as soon as server comes up all mobs should be recalled

While i dont think it requires this much moaning etc

I do agree that this would be a fair system which would stop any problems in the event of a server crash without any real arguable downsides.

 

[Weeble]

Refer to this post for reasons why this will not be implemented.

 

[Iamsmart]

I read it, but you have to be crazy not to see less damage would be done if all mobs were recalled rather than the opposite...

 

[Weeble]

As Azzer points out, there will always be people who complain about any implementation of a "fix", therefore the only 'safe' option is to do nothing. That way people can't complain that he's favouring one group of people over others; however this also has the negative views of "wtf, he doesn't do anything for his game therefore he doesn't care about it". Unfortunately, any amount of cockup (technical/hardware/software/bugs/etc) will always result in backlash of some sort - no fix can prevent that - which is something that just has to be managed.

 

[Davs]

From my experience of the playerbase in the last couple of years, I have to side with Weeble and Azzer on this one. The best approach for Azzer to do is do nothing, and leave those who were unfortunate enough to be badly affected by the server downtime to just accept that God hates them
Seriously though, no one is to blame, it's just dumb luck - sucks that it happens, but it does. The best approach is to just get on with things and rebuild (especially as in this situation there's still 4 weeks of play...)

 

[Iamsmart]

Davs, you'll notice that I have not blamed anybody, let alone Azzer, for the server downage. Its just one of those things. The suggestion is pointed at minimizing the damage that is created from the down time.

Weeble - I can't really argue with you on that, you have the facts laid out correctly but I think you've analyzed them incorrectly. My suggestion is damage control. I can say with full confidence that it would help more people than it would hurt. Not my choice though, good luck during the next server crash .

 

[Souls]

Like it happens every day, Iamsmart. ;P

 

[Iamsmart]

Who said it does?

 

[Cheese]

Who said it does?

It happens like once every year or 2 get a grip

 

[Iamsmart]

...Why are there two people now telling me I say it happens often? I made a simple suggestion that I believe would be positive for the game. Wow.

 

[Alcibiades]

Well the point seems to be that it's such a rare occurrence, that it's not worth the time, effort and expense to do a backup for such a rare event. If it's an easy fix then sure, but if it takes 'valuable' time off coding and suchlike, then i'd rather have new mechanics (FC anyone?) rather than a backup for the odd server crash.

 

[Iamsmart]

As I said in the idea, it has been done before. It shouldn't take any new code.

 

[Alcibiades]

What has been done before? A backup of the server info, or halting/recalling all mobs in an entire world manually?

 

[Iamsmart]

This thread has nothing to do with the backing up with server info, so take a guess?

 

[Weeble]

There is no "fair" system that will make everyone happy. In the past I have experimented with delayed tick starts (that got moans from people saying it was giving defenders lots of time to organise defence on their incomings before ticks started up again) and mass recalls (that got lots of moans as per above). Not doing anything at all equally gets moans, but at least not doing anything at all doesn't seem like I'm specificically and intentionally trying to benefit one set of people over another, and matches what happens when an account gets deleted (I don't try compensating every victim of a cheater when somebody gets deleted for cheating because, as per a long discussion on another thread some time ago, it's impossible to truly know what knock-on effects happen because of something occurring).

 

[Iamsmart]

I read it, but you have to be crazy not to see less damage would be done if all mobs were recalled rather than the opposite...

 

[Weeble]

No matter what Azzer says or does, people will always moan. Implementing, as standard, mass recalls upon server crash or loss of connection will result in complaints, as will any solution.

Mobs recalled: people complaining they'll never get that golden attack opportunity again; their attack was ruined
Ticks delayed: people complaining their target now had loads of time to organise defence; their attack was ruined
Cash bonus: people complaining their target now has cash enough to hire more units for a decent defence; their attack was ruined
Nothing at all: people complaining nothing was done

At least with nothing being done, both attackers AND defenders are not being favoured.

Yet another quote from that post:

I've tried both delayed tick restarts and mob recalls on server downtimes in the past and got just as many if not more gripe threads on the subject of what a stupid decision I had made to mass recall/delay tick starts, and the short of it is the user agreement does state that I cannot guarantee 100% uptime nor can any server in the world.

 

[Iamsmart]

SIGH

You aren't getting it. I know what you're saying, you've said it at least three times in this thread. You obviously aren't getting what I'm saying.

Yes, if you recall all mobs some people might complain that their attack was ruined. some might complain that. Others will be saved because they sent out a mob thinking they'd be on in 50 minutes but the server goes down for 4 hours and they end up triggering AR and dying. They will never have an opportunity to attack again? Get serious.

What I'm saying is the benefits of recalling all mobs MASSIVELY outweighs doing nothing. I don't know why you're saying doing nothing is the best option since the largest complain this time was that you DID do nothing. And you lost several members of the community because of it. Do you think you are going to lose several members of the community because you recalled a single attack? I doubt it. Missing out on a few hundred land and one attack is a lot different from getting your entire army zeroed that you've spent day and night protecting for weeks.

That's my point, if you don't agree with it that's fine, but you don't need to continue quoting the same argument to me - I just don't agree with you.