World Transfers

[Maegren]

I have one question, and one question only.

What happens to my character's LIs?

[Vyvyanne]

So we can find out which worlds are closing by trying to create a character on each world?

Character creation will not be turned off until August 3rd.

[Vyvyanne]

Question: Aside from Brandywine, is there a chance of the other severs becoming closer during the transfer process as they fill up? I'd like to transfer to Landroval but cant until i return from a trip in September. I worry about it filling up in that time.

This is unlikely. Brandywine population is vastly larger than even the next most populated server.

[Linwenn]

Question :

Server 1 (going to close) : i have 3/6 characters

Server 2 (future server) : i already have 6/6 character


does it become 9/12 ? or 9/9 or 3 become unplayable and i need to purchase slots?

[Almagnus1]

What happens if:
ex:
Legolas (an elf hunter) is active on the server
Legolas (another elf hunter) transfers in, and becomes Legolas-1

What happens when Legolas (yet another elf hunter) transfers in? Does he become Legolas-2?

While it's good to have some more information on how the process will work, I'm not sure that giving out the number of servers to remain without actually naming said servers was such a wise idea. As already demonstrated in this thread, the speculations, calculations, and rumours on which servers will remain are just going to fly sky-high (which is a natural reaction, it's not as if I don't have my own suspicions). I'm sure we'll see a lot of panic now from people whose server might turn out to survive in the end, while others might feel safe according to conclusions they draw, yet suddenly find that they are going to lose their server after all. Those speculations have existed before, but with actual numbers we're all going to try to come up with some numbers-based reasoning.

Also, please, please try to inform people who transfer what being on an RP server entails, particularly when it comes to naming and additional rules like not griefing RP'ers. If people transfer to an RP server without a clear expectation of what that means, it'll result in annoyance - from those who transfer and feel unwelcome because they don't realise the culture might be different than on their original server, and from the existing population who think they're getting an influx of trolls even though that isn't actually the case.

We've already seen some problems when Russian players transferred in just because some people (not necessarily RP'ers in this case) were unable to accept that according to Turbine's rules those Russian players were in fact allowed to speak Russian in World while they were trying to find other Russians. The amount of xenophobia displayed was astounding.

Simple solution would be make /world default to whatever language the server is intended for (EN-US for the NA servers), then have something like /world-ru, /world-fr, and /world-de as other channels that players can opt in to. This also helps keep the /world chat usuable for the majority of the population as speech in other languages without translation is basically white noise at best.

A better solution is integrating something like Google or Bing's translation service into world chat and have the ability to flag players that are speaking another language to be auto-translated to English. This way, everyone speaks their native language, and we can configure it to understand all the text (mostly).

[Vyvyanne]

Our kin frequently has players return after years away. Just this past month we've had multiple players back who haven't played for two years. It's not uncommon for folks to only play summers, or conversely, during the school year. Others are off on extended travels, also broken computers with inadequate alternatives, moves, all sorts of reason limit folks from being able to log in.

In game mail only lasts a month and a half. When the kin is moved, does that mean future log-ins on the old server do not see a lingering Message of the Day?

Is there any facility to get a message to kinmates a year from now, who come to an old closed server and only have the option to transfer, to see where their kin has gone?

Might a provision be made to allow them to see a MoTD? (Since they won't be able to access mail at that point.)

Sadly we do not have a way to do this. You can utilize the forums for letting folks know where your kinship has moved if you do not have private emails or a webpage. We will also be sending out-of-game emails to players as these activities take place so that we can let those who log in infrequently know to come check in on their kinships to find their destination.

[Gilean-EU]

Hmm. Lots of good info, but I would like it better if in case of naming conflict, the system would just check which character has been there longest (if both have been active within year) and would let the oldest character keep the name. For example, I would hate to have to rename my 5 characters that I created during pre-access time in April 2007, just because I have to move to another server

[Thego]

Hmm. Lots of good info, but I would like it better if in case of naming conflict, the system would just check which character has been there longest (if both have been active within year) and would let the oldest character keep the name. For example, I would hate to have to rename my 5 characters that I created during pre-access time in April 2007, just because I have to move to another server

I think so too.

[Forestwyn]

Thanks Frelorn! Question; What will happen to shared storage? If we purchased additional shared storage on different servers will those additional storage spaces transfer too? I can see that being a problem for me since I am lotro hoarder

[cdq1958]

Thanks Frelorn! Question; What will happen to shared storage? If we purchased additional shared storage on different servers will those additional storage spaces transfer too? I can see that being a problem for me since I am lotro hoarder

Shared storage is account based. That's one reason why I've made a bunch of storage alts. They exist to help deal with the overflow.

[Vyvyanne]

What happens to all none Account Shared Items? My Shared Bank is full, also my Private Bank and Housing Slots. Will i lose something? That wasnt mentioned in the Diary.

Any overage on the target server if combining shared items will go into overflow. As you empty items from slots or get more storage upgrades, those items will be able to be accessed. At no point are they lost.

[Vyvyanne]

Thanks Frelorn! Question; What will happen to shared storage? If we purchased additional shared storage on different servers will those additional storage spaces transfer too? I can see that being a problem for me since I am lotro hoarder

Yes, you will have the same number of slots on your new world.

[Padhril]

Simple solution would be make /world default to whatever language the server is intended for (EN-US for the NA servers), then have something like /world-ru, /world-fr, and /world-de as other channels that players can opt in to. This also helps keep the /world chat usuable for the majority of the population as speech in other languages without translation is basically white noise at best.

A better solution is integrating something like Google or Bing's translation service into world chat and have the ability to flag players that are speaking another language to be auto-translated to English. This way, everyone speaks their native language, and we can configure it to understand all the text (mostly).

While that is an interesting idea, auto-translation is really, really not as good as many (particularly people who are monolingual) make it out to be. Particularly with people typing informally or in chat-speak, as they do in chat channels, it's unlikely to be able to translate much of what is written at all, and it can have quite inoffensive things coming out as insults. I bet it would lead to reports that turn out to be nothing at all just because the machine can't handle colloquialisms.

People have in fact taken their own language channels into their own hands, for instance there is a Russian user-created channel on Laurelin. The main problem we had there were people aggressively claiming that languages other than English were forbidden and reportable, while Turbine had stated shortly before that this wasn't the case, and hounding people over the language they spoke was the actual reportable thing.

Most the non-native speakers on Laurelin, myself included, do in fact speak English in the channels. It's polite, and I get more people who understand me than if I were to speak German. But if someone comes in whose English isn't good and who's only looking for some people sharing their native language to talk to, perhaps a kin in their language, it really irritates me if people on World go off at them as if two phrases in Czech or Russian or German are crimes.

[Farcho123]

What's happening when our kinship leader is transferring to a world on which a kinship exists which has the same name?

[Vyvyanne]

Question :

Server 1 (going to close) : i have 3/6 characters

Server 2 (future server) : i already have 6/6 character


does it become 9/12 ? or 9/9 or 3 become unplayable and i need to purchase slots?

You will have 9/6 and in order to play the 3 extras you will need to delete a character or get extra slots. All of your characters do not have to go to the same world, however.

[Vyvyanne]

I have one question, and one question only.

What happens to my character's LIs?

They transfer with your character.

[cdq1958]

While that is an interesting idea, auto-translation is really, really not as good as many (particularly people who are monolingual) make it out to be. Particularly with people typing informally or in chat-speak, as they do in chat channels, it's unlikely to be able to translate much of what is written at all, and it can have quite inoffensive things coming out as insults. I bet it would lead to reports that turn out to be nothing at all just because the machine can't handle colloquialisms.

People have in fact taken their own language channels into their own hands, for instance there is a Russian user-created channel on Laurelin. The main problem we had there were people aggressively claiming that languages other than English were forbidden and reportable, while Turbine had stated shortly before that this wasn't the case, and hounding people over the language they spoke was the actual reportable thing.

Most the non-native speakers on Laurelin, myself included, do in fact speak English in the channels. It's polite, and I get more people who understand me than if I were to speak German. But if someone comes in whose English isn't good and who's only looking for some people sharing their native language to talk to, perhaps a kin in their language, it really irritates me if people on World go off at them as if two phrases in Czech or Russian or German are crimes.

Indeed. Humans translating idioms often have difficulties. Heck, humans sharing the same mother-tongue, nominally, often have trouble translating idioms.

I was scouting Brandywine when the Russian migration happened. Some of the stuff I saw saddened me. Remember that I'm scouting because I'm going to be a migrant. What do you think that I am going to think when I see migrants get a less than warm welcome.

[Curuer_Bauglir]

Hmm. Lots of good info, but I would like it better if in case of naming conflict, the system would just check which character has been there longest (if both have been active within year) and would let the oldest character keep the name. For example, I would hate to have to rename my 5 characters that I created during pre-access time in April 2007, just because I have to move to another server

I can certainly understand this position. I would hate to have to change my name after 8 years. As someone who has no idea what servers are the largest, I don't know if I will be a mover or not, so I don't yet have a strong opinion on this matter. One has to remember that each server is it's own unique world. I would also hate for someone transferring into my server, taking my identity due to seniority on another server, acting like a jerk, and possibly damaging my reputation in the meantime. I can see both sides of the argument. No matter which naming system they came up with, some would be unhappy.

[Vyvyanne]

Thank you for this summary.

One thing that I am missing is information on the items in the enhanced purse (festival tokens, taxidermist items etc.). Will we lose them during transfer or are they part of the character data that gets transfered?

These will transfer.

[Familiarity]

My question is for players who already have characters on the Brandywine server and potentially have alts, account information (mithril coins, destiny points, marks, etc.) on other servers that are potentially being shut down.

Is there any way that I can consolidate all of that information on Brandywine beginning August 3 or will it have to wait after the hardware changes? I've barely played on my previous servers I've been on and would rather not pay to put everything in one place since it's become my permanent home at this point. Understandably it may be difficult to distinguish between long time players of the server and people who will just create a new character to then get a priority to move things over but I was curious if this was considered by Turbine or an incentive to get people to leave the server where they can combine everything elsewhere.

[Fratonia]

Hmm. Lots of good info, but I would like it better if in case of naming conflict, the system would just check which character has been there longest (if both have been active within year) and would let the oldest character keep the name. For example, I would hate to have to rename my 5 characters that I created during pre-access time in April 2007, just because I have to move to another server

That's a good point especially as the current implementation allows others to play pranks on you. I could for example create characters with your character names on all servers just to piss you off when you have to transfer and you will have to rename all your characters because my dummies have been active this year...
A combination of character lifetime and activity would probably be better. So you would get:

1. older character A that hasn't been active for over a year vs. younger character B that has been active -> B wins (this allows active players to override old zombies)
2. older character A that has been active vs. younger character B that has been active -> A wins (this counters the prank described above as well as Gilean-EU's concern)

[Namesse]

If we are transferring, will our friend's list get wiped, with no way to tell where our friends went and what new name they might have?

[Pfeifenkraut]

We are still resolving timelines on moving the worlds to new tech but it is looking like we should be moved over in the next 2-3 months. I will give a better timeline once I have it.

5 US and 5 EU is correct. In our selection we will have one RP per region (EU & US) and one world per language (DE, FR and ENG).

I appreciate all the information you're giving us!

I am curious about the language used here: does this mean that there will be only 1 EU server flagged as RP, or 3 (one for each language)?

Also, when you say RP, does this mean that the EU server(s) will remain with full RP rules and the US server will remain with RP-Encouraged rules as they exist now, or will all worlds belong to one or the other ruleset going forward?

[Forestwyn]

Any overage on the target server if combining shared items will go into overflow. As you empty items from slots or get more storage upgrades, those items will be able to be accessed. At no point are they lost.

I'm going to have a HUGE overflow. No limit?

[Vyvyanne]

What's happening when our kinship leader is transferring to a world on which a kinship exists which has the same name?

In the case of a conflict of Kinship name, the transferring Kinship will have a -1 added to their name and will need to open a ticket with Customer Support to choose a new name. We know this is not ideal, but this situation was one we did not have a good solution for in the time we had.