Author Topic: Lagging the server through bad inventory management (Read 2391 times)

Honora · « **Reply #40 on:** August 21, 2006, 08:37:29 am »

I can say that if such a bank existed, especially in the craft halls, I'd use it. Absolutely. And I'd gladly pay to do so.

Dorganath · « **Reply #41 on:** August 21, 2006, 08:50:46 am »

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Faldred - 8/21/2006 10:34 AM The flip side of this, though, is that perhaps there should be (eventually) some in-game assistance for inventory management that the players can use to save crafting items -- especially hard-to-acquire items -- so that they will be later available without clogging up the charatcer's inventory and causing the associated lag issues.

If I might suggest, the difficulty of obtaining some types of CNR is related to where the character should be in both character and crafting levels, and so if one does go to get some hard-to-get CNR that one cannot use yet, one might consider that perhaps they should wait rather than lugging said CNR around in their inventory, etc. A beginning weapon-crafter, for example, really has no business accumulating Platinum for sometime down the road. Get it when you can use it.
The rest of your post (regarding the crafting bank) is well-considered....and while not perfect does show some good thoughts. The cynical part of me, however, does think that people will fill up their crafting banks and continue to lament about inventory space for CNR. Even so, it is something we could consider for V3.

osxmallard · « **Reply #42 on:** August 21, 2006, 09:13:00 am »

The CNR bank sounds like a nice idea.

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A beginning weapon-crafter, for example, really has no business accumulating Platinum for sometime down the road.

Hehe, a weapons crafter NEVER needs platinum.

*goes to hide from Dorg's wrath*

Faldred · « **Reply #43 on:** August 21, 2006, 09:13:17 am »

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Dorganath - 8/21/2006 11:50 AM
If I might suggest, the difficulty of obtaining some types of CNR is related to where the character should be in both character and crafting levels, and so if one does go to get some hard-to-get CNR that one cannot use yet, one might consider that perhaps they should wait rather than lugging said CNR around in their inventory, etc. A beginning weapon-crafter, for example, really has no business accumulating Platinum for sometime down the road. Get it when you can use it.

There is that. I was thinking as much about geographical disparity as actual difficulty -- it may require two or three separate excursions to gather all of the key materials necessary for a particular item.

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The cynical part of me, however, does think that people will fill up their crafting banks and continue to lament about inventory space for CNR.

The only problem with being a cynic is how often people make you look like a prophet.

Pack-rats will be pack-rats, but even then, sonething like this should help a little.

Dorganath · « **Reply #44 on:** August 21, 2006, 09:17:30 am »

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osxmallard - 8/21/2006 11:13 AM The CNR bank sounds like a nice idea.
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A beginning weapon-crafter, for example, really has no business accumulating Platinum for sometime down the road.
Hehe, a weapons crafter NEVER needs platinum. *goes to hide from Dorg's wrath*

Even more of a reason to not amass platinum. :p
But um...substitute "weapon" for "armor" and we're all set.

Zen · « **Reply #45 on:** August 21, 2006, 11:55:31 am »

First if this is dumb (ie. caues more lag) please disreguard.
*note all times in RL time*

Can you scrpt the loss of "raw and unproccessed" CNR to dissapear from inventory after lets say 24 hours of being logged off? And start a progression from there.

Then first step proccessing goes "poof" after lets say 7 days (168hrs) This includes say all "cut gems - oils & acids created and used in processing - essences - parts used for processing (ie. sandpaper, sawdust, wire, springs & pullies for compound bows or traps, etc.)

Second step goes buy-buy in 30 days (720hrs)

If there are third step items 90 days (2,160hrs)

Finished products will stay forever.

*note* an enchantment used on another item is not a finished item. ALSO CNR with an extreme danger to collect to collect will be exempt, Diamonds and Emeralds (come to mind)

I hope these are good and easy ideas to implament *shrugs*
Zen

Vyris · « **Reply #46 on:** August 21, 2006, 10:23:36 pm »

Well, personaly...

If CNR didn't save with you when you logged out you could work around any problems by....

A) Giving mages a componant belt. or belt pouch that they could save a dozen charges of whatever componants they wanted on hand.
Also on that note, find me a mage who doesn't take the feat to be able to cast without componants as soon as it's available. Gathering spell componants is a collossal pain in the butt.

b) Chests would still save things, stockpile the harder to get things in chests. Opening up a warehouse that supplied rentable chests like whats available in the banks would be another money sink for Layonara.

c)It might even curb some of the "I craft because I have nothing better to do" mindset, make items rarer, and more valuable. Yet another money sink. Not a sink per se, but an impetus to move money in the economy around.

All I'm saying is if it's something someone really values than it's probably not that big of a deal for them to put it in a chest before they log off.

Vyris

Gulnyr · « **Reply #47 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:01:52 am »

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Vyris - 8/22/2006 1:23 AM

If CNR didn't save with you when you logged out you could work around any problems by....

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All I'm saying is if it's something someone really values than it's probably not that big of a deal for them to put it in a chest before they log off.

Fair enough, but none of your solutions accounts for real life interruptions or hopping servers (except perhaps the spell component pouch, depending on just exactly how it works, and then, apparently, only for casters). In either case, you will be logging out and losing what you have gathered.

If a player has responsibilities that only allow play for short, irregular periods, that player should not be denied the chance to craft simply because the server constantly removes their CNR before they can use it. There are plenty of times real life won't wait for you to find a crate to stash things in.

In some cases, certain CNR is easier to gather on one server than another, or can only be found on one server. Dorganath mentioned CNR only found on East, where there are no craft halls. Changing servers is logging out, so how would anyone ever bring CNR from East to a craft hall for use?

Faldred · « **Reply #48 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:13:34 am »

A couple of additions/clarifications to the "crafting bank" idea:

Vyris · « **Reply #49 on:** August 22, 2006, 08:00:12 am »

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Gulnyr - 8/22/2006 6:01 AM

In some cases, certain CNR is easier to gather on one server than another, or can only be found on one server. Dorganath mentioned CNR only found on East, where there are no craft halls. Changing servers is logging out, so how would anyone ever bring CNR from East to a craft hall for use?

Bank chests.

Vyris

Pibemanden · « **Reply #50 on:** August 22, 2006, 08:02:45 am »

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Vyris - 8/22/2006 5:00 PM

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Gulnyr - 8/22/2006 6:01 AM

In some cases, certain CNR is easier to gather on one server than another, or can only be found on one server. Dorganath mentioned CNR only found on East, where there are no craft halls. Changing servers is logging out, so how would anyone ever bring CNR from East to a craft hall for use?

Bank chests.

Vyris

Bank chests doesn't transfer between servers...

Faldred · « **Reply #51 on:** August 22, 2006, 09:39:10 am »

Ok, maybe this is just evil... but how about having raw CNR disappear from inventory upon being sent to your bindstone?

Yosemite Sam · « **Reply #52 on:** August 22, 2006, 09:40:59 am »

Hmmm. The question is, do Oxen work like the bank vaults only mobile? They CAN travel between servers. If they do, then a special component box could be created that works similarly, drop it on the ground and use it or a key on it to open the storage area, which can only hold CNR and spell components. Oh, give it a maximum weight it can carry, to keep it from being used to transport raw ore, or just prevent raw metal, wood, sand, or gemstones from being stuffed in it.

As far as eschew materials, not every caster takes it. Perago never did, he just walked around with a lion bag full of arabic gum.

Xandor Loriland · « **Reply #53 on:** August 22, 2006, 12:50:51 pm »

I don't like the idea of things automatically disappearing from inventory at all. There are too many opportunities for it to be missunderstood and for people to lose things that would then result in grievances and more work for the team. The idea of having rentable storage for those that haven't reached the point of having a house and permanent storage options sounds like a good idea. The other problem with the idea of CNR automatically being taken out of inventory is that some people like to keep things in their inventory and should be allowed to. If I have a mineral emerald and haven't decided what to do with it yet I may want to keep it in my inventory. This one item wouldn't cause lag and maybe a player wouldn't trust storage for something really valuable that could get lost in a crash. I am not saying that I would do this but I can see that some might and I don't see a compelling reason to make a system that affects everyone adversely do to the behavior of a few. Better to identify offenders and let them know who they are and ask them to reduce inventory than to penalize everyone on the world. This seems similar to the idea of changing spells because of how a few use them. The change affects everyone when the desire is really to change the behavior of a few. My two cents.

Fatherchaos · « **Reply #54 on:** August 22, 2006, 01:25:17 pm »

Its rather amusing, but I know I've been suspect of the too much junk and too few cougar bags for a while now. So, after reading this post in its earliest form, I decided to spend an hour giving my inventory a clean sweep and reorganization last week. I'm not one to usually post on such things, but all the same, for those on the fence mabey my experience might tip you over. Not only did I end up gaining a level in alchemy, tailoring, and nearly another in gem crafting, but I went from having nearly 0lbs left to carry to freeing up 40lbs in my inventory.

Now, as my char can currently only carry 173lbs without encumbrance, that 40lbs means a lot

Just figured it might show that not only can a clean inventory benefit other players, but it you feel like a walking u-haul, a little spring cleaning may surprise you

jrizz · « **Reply #55 on:** August 22, 2006, 01:48:25 pm »

Well said Fatherchaos. We need to take care of this in the player base. Because any technical solution is going to be very bad for everyone

Stephen_Zuckerman · « **Reply #56 on:** August 22, 2006, 05:50:20 pm »

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Fatherchaos - 8/22/2006 4:25 PM

Not only did I end up gaining a level in alchemy, tailoring, and nearly another in gem crafting, but I went from having nearly 0lbs left to carry to freeing up 40lbs in my inventory.

Astonishing what spending an hour's focused work to get those final pieces to the recipies you've been working on for a month or so can clear out.

As for all of these ideas about tearing CNR from one's inventory... Come on. The number of grievance posts would skyrocket from people crashing, or an unexpected monster coming along to kill them in a spot of heavy lag... Or the server crashing. Crafting would instantly become a LOT harder - inordinately so, especially for alchaemists, food crafters, and others who have to gather a WIDE variety of CNR to make even the simplest of items.

The solution here is in better management by the playerbase. I'm actually astonished that noone's rented thier place out as a storage warehouse, yet...

twidget658 · « **Reply #57 on:** November 24, 2006, 09:13:53 pm »

This is still happening...a lot. This has almost gotten to the point of griefing. When someone logs on and the server lags for several seconds, characters can be killed and lose soul strands. And yes, in some cases, their character all together from permadeath. Please, have consideration for the player base and manage your inventory.

osxmallard · « **Reply #58 on:** November 24, 2006, 10:14:46 pm »

This isn't all bad inventory management. This has happened since 1.68. Every character lags the server, granted people with huge inventories lag it a bit more... but still, there is always a noticable pause on all logins.

Talan Va'lash · « **Reply #59 on:** November 24, 2006, 11:02:45 pm »

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twidget658 - 11/24/2006 10:13 PM

This is still happening...a lot. This has almost gotten to the point of griefing. When someone logs on and the server lags for several seconds, characters can be killed and lose soul strands. And yes, in some cases, their character all together from permadeath. Please, have consideration for the player base and manage your inventory.

"Griefing is the act of intentionally causing another player emotional harm by a verbal assault. It is also the act of intentionally causing players to not be able to have fun in the world (following them and being a nuisance, blocking doorways, pick pocketing/stealing, kill stealing when asked not to, camping when asked to leave an area, being rude and obnoxious etc.)" - http://nwn.layonara.com/Player%20Rules

Regardless of whether this is annoying it is not griefing. Griefing is an action targeted at a player or group of players to intentionally cause them harm.

Large lag spikes on log in are also exacerbated by whatever else is going on on the server at the time of the login. If you're running a high VFX battle with a lot of enemies thats going to make any additional things the server is trying to do (like logging people on) take longer.

On east in particular lately I've noticed large lag spikes on player login at times even for players that don't have huge numbers of items in their inventory.