A much-needed apology

On behalf of the community at large, I'd like to apologize for the behavior we've shown here, on Reddit, and in game. In less than a week these overworked devs have launched the server, worked all night to fix a set of unexpected game-breaking bugs, installed a login queue for the first time in the game's history due to unheard-of demand, wrestled with and, as of tomorrow morning, addressed zone crowding issues with an also first-time-ever /pickzone installation across new zones, and addressed server-crowding issues with the announcement of a second server less than two weeks after Ragefire's launch.

Yet the vast and overwhelming number of new threads, posts, and comments with respect to the company's personnel have been complaints, demands, accusations, and outright insults the likes of which are utterly embarrassing. Never mind that the devs have consistently delivered on our demands, no matter how rudely we've gone about making them. We demanded a queue, and we got a queue. We demanded a second server: second server's on its way. We demanded a fix for zone crowding. You got it. This team has bent over backwards trying to accommodate us. The only demands they haven't met are demands to ban boxing--something that is absolutely impossible to enforce, a fact that is plainly obvious to anyone who reads the news--and demands to open Kunark two weeks into the server's lifespan--something we voted against very recently, as I recall.

Now I know some of us don't appreciate that it actually would have been really easy for DBG to just do nothing, let some people quit, and then most of these problems would have taken care of themselves (and DBG would still laugh all the way to the bank), but instead we've got a skeleton crew (by MMO standards) that is working all day and all night to make us happy.

So I might be out of line speaking for everybody, but I'm going to do it anyway: We're sorry.

Windstalker, Roshen, everybody, thanks for the hard work. You guys are actually doing awesome. A lot of us are really, really grateful for that, and we're very happy with the results. We hope your bosses are too. I know some of you have the thankless job of actually poring over some of the vitriol here, so I know you've already got some thick skin, but please don't ever think that represents the people you're serving.

100% Agree with you. DBG has done nothing but impress me the past week.

You can't apologize for the community. Especially when most of them don't share this sentiment.

Also 100% agree. You can share Xhieron's sentiments or not, but that doesn't have any bearing on the objective fact that these devs have gone above and beyond reasonable expectations despite the adolescently awkward displays of frustration on the forums and twitter.

Windstalker has done an exceptional job of communicating and the entire team should be proud of the fact that even though this has been far from the smoothest launch, they have handled the problems that have arisen as well as or better than any team I have seen given the set of circumstances. Kudos.

Actually there is no game information in this forum at all, its just crying and whining.
Is there a resource/site for this server with just game information ?

+6 - from me and my 5 boxes!

100% Agree with OP.
Also, don't forget about Absor on launch day.

Thanks DBG. I have been enjoying the server, even if it does take me an hour to log in.

I worked in customer service for years, so I've been on the receiving end of the type of hate the devs have been getting this week. I have nothing but respect for all of the DB team and how they have handled everything thus far. Kudos to you all. Unfortunately you will never be able to make everyone happy, but you guys are doing a great job of trying to do what is best in this situation.

News and accouncements section or the stickied posts in the top of this section. Then there is also the various twitter accounts from the devs or customer service teams as well as the official Facebook page.

I agree with OP as well. Thanks for listening to the community, and all of your diligent efforts. There are many of us that have been watching all of this in utter disbelief at the way these "adults" have been conducting themselves. I'm very pleased with what you guys have been doing. Keep it up!

There has been much effort put into the new server. And I agree they deserve some high-fives.
But taking it upon yourself to apologize for others just comes across wrong.

Excellent name, if you use it in game I hope Everyone is your surname.

So DBG announces they're going to release ragefire with the rule set voted upon by the players. The number of accounts activated should have been an obvious indication that problems such as maximum capacity and zone over crowding was going to be a huge problem.

I find it very hard to believe anyone could see it any other way. EQ has not been popular in a long, long time and suddenly it blows up.

Im sure they underestimated the amount of people that would be interested in ragefire, but when they got the numbers back they should have realized they're going to need a second server. And I know they're going to release a new server "soon" but they arent going to allow any form of server transfers at first. Listen to the people DBG, give us what we want. Do a poll if you have to. But i think i can speak for most people on ragefire when i say this, we want a new server with free transfers available.

We want to play the game now, not 3+ hours after we get home from work, now! Allowing free character transfers isn't going to ruin how the server progresses. I feel like your forgetting that kunark is locked out for 6 months. And people have already got lvl 45+ in the first week, hell I heard rumors of people doing it in 2 days ! If anything [Unmentioned 3rd Party Software] is going to ruin the way the server progresses.

I have been very outspoken on the atrocity that has been the decision making process... and I stand by that 100%
However,
The reactive abilities they have shown are very impressive.
The problem with this is they should of been proactive and a great many of these mistakes and miscues could of been avoided from day one.

When a company is 100% reactive in their decision making... its a bad situation for all.

I certainly don't apologize, I think this was handled in a sloppy way. I think they could've seen this better. The actual team working on this isn't to blame, presumably they have their marching orders from corporate, and one of those marches orders is having a skeleton team too small to actually do a better job.

To the devs who read these forums, I apologize, but to whoever your boss is? Well mr. boss I disagree with the choices you've made.

I agree is Namad, it seems like everything you guys do, doesn't help the problem. Its like you guys are beating around the bush and avoiding the problem. Then when you think you have the solution we have to wait even longer. We're tired of waiting =/

to top things off the queue is broken. I sat in queue for 4 hours... decided to relog my 2 accounts, 1 got in after 5 mins and the other didnt, logged them in at the same time. GG DBG.

this particular post is a thank you to the devs, who deserve some good news from the server population, if you want to post a complaint, please go find the appropriate thread.

Thank you Devs for all you have done!!!!

Glad this post was made. Certainly not going to claim everything was handled perfectly, BUT...
I have played many other MMO's where there is little to no communication from the staff. Worse yet, many other games don't even seem to attempt to address the complaints of their playerbase, but instead push out more sales in attempt to make more money.

Very happy with all the extra effort in communicating and seeking resolution to the issues! Keep up the good work

The forums here are much, much worse than what I have been seeing on P99 forums for years.

However, part of that is understandable, because while the rest of EQ is available (and awesome), a lot of people did pay just for the TLP. Whereas, complaints about "hey p99 sucks!" don't get very far because the response is always "so? it's completely free"

I don't recall asking Xhieron to speak on my behalf and I am part of the community at large. Most of the issues discussed in this forum I care little about but the only reason I resubbed to EQ after so many years was to try Ragefire. It would be nice to be able to access the server I paid to access; I didn't pay the sit in a queue waiting to play.