NFS World - introducing "Server Shards"

[Hydro_PT]

A new feature is coming to Need For Speed: World tomorrow, which is called "Server Shards". To put it simple, shards are new servers that will be used to run the game, but the catch is that you cannot transfer your driver from one shard to another. Meaning, if you create a player in the "European 1" server, for instance, you won't be able to login in the "European 2" server with the same driver. You will have to create a new one from scratch just to login in that server. This includes having to buy all cars and parts, a new friend list, level up again, etc. Basically, it is a new driver, but only available in that server.

Up until now, every player could login to either the North American or European server without losing any progress.

If you are interested in all the details, read the quote below, which comes from World's website.

After tomorrow's patch you're going to notice a new option on the Need for Speed World Launcher / Patcher, "Select Shard".

Shards are essentially new servers that we're going to start deploying for World in the coming weeks and months. Each Shard contains its own available set of Driver slots. Drivers created on one Shard are not available for use on another Shard.

What does the "Select Shard" option do?
It allows players to switch between different servers (Shards) and Regions. These Shards may contain multiple Regions and are displayed in a (Shard) – (Region) format. For example, after tomorrow's patch the options will be "Apex - NA" and "Apex - EU".

Please note that existing Players (accounts created prior to multiple shard support) will be located on the APEX shard. Players created after multiple shard support will be located on the Shard they were created on.

What is multiple shard support?
It's when there will be more than one Shard deployed for NFS World. After tomorrow's patch there will only be the "Apex" but the team is planning on deploying more shards in the coming weeks / months.

Will this affect my login information at all?
Your Login information remains the same for all Shards/Regions.

If my account is on the Apex shard will I be able to play on the new shards when they are deployed?
Players will be able to log into new shards and will need to create a new Driver to play. Drivers only exist on a specific shard; Drivers created before multiple shard support will be on the Apex shard.

What about my Friends List?
Your Friends List will also specific to each Shard. Only Drivers located on the same Shard can be added.

What about my Performance / Visual parts, Skill Mods and in-game cash?
Your Drivers’ inventories will also be specific to a shard. For example, if your Driver is on the Apex shard, your parts will only exist on the Apex shard. If you log onto a new shard you will need to create a new, unique driver.

What about my SpeedBoost & Gifts?
Any SpeedBoost balance & unclaimed gifts are available on any Shards/Regions.

Will I lose anything if I log into a different shard?
No, if you log into a new shard you'll essentially have to create a new driver for that shard.

So what do the Regions do now?
Regions determine only who is visible in Free Roam and who they are matched with for Multiplayer/Race Now events. This restriction only applies to normal matchmaking. Private Events can include players from any Region (within the same Shard).

Can I play against players on different shards?
Players cannot see/match make with players on different Shards, even when the Region selected is the same.

If you have any questions about Shards you can get answers by asking @NFSWorld on Twitter, posting on the NFS World Facebook page or join the discussion on the Forums.

[Hydro_PT]

This is probably the dumbest thing I've heard from EA in the last couple of years. And that's saying a lot! I had to read the damn thing about 3 times until I understood what was this about. I even looked up the word "shard" in a dictionary, as I didn't have a clue what it meant.

The game is called "World". Aren't we supposed to be all in a global server, so to say? There are two servers already, which cause some division, but I reckon that's a must be because a single server could not handle the traffic. Still, there is as much lag in World now as there was in the beta days. Even the traffic goes nuts now, 2 years later. I guess this is EA's way to reduce the lag.

Now they want to split players into different servers, and if you want to play with your friends who are in another server, you are forced to start a driver from scratch, including a friend list. I mean... WTF? And of course, I'm sure that you will be able to switch shards without losing your driver progress if you spend a certain amount of Speedboost. Isn't that great?

There are players who have been saying this for ages now, but I do believe World's time is coming to an end. It is being run by such a small team of idiots that it won't last long. When EA starts losing money, they will shut down everything, that's for sure. Damn, this game had so much potential... the only hope is Criterion to go check what the hell Marc and Drew are doing, and do one of two things: put a new team in place or fire them and shut down World.

[GT3x24x7]

Wow. Just.. wow.

[Bojan]

It is possible that the current servers have reached a limit of concurrent users and that's why they're opening new ones.
It's the same thing on SW TOR basically; when you create a character you pick a server from the list. After that you're fixed to that server - there's no transfers to other servers and you can only communicate with people from the same server.

[GT3x24x7]

I have no doubt that's the reason behind it, but it still sucks. They're basically splitting one big game into two smaller ones with roughly half the people in each.







Edit: 6000th post..

[Bojan]

So yea, the new servers are coming in because the current ones have so many registered players.
Existing accounts will not be moved automatically to a new server.
When you register a new account, you'll be able to pick which server you'll be on.
For our leaderboards, you'll have to pick which server you're on as we'll have to load data from different speedAPIs.

[GT3x24x7]

blablablablabla..

..we'll have to load data from different speedAPIs.

.. but the data from both will still be combined and presented on one set of leaderboards.. right??

[RedCarDriver]

I quit NFS World probably over six months ago, but the chances that I would try it again just decreased to about one-thousandth what they were before. "Hey look, everything you had earned before is basically useless now unless you play on this one server all the time. Buy more Boost and make a new profile!" On the other hand, it might mean that the new shards are a bit more balanced... that is, until players start dumping boatloads of Boost into their profiles in the new shards.

I just started playing TDU2, so that game will take up the time that could possibly have gone to World if I decided to play again. I'm not hating on World here - just saying this doesn't make me any more likely to play it than I was before.

[ianism]

The game is called "World". Aren't we supposed to be all in a global server, so to say? There are two servers already, which cause some division, but I reckon that's a must be because a single server could not handle the traffic.

Now they want to split players into different servers, and if you want to play with your friends who are in another server, you are forced to start a driver from scratch, including a friend list. I mean... WTF? And of course, I'm sure that you will be able to switch shards without losing your driver progress if you spend a certain amount of Speedboost. Isn't that great?

everyone is still on the same server. just the new players (and new profiles existing players make) will go on the new shards. and there is only 1 shard for the next month. ie the first new shard/server doesn't come in until around 2nd anniversary. and it's not that divided now. you can play with someone on the EU server if you're on the NA server. it's not a big deal guys.

[djkr2008]

Well here we are 7hrs into a 3 hr window of coarse which is not unusual for EA or any other player who "Would Like To Play"!
But the worst part is the main world page says the servers are up and running, the launcher says nope. WTF EA get it right please.

[Bojan]

blablablablabla..

..we'll have to load data from different speedAPIs.

.. but the data from both will still be combined and presented on one set of leaderboards.. right??

Of course.

[Hydro_PT]

everyone is still on the same server. just the new players (and new profiles existing players make) will go on the new shards. and there is only 1 shard for the next month. ie the first new shard/server doesn't come in until around 2nd anniversary. and it's not that divided now. you can play with someone on the EU server if you're on the NA server. it's not a big deal guys.

Sorry but that's not right. Read what EA wrote again: "Please note that existing Players (accounts created prior to multiple shard support) will be located on the APEX shard. Players created after multiple shard support will be located on the Shard they were created on."

So, if I have selected the APEX - EU shard, which I will since I live in Europe, it means that if I try to login to the APEX - NA shard, or any other shard created until then, I will have to create a new driver to play there.

"Players will be able to log into new shards and will need to create a new Driver to play. Drivers only exist on a specific shard; Drivers created before multiple shard support will be on the Apex shard."

You can change from one shard to another, but you still have to create a new driver. It doesn't matter if your account was created before this was implemented, or after. The only thing is that "old users" will be able to choose the server they want to be registered to, while new users will have to register in the first server they play on, which will probably be region based and you won't have much choice.

[GT3x24x7]

Erm, the way I read it, Apex is the shard, EU and NA are regions.

What does the "Select Shard" option do?
It allows players to switch between different servers (Shards) and Regions. These Shards may contain multiple Regions and are displayed in a (Shard) – (Region) format. For example, after tomorrow's patch the options will be "Apex - NA" and "Apex - EU".

[ianism]

You can change from one shard to another, but you still have to create a new driver. It doesn't matter if your account was created before this was implemented, or after. The only thing is that "old users" will be able to choose the server they want to be registered to, while new users will have to register in the first server they play on, which will probably be region based and you won't have much choice.

and new drivers will be able to pick the shard they put the profile on. this was pointed out pretty clearly i think

but i came here to ask a question. WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY FOR!?!? i asked on the NFSW fb page and they deleted my comment.

[datass]

but i came here to ask a question. WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY FOR!?!? i asked on the NFSW fb page and they deleted my comment.

yeah they do that. something all EA affiliated sites have in common.