World Transfers

[Ellyllon]

I'll remove those I saved - the people I know who did this also have the same plan. I assume that people who cared enough to do it will understand that it matters to others, as well.

[Tuco]

I suggest giving each world multiple preconfigured /world channels, one for each language that has its own client: /world, /monde, /welt. The one you're hooked up to by default on character creation would depend on the client you chose to install, but as usual you could choose to have the others appear in your Chat window. As usual, people who game in other languages could set up a userchannel for theirs: mundo (Sp), mundu (Basque), mir (Russian - edited; I thought Cyrillic was supported on the website as well as in-game) and mondo (Esperanto).

This might make it easier for RPers from various countries to get together and organize where their own RP channels are located.

[Silmelin]

I'm curious if characters that have been created within the time frame considered "active" will be considered "active" if they never logged in after character creation or if "active" will only mean characters that have entered or (preferably) finished the tutorial. I hope it's the latter because that would solve a lot of griefing issues and since I see others have posted similar questions, I hope we get a response from Vyvyanne or Frelorn on this...

The way the system is reading the information to determine priority, it can not see if a character has gone through the tutorial. It is purely based on character creation time stamp.

I'm a bit confused now

Does this mean that it doesn't matter when the character was created or if it's still in the Tutorial with Elrond and Talagan (or in jail next to Aragorn) before the intro, as long as you have logged in? What is "based on character creation time stamp"?

[LagunaD2]

I'm a bit confused now

Does this mean that it doesn't matter when the character was created or if it's still in the Tutorial with Elrond and Talagan (or in jail next to Aragorn) before the intro, as long as you have logged in? What is "based on character creation time stamp"?

Vyvyanne's answer confuses me as well. There is nothing in the official post about creation timestamps, only "logged in during last year or not".

[RJFerret]

I'm a bit confused now

Does this mean that it doesn't matter when the character was created or if it's still in the Tutorial with Elrond and Talagan (or in jail next to Aragorn) before the intro, as long as you have logged in? What is "based on character creation time stamp"?

The question was if exiting the tutorial was a measure, the answer was no, that point is not dated, only character creation is dated, per my understanding.

[Liarie]

I wondered that, too. (Ok, I'm American, but my father was German, so on his behalf!) If they're going to do the English RP one, then why not at least make 1 German one RE?

I'm American of German descent as well. I do think that this would be a fine compromise for those roleplayers on Belegaer.

[Beorthnoth]

Turbine really are stuck between a rock and a hard place with the EU servers.

Almagnus1 has posted a really helpful set of pie charts which indicate why here https://www.lotro.com/forums/showthr...-and-why/page4 .

The RP servers added together constitute about 20% of the population - enough to justify 1 rp server, not enough for 2 unless massive numbers migrate in from other servers.

The total French population is about 12% - not really enough to justify a server, but they've guaranteed the language support. That leaves 3 servers to cover German and the rest (yes, I know it says English, but I suspect that only other nationalities who have French and German as their second language will be on those servers, and they are almost certainly a very small minority).

So, 2 German/1 other or 2 other/1 German, with a roughly even current logon division. Whatever is done is going to upset an awful lot of people.

Oh, for those mentioning that the 5 US servers are English - that's of no help to someone whose server is closing unless they are prepared to junk their characters and start over, since EU-US transfers are not possible.

Anyone called Solomon online?

[Jasco44]

We do appreciate all of our Oceanic Players, but we do not feel comfortable making an Official Oceanic world as we will not be officially supporting those play hours or languages specifically and with the reduced number of world we do not want to discourage players from other regions from playing on the server due to such a designation. However, I do encourage the Oceanic community to discuss amongst themselves a world to move enmasse to and publish that here on the forums as well as in World chat and other locations where your friends can see it and follow.

I live in Western Europe (Belgium) , and have several characters on Dwarrowdelf. That is NOW a US-server, and there seems little doubt it will be closed. I was happy to hear about the consolidation of servers, as Dwarrowdelf currently is, unlike 2 years ago, very quite in European daytime hours. But now we are being told that we won't be able to transfer to a EU-server, definitely not good news. And starting everything from scratch... I really don't see myself levelling all my crafts again, for example. The only other option I can think of is the same as what Snakeeyes and Vyvyanne are discussing for Oceanic players : all EU players on US servers should agree to which US-server they will transfer. That way, we can hope to end up with a lively community during our daytime hours. Expect to find me here again once the servers are announced.

[Curuer_Bauglir]

I've read speculation on which servers may close, and most seem to think the 5 largest NA servers will stay open. I wonder if it would be easier to keep 1 of the smaller servers open for several reasons. And I say this as a Crickhollower who possibly would be more likely to transfer if they do this, since my server is on the bubble according size wise. First, if people are urgently concerned about losing their name, they stand a much smaller chance of running into naming conflicts transferring into a server with an existing pop of 500 vs. 10,000. (I know nothing about server pop size. I'm just throwing numbers out to illustrate my point.) Second, I wonder about large kinships transferring all their members. Brandywine is off-limits due to its size, but what happens if server #2 starts to fill up quickly and they cut off transfers to this server? Say the kinship leader had already made it known through outside sources they were transferring to this server, but members who log in a few days too late can no longer transfer to the destination server. I have no idea how likely the aforementioned scenario is, but keeping one smaller server around could help alleviate this problem. Finally, I've read comments from players who enjoy playing on a smaller server. If players choose to avoid the small server left open due to its small population, there would still be 4 large servers to accommodate them and 1 smaller server for those who like a more open landscape.

[maartena]

I'm a bit confused now

Does this mean that it doesn't matter when the character was created or if it's still in the Tutorial with Elrond and Talagan (or in jail next to Aragorn) before the intro, as long as you have logged in? What is "based on character creation time stamp"?

Vyvyanne does have a hand in obscuring information some times with the way she writes things.

I think this is the case:

1) Characters will be checked on last logged on date, and if the last login date is not available (because never logged on) character creation time stamp might count as "last active" time.
2) It is impossible to prevent "name claim trolling" by imposing a "must finish intro" rule.

The naming conflict only checks against whether the name is available and the last active date, no other variables are considered.

The BIG question I have for Vyvyanne is this:

When it turns out that I lose my name, and automatically take "Name-1", and after I have properly joined the server and add the character with "Name" to the friends list.... and I find out that character has not logged on for at least 9 months. Can I save my free rename token, wait 3 months based on the last logon date of "Name" use the token to claim the name from the inactive character "Name" and get the name back, as by then 1 year of inactivity has passed?

It would be a shame to see your name lost to e.g. a level 12 that hasn't logged on for 9 months... and then finding out you can't claim it after the character becomes inactive after 12 months. Also with paid renames you should be able to claim an inactive name.

[Fratonia]

I'm a bit confused now

Does this mean that it doesn't matter when the character was created or if it's still in the Tutorial with Elrond and Talagan (or in jail next to Aragorn) before the intro, as long as you have logged in? What is "based on character creation time stamp"?

What she means is probably that if a character was never logged in the last activity time of that character is the creation time stamp.

[Irin19]

Personally, from my experience on Brandywhine, it is better to leave it completely closed until the free transfers are done. The moors is often completely inaccessible and I have heard ridiculous things in world chat such as people offering people 50 gold to leave the moors so they can get in....

I would propose a different solution. All servers are being migrated to new hardware and connections, this we know.

Close them ALL by January, open your 10 new ones in September (or whenever their target date is) and make everyone move to a new server. Brandy is a mess, new hardware may fix it, but this solution mixes the pot for everyone, a new start all the way around.

[maartena]

I live in Western Europe (Belgium) , and have several characters on Dwarrowdelf. That is NOW a US-server, and there seems little doubt it will be closed. I was happy to hear about the consolidation of servers, as Dwarrowdelf currently is, unlike 2 years ago, very quite in European daytime hours. But now we are being told that we won't be able to transfer to a EU-server, definitely not good news. And starting everything from scratch... I really don't see myself levelling all my crafts again, for example. The only other option I can think of is the same as what Snakeeyes and Vyvyanne are discussing for Oceanic players : all EU players on US servers should agree to which US-server they will transfer. That way, we can hope to end up with a lively community during our daytime hours. Expect to find me here again once the servers are announced.

That is definitely something you should be considering. It may be worth trying to organize in some form of forum topic if you are willing to take the lead on it, and maybe create a few characters on other "doomed" servers BEFORE August 3d (that's when character creation on "doomed" servers will no longer be possible) and start organizing EU users on other US servers to pick one server to go to. My suggestion would be to skip Brandywine and Landroval, and go with one of the other 3. Maybe the same one as the Oceanic server, so that morning players and evening players on both continents can match up.

But yeah, this may take a little effort and quick organizing on the part of a few EU and Oceanic players to get organized among themselves. Use things like twitter with @Lotro and #Lotro to spread the message as well for instance.

Good luck!!

[Linnier]

Would you rather see forced server mergers like other MMO's have done, where you have no choice of where you are going? This is actually one of the better merges I have seen, I have been part of server merges where they just threw everyone of one server on top of another server, and you had no choice. If your name was taken, oh well.

At least here, if you know your name is taken on one server, or your favorite neighborhood is full on one server, you have a choice. You can pick a server where the name and house aren't taken. Even better, you can get on your intended target server NOW, create a toon, level it up, make some money, and buy the house of your dreams even BEFORE August 3d.

Why don't you do that?

Yes! Absolutely, I would MUCH rather be forced onto another server than play the wait game. This is RIDICULOUS and completely unfair, what happens to the kinships who occupy ENTIRE neighborhoods? Oh, nothing available? Sorry, should have paid to move. This is embarrassing and a kick to the nuts of everyone who is not on one of the remaining five servers.

Not the players fault the games dead, nor is this in anyway fair. Transfer-Gate is a cluster **** of a mess.

[Vyvyanne]

When it turns out that I lose my name, and automatically take "Name-1", and after I have properly joined the server and add the character with "Name" to the friends list.... and I find out that character has not logged on for at least 9 months. Can I save my free rename token, wait 3 months based on the last logon date of "Name" use the token to claim the name from the inactive character "Name" and get the name back, as by then 1 year of inactivity has passed?

It would be a shame to see your name lost to e.g. a level 12 that hasn't logged on for 9 months... and then finding out you can't claim it after the character becomes inactive after 12 months. Also with paid renames you should be able to claim an inactive name.

Rename tokens do not work the same way as transfers when it comes to overwriting another name. We can look at making a change to this later down the line after the majority of transfers are completed, but for this time frame we feel it is better to give the players who are transferring the priority to claim their name from an in-active account, over giving that to a any player using a rename token.

[Tuco]

I would propose a different solution. All servers are being migrated to new hardware and connections, this we know.

Close them ALL by January, open your 10 new ones in September (or whenever their target date is) and make everyone move to a new server. Brandy is a mess, new hardware may fix it, but this solution mixes the pot for everyone, a new start all the way around.

I like this idea in principle: it has the virtues of simplicity and (more) fairness on the name-stomping issues. I see two problems with it . Firstly, it's not going to happen, because they've already announced that there will be unlimited transfers among each set of five surviving servers while they see how the transfers are going. Secondly, a large number of casual players who don't read the forum or /world will be baffled by the whole concept and won't bother to switch. By keeping two or three of the highest population servers a much larger proportion of the casual population will be retained. I think.

[daneyul]

1. Will you have an option to back out and choose another server if your name is taken on the one you've chosen? Or do you pick, blindly, and get stuck with the consequences if someone else ends up with your character's name?

2. Any further word on just how improved the servers are--specifically--is there ANY hope this will fix the lag on warhorses?

[Zanishi]

Personally I think names should get prioritized by the oldest user as well. My point being that, even with people having the same name across servers there can be things like Joebob on Brandywine has had his toon for 2 months shouldn't get priority over Joebob from Landroval who has had his toon for 8 years.

This could also be a solution for people who could be trolled by people making last minute toon creations before this all happens...

[Minstracar]

On reading Frelorn's original doc on the Transfers and then this forum I have a couple observations. Whether practical or not, I don't know.

For the EU servers I'm assuming that Evernight and Laurelin (RP) will remain. That leaves one DE and one FR server, and one more general purpose EN server. I'd like to suggest that the DE and FR servers be non-RP ones but that they be converted to RE servers to allow combining the regular and RP communities for each language in a (hopefully) compatible way.

To help with the name collision issue on the remaining servers, a lot of pressure could be relieved if Turbine were to "scour" the remaining servers of all chars level 5 or less that have not been played in 2 months or more. This could be actual deletions (good for the database but prob not a good "customer relations" idea) or just rename all of these to "Name-1". I know for a fact that many people try LOTRO, get part way through the intro, then either abandon the char or even the whole game without deleting the char. Characters of this level will not be in Kins and not have any important items attached. If a 2 month cutoff is used, that would still allow people who are creating "claim holder" chars in anticipation of the transfers.

Frelorn or Vyv, is any of this possible and/or practical?

Minstracar

[RJFerret]

1. Will you have an option to back out and choose another server if your name is taken on the one you've chosen? Or do you pick, blindly, and get stuck with the consequences if someone else ends up with your character's name?

2. Any further word on just how improved the servers are--specifically--is there ANY hope this will fix the lag on warhorses?

1. It was answered early on that you may transfer again freely up until Oct. 10th, so if you get -1 and a free rename token, but wish to transfer to a server your original name is available on instead, feel free to do so.

2. More robust hardware and better pipes means no, your warhorse lag will be unaffected, and those who have no lag on warsteeds shouldn't see a difference either. Since rubber-banding is the server being out of sync with your system, it is possible if your net connection was better than theirs, better pipes on their end will change it for you, but I wouldn't expect that at all.

[Darth_Carl]

I'm struggling to comprehend why the name things is even coming up. Whilst i can't remember exactly how things were said to work way back when i started playing, (back when codemasters still ran things and Mirkwood was new), i was under the impression from having regularly bagged several unique names on a then fairly busy withywindle that names were unique by account, not by server. When did this all get changed? I've been on a break since the second half of Rohan came along so i'm guessing i missed something...

[Ellyllon]

To help with the name collision issue on the remaining servers, a lot of pressure could be relieved if Turbine were to "scour" the remaining servers of all chars level 5 or less that have not been played in 2 months or more. This could be actual deletions (good for the database but prob not a good "customer relations" idea) or just rename all of these to "Name-1". I know for a fact that many people try LOTRO, get part way through the intro, then either abandon the char or even the whole game without deleting the char. Characters of this level will not be in Kins and not have any important items attached. If a 2 month cutoff is used, that would still allow people who are creating "claim holder" chars in anticipation of the transfers.

Frelorn or Vyv, is any of this possible and/or practical?

Minstracar

It seems like an obvious solution, & sounds easy enough. If 1 year is too short, make it 2. Or even 5! Set a level. All characters under 2 on accounts left unused or unsubscribed for a period of 2 years.

Tell us the surviving servers, let us seize our chosen names, if we're lucky enough to find one. Those players who care about it will do so, the ones who think names don't matter can ignore the proceedings entirely.

[maartena]

Rename tokens do not work the same way as transfers when it comes to overwriting another name. We can look at making a change to this later down the line after the majority of transfers are completed, but for this time frame we feel it is better to give the players who are transferring the priority to claim their name from an in-active account, over giving that to a any player using a rename token.

Thank you for clarifying this. I also didn't think of people buying tokens and going ahead and claiming expired names NOW, so that makes sense. Transfers first.

One more question, or a suggestion:

There is some grumbling going around about people having to purchase way too many shared storage slots and wardrobe slots to combine characters from servers with characters from other servers etc. Would you consider two free shared storage upgrades and two free wardrobe upgrades alongside the two free character slots to make the pain a little easier? I'm thinking I will be about 60 items over in my wardrobe after the migration, so it's going to cost me some.

[Guhrasoh]

(yes, I know it says English, but I suspect that only other nationalities who have French and German as their second language will be on those servers, and they are almost certainly a very small minority).

And that's where you are wrong, German is a very common language in Europe. For example Netherlands, Denmark, Slovenia, Croatia, Czech Republic, Sweden, Slovakia, Belgium, Poland all have a significant amount of people that can speak German and German is beeing taught at schools in these countries. Some of them even have it as one of their official languages.

[maartena]

1. Will you have an option to back out and choose another server if your name is taken on the one you've chosen? Or do you pick, blindly, and get stuck with the consequences if someone else ends up with your character's name?

Withing the period of free moving, you can move around to other servers as much as you like. You can check beforehand however if your name already exists. One way of doing it is to create one character and start adding names to friends list. If you get "User does not exist" the name is available. If you get "Cannot be added" the name is most likely taken by a level 1 that has not yet logged on.

2. Any further word on just how improved the servers are--specifically--is there ANY hope this will fix the lag on warhorses?

They will add hardware to Brandywhine first, as that server is suffering the most right now, but they will also add capacity to the other servers as they move them to New Jersey. This is a project that is separate from the migrations, but is affected by it. Expect a lot of maintenances on a lot of Monday's in the coming months that wont have new patches.