Midnight Pacific time should be just about the time of the day with the least amount of players logging in during the first couple hours, so I'm not sure what this thread is about to be honest.
Obviously some people will stay up in the Americas and some will set their alarm clock early in Europe, but it would be worse at pretty much every other hour of the 24 they could pick.
No matter what time they releases it will be plenty of overtime for all tech people and programmers. So I don´t really see what it matters, people will work around the clock the first 2 weeks no matter what time the release is.
It's a dumb time, but it seems that Arenanet needs to feel they are the center of the universe. Midnight Eastern time would have been better for the largest percentage of players in US and EU time zones. It would have put the 1AM to 5AM start times out over the Atlantic Ocean, Giving all of the EU dawn time or later starts and all of the NA time zones no later than a 1AM start. Fine for Oceana as well.
On the plus side, it's a true 3 day head start, not 2 1/2 days like most games pull, but the entire eastern half of the US/Canada and most of South America are completely screwed. (I'm going to make an educated guess that we are talking about 30% of all the pre-purchase customers of the game will be in a time zone where the start time will be between 2AM and 4AM local time).
I think the Arenanet tech and CSR staff would probably prefer a 9PM PST start time as well, as the first few hours are typically the roughest.
Actually it's great for EU. It's 9 am Saturday morning for most of Europe, meaning we can sit down after a good nigth sleep on weekend and create our characters while eating breakfast. Much prefer it over evening time, since then I would have less time over weekend to play around with.
Same tme, midnight release for games never really stopped anyone from playing. People who really care about being "first" are capable of staying up all night if that's what they want. They will camp pout at shop for hours before the launch for singleplayer games.
To be perfectly honest, does not being able to play for first 6-8 hours really sets you back all that much? I mean, you will make up for that time at evening while we, EU people, go to bed. You aren't loosing anything.
ANet will probably be doing the same thing I will: sleep when I usually don't so I can be up all night . Could the servers be down all day? Sure but oh well it's launch.
It's a great time really. For one, Europeans get a nice morning prime time. For those in the states it wittles down who will be on and if there are problems players will just go to bed figuring it will be better in the morning.
Of course it's a good time. They said they'd go live on the 25th for the pre-purchase, and that's exactly what they're doing, right down to the very first minute in their time zone. There will be full staff available or course, these guys aren't amateurs. It may not be prime time here on the east coast of the U.S., but like the legendary Asura Alan and Jimmy say, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere.
-Leans back on the chair, stretches his arms back, makes a big grin, and holds the back of his head -
Absolutely! We have a nice 5pm Saturday start, kind of makes up for all the down time and maintenance we will get at prime time almost every evening during the initial launch.
For me, better sooner than later. I prefer midnight PST over noon PST on the same day. I would think they will have more than enough staff on hand for launch. You don't work on a large project this long just to have a skeleton crew at launch.
Cheers!
MMO Vet since AOL Neverwinter Nights circa 1992. My MMO beat up your MMO. =S
Originally posted by VaultarAhhh its gooooood to be living in Australia...-Leans back on the chair, stretches his arms back, makes a big grin, and holds the back of his head -
Absolutely! We have a nice 5pm Saturday start, kind of makes up for all the down time and maintenance we will get at prime time almost every evening during the initial launch.
Expect very little downtime as ANet doesn't need to take down the servers in order to patch the game.
They have patented technology allowing them to stream updates to the servers. Link.
If I had to make a wager, Anet'll be fine. GW1 was easily in my top five for 'smooth launch'. Betas gave no reason to doubt; their server stability has always been excellent, even under heavy loads.
If I had to make a cynical headline, it'd be "GW2 opens ten minutes too late to save a lot of fans from having strokes because it was ten minutes late".
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
It's a dumb time, but it seems that Arenanet needs to feel they are the center of the universe. Midnight Eastern time would have been better for the largest percentage of players in US and EU time zones. It would have put the 1AM to 5AM start times out over the Atlantic Ocean, Giving all of the EU dawn time or later starts and all of the NA time zones no later than a 1AM start. Fine for Oceana as well.
On the plus side, it's a true 3 day head start, not 2 1/2 days like most games pull, but the entire eastern half of the US/Canada and most of South America are completely screwed. (I'm going to make an educated guess that we are talking about 30% of all the pre-purchase customers of the game will be in a time zone where the start time will be between 2AM and 4AM local time).
I think the Arenanet tech and CSR staff would probably prefer a 9PM PST start time as well, as the first few hours are typically the roughest.
Actually it's great for EU. It's 9 am Saturday morning for most of Europe, meaning we can sit down after a good nigth sleep on weekend and create our characters while eating breakfast. Much prefer it over evening time, since then I would have less time over weekend to play around with.
Same tme, midnight release for games never really stopped anyone from playing. People who really care about being "first" are capable of staying up all night if that's what they want. They will camp pout at shop for hours before the launch for singleplayer games.
To be perfectly honest, does not being able to play for first 6-8 hours really sets you back all that much? I mean, you will make up for that time at evening while we, EU people, go to bed. You aren't loosing anything.
^^ I really like this start, even though I need to wake up at 2am to make sure im ready for the start. Anet catering to EU and those Aussies = kudos that someone finally stepped up and did that! Not only that, but ill be able to make the most of the 2 or 3 sick days ill be using during the weekend :P
As has become recently known, GW2 headstart will be taking off at midnight pacific time. A very unusual time for a release imo. Not because of the schedule of the players - No matter what time of day that is chosen, there will be some locations in the world that it appeals to and not others. No it seems risky because it leaves little room for error from a technical/support standpoint.
Is perfect timing for Europeans players like myself.....at 9.00 in the morning^^
Don´t forget biggest GW community was European by far... and Gamescom in Germany their fetich gaming show....
so looks more like an European release to me LOL
The good thing is ANYWAY, that we are getting the game the 25Th Worldwide at the same time^^
Comments
Midnight Pacific time should be just about the time of the day with the least amount of players logging in during the first couple hours, so I'm not sure what this thread is about to be honest.
Obviously some people will stay up in the Americas and some will set their alarm clock early in Europe, but it would be worse at pretty much every other hour of the 24 they could pick.
hey dont forget about us asians here, we always got around midnight time every bwe
fully agree
EQ2 fan sites
Actually it's great for EU. It's 9 am Saturday morning for most of Europe, meaning we can sit down after a good nigth sleep on weekend and create our characters while eating breakfast. Much prefer it over evening time, since then I would have less time over weekend to play around with.
Same tme, midnight release for games never really stopped anyone from playing. People who really care about being "first" are capable of staying up all night if that's what they want. They will camp pout at shop for hours before the launch for singleplayer games.
To be perfectly honest, does not being able to play for first 6-8 hours really sets you back all that much? I mean, you will make up for that time at evening while we, EU people, go to bed. You aren't loosing anything.
It's a great time really. For one, Europeans get a nice morning prime time. For those in the states it wittles down who will be on and if there are problems players will just go to bed figuring it will be better in the morning.
Of course it's a good time. They said they'd go live on the 25th for the pre-purchase, and that's exactly what they're doing, right down to the very first minute in their time zone. There will be full staff available or course, these guys aren't amateurs. It may not be prime time here on the east coast of the U.S., but like the legendary Asura Alan and Jimmy say, It's Five O'Clock Somewhere.
Oderint, dum metuant.
Ahhh its gooooood to be living in Australia...
-Leans back on the chair, stretches his arms back, makes a big grin, and holds the back of his head -
Looking forward to EQL and EQN.
Absolutely! We have a nice 5pm Saturday start, kind of makes up for all the down time and maintenance we will get at prime time almost every evening during the initial launch.
For me, better sooner than later. I prefer midnight PST over noon PST on the same day. I would think they will have more than enough staff on hand for launch. You don't work on a large project this long just to have a skeleton crew at launch.
Cheers!
MMO Vet since AOL Neverwinter Nights circa 1992. My MMO beat up your MMO. =S
Bout time you guys had a release that worked out for you.
Also, you're jerks. But I will be going to bed early the day before so I can be up at 3am. Because, of course, I have no life.
Expect very little downtime as ANet doesn't need to take down the servers in order to patch the game.
They have patented technology allowing them to stream updates to the servers.
Link.
If I had to make a wager, Anet'll be fine. GW1 was easily in my top five for 'smooth launch'. Betas gave no reason to doubt; their server stability has always been excellent, even under heavy loads.
If I had to make a cynical headline, it'd be "GW2 opens ten minutes too late to save a lot of fans from having strokes because it was ten minutes late".
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
^^ I really like this start, even though I need to wake up at 2am to make sure im ready for the start. Anet catering to EU and those Aussies = kudos that someone finally stepped up and did that! Not only that, but ill be able to make the most of the 2 or 3 sick days ill be using during the weekend :P
Is perfect timing for Europeans players like myself.....at 9.00 in the morning^^
Don´t forget biggest GW community was European by far... and Gamescom in Germany their fetich gaming show....
so looks more like an European release to me LOL
The good thing is ANYWAY, that we are getting the game the 25Th Worldwide at the same time^^
The Guild Wars 2 Website Clock right NOW says 23 days 1 hour 51 min 25 sec That is 12pm EST
Anet is located in Seattle right?
Midnight Pacific makes sense... as 12:00 AM is the beginning of August 25th....
Yeah but there is no proof would be awsome if it was mignight thou so when i woke up i could play it.