Hi GGG,Is the Singapore gateway removed?

Ping spikes is still a thing for me on the SG Gateway - that and, no proper statement response from GGG either. All we've got is this:

http://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/1r5vge/discussionsingapore_gateway_hidden_international/cdkdtev

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chris_wilson wrote:

You can still play on the Singapore server by typing Singapore in the box. We're not restricting access for existing users, but we are trying to prevent confusion. Too many Garena customers ended up with our client trying to make characters on the wrong server cluster.
The reports of increased latency on the server are nothing to do with us - we haven't modified it at all. I'd recommend reporting those to your ISP.

To which i replied
"A few things. I am not complaining or accusing that the server are in any way modified. Ping spikes blames are just my misdirected rage - worried that SG Server might not be getting the attention it could have got, due to the choices you guy's have made on "hiding" the gateway. And i sincerely apologize for that.
Yes, we still can connect. But why? Just put up a dialogue box or something when someone makes a new character for the first time in Singapore Gateway - the way you guys have done this will effectively kill the SG gateway population by shooing away new SEA players - and redirecting all of them to Garena's. And that worries me. What if when maintaining SG Gateway is no longer financially feasible eventually, when the old players leave and new player are pretty much redirected to Garena's 100%? Will us, legacy SEA players get the shaft?
Tell the new players their option and let them choose instead, why isn't that an option? Are part of the contract with Garena include herding new players to their server? If so, just tell us, please tell us more than just "Well you still can connect with an unorthodox way, we are still true to our words regarding access"."

Again, shameless plug for my reddit post - i covered why Garena is a horrible company to publish PoE, and having some traffic to that post might pressure GGG a little more.

http://www.reddit.com/r/pathofexile/comments/1r5vge/discussionsingapore_gateway_hidden_international/

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MildlyClever wrote:

[...]

Today I noticed that when I CTRL+CLICK to create a new instance it says "America" in the Realm.

[...]

Thanks.

This is a bug I also come across as a EU player.

Could be a display bug, dunno.
But should not be related to the topic.

All i want is this:

Either re-enable SG Gateway selection, and choose a better alternative method to "Prevent confusion from SEA players using the wrong client"

OR

Announce that SG Gateway will not go away as long there is even one player using it actively. And put an official statement that you are now encouraging any new and upcoming SEA players to play your "partner"'s server, Garena's Path of Exile, and officially making the SG Gateway unchoosable via normal methods, and include that action in the patch notes instead of ninja changes like this.

Sounds fair?

EDIT: After i've posted this, Chris replied with promise that at least SG Gateway will never go down.

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chris_wilson wrote:

It is intentional that new Singaporean players play on Garena's server. We're very adamant that existing players (especially those who have characters on our servers they'd like to still play or those who have given us money) are still able to play without any interruption. Garena completely agree that IP blocks are a bad idea.
While the number of Singaporean server machines we have may fluctuate over time, it'll never be financially unfeasible to have enough to support existing players. I don't get to make all the decisions, but I care very, very greatly about making sure that everyone gets a good experience.

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AratemusoAkiyo wrote:

All i want is this:

Either re-enable SG Gateway selection, and choose a better alternative method to "Prevent confusion from SEA players using the wrong client"

OR

Announce that SG Gateway will not go away as long there is even one player using it actively. And put an official statement that you are now encouraging any new and upcoming SEA players to play your "partner"'s server, Garena's Path of Exile, and officially making the SG Gateway unchoosable via normal methods, and include that action in the patch notes instead of ninja changes like this.

Sounds fair?

Looks like you got your answer on the reddit thread from Chris:

"While the number of Singaporean server machines we have may fluctuate over time, it'll never be financially unfeasible to have enough to support existing players."

Phrasing of this answer threw me for a loop quite a while there. I guess he means that while future Singapore gateways may be reduced over time (due to diverted players), he feels that they can still continue to support existing player numbers with the appropriate amount of Singapore gateways without much impact (cost) on their business operations.

I'm satisfied with this statement personally, but I guess addressing this issue to the playerbase would be appropriate for a daily update/announcement. (There, I have saved you guys from having to brainstorm a topic for your daily updates. :) )

Anyway, thanks for the reply, Chris!

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AratemusoAkiyo wrote:

EDIT: After i've posted this, Chris replied with promise that at least SG Gateway will never go down.

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chris_wilson wrote:

It is intentional that new Singaporean players play on Garena's server. We're very adamant that existing players (especially those who have characters on our servers they'd like to still play or those who have given us money) are still able to play without any interruption. Garena completely agree that IP blocks are a bad idea.
While the number of Singaporean server machines we have may fluctuate over time, it'll never be financially unfeasible to have enough to support existing players. I don't get to make all the decisions, but I care very, very greatly about making sure that everyone gets a good experience.

Chris didn't say never. So don't quote on him something he didn't say. He clearly said he is not the only one making all the decision. What he meant is he personally feels Singapore gateway should be maintained to keep people happy, but if GGG management as a whole decides in some distant future that Singapore gateway needs to be shut, it will.

If GGG shut down Singapore gateway one day,I hope we can transfer our characters and items to Garena server for free.Otherwise it'll be really horrible,we have invested a lot on our characters:time,effort and money etc,we don't want this all meaningless.

Can't they just change Singapore sever to Asia server.
it will prevent confusion also it will be more easy for people playing on the "Singapore" server to choose server. I feel really discriminated for having type into my server, I don't see why should I need to hide what sever I play on. I hope you guys can change your mind, because I feel like dumb-ass for buying your micro-transaction and supporting you guys in OB.

Also Garena have a whole different way for logging in to the game, how is placing a "Singapore" server misleading to new player?

I hope you guys can make a formal announcement on why the Singapore sever is gone, and make a new "Asia" server in the selection menu.

Not only it sucks but it's open beta lol. Lose everything and go back to open beta. They should just make a regular server in Japan or Taiwan. Our get better servers in Australia, states and Europe.

*I want to state I live in Taiwan and with the non garena Singapore server I had 400ms. Tried the g version got 90. Still I sick with Australia which is 165 on a good part of the day. Can't party much cause it triples.

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minus4 wrote:

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AratemusoAkiyo wrote:

EDIT: After i've posted this, Chris replied with promise that at least SG Gateway will never go down.

"

chris_wilson wrote:

It is intentional that new Singaporean players play on Garena's server. We're very adamant that existing players (especially those who have characters on our servers they'd like to still play or those who have given us money) are still able to play without any interruption. Garena completely agree that IP blocks are a bad idea.
While the number of Singaporean server machines we have may fluctuate over time, it'll never be financially unfeasible to have enough to support existing players. I don't get to make all the decisions, but I care very, very greatly about making sure that everyone gets a good experience.

Chris didn't say never. So don't quote on him something he didn't say. He clearly said he is not the only one making all the decision. What he meant is he personally feels Singapore gateway should be maintained to keep people happy, but if GGG management as a whole decides in some distant future that Singapore gateway needs to be shut, it will.

Maybe i am biased and love GGG too much to be too cynical, but i am pretty happy with "it'll never be financially unfeasible to have enough to support existing players." even if it doesn't mean "it'll never be shut down".

Chris, who make those decision..? PM me their names... i can test my flicker assassin build...

j/k

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chunlin05 wrote:

Can't they just change Singapore sever to Asia server.
it will prevent confusion also it will be more easy for people playing on the "Singapore" server to choose server.

This is a good idea, maybe put SEA Server.