i've never played mmorpg before so i was wondering in all these worlds how are we gonna find each other and just get established?

In most games, there are a couple of different ways to communicate:

Firstly, there is the usual /say command, that everyone nearby (think 'within a block') will hear. Then, theres the /tell and likewise commands, that will reach a particular person, if they are on the same server. Most often you also have a guild chat, where every member of the guild (PA) on the server can hear you.

We have yet to know how they solve the issue in SWG. The main question is whether or not you will be able to communicate to other planets, since they are on different servers.

If communication turns out to be hard, there's always an easy way out: Post on this forum. Most people are bound to see it within 24 hours. If it is truly an emergency, a trip between most worlds will be something like 5-10 minutes tops. If ten people go after you, one is bound to turn up on your planet.

Originally posted by setsuko
We have yet to know how they solve the issue in SWG. The main question is whether or not you will be able to communicate to other planets, since they are on different servers.

Sorry setty. The "Galaxy" is one server! Reread the Dev Digest! How else could they implement SE!?!

For the communication in-game, everyone will (as is my understanding) be equipped with a comlink so you can talk to people - atleast - anywhere on the same planet. I'm not sure if it will work between worlds though. There may be possible you will have to go to a stronger terminal of some sort to relay it thru hyperspace (the same way as the HoloNet system works).

But I'm not sure. It could work between worlds aswell, but personally I think it (the comlink) should only work on the same planet. :) Keeps it alittle more realistic. :)

Jek:

Well, from what I have read from the Technical Director, it's a hybrid really, kinda like DAoC or AO. Many servers working together to become one masterserver, a cluster. For instance, in DAoC, you play on a server. However, the major cities are on subservers, so you can't communicate with someone who is outside if you are inside. In SWG, that would be a planet, not a city. But for all other things, it is still a single server, you can still travel freely.

And well, if you think more than a second about it, this doesn't prevent a Space Expansion. Firstly, the only thing that would hinder it, is if they would make the entire space between all planets in the game. Thats a lot of lightyears, so they won't. It's impossible.

The easy way, then, is having certain areas of space, where you can play. You didn't expect to be able to fly to every square inch of space, did you? These canl lie on a separate subserver in the cluster. Thinking of it, it is far more logical to solve the SE this way, then having the entire galaxy on a server, that has to keep track of every player in the whole 'galaxy'. The outcome is smaller server load and less problems, at the expense of a bigger server park. Its also simpler when working and implementing the Expansion: people without the expansion can't go to that server, and the testing, patching etc can be narrowed down to more or less one smaller server, instead of the entire game. When the expansion goes public, just *plopp*, plug'em in.


That is why I am not sure whether you will be able to communicate between planets. In AO, which also is made by a large amount of subservers in a cluster, you can communicate more freely. So it can be either case.

EDIT:

Ooops, i read my post, and it almost looks like the word "masterserver" means that there will be one single server. No, the "masterserver" is kinda like one server in EQ, and it is called a "Galaxy", since every galaxy will include all the planets, and be like a separate dimension. There will be many of these galaxies, the amount is depending on the amount of subscribers.

I've played RuneScape and that you can communicate (send PM's) from one server to another.

I'm sure a friendlist will help us, and to be honest I am sure comunicating with other worlds will be possible.

I think it may cause some problems otherwise...

So how exactly does it work:

You have different Main servers and they each have sub-servers?

So the Europe server may have other linked up servers to help.

BTW, which regional server would you guys go to? Most you at least.

Well, most everyone is from East Us or Western Europe.......we're going to ahve to wait and see how the servers are split up and what the speed is like on each. Unfortunately, it may end up that the guild splits between europe and the US, but liekly we will work something out so that this does not happen.

Well personally I would like to stick to the European servers because I only have a 56k, I will probably need all the help I can get.

But I don't see why those members with broadband couldn't change to a server outside of their region. Sure it wouldnt make too much difference for them... do we have any? :p

Broadband? Is 10mbit fast enough for ya? ;) *proud*

But well, actually, I did not notice that big a difference between european and US servers back in the modem days. The disadvantage, however, is that when you want to play, a majority of the people over there are sleeping, working or whatever. And when you let US people set up times for clanmeetings, it always end up being sometimes around 4-5 am for me :)

Thats the biggest disadvantage, I'd say.

if all else fails we'll play on U.S server :D :D :D

Meh, you are correct, US rocks! Take that Britain! No offense of course.

Ahh yes America. Home of the law which does not let you drink alcohol until you are 21 years old...

Excellent...

I heard an american once say, "At the age of 18 a man can kill in defence of his country, vote to determine the next president but after all this can't sit back and drink a beer."

Hang on! You dare use a quote from a British Comedy and say 'Have that Britain'!?!?! :)

Dear oh dear.... Won't find any lines like that in "Everybody Loves Raymond" will you!... fair play that show is ****e...

Ahem anyway... back to normal discussion.

Meh, s'ok, don't really plan on drinking any sort of alcohol anyways, it tastes bad, REALLY BAD. So the way to find our friends would be to... 1) the message boards as previously stated or 2) the IM programs that most of us should have.

Yes I think sticking with the forums are the best bet. Trying to schedule meetings in-game or even just on Messenger services can cause a lot of problems.

Something like building a town wouldn't require us all to be on at the same time. If 3 or 4 people were on I'm sure they could establish it, post the location on the forums and the rest could join at their discression.

I agree, a message board will be the best to communicate with eachother. Just set a ''deadline'', a date when the final decision on a matter is made, whether you have replied or not. Or else decisions will be posponed (sp?) until the end of time, and that's not really helping.

Meh, s'ok, don't really plan on drinking any sort of alcohol anyways, it tastes bad, REALLY BAD.

:eek: man, how can you say this! Have you ever had a beer, on a warm day, with your mouth corck-dry? Well....that would change your opinion totally. Ofcourse, the downside is; that if you drink too much...your totally WASTED!

Smirnoff with lemon soda on a warm summers day. The ultimate drink.

the only online multiplayer game ive played is phantasy star online for the dreamcast. the dreamcast only has a 56k modem and all the servers (US Japan European) were all the same speed for me. also, in game, you only had to meet someone once and you could get their "card", which had an id number for them on it. with that you could run a search on them and find out if they were on and where they were, even if they were in a completely different server, and you could send them messages. so if the dreamcast could work it i wouldnt worry too much, we will just have to post one time on where to meet most likely.

You'll all know me, i'm the guy with no pants who's dating your mother ;).

But seriously, i'd assumed we'll use the forums at first to get organised and arrange meting points and times. After a while we'll have established meeting spots either in the Associates town or elsewhere on other planets.

Because of my physical location i'll find it harder to meet up with everyone, but the choice of server means little at the moment. LA won't have an Australian server any time soon so I won't have any choice but to use one overseas anyway. I'll be signing up for cable once I hit Brisbane so..neh. Hopefully that'll help iron out lag issues.

Originally posted by setsuko
Smirnoff with lemon soda on a warm summers day. The ultimate drink. I like Smirnoff Ice.

BACK ON TOPIC:
well i do hope we will be able to get comlinks in game. or at least a sort of message thingy... like a voicemail or e-mail....

u think we can contact anyone with the force (assuming u have hte force) through the force anywhere through out the universe like mara jade (was that her?) with darth sidious?

flernical ATTACK RUN!

u think we can contact anyone with the force (assuming u have hte force) through the force anywhere through out the universe

I think so, if you are a jedi...and.I'll leave the rest to Wraith :D nuff said.

There will probably be some kind of commlink system, I think they have it worked out, nothing to worry about.

For it to be a good community game, communication will have to be easy. You'll propably manage a lot by just typing commands, without equipment etc.

Originally posted by Jan Gaarni
For the communication in-game, everyone will (as is my understanding) be equipped with a comlink so you can talk to people - atleast - anywhere on the same planet. I'm not sure if it will work between worlds though. There may be possible you will have to go to a stronger terminal of some sort to relay it thru hyperspace (the same way as the HoloNet system works).

But I'm not sure. It could work between worlds aswell, but personally I think it (the comlink) should only work on the same planet. :) Keeps it alittle more realistic. :)
didn't the empire control the holonet and censor most of the stuff that went through it. if they decide to follow that it could be a problem to comminucate between worlds.

oh, and if we are going to have meetings on IRC/AIM at a time that works for both the east coast and Europe I will probably not be able to atend because I live in So Cal:D . so maybe we should appoint an official ledger so that people who can't attend mettings can contribute to an issue.

Originally posted by ewok hunter

so maybe we should appoint an official ledger so that people who can't attend mettings can contribute to an issue.

Important issues will be discussed here as well. Now, that wasn't so hard, was it? :)

nope, but having all the important desicions on the board could lead to it being full of posts. maybe gaalgoth could create a sticky giving an outline of when each major decision needs to be made by and what the name of the thread is so we don't miss anything important.

I'm pretty sure that posts with important decisions will not ''flood'' the board. Important decisions include a complete change of strategy, kicking members, PA wars, etc., these will be rare.