Screen-shots & Profiles Changes

[YGAdmin]

Hey guys, we're fixing up some new updates across the entire network to both ease up server load and to get some of our old tech revamped. One of the oldest (and hardest to maintain) is the screen-shots and player profiles for AoC.

To help make maintenance of these features more streamlined we're proposing the following changes. We would love any community feedback on them.


Change 1: Removing player level history from the database. While we always thought this was a neat feature, the general public doesn't use it. Less than 1% of our visits are to the level specific profile pages. The feature adds a lot (35+ million rows) of extra entries in our database and slows down updates and queries to those tables.
Change 2: Removing high-res (and possibly large) screen-shots for profiles. Lot's of reasons for this, it's not used often, tons (2+ million) images that are never viewed after than creation, and it will speed up the screen-shot generator a lot to not have to upload such huge images.

Of course with these changes will be a shiny new screen-shot generator running full time again and it will be able to upload screen-shots much faster and be more stable :)

[mirdaVG]

Sounds like a good idea. I completely agree with change 1 because i think that probably no one is looking at that. Well i think that everyone will agree with that :).

[revvy]

Hey guys, we're fixing up some new updates across the entire network to both ease up server load and to get some of our old tech revamped. One of the oldest (and hardest to maintain) is the screen-shots and player profiles for AoC.

To help make maintenance of these features more streamlined we're proposing the following changes. We would love any community feedback on them.


Change 1: Removing player level history from the database. While we always thought this was a neat feature, the general public doesn't use it. Less than 1% of our visits are to the level specific profile pages. The feature adds a lot (35+ million rows) of extra entries in our database and slows down updates and queries to those tables.
Change 2: Removing high-res (and possibly large) screen-shots for profiles. Lot's of reasons for this, it's not used often, tons (2+ million) images that are never viewed after than creation, and it will speed up the screen-shot generator a lot to not have to upload such huge images.

Of course with these changes will be a shiny new screen-shot generator running full time again and it will be able to upload screen-shots much faster and be more stable :)

when do you expect the new image uploader to go live? and is there a way to get my image updated in the meantime?

Tyranny server
Toon name = Pyros

[avrian]

Change 1: Removing player level history from the database. While we always thought this was a neat feature, the general public doesn't use it. Less than 1% of our visits are to the level specific profile pages. The feature adds a lot (35+ million rows) of extra entries in our database and slows down updates and queries to those tables.
Change 2: Removing high-res (and possibly large) screen-shots for profiles. Lot's of reasons for this, it's not used often, tons (2+ million) images that are never viewed after than creation, and it will speed up the screen-shot generator a lot to not have to upload such huge images.

Of course with these changes will be a shiny new screen-shot generator running full time again and it will be able to upload screen-shots much faster and be more stable :)


For myself the main reason for rarely viewing level history was because there only were pictures of level 80 toons so couldnt see what particular armor or set looked like on a toon.

I'd like to see high-res screen-shots, no need for large.

Stability and full time updating is desirable, everything else is bonus.
Keep up the good work :)

[YGAdmin]

when do you expect the new image uploader to go live? and is there a way to get my image updated in the meantime?

Tyranny server
Toon name = Pyros

Currently there is no way to get it updated. We're hoping to have it pushed out next week but we have to transfer our upload database to a new server and decide on the final cleanups we're going to do.

Thanks for the feedback so far, hopefully we can get a bit more and we'll be able to move forward with it. :)

[kurayamino]

You should definitely adopt option #1 : never used it, never heard of it.

Option #2 may be interesting since AoC is a high-res MMO, but in YG's context it isn't really necessary, and if it can make your DB work better...

You definitely need to improve things because player pictures & stuff pictures aren't up to date :/


btw, can you update my toon's picture? name's Kurayamino on Stygia (http://aoc.yg.com/profile?h=iyFxtBqa)

[Joru]

Any news on this?

[YGAdmin]

Not just yet, we've been working on resolving other server load issues that I'm sure some have noticed. While the profile issue causes a bit of additional load it isn't the biggest cause and we've been working on trying to tackle the biggest ones first.

[mattbell69]

Looking forward to the Image update working again as none of my profiles have an image and would be cool to see.

[Rafen]

I think removing the history and the high res images would be a good idea.
No one really cares what you had equipped when your character was level 25.

If someone want's these features you should consider adding Vip Profiles and charge for that ... i mean, with the possible income you could rent more webspace and other things, but on the other hand its a huge amount of work.

Well, just my thoughts :)

Anyway, i love this site. Without it, AoC wouldn't be the same!

Keep up the good work.

[Annaleesa]

You know your setup best, so I say whatever it takes to make profile updates as reasonably realtime as possible should be the goal. Otherwise, the usefulness of the profile is suspect and requires confirmation for anyone using it for gear checks or any other in-game necessity. Good job on making the hard choices so far to get closer to this goal. : )

[Floryn]

My character (http://aoc.yg.com/profile?h=O_ewJS1f) screenshot is gone completely, does this mean you guys started to work on the screenshot generator again? if so great news.:D

[Foxcat]

I really hope we will see some progress on this soon! I personally don't care for the level history and any updated character image, resolution regardless is better than none.

What I miss is the image of a lot of items people wear, I just see a lot of question marks. I also miss to see an updated image of the rendered character with equipment. These issues, missing item icons and updated character image is really something you should prioritise. Just go ahead and remove whatever level history from the database if it will speed things up. Don't wait 4 months to listen to how people feel about it.

The profile as it is now feels very broken although I am aware that characters is still updated. It is just the feel when you check a profile that gives you a feeling that nothing happens in terms of progress. So remove all images (as they are hopelessly outdated anyway) and the level history, update the database icons for items and make that screen capture work again. :)

My ten cents!

[Gabriel3003]

Change 1: Removing player level history from the database. While we always thought this was a neat feature, the general public doesn't use it. Less than 1% of our visits are to the level specific profile pages. The feature adds a lot (35+ million rows) of extra entries in our database and slows down updates and queries to those tables.
Change 2: Removing high-res (and possibly large) screen-shots for profiles. Lot's of reasons for this, it's not used often, tons (2+ million) images that are never viewed after than creation, and it will speed up the screen-shot generator a lot to not have to upload such huge images.



I think this is the right way! I used it only the first time. If it will make Characterscreens better, it is the best for YG Database.

Greets Gabe

[marl]

Change 1: Removing player level history from the database. While we always thought this was a neat feature, the general public doesn't use it. Less than 1% of our visits are to the level specific profile pages. The feature adds a lot (35+ million rows) of extra entries in our database and slows down updates and queries to those tables.
Change 2: Removing high-res (and possibly large) screen-shots for profiles. Lot's of reasons for this, it's not used often, tons (2+ million) images that are never viewed after than creation, and it will speed up the screen-shot generator a lot to not have to upload such huge images.

Of course with these changes will be a shiny new screen-shot generator running full time again and it will be able to upload screen-shots much faster and be more stable :)

How far off is this screenshot generator and a complete rip of the new items from RotG?

I strongly agree that removing character levels is the way to go, a lot of storage space can be cleared up by removing that part of the data which I hardly think is in use anyway.

Also, as for screenshot resolution, go for something which is medium to high resolution, but avoid the huge and probably cpu-intensive, high-res versions. If you provide relatively big images in good resolution - like the ones you've got on the profile page now - that is the way to go ahead. Then at a later stage other versions can be considered, but keep things simple now to just get started before it's too late and people lose interest.