Round 3:Official Announcement
Official Announcement Zeus, (Mar 26 2001 9:29PM)
It has been a long few weeks and I feel an update is needed, to explain as much as possible to you regards some situations and why we take these decisions. Some of the things you will learn hear are normally never discussed from a business sense, with it players, but this is more a community working together, than anything else.
First, to explain is the server’s situation.
Let me stress, and I am taking the word “stress” in all its meaning here, that everyone at HQ are well aware of the unstable service we have been giving you. I will not be the first of us to admit that the service of late has been extremely lacking and for that I apologize.
Some people think that it is “Chello” our new host provider’s fault. That is not so, in fact they have been very active and there to do things when we need them. The hardware they have supplied for us is NOT the problem, as we have reproduced the same problems on our test server at HQ. Maybe a bit of explaining the current problems will help so, listen up.
While Planetarion was hosted at “BarrysWorld”, everything was running on Windows NT servers and MSQL.
We would love to use MS Windows NT and MS-SQL, but the problem is support. For once - we do not have any MS experience, and second - our hosting partner does not use MS Windows - so we would be completely on our own. And if there is anything history has taught us it is that machines don’t run forever and they need maintenance.
The problem we are facing right now is that the database servers ‘lag'. It is unpredictable when this situation of ‘lag’ occurs - but what happens is that the OS - or rather the Linux kernel - enters a state where it eats up all CPU. This typically starts when we are performing a backup but can start at other situations as well.
We are currently running SuSe and linux-2.4.2-ac23 kernel on the database server.
We have tested wide variations of kernels. The old and robust 2.2.X distribution of kernels contains too old drivers for the new database server and our sysadm was unable to get the system up and running on these distributions. With the 2.4.0 kernel, we experience a problem with the network card. Under heavy load (and this is a heavy loaded machine) the network card drivers suddenly starts to behave bad and we experience tremendous lag on the network between the web servers and the database server.
We were unable to get the 2.4.1 kernel to work properly with our raid controller. The machine did not boot up, we are now using the 2.4.2 kernel. This kernel has a problem as explain above:
E.g. sometimes it enters a state where the kernel eats up all available CPU and everything is really really slow. The system sticks in this state for up to several hours.
2.4.2-patch level 14 contained new drivers for our raid controller and we were able to boost IO performance. 2.4.2-patch level 23 contained a set of fixes for the problem where the system suddenly starts to eat up all CPU - but it is not totally fixed. It is better but not fixed completely.
We are in touch with the lead programmers of the Linux kernel, explaining and providing information in order to fix up this problem. All I can say now is that we have been able to reproduce this problem on a spare machine we are having and as soon as we get to analyse the problem in depth we guess a patch will be out very soon.
And, yes, we have tried running Sybase on sparc machines - but that simply was too slow - even slower than a PC running buggy kernels.
Last, we would like to say that we are working day and night to try to fix this problem.
Now that is explained, let me tell you that full focus on this problem has not stopped. We have been having discussions and getting advice from the some of the best people in the business and will continue to do so. So, when will we find the solution to this, I hear you ask? Well, now we are trying to resolve with the current database we have intact. However, as last resort, we have a reset coming very soon, which will give us the perfect opportunity to wipe the database and sort finally.
Therefore, YES, we know this has not been good service. YES, you do NOT deserve such an unstable service. YES, we are working flat-out with specialists, including the Linux gurus to resolve the problems and YES, we will have these server problems resolved for the restart of next round.
Pop goes the Weasel
What is that? POPUP! I hear you say?
Ok, I hate the damn things also. I hate an untidy desktop and I especially HATE not needed windows opened, when I did not want it to be opened in the first place! GRRrrr We would be delighted to take the popup off and never bring it back, BUT! Some facts you need to understand why its still there.
Planetarion is a free game; we want it to always remain so. Due to this, we must source revenue to continue development of the game and it service. How we do this is by advertising revenue:
Banner Revenue:
Due to the huge drop in banner prices in US, which has forced some very BIG web sites to close down, we have had to re-examine the money they produced. You all know we have tested all the big banner companies around to try to maximise the return of the banners, but it has been very difficult. Especially, when we have increasing banners being displayed and reducing banner click-through. There’s only one way Planetarion makes money from banners and that’s if you click it, its as simple as that ladies and gentlemen.
Just some interesting facts. If EVERY person that plays this game, just clicked on ONE banner, every time when they logged in, we would make more than enough in banner revenue a day, to get much needed staff and improve things.
Pop-UP Banners
The pop-up banner is the one on the login page, which opens another window behind your current browser window. It pays on impressions, which means we are paid for every time it is opened.
Due to the drop in revenue in the banners, it has become necessary to introduce the popup, it hurts, but we need to keep our heads above water. We have a certain amount of money, which needs to be made in order to keep things running. I hate popups, as does the rest of creators, but they where put in their for one reason. To subsidise the banner revenue that has been lost due to the fall in the banner market. I assure you once, the banner revenue is back to above minimum, and we will remove the popup. How to increase the banner revenue…. well guess what? You click a banner. It is not hard, just right click on banner and select open.
Affiliates Programs:
These are located on the PlanetZone site aka Portal. They are on the right hand side and are called “button adverts” These if used right, can produce a lot of revenue for Planetarion. Yes, they do require you to register with name and email and such, but these are worth about 5-10 banners clicks.
Partners
This new section is very important. More partners will be coming onboard, which will do certain things. Foremost, it will be a revenue source for Planetarion. Secondly, it will benefit the partner. Thirdly, but not least, it will benefit the players.
Currently we have theslammer partner, which offer to you very cheap software and £150 Playstation 2 consoles, which have been selling in huge numbers. We get revenue just for you registering with them. This equates to about 10-15 banners clicks and about 15-20 banner clicks if you buy the PS2 from them using our link.
Now, all theslammer want is to build up their customer base, increase traffic and brand awareness. Which this deal does for them.
We never wish to force anyone to click banners or do anything they do not want. Its, constantly suggested we force a banner click on you when you login or force a registration, which would immediately solve our revenue drop and we could take the popups away and get the other needed resources to provide what you people deserve.
But, we cant do that with the banner agencies we are using, as they would produce “bad traffic” to the site the banner takes you and no one wants that. However, it would be ideal for a partner, who just want the registrations, the traffic and the brand awareness, this would produce.
This is a hard call, from the players perspective, it is a hindrance, time wasting and why should you be forced to do anything? From a business perspective, it would most definitely improve our revenue situation. I would be interested in reading some comments on the discussion boards regards this.
I am being very honest here, I am a gamer and on the gamers side. No moneymaking revenue should be forced on you. This was and should stay a free game, with the service you want and deserve. There’s no excuses for the bad service you have been given lately and to those that say “its free so stop moaning” well I’m sorry, you do have a right to “moan”. We do look at this as a business, as well as a fun game, your continuous playing and happiness is very important to us, and we are doing our best with the resources at our disposal.
Winding up this round!
Well, I suppose we can now confirm our plans for winding this round up. So, listen closely.
We will take a snap shot of the top 100 and declare “The New Dawn” round winners on Monday 2nd April 2001 at 18:00CET. Yes, this is a change from what was originally posted on announcements and that is exactly 7 days away people, so get your skates on people. You got someone you been dying to attack, get it started. Those alliance wars, we been hearing about, lets get them going, and 7 days should cover total destruction of one or two of you. Those top 10 planets that have been annoying you past weeks cause, well, just cause they are top 10 and they are there, time to attack. The first, second and third places will get prizes and we will have top galaxies listed also.
We will be closely monitoring ALL this week to ensure the servers run well. If Military page goes down, we shall get it back, if we do not, we will stop the ticks. However, we will aim for no ticks if the military screen is not working. We will have pacrew watching also, so if military page does go down, please tell one of them and they can get in contact with us.
Round over then what?
Well, the ticks will continue ticks, you can still do everything as normal, but you may not have many ships around to do the kicking. So, we planned a special surprise for you, which I am afraid is tied into a relationship with a business partner and registration. We are currently close to the magic total, which will cause a “space time anomaly” which will give you 100MILLION Metal, 50MILLION Crystal and 50 MILLION Eonium in resources to EVERYONE! I stress this round will have ended by then, but if the “MAGIC TOTAL” is reached before next Monday, then we will start the “space time anomaly” once the snapshot is taken, the winners announced and this round officially declared over.
While all this is going on and you guys going mad, planning, killing and total butt kicking whomever you please, we will be fully focused on the next round in every way.
Whats on the Horizon?
Right, just some of the things that I have to say. Alliance Hosting, I know, been promised and did not come through. I humbly apologize for this. It was due unforeseen delays in its development.
However, we see this as a very important development in Planetarion life. It is so important, that we have out sourced a very professional US company to assist in coding, design and indeed, the hosting of it. We will be moving PlanetZone from HQ line, where it is slow due to the 2mbit line there and placing it on a T1 connection in US. On this new hosting provider called “Prevare”, you will have very fast access and a design and implimation team to give you all the tools you will need to make a successful Alliance. You can checkout Guardian’s Column on PlanetZone for updates and to send ideas too and questions. We will keep you up to date on these developments as it progresses. It is scheduled to go live, latest the 1st day of next round.
You will see this week starting the “Planetarion Name Competition” which was very successful last round. It will be announced this week and details will appear on the “Announcement Boards” So, start thinking of next round name.
We have also received some very good gif and flash banners to make available to webmasters, who wish to promote our game. Therefore, we will run a banner competition as well, where you can design a Planetarion banner advert. Again news on Announcement Board, with details, when ready.
We will also reorganise, restructure our volunteers, and ensure the services you require and being fulfilled.
Therefore, finally…boy, I did not mean to tell you so much, but I felt it needed to be said, so that you know all the facts and how we can all improve things around here.
Once again, thankyou to everyone that have supported us in the past, the present and especially to those who will help support in the future, I thank you.
