Comments on: The database technology of Guild Wars http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/ Choices in data management and analysis Sun, 20 Jul 2008 01:37:58 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: DBMS2 — DataBase Management System Services » Blog Archive » Thoughts on database management in role-playing games http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-82927 DBMS2 — DataBase Management System Services » Blog Archive » Thoughts on database management in role-playing games Fri, 25 Apr 2008 04:05:18 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-82927 [...] a research project on the IT-like technology of games and virtual worlds, especially MMORPGs. My three recent posts on Guild Wars attracted considerable attention in GW’s community, and elicited [...] [...] a research project on the IT-like technology of games and virtual worlds, especially MMORPGs. My three recent posts on Guild Wars attracted considerable attention in GW’s community, and elicited [...]

]]> By: Log Buffer #49: a Carnival of the Vanities for DBAs « Coskans Approach to Oracle http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-38249 Log Buffer #49: a Carnival of the Vanities for DBAs « Coskans Approach to Oracle Fri, 15 Jun 2007 12:50:28 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-38249 [...] views (DMV) of SQL Server 2005. Curt Monash wrote about how you can use MSSQL Server 2005 behind a Massively MultiPlayer Role-Playing Game  [...] [...] views (DMV) of SQL Server 2005. Curt Monash wrote about how you can use MSSQL Server 2005 behind a Massively MultiPlayer Role-Playing Game  [...]

]]> By: Curt Monash http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-38241 Curt Monash Fri, 15 Jun 2007 11:58:10 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-38241 How many players share a server/slice in a persistent MMO? Could Guild Wars' BLOB strategy even work? The developers did say that the BLOB strategy helped with transaction integrity, against some exploits to deliberately crash the system mid-trade and hence duplicate items. That said -- it has to be possible to maintain transaction integrity in a persistent world too. We're not talking THAT many individual transactions, although again it depends on the number of players per server. How many players share a server/slice in a persistent MMO? Could Guild Wars’ BLOB strategy even work?

The developers did say that the BLOB strategy helped with transaction integrity, against some exploits to deliberately crash the system mid-trade and hence duplicate items.

That said — it has to be possible to maintain transaction integrity in a persistent world too. We’re not talking THAT many individual transactions, although again it depends on the number of players per server.

]]> By: Stephanus Aurelius http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-38207 Stephanus Aurelius Fri, 15 Jun 2007 07:29:10 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-38207 In a persistant/non-instanced MMO there can be a heavy load on servers, which would possibly cause a slowdown in the rate of data transfer(killing a monster, grabbing loot, buying/selling/trading, etc.) or even data collision inwhich the transaction is not completed. I have experienced this in Final Fantasy XI, but not so much in Guild Wars. So, I was wondering if instancing played a roll in minimizing these types of occurrences. In a persistant/non-instanced MMO there can be a heavy load on servers, which would possibly cause a
slowdown in the rate of data transfer(killing a monster, grabbing loot, buying/selling/trading, etc.)
or even data collision inwhich the transaction is not completed. I have experienced this in Final
Fantasy XI, but not so much in Guild Wars. So, I was wondering if instancing played a roll in
minimizing these types of occurrences.

]]> By: Curt Monash http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37900 Curt Monash Wed, 13 Jun 2007 21:22:24 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37900 I'm sorry, Stephanus, but I don't understand the question. I've never played a persistant/non-instanced MMORPG, but don't see where collisions would come in in either case. I’m sorry, Stephanus, but I don’t understand the question. I’ve never played a persistant/non-instanced MMORPG, but don’t see where collisions would come in in either case.

]]> By: Stephanus Aurelius http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37778 Stephanus Aurelius Wed, 13 Jun 2007 06:15:45 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37778 I'm kind of curious as to if instancing was also one of their solutions to deal with possible transaction collisions. Curt do you know if collisions are minimized due to instancing or not? I’m kind of curious as to if instancing was also one of their solutions to deal with possible
transaction collisions. Curt do you know if collisions are minimized due to instancing or not?

]]> By: Curt Monash http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37772 Curt Monash Wed, 13 Jun 2007 05:27:53 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37772 No. There's definitely a problem with my numbers, or my understanding. The key point here is that there isn't automatically a transaction every time a critter is killed. And of the 1-2 million GW players total, not all that many of them are online and actively killing things AT ONCE. No. There’s definitely a problem with my numbers, or my understanding. The key point here is that there isn’t automatically a transaction every time a critter is killed.

And of the 1-2 million GW players total, not all that many of them are online and actively killing things AT ONCE.

]]> By: Bour Gie http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37680 Bour Gie Tue, 12 Jun 2007 17:02:16 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37680 Thanks for the read. I've been playing GW for a couple of years and, as a DBA, have wondered about the technology behind the scenes. I'm surprised about the BLOBs, given some of the limitations in character gear, but hey, whatever works, right? 150k transactions a minute.... that could be right. Assuming 10% are online at any point in time, and half of those are out killing critters, that's only 1 person killing 1 critter in 1 minute. It's hard to run for 1 minute without running into a group of critters, so that seems plausible. It could be higher, actually, given that there are people that "solo" or "farm" areas, trying to kill everything by themselves as quickly as possible. Bour Gie (L20 Ranger/Ritualist) Thanks for the read. I’ve been playing GW for a couple of years and, as a DBA, have wondered about the technology behind the scenes. I’m surprised about the BLOBs, given some of the limitations in character gear, but hey, whatever works, right? 150k transactions a minute…. that could be right. Assuming 10% are online at any point in time, and half of those are out killing critters, that’s only 1 person killing 1 critter in 1 minute. It’s hard to run for 1 minute without running into a group of critters, so that seems plausible. It could be higher, actually, given that there are people that “solo” or “farm” areas, trying to kill everything by themselves as quickly as possible.

Bour Gie (L20 Ranger/Ritualist)

]]> By: deviceZero » Technical Guild Wars Facts http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37668 deviceZero » Technical Guild Wars Facts Tue, 12 Jun 2007 14:43:57 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37668 [...] technical facts about Guild Wars from these three [...] [...] technical facts about Guild Wars from these three [...]

]]> By: Andrew http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37619 Andrew Tue, 12 Jun 2007 08:52:49 +0000 http://www.dbms2.com/2007/06/09/the-database-technology-of-guild-wars/#comment-37619 Very interesting, good read. I guess I never thought about it, but I never thought about commercial games companies using SQL based databases, thought they'd use an in-house thing. Makes sense though if I think about it. Very interesting, good read. I guess I never thought about it, but I never thought about commercial games companies using SQL based databases, thought they’d use an in-house thing. Makes sense though if I think about it.

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