Misery in Tarren Mill

[Golden]

So... I need a way to shout out my frustration. My main server with all my lv80s, Tarren Mill EU, has had serious problems for the past 8 days. For the most part the realm is working just fine, but wait till the realm time comes to 8.00 PM - then Hell breaks loose. The server will crash, be offline for 15-30 minutes and then come back again - only to crash again within 5 minutes. This will go on for several hours, before everything settles again. Too bad that's the best time to play for me and most of the other people there, and it's flushed down the toilet every_single_day.

Although the forum Blues won't admit it, the most plausible reason for all this is a player deliberately crashing the server. This player will appear at the Dalaran fountain at around 8 PM to fish, and within 10 minutes, the server will crash. What is Blizzard doing about this? Absolutely nothing. All the official forums (yes, I went there) have to offer is the same old crap: "We are looking into the problem, thank you for your patience." Every now and then they will tell us that the problem has been fixed, but the crashes remain, rendering the server completely unplayable at peak hours.

"Maybe it's because of the peak hour - the server can't take the stress."
Then why is it Tarren Mill, a medium populated server? Why isn't the same thing happening on any other, full server? And why has the problem remained unchanged, although several large raiding guilds have already migrated elsewhere (at least that's what I've heard of)?

So... Any ideas, opinions? I'm just hoping for a FCM right now. The reason I haven't already paid for one myself, is because I don't have an access to a credit card, and lo and behold - Blizz doesn't accept Paypal. Plus there's this thing called principle... I wouldn't be able to live with myself, knowing that I've paid them extra money to be relieved of this awful service. All I know that if the problem isn't solved by the time my game time expires in 2 weeks, I won't be coming back.

Edit: And just to add, we're in the Misery Battlegroup - sounds really fitting right now, doesn't it?

[Vephriel]

I'm a little confused about the player you mentioned. Does the act of them fishing somehow cause the server to crash? Or do they do something? How do you know it's that person?

Anyways, besides that though I really feel for you. One of my Roleplaying realms I tried for a while had similar issues and was constantly down for maintenance and such. Luckily I didn't stay there long, so it didn't affect me too much. I can only imagine the frustration with having all your mains there.

I don't think you should give up the game entirely. If you still enjoy it and want to play, then maybe just take some time off and return after. Perhaps the problem will be solved, but if not you could consider a Character Transfer. I know you don't want to spend money on it, but think of the time you've invested into your characters. I'm sure you love them, and it would be a shame never playing them again. Even just pick your main character and transfer them, perhaps to the Petopian Guild realm?

Anyways, hope it works out for you.

[Saturo]

Ah, yes. Something like this happened on Sylvanas too. I think some guy with a fishing macro did it. It's annoying, that's fo sho.

Also, when you say that large raiding guilds have moved away... Do you mean Ensidia? I think I can remember them being the largest guild on Tarren Mill, and I wouldn't be surprised if they force their members to switch servers with problems like this.

[Golden]

I'm a little confused about the player you mentioned. Does the act of them fishing somehow cause the server to crash? Or do they do something? How do you know it's that person?

I've heard that he's using a macro that has loads of /cast Fishing in it and then spams it until the server dies. He shot a video in which he used the macro and right after the server crashed and posted it in Youtube, probably just for the fame. Unfortunately the original video is long gone, but I don't know if there's a copy of it available somewhere.

@Saturo
I've only heard that some guilds have transferred, so can't say anything about that. I'm too lazy to investigate the matter myself, as it doesn't even matter all that much. <.<

[Ryno]

Bah, sorry to hear that.

Takes a real jerk to pull something like that over and over though.

[Sonata]

Is it ironic that our battlegroup is named Misery on Tarren Mill? xD

Back on to the subject at hand. I was present at the server crash last evening, we have our horde and alliance gathering around the dalaran fountain.
I was on my shammy when Safri told this player (who is a lvl 1 Tauren?) had come online...well we waited. And we are having people transfering left to right (with blaming Ensidia even) kinda wanting to transfer myself now.

But yeah the server fully crashes I was at the fountain then I was suddenly after the first server crash back where I left my character before moving to the fountain.
Then the server goes up and down between online and offline. Strange is still that this player comes online around nine in the evening...when the raiders are starting to move.

[Vespias]

I've heard that a single player can push an unstable server over the edge with spamming. Not sure how it works though. But here's a bit of it-could-be-worse info...I remember way back in vanilla when the Sargeras server would crash and be out of service for up to 3 days. Blizz would refund time to us, but that does little to satisfy a WoW junkie.
I think that Blizz should incorporate a way to track the offending player and send a signal through his comp that would cause it to explode with the intensity of 5 bundles of C-4. Yeah yeah, I know...a bit harsh.

[Golden]

I think that Blizz should incorporate a way to track the offending player and send a signal through his comp that would cause it to explode with the intensity of 5 bundles of C-4. Yeah yeah, I know...a bit harsh.

Ah, that's the best idea I've ever heard!

[VelkynKarma]

Wow, I didn't even know it was possible for ONE person to crash an entire server by doing something like this. But that sucks! If it is him, Blizz should ban him

~VelkynKarma

[Kalliope]

Uhm...

Obvious question is obvious, but....

Have you and the other witnesses opened tickets about this guy? If Blizzard gets enough reports about him, surely they'll be pressured into investigating. Either ban the player and see if that fixes things or simply BAN FISHING IN THAT AREA. It should be unfishable; how hard is that to set? Seems like an easy fix to me.

[Sonata]

Well the forums of Tarren Mill have been quiet as of late but I don't visit the official forums that often.

I don't think Blizz will ban fishing in the Dalaran fountain (that's where he fishes I think) but the banning on the otherhand is something that would be possible, still wondering why he isn't banned.
Blues are investigating the issue but aren't telling us anything, so it's a waiting game. They could also ban the use of the macro...I mean they can do that?

[Kalliope]

Well, is it the use of the macro or the fact that it's the possibly bugged(???) Dalaran fountain that's crashing the server?

Just throwing it out there; serverwide griefing should certainly be punishable.

[Gozu]

There is a WoWBot called "Mr Fish it" that will crash the game. I have read that sometimes even after just 20 casts of the pole the game will go down. I don't know if what this person is doing is intentional. All you can do is wait by the fountain and write down the user names or people you see right before the crash, and contact customer service with that info. It will probably get them banned and you can play again.

At least I would hope they value your monthly payment enough to do something... and the money of hundreds of other people having this problem as well.

[Chrizesu]

I hope no one on the US realms get any ideas from this.

My battle group is bad as is and the servers will go into lag.

[Golden]

Ten days till I'm quitting WoW and everything Blizzard will ever sell...

[Saturo]

Ten days till I'm quitting WoW and everything Blizzard will ever sell...

I'll miss you, Safri. Did'nt the GM let you transfer?

[Golden]

Ten days till I'm quitting WoW and everything Blizzard will ever sell...

I'll miss you, Safri. Did'nt the GM let you transfer?

They just told me the same old crap, "unfortunately we can't give out FCMs at this time". It's getting pretty clear that TM is long gone.

Don't worry, I'll probably keep on hanging around here. I just won't give Blizz any more money.

[Kalliope]

Hopefully the problem will be resolved while you're taking a break. :/ That's really terrible. Did you bitch at them on the phone?

[Golden]

Hopefully the problem will be resolved while you're taking a break. :/ That's really terrible. Did you bitch at them on the phone?

Unfortunately my spoken English is way too bad for that, so I've just sent quite a few in-game tickets over the last week.

Also I'm sad to say this, but I don't think I'll never come back to WoW if nothing has changed before the 17th. :( There's no way I'm going to pay for a company that treats its customers like this, ever. As much as I enjoy the game, it goes against all my principles.

[Saturo]

Well, I too sent in a complaint regarding this when I heard of it the first time.

"According to this, you don't even have any characters on the realm Tarren Mill."
"I know, I'm supporting a friend"
"Aww, that's nice. Unfortunately, we cannot just hand out free character moves like that."
"Please? She's going to quit WoW."
"Thats sad to hear, but unfortunately we just can do that."

Stupid GMs. Not acknowledging an obvious problem, thats just ignorant.
However, I'll make an alt on TM, and check in every now and then to see if the problem is gone. We want our Safri to stay...

Also, if you do plan to end your subscription, might I suggest you give someone else lead of Petopians? It would be unfortunate, at the very least, to be a leaderless guild.