Moving to dynamic areas, what does this mean? Moving areas from full to half dynamic, same question.

Simple version:

A half dynamic area is an area that loads with the server, full dynamic is an area that manages its existence based on use and spawns when its needed.

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a.k.a. Audrey Zinata

I imagine dynamic areas are the reason for the brief area transition lag and the black-areas people experience?

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I assume so. I don't get them myself, but there are more efficiency patches that still haven't gone in.

The lag on transition is actually just a timed delay. With time, we can see how these changes go and that should mean cutting the delay down to something unnoticeable.

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a.k.a. Audrey Zinata

I don't know if its been said or pointed out or understood what the real meaning behind what this work really does for us.

Making areas dynamic means that the areas do not exist until the moment we need them in the game. Now, we have two types of areas fully dynamic and half dynamic. Faded Wings already touched on what the difference is between these two, but to reiterate that half dynamic areas will be loaded into the game as the module boots up, and they will remain in the game at all times, where as fully dynamic areas will load up only when specifically requested and will be removed from game play when we no longer need them.

For example when the server boots up Cordor East is loaded into the game and it will remain there as long as the server is up and running, but Cordor East: The Golden Lady's Tradehall will not be there until someone clicks on the door which tells the server that we need the area now and it will load it up. Once the last person leaves Cordor: East, The Golden Lady's Tradehall a timer will start and if no one enters the area before that timer runs out the server will then remove the area since we are not using it anymore.

What is the benefit of doing this?

There are two major benefits.

1. When an area needs an update we can do this instantly, with out any need to wait for a server reset or having to manually reset the server anymore. We just load the new area in over the old one, and when the area is removed from the game the next time someone clicks on a transition telling the server they want to go into the area it will load up the new version. DMs also have the ability to force an update that will simple move all the players in the area to the welcome screen, remove the area, load the new area and then portal everyone right back.

2. Where we found ourselves having stability issues with the server running with the 300+ areas in the module and were in a situation where we needed to consider not only removing areas to improve stability, but we also needed to stop introducing any new areas because it would only pile onto the stability problems, we now have the capability to add infinite areas. We can run module A, stably, with 1000, 5000, or 10000 areas in it.

While I understand that most players here will never really see the truly huge difference this makes, to the development team it's going to be a huge win.

I hope you all understand this a little bit more and can bare with us just a little while longer as we work out the kinks these growing pains have caused.

~msheeler

This mean that Amia and Bmia can be merged? That would be a pretty huge win for activity consolidation

Yes eventually.

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a.k.a. Audrey Zinata

That's really cool!

I take it to understand that items dropped from the inventory into dynamic areas are subsequently lost to the Void if you leave the area and it unloads?

The void claims all.

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Occasionally seen as [DM] Raua, or playerside as...

That's correct, unfortunately.

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Davion Telemos - Monk of the Four Winds
Korthan Isharnos - Dragon Shaman of Thunder Spirit Zamasham

Honestly? Please no thank you.

Having two servers is great for several reasons, the biggest two being "if something is unplayably broke on one, I can go to the other still" and "when a DM unwisely runs an event too big for the server's britches, at least the 80-90% of the rest of us not party to that aren't irrevocably hosed when that DM cocks up the server tits up."

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Rashad the Azure, Zakharan Merchant-lord Most Fair and Master of the Desert Wind
Loremaster Tukson Devers, Oghmanyte Wrestler of Knowledge and Child of the Passive Voice

(No tells for Rashad while I'm playing other characters please.)