Feldon Rothgar has been working closely with the Database folks trying to solve the Server Performance Issues, specifically Server-side Lag, and extremely long Zoning times which have become a major problem facing EQ2 since Game Update 55, the Sentinel’s Fate expansion, and the introduction of Battlegrounds. These Database and Server Lag issues have been so disruptive, that they have largely drowned out discussion on other issues facing EQ2.
Fortunately, Rothgar brings us an update on the situation regarding some long-needed caching being added to how character data is transmitted and stored:
Right now we are addressing the database-related issues and then we will be moving on to the game server performance issues that you’re speaking of.
We have several very positive changes in the works to improving database performance. Today’s hotfix contained a small change that should help and we have several other changes going onto the Test Server. One of the changes I’m most excited about is something that Zoltaroth just finished working on. Character data will no longer need to be loaded from the database when you move between zones. This should cut out a lot of traffic from the database and even make zoning a little faster. If we ever experience a problem with the database like we’ve had in the past, this new caching scheme should keep the database issues from affecting your zoning times.
If this round of changes makes the impact we are hoping for, we will move on to other types of performance issues.
Lag since GU55 ? How about lag since GU53 … I point to this old post with nearly 30 pages of problems and dozens of red name responses including Rothgars … and a couple from our wonderful host Feldon …
http://forums.station.sony.com/eq2/posts/list.m?topic_id=459319
His quote from above “Today’s hotfix contained a small change that should help” is so nearly exactly what he was feeding us back then that it made we wonder if I had been asleep for 8 weeks and woke back up. Don’t worry about them fixing this … they are going to do the same thing they did then … hope everyone sets their graphics a step back, buy new gear and stop complaining after they give us a little lip service. I have more confidance in the thought that they are actively making more gear for the Station Marketplace and cards for LoN then that they are actually working on a real fix.
@1: Server lag is entirely different from graphical, client side lag.
Anyway, I hope this change going on Test works as truly intended. It would cut back zone times by a ridiculous amount.