Design Notes

December 08, 2021

Server Performance and Bug Fixes

What is the "ServerTest" server?

This is an updated version of the regular Live AQW servers, with some performance and bug fixes.  This is NOT the "new" AQW mobile server.

Before rolling out changes to the live servers on Friday, we need to make sure there are no mysterious bugs or side effects to the code changes.

Want to help test?  Here is how: 

Log into the "ServerTest" server and just play the game like normal. 

If you have any strange problems or bugs, keep a note of them.   Then logout, and log into one of the regular Live servers, and try the exact same actions again. 

If the problem bug is ONLY on the ServerTest server, please Report the bug at the Bugs site.

Remember: This is testing SERVER issues only.  Do not report client bugs like menu and animation issues.

Brief List of Changes

December 8, 2021

• Faster server calls to game database (very small speed boost)
• Item Drops that are stackable, and already in your Bag will auto-add to your Bag without drop prompt.
• Accepting drops that are stackable items already in your Bank will update the stack in your Bank.
• Better syncing of your current gold/xp/acs amount with game data.

Older Changes

November 2021

• House Layout Changes (work in progress!)

October 2021

• Extra XP during Level Up carried over to next level
• Boss monsters can say things when they die
• Smarter logic for groups of Boss monsters

September 2, 2021

• Fixed using your last Magic Treasure Chest key not freeing up inventory slot.
• Fixed Bag and House slots not freeing up, when selling AC items, and using Merge shop.

August 24, 2021

• Preventing skill spam cheating in PVP
• Faster monster respawn when server is not busy.
• Less chance of getting disconnected when game client spams the server.

July 15, 2021

• Collecting Item Drops too fast will not disconnect you.
• When session is kicked from multi-login, the client will show a more helpful message.
• When trying to join a map that has a broken room instance, there is a better chance now of getting assigned to a working instance of the map, instead of nothing happening.
• Using class skills immediately after Class Rank up will no longer kick you.
• Killing your own character in PVP will not award a score for either team.

May 10, 2021

• Selling items when you are at the max gold cap, will refund zero gold, but the item will be removed from your inventory. Fixes house item selling bug.
• Fixed lots of random bugs, where player data is "missing" and the server tries to make changes anyway.
• In PVP zones, it is no longer allowed to Get items from your Bank.  You can store items, but can not swap or pull items from Bank. 
• Added cool downs to guild,friend, and duel invites.  Less spam!

April 26, 2021

• Better warning messages when guild, party, and friend actions fail.
• Buying items that are higher than your character level are blocked.
• Item drops from monsters will now have enhancement level equal to your char level, unless the item is a higher than your char level. It will not be enhanced.
• If you try to go to a player house that does not exist, and you already own a home, you will get an warning message, instead of going to the buyhouse map.
• Removed an old process that would often lag the entire system every 15 minutes.
• If you log into another game server, this server will show a warning message, instead of Kick for some actions, like quest turn-in, equipping gear.  More improvements in this area will be coming soon.
• Faster server reboot time.
• Many other behind-the-scenes performance and bug fixes.

February 25, 2014

More New Servers - Same Names but Faster!

We have added five more super fast game servers to replace several of the old ones. Each can hold up to 4000 players! The new fast servers use the old names: Artix, Cysero, Twilly, Quibble, Espada

Some of the other servers have been upgraded to max 3000 capacity, and some have been tossed into the hamster graveyard.

February 12, 2014

Test new Hidden Grotto server

We are testing to see how many total players we can have online with this server without too much server lag.

Remember that there are at least four different types of game "lag".  For this test, I am most interested in learning about Lag #3 and #4 below compared to our other busy game servers.

1)  Animation Frame Rate Lag
This type of lag is from too many different animating things on the screen.  This type of lag is totally dependant on the complexity of the equippment and monster artwork.  If your computer is faster, you will have less animation lag.  The server you are connected to will not affect this type of Lag.

2) Animation File Loading Lag
This lag can happen after your character first appears on the screen and the game has to download your armor and equipment graphics.  If you have recently cleared your browser cache, this takes longer than normal.  There is also loading lag time when another player enters your game screen, and their artwork files have to download so that you can see them.  The server you connect to will not affect this type of lag, except if the server is full of players on your screen, with artwork that needs downloading.

3) Data Loading Lag
This is when you log into the game and your game character data is loaded from the game database.  The more inventory and house stuff you have will affect this time. If a lot of people are all trying to log into the game all at the same time, there will be more data loading lag.   A busy server will cause more of this type of lag.

4) Chat/Combat/MonsterRespwan Lag
This lag does depend on how busy the game server is.  The more people battling and chatting will create more of this type of lag.

December 20, 2013

Watch Sponsor Videos and Earn Free ACs

Want to get some free AC's each day?  A few seconds after you log into the game, a new green button may appear that looks like this:

The button will be located next to the Game Size selector. If you click the button a pop-up window will appear showing a sponsor video.

You can get between 1 and 25 free AC's by watching each video!  These new sponsor videos are available world-wide, but not always available for every country every day.

Currently, your new free AC's will not show up inside the game until you log back into the game. 

We recommend watching one video each day, and after a few days you can earn enough free AC's to buy something!  Sometimes you can watch the same video more than once!

November 27, 2013

Amazon Warrior Armor

You can get the Amazon Armor now as a free bonus with AQW package purchase!

1)  Buy any AQ Worlds Membership or AdventureCoin package.

2)  During the payment checkout, choose Xsolla PayStation as the checkout option.

3)  Inside the Xsolla payment window, click 'Show More Methods' and search for 'Amazon Pay'.

4)  Complete your payment as instructed using Amazon Pay.

4)  After payment is completed, the Amazon Warrior armor will automatically be added to your Character.

Visit our Membership and AdventureCoins page to buy.

March 22, 2013

Membership Extra Coin Special

Super Secret Special Bonus

Along with all the great deals going on this month, I thought I would mention a small deal that expires soon:

Get 100 extra AC for every Month of Membership you Purchase. 

This deal is always added when you renew an existing membership before it expires, but for a limited time ALL membership purchases, for new members and old members, get the extra 100 coins per month purchased bonus.

Offer Expires March 31, 2013.

January 25, 2012

BirthdayQUEST

Happy Level-up day Voltaire, Captain Rhubarb and Stratos

Today we are playing BirthdayQuest. Your quest is to wish each of today's three mustka-birthday-teers (Voltaire, Captain Rhubarb, and Stratos) a very happy Birthday! Because, today is, in fact, their birthdays!

Quest Objectives (0/3)

• Wish Captain Rhubarb Happy Birthday on the AE General Forums
• Wish Voltaire Happy Birthday on Facebook or Twitter
• Wish Stratos Happy Birthday on Twitter
  (BONUS OBJECTIVE: Because Stratos is the youngest of today's birthday bunch.. be sure to find a way to call him an old man or for even more fun, make up an age "Happy Birthday Captain Stratos." You can have even more fun by putting the age as binary, hexadecimal or using negative or illogical numbers.)

What do you get for doing this?

Thankfully, almost none of you need me to answer this. But for our few friends who expect to get something for everything they do in life, please let me be the first to tell you -- sometimes, you do things for no other reason, other than it is cool. Often you will find in this life, that these are the very best things you ever do.