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Silkroad Online: Geographic Segregation Enforced @ Official
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Wildefire
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Joined: 03 Oct 2005
Posts: 1
Location: USA
Silkroad Online: Geographic Segregation Enforced @ Official
   

The global (English) version of <i>Silkroad Online</i> is now permanently blocking connections from China, Taiwan, and Japan. Players in those countries are now required to play only on servers in their own language and region. While no reason is stated in the <a href="http://www.silkroadonline.net/sro_board/fmboard/fm_content.asp?bID=SB_Inform&sID=1&Page=1&Num=32&List_Ref=17" target="_blank">official announcement</a>, I wonder whether it has to do with the fact that the global version of <i>Silkroad Onine</i> is planned to be free, while the others aren't. (Subscription fees are apparently <a href="http://www.silkroadonline.net/sro_board/fmboard/fm_content.asp?bID=SB_Inform&sID=4&Page=1&Num=13&List_Ref=3" target="_blank">already being charged</a> in Taiwan.) <br><blockquote><em>Silkroad Online will block IPs from China, Twain and Japan forever. <br> <br>We would like to ask you from China, Taiwan and Japan to enjoy Silkroad Online in each country’s server. <br> <br>(China) http://www.srocn.com <br> <br>(Taiwan) http://www.sro.com.tw <br> <br>(Japan) http://www.silkonline.jp</em></blockquote>
Post Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:32 am
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Charles Darwin
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Favorite
   

Oh my favorite kind of news! The astute may have noticed my previous posts on this very subject under the auspices of a few well known historical figures.

The World Wide Web my foot! We draw imaginary lines all over the Earth and call them nations. Us and them! Localized servers and blocking the Barbarian Horde's IP adresses. Pretty soon, we will only be able to send e mail locally and be charged for "long distance" messages. Hooray for progress.
Post Wed Nov 16, 2005 12:39 am
 
Wildefire
General Goods Vendor
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Joined: 03 Oct 2005
Posts: 1
Location: USA
Re: Favorite
   

quote:
Originally posted by Charles Darwin
Oh my favorite kind of news! The astute may have noticed my previous posts on this very subject under the auspices of a few well known historical figures.


You know, I was thinking of you (or at least Johannes Kepler) when I posted that story. But SHHH! Don't break the illusion that more than one person actually visits this site!

quote:
The World Wide Web my foot! We draw imaginary lines all over the Earth and call them nations. Us and them! Localized servers and blocking the Barbarian Horde's IP adresses. Pretty soon, we will only be able to send e mail locally and be charged for "long distance" messages. Hooray for progress.


I agree. While most players might prefer to play on servers that are geographically closer to home for latency reasons, and might generally desire to play among other folks who speak the same native languages, I believe that most would also like to have the option to play with folks in other regions as well.

I really like how Guild Wars handles this: Your characters/guilds don't live on any single server, and while you default to a randomly selected 'district' in your own geographic region, you always have the option to select an 'international' district so you can play with/against any Guild Wars player anywhere in the world.
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For each toon kills the mob he 'groes, yet each toon does not die.
Post Wed Nov 16, 2005 3:40 pm
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XVampireX
Keeper of the Gates
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Joined: 30 Jun 2005
Posts: 100
Location: Beneath Heaven, But Above Earth.
   

Let's not forget that we could never play the game because the game was always busy....
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"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing" -Edmund Burke. Mentioned in Castlevania: Symphony of the Night.
Post Wed Nov 16, 2005 4:29 pm
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Robert Goddard
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quote:
Let's not forget that we could never play the game because the game was always busy....


Busy as in queues to get on a busy server? Expand server cqapacity or make new servers.

They are segregating servers to make localization profits and/or because sadly, there is alot of racial disrimination in the MMOG world (and in the world). And it goes in all directions, not just the stereotypical "whites" hate everyone direction. Koreans do not want to play with the Japanese. The Chinese do not want to play with Europeans and Americans do not want to play with anyone.

Take a look at the MMORPGDOT archives for a link to an infamous article by a guy informing us about "third world denizens" who farm WoW gold in sweatshops. Apparently, these Indonesians ruin the game for the rest of us but they have no choice, farming gold is a dream job in their otherwise loser filled nation.

I am overstaing the race thing because actually localization is about profits and licenseing primarily. Blizzard letting some company called The9 run WoW China means tons of profit for them without having to deal with the player base.
Post Wed Nov 16, 2005 11:56 pm
 



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