Because the parts their testing have nothing to do with size?
The Stress Tests test what happens at scale, and whether the servers can keep up with it.
The beta test tests triggers for changing layers, how different layers interact, and the distributor module when you log in. It doesn’t need high numbers to test individual mechanics.
High numbers are only needed to test what happens at scale.
Sure. And I regularly test my code on a database of 30 actors, for systems designed for 200,000 actors and above. Testing at small scale allows you to isolate the bug better, because you aren’t being bombarded with millions of other unnecessary and not bugged actions while you try and identify what went wrong.
Thanks for a new outlook on this, I’m understanding what you’re saying. I’m still confused as to how there was better retention during the classic 3, how active accounts are not indicative of a better game. Has WoW’s name become so bad that new players aren’t coming in flocks like they used to?
Sorry for starting another thread about layering. I’m posing in this one now.
I support layering, just as an FYI, but I wanted to see why Blizzard could not simply turn it off for the end of beta. I was told in my thread that they would have to remove the code to do that, but I’m guessing that is not true. Not that I know for sure, it could be true, it’s just my guess that it will be something that is available for use anytime they need to use it.
Layering is supposed to be turned off / removed no later than phase 2, so why not turn it off on the last day of beta. It seems like Blizzard could quell those unhappy with layering by simply testing that it can be turned off.
Im not sure why some of you are so set against listening to someone with another view besides your own. I will say the same views are what kept us from Classic all these years. People supped on Blizzard’s nips and refused to contemplate anything on their own.
Same thing for those of you that are unable to see past layering. We need to appreciate both sides, and it’s ok to question Blizzard. Their track record speaks for itself.
Elements you listed are part of why the retention slowed down. WoW is an addictive game, but for many even by TBC is was repetitive.
CRZ and Sharding (and to some degree, phasing), reduced the sense of community and server identity, by exposing players to a far too large playerbase. When there’s 100,000 people in your play pool, and there’s no chance you’ll see someone after the current dungeon, zone, play session, you never generated any sense of community.
There’s a valid complaint that layering will have some level of this effect, but its specifically designed to reduce the number of “copies” so that you are far more likely to see the same person, and it’ll be gone within the first 3-4 weeks, which over a 2 year period is about 1.9% of the game. So the community will be far more likely to survive as a cohesive whole, because most players won’t have hit level 60 by the time it’s gone. The missed opportunities while leveling, will be made up for by the maintained high population on the server after layering has gone.
Everything you say is pure speculation, but even if what you say is true, shouldn’t they also be testing realms without sharting and layering, which seems like it would be both better for advertisement and to alleviate fears that they can’t even do it, at this point. Show us that they can do what they promised us they are going to do can be done.
It would more likely be done by enable or disabling a feature. For example a specific value in the database table would be a 0 (disabled) instead of a 1 (enabled)
Rational people don’t have those fears, and the Beta is not an advertisement.
Anyone who thinks that Blizzard can’t turn off layering has no idea how this stuff all works. Go back to MoP where only certain areas were sharded for an example.
You are arguing by assertion with no actual points and very little substance. You are not the authority on the matter elo, and definitely not the authority on what constitutes rational.
You complained that layering was kicking in, in areas with low population, like Stormwind, so you couldn’t trade.
The problem with that is that layers aren’t zone specific, and have no bearing on how many people are in a given area. Your /who just proved you don’t understand layering, and think its Sharding. And again, in beta, the settings were dialled down so that layers did kick in with a low population.
What is your job title exactly? Since you are appealing to yourself as an authority your credentials should match the topic in regards to server infrastructure. Otherwise you are appealing to misleading authority. 10k posts on a forum doesn’t make you an authority, rofl.
You didn’t post any evidence in reply. You are simply stating your opinion as factual information claiming you are an expert in the field, and if not directly claiming that you are indirectly claiming that. Do you work for Activision Blizzard?
Appeal to False Authority . Description: Using an alleged authority as evidence in your argument when the authority is not really an authority on the facts relevant to the argument. As the audience, allowing an irrelevant authority to add credibility to the claim being made.
![:stuck_out_tongue:](https://d38bqls1q93fod.cloudfront.net/en/wow/images/emoji/twitter/stuck_out_tongue.png?v=6" ":stuck_out_tongue:")