Restricted Log-In Times For MMO Servers

4507

A common issue with sandbox MMOs is having your stuff destroyed at 3 AM by Russian or Chinese players while you sleep, and I've been wondering for quite some time about whether making servers open only for certain hours during the day would work. For example, if you join an EST server, it can only be logged into between 6 PM and midnight on week nights, or 9 AM and 2 AM on weekends, EST time (or something like that). For the hard-core, all-night players, perhaps a few 24/7 servers could also be operated, but I think restricted-time servers would be vastly more popular if the option existed.

Are there any games that do this? How do you think it would work out?

Cryomatrix

I dont think it would be popular, it will split the population and some people play at random times based on having an asymmetric schedule.

What may be better is that the person who builds the base can set a 6 hour time period for when they can get attacked and once an enemy declares to attack, the base becomes invulnerable for 24 hours allowing defenders to switch schedules or coordinate things.

Phry

Cryomatrix said:

I dont think it would be popular, it will split the population and some people play at random times based on having an asymmetric schedule.

What may be better is that the person who builds the base can set a 6 hour time period for when they can get attacked and once an enemy declares to attack, the base becomes invulnerable for 24 hours allowing defenders to switch schedules or coordinate things.

I think that sounds a lot like how things are handled in Eve Online, certainly there is an issue with games that are 'global' rather than region locked etc. Not much of a fan of region locking but for some games its the least worst option 

sunandshadow

Ark actually has this feature; there aren't too many servers that use it, but you could probably find one to try.  Not long-in times restricted, but instead the server has pvp enabled hours and pvp disabled hours.

Thane

some of the best raids DAoC has seen were organized at morning, before people went to work/school (and we all know, daoc was the queen of PvPMMOs).

the problem is not to defend something in the 2 hours you play, but to do so all the time.

i think the brits in "asterix in britannia" tried the same, teatime at 5. no combat!
the romans didn't care

SirAgravaine

No, what you are describing is not an MMORPG...

Vermillion_Raventhal

I think limiting raids to weekends would be better.  Where maybe you setup a war camp and build siege engines. PVP between the town and camp.


 Then the siege can start on Saturday or something like that.  Destroy the camp or the an objective in town determines the winner.

ChildoftheShadows

SirAgravaine said:

No, what you are describing is not an MMORPG...

It sounds like he’s referring to survival games, but there are MMOs with this issue. Darkfall was one. 

I prefer to have a time of invulnerability but requires payment or upkeep of some kind. So you have to work toward being able to keep your stuff safe for 6 to 8 hours a day. 

alkarionlog

or make raiding a week effort not something can be done is some minutes.

again shadownbane did this right, to take the tree down you had to make a huge effort to destroy it