Any plans for new character slots with the next expansion?

[Jinksie]

Hello,

My name is Jinksie and I am an alt-aholic. 

I am wondering if with the new starting city, Halas, in Sentinal's Fate if there are any plans to expand the character slots by at least 1 more (2 for station access folks.) 

All my character slots are full at the moment and I am attached to everyone.  I have a Barbarian I will move to Halas if need be, but would love to experience started a new toon in that city (unless it is the Queen's Colony again.)  It's a great way to learn the area as done in Greater Faydark and Neriak/Darklight Woods. 

Any thoughts on this are appreciated.

Thank you for your time and support.

Cheers!

~Jinksie

[Rashaak]

I do not think there will be more character slots, there could be, but I seriously doubt it. Since SoE makes money with the Station Pass, adding more slots means adding more for those with a Station Pass. However if they were to add an addit'l slot, I'd say the would add it to Station Cash or something...

[graewulf]

I'm specifically saving my last slot for a Halasian citizen. It would still be nice if they added a slot though. I'm not going to get another account or upgrade to Station Pass. Times are tight and excess spending (which this would be) is simply not an option.

There's really no reason they can't give us another slot. It's purely a money issue. Simple greed. (and for those SoE fanbois, don't say it's a 'good business decision' ) Most other games have more slots. Lots more.

[Mirander_1]

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

[Tallisman]

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

The price of gigabytes is pretty good these days so we live in hope.

[DaFriar]

Tallisman wrote:

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

The price of gigabytes is pretty good these days so we live in hope.

Pfft.. the price of Terrabytes are pretty good

I think all the alt-aholics would be delighted with an additional character slot. I'd even pay a nominal fee for a few more. though I'd prefer not to pay arecurring fee of 14.99 (the additional charge of Station Pass)

[Zhern]

I never understood the reason by limiting the amount of characters to just 6 (I know it is 7 now but it was 6 before). I think in all fairness it should have been one slot for each class. Yes it would use up space in the database, but not as much as you would think. If their concern was space for limiting the amount of character slots. Then why not purge the system of characters that have not been playing the game in 2 years. I have left the game several times to play other games. But I have come back several times also. If you’re gone over two years, you not coming back. Even if you did come back, most if not all returning players make new characters.

[firza]

Zhern wrote:

I never understood the reason by limiting the amount of characters to just 6 (I know it is 7 now but it was 6 before). I think in all fairness it should have been one slot for each class. Yes it would use up space in the database, but not as much as you would think. If their concern was space for limiting the amount of character slots. Then why not purge the system of characters that have not been playing the game in 2 years. I have left the game several times to play other games. But I have come back several times also. If you’re gone over two years, you not coming back. Even if you did come back, most if not all returning players make new characters.

more chance of selling additional accounts?

[Wilde_Night]

This was asked at Fan Faire.  The response was that they'd love to give us more slots, but the choice isn't all up to them.  They need to convince the Station Launcher guys too, since they are the ones who would be adding more space per account.  Lots and lots of red tape.

[graewulf]

Aeviel@Venekor wrote:

This was asked at Fan Faire.  The response was that they'd love to give us more slots, but the choice isn't all up to them.  They need to convince the Station Launcher guys too, since they are the ones who would be adding more space per account.  Lots and lots of red tape.

[Wilde_Night]

Sorry the answer isn't what you wanted.  *shrugs* I have 2 accounts and station access and I wish I had more slots still as well.  But all we can do is keep asking.

[Zhern]

firza wrote:

Zhern wrote:

I never understood the reason by limiting the amount of characters to just 6 (I know it is 7 now but it was 6 before). I think in all fairness it should have been one slot for each class. Yes it would use up space in the database, but not as much as you would think. If their concern was space for limiting the amount of character slots. Then why not purge the system of characters that have not been playing the game in 2 years. I have left the game several times to play other games. But I have come back several times also. If you’re gone over two years, you not coming back. Even if you did come back, most if not all returning players make new characters.

more chance of selling additional accounts?

I think that is a flawed logic, but you could be correct. If I were at the helm, I would increase the slots to 12, only for people who subbed for a year. This would increase the likeliness of players subscribing for a year, I would.

 

Drop the cost for monthly rates to $9.99 per month for a year subscriptions ($120.00) plus the extra 5 slots, you would get a lot of returning players, new ones maybe.

[G-4]

How about doing something the new SC (Station Cash) system since as yet another way to milk the population.

I agree we should have more to begin with.... just thinking of alternatives that will make those in power see the dollar signs here.

With so many people just going out and buying a second copy of the game and a second account, or paying the extra money to get extra toons now. I can see why they are reluctant to "GIVE" us anything.

G-452

[Thunndar316]

They could give veteran rewards of additional character slots.  I have 3 level 80 toons, starting my 4th but I don't forsee having 6 anytime soon anyway.

[ElsaRat]

I'm seriously considering upgrading to station access for the extra character slots. I suppose I could also get an extra account, but I'd like all my toons to be able to share the same shared bank.

[Maisland]

As one who initially got a station access account because I was subscribed to SWG when I first started playing EQ2, I must say that I would be more inclined to:

a) Not allow my subscription to lapse for months on end ~and~

b) Buy the expansion packs.

If it didn't cost a double monthly fee for a measly 5 extra character slots.  I will never return to SWG, so the only Sony game I ever play now is EQ2... and I can't really justify the extra cost.  Unfortunatly, Sony is so stingy with the character slots that an alt-o-holic such as myself either needs two accounts or a station access account in order to have a reasonable number of slots.

I did some figuring and you would get more value out of your subscription fees if you have two accounts than you do if you have a station access account.  They don't even give a multiple month discount for a station access account... so if you have two accounts and buy multiple months at a time, your per month cost for two accounts is substantially lower with two accounts than it is with a station access account.  Not to mention that you would have 14 slots vs 12.

I do enjoy the game as a change of pace once in awhile, but not enough to pay around $30 a month to maintain my subscription.  Unfortunately, since more than 7 of my character slots on my station access account are in use, getting a non-station access subscription won't work for me.

[Wingrider01]

Timbletum@Oasis wrote:

Tallisman wrote:

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

The price of gigabytes is pretty good these days so we live in hope.

Pfft.. the price of Terrabytes are pretty good

I think all the alt-aholics would be delighted with an additional character slot. I'd even pay a nominal fee for a few more. though I'd prefer not to pay arecurring fee of 14.99 (the additional charge of Station Pass)

Do not confusing pricing of home class storage with that of enterprise class storage, try pricing a shelf for EMC, Netapps, IBM, HP, Sun class SAN storage with redunancy. The come back and say that again

[Gargamel]

If you have Station Access just for the extra EQ2 slots, you REALLY should check out Planetside.  Its the main reason I have station access is so I can hop in and get my MMOFPS fix when I need it.  Really great game.

[Gungo]

As stated in the database upgrade for nagafen. The number of active characters on a server directly effect the server stability.so currently there are no new plans to add additional characters.

ALTHOUGHThey are doing a massive database hardware and software upgrade that will change the software from 32bit to 64 bit and thus increase the memory bandwidth.

ADDITIONALLYI think we need to push for a character purge similar to the purges done during server merges during this database upgrade.This will eliminate redundant unused characters that only increase server instability.

If these 2 acts are done I do not see why they could not add an additional slot for the next expansion.

[revren]

Hey Hey

FFXI if i rember correctly use to charge a $1 or $1.50(a month) for each char after your first one. Granted you could have all our class on one char , and if you actully got the cap for crafting, and wanted to do it again , you should seek profetional help, but i figure Charging 1 more a month would actully make SoE a fair chunk of change. Would i rather see them to it for Free sure , do i expect to see it for free, no. 

Welcome Home

Rev

EDIT : they used to alos take your char, and put it on a back up server , if you lapsed on your payment more then 3 months. They made it seem like they where gonna delete , but a while back i got an email saying i should come back your char is waiting.  Maybe if they took all the char from the acounts that had not been paid for in say the last year on back up, and only retrived it after you started playing again they could clean up alot of the mess.

[Miss_Jackie]

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

Considering the fact that Sony makes their own hardware.. I don't see this as a problem.

[Barx]

Miss_Jackie wrote:

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

Considering the fact that Sony makes their own hardware.. I don't see this as a problem.

Er, what do you mean by 'makes their own hardware'?

[Kiara]

There are no plans to offer new character slots at this time.

There is a metric butt-ton of data associated with characters and would cause strain on our current servers.

It's been stated in the past that in the future, when more robust systems are put in place, that the issue can be revisited.  So for now, the short answer is:  No, we're very sorry.

[azraelteir]

Just curious... How does a Metric Butt-ton compare to a Imperial Butt-ton?  My conversion calculator keeps giving me an error... :p

[Rijacki]

Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Miss_Jackie wrote:

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

Considering the fact that Sony makes their own hardware.. I don't see this as a problem.

Er, what do you mean by 'makes their own hardware'?

She's under the mistaken notion that server hardware is the same as desktop PCs. Blades (Server comptuers) in a rack with several others like it are nothing like a consumer PCs, no matter who makes them (the Blade image is Supermicro.. each of those upright 'things' is a complete computer).

  VS 

[Barx]

Rijacki wrote:

Barx@Antonia Bayle wrote:

Miss_Jackie wrote:

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

Considering the fact that Sony makes their own hardware.. I don't see this as a problem.

Er, what do you mean by 'makes their own hardware'?

She's under the mistaken notion that server hardware is the same as desktop PCs. Blades (Server comptuers) in a rack with several others like it are nothing like a consumer PCs, no matter who makes them (the Blade image is Supermicro.. each of those upright 'things' is a complete computer).

  VS 

Yeah, that's what I was wondering. Just because Sony (which mind you is not SOE, not even the same business unit or whatever you'd like to call it. And I don't know that Sony even makes enterprise servers, if they do I haven't seen them.

[Arslan2000]

Kiara wrote:

There are no plans to offer new character slots at this time.

There is a metric butt-ton of data associated with characters and would cause strain on our current servers.

It's been stated in the past that in the future, when more robust systems are put in place, that the issue can be revisited.  So for now, the short answer is:  No, we're very sorry.

This I don't beleive.  Co* has 132 characters minimum per account, better customization, each of those 132 plus toons, (You can buy more slots and get more slots as vet rewards.) has access to more cosutume options, sliders, colors, and their own sg base and cross server AH.  Yet SOE can't add one more slot to their game.

This makes things easy for me though.  No new character slot, no new race, no new class, no reason to buy the expansion. 

I don't believe in Station Access, I feel it is a waste of money.  Of the stable of games there, only 3 hold any interest, and I don't play more than one game at a time.  (Caveat:  Should SOE ever get ahold of Auto Assault and put it in their Station Access, I sadly admit I would be all over that. There is no game like AA on the market right now, and I desperatly miss the game.)  If a new race or class got added with no slot, I would not be willing to delete my stable of lvl 50 crafters.  I have put far to much work and money in those toons to throw them away.   So that content is useless to me.  My highest adventurer is lvl 56 so the lvl 90 content is pointless as well. No, going over to the EU servers is kind of pointless as well.  I never liked the way they divided up the game.

So far, all I am reading indicates that the next expansion is about as useful as a zit on the nose for me.  The last two expansions have been pretty lackluster as well. 

[Wingrider01]

Miss_Jackie wrote:

Mirander@Unrest wrote:

SOE is evidently in the midst of upgrading their servers and databases and whatnot.  Currently, characters take up (to use a technical term) a s***load of space, making more character slots unlikely.  However, they said they'd reconsider it after the upgrading is done.

Considering the fact that Sony makes their own hardware.. I don't see this as a problem.

Sony does not make enterprise class hardware. Servers or SAN's

[Wingrider01]

Arslan2000 wrote:

Kiara wrote:

There are no plans to offer new character slots at this time.

There is a metric butt-ton of data associated with characters and would cause strain on our current servers.

It's been stated in the past that in the future, when more robust systems are put in place, that the issue can be revisited.  So for now, the short answer is:  No, we're very sorry.

This I don't beleive.  Co* has 132 characters minimum per account, better customization, each of those 132 plus toons, (You can buy more slots and get more slots as vet rewards.) has access to more cosutume options, sliders, colors, and their own sg base and cross server AH.  Yet SOE can't add one more slot to their game.

This makes things easy for me though.  No new character slot, no new race, no new class, no reason to buy the expansion. 

I don't believe in Station Access, I feel it is a waste of money.  Of the stable of games there, only 3 hold any interest, and I don't play more than one game at a time.  (Caveat:  Should SOE ever get ahold of Auto Assault and put it in their Station Access, I sadly admit I would be all over that. There is no game like AA on the market right now, and I desperatly miss the game.)  If a new race or class got added with no slot, I would not be willing to delete my stable of lvl 50 crafters.  I have put far to much work and money in those toons to throw them away.   So that content is useless to me.  My highest adventurer is lvl 56 so the lvl 90 content is pointless as well. No, going over to the EU servers is kind of pointless as well.  I never liked the way they divided up the game.

So far, all I am reading indicates that the next expansion is about as useful as a zit on the nose for me.  The last two expansions have been pretty lackluster as well. 

Expansion purchase is option, so if you don't feel it is worth it, don't get it. Just remember you will be left behind on the level increase and AA amount increase since these are functions of the expansion purchase only. Don;t recall if Halas is going to be expansion based of GU based also, might have been mentioned as part of GU54/ If your highest character is 56, then the expansion is probalby not required for you so an immediate savings of 40.00 US before taxes

[Guy De Alsace]

Wouldnt mind free account transfers for x number of toons just to enable a reshuffle if no more slots are coming. I have 5 80's on one account and one 80 on the other. Would love to put 3 on each but the cost atm is prohibitive.