92 replies to this topic

[Natureguy85]

It was made very clear a long time ago that the keep was not a save importer.

[DAJB]

Do you mean it goes through the whole synching process everytime you log in?  Because if that's what you mean, that shouldn't be happening and would be a bug.

 

However if you mean on just the first time you log in...  well, I'm not sure what to tell you...  it isn't too long of a process IMO.  And it should only run once.  (unless you manually sync using the "Play Resync" button)

Yup. I've got the ISS playng every time I log in, too.

 

I can no longer remember if I've already reported it as a bug or not. (I have bigger issues with syncing at the moment!)

 

If it isn't resolved today, though, I'm intending to report it as a bug.

[cindercatz]

I can't get the ISS to play at all. ><

 

But yeah, I'm the opposite of some of you. I could care less about achievements etc., but having my Wardens' and Hawkes' portraits is important to me. The names should be able to edit in, but the portrait is something unique that I made for my unique characters. I love the cc part of these games, one of my favorite things about them. I'm glad they're being preserved, at least for reference. Hopefully we can update them with new facecodes at some point, and it helps to have those portraits available.

[Shadowson]

I personally don't find syncing to be a mistake. It's a nice feature that just has some bugs at the moment. The problem that i have is the misinformation that some sources are putting out about it e.g. the recent IGN article about it importing your decisions and letting you edit them. This causes people to expect more from it than it gives which then leads to threads from people complaining that it doesn't let them import their saves. 

[Kantr]

Back before they disabled BSN  And it's disabled now, right?

 

Today I started the game from the normal launcher, in ft drakon, switched things around, fought the arch demon, finished the game.  I'm sure not going to leave my game just sitting there running for an hour when I've already manually completed my DAO/DA2 heros in the Keep.

 

As I understand it the Keep pulls the info from BSN.  Since that is now read-only, and the Keep doesn't grab info from the saved game on my computer, there shouldn't be any way for me to sync my game.  There should be a checkbox that I can select to disable future syncing so I can just skip this part.

BSN might be read only (funny wording as you can't read what's there) but the game does upload to the keep.its probably slow because everyone is doing it. I imagine it was slow when DA:O first released and everyone wanted their characters online

[DAJB]

I personally don't find syncing to be a mistake. It's a nice feature that just has some bugs at the moment. The problem that i have is the misinformation that some sources are putting out about it e.g. the recent IGN article about it importing your decisions and letting you edit them. This causes people to expect more from it than it gives which then leads to threads from people complaining that it doesn't let them import their saves. 

That's the problem, I think. It hasn't been made sufficiently clear what syncing is (and isn't) supposed to do.

 

I know BW have put out lots of statements about this but, if there is still a lot of misunderstanding among people who have volunteered for the Keep Beta (surely that segment of the fanbase most likely to have read BW's announcements) and among the industry press, they clearly haven't been clear enough.

 

Add to that the fact that syncing still doesn't work properly (yes, we're still in Beta but it's only two weeks or so to launch now!) and DA:I may well face a huge backlash when the game reaches the general public. 

 

That's why - in my opinion - syncing should not have been included prior to the release of DA:I. I don't want to see the game slated for being broken when, in fact, the part of the Keep that isn't working has little or nothing to do with DA:I.

[Etragorn]

I have a funny feeling the Devs assigned to the keep never imagined that they would run into so many issues, especially on the backend related to data management, which is why I feel its likely that the Keep is behind schedule as far as implementation goes and ironing out major synching bugs (I would imagine the Keep Devs were really hoping to have the Keep in Golden Master at the same time as DA:I)

[Ranadiel Marius]

I have a funny feeling the Devs assigned to the keep never imagined that they would run into so many issues, especially on the backend related to data management, which is why I feel its likely that the Keep is behind schedule as far as implementation goes and ironing out major synching bugs (I would imagine the Keep Devs were really hoping to have the Keep in Golden Master at the same time as DA:I)

...It is a web site, there is no golden master for it. And really other than a few minor bugs, I think the Keep is pretty much exactly where it needs to be (although I question in adding ISS so late in development).

[Birdy]

I have a funny feeling the Devs assigned to the keep never imagined that they would run into so many issues, especially on the backend related to data management, which is why I feel its likely that the Keep is behind schedule as far as implementation goes and ironing out major synching bugs (I would imagine the Keep Devs were really hoping to have the Keep in Golden Master at the same time as DA:I)

Well considering DAI is actually done and produced, I figured the real reason the release date was pushed back was the Keep.
 

 

...It is a web site, there is no golden master for it. And really other than a few minor bugs, I think the Keep is pretty much exactly where it needs to be (although I question in adding ISS so late in development).

 

Adding ISS in so late is so they have Varric voice all the major points they would want.  Making sure they didn't skip any.

[DAJB]

And really other than a few minor bugs, I think the Keep is pretty much exactly where it needs to be (although I question in adding ISS so late in development).

Really?

 

I know it works for some people, but I (and others) have still not had a single character, achievement or reward show up in the Keep. I have been in the Keep for two weeks now, and I have tried every workaround suggested. After all that time and effort, syncing is still a complete and utter failure for some of us. I really can't see that that's where it needs to be at this stage.

 

Two weeks before launch, I'd have said that where it needs to be is working perfectly in almost every respect for everyone here, so that the only unknown left is whether it will be able to cope with the volumes that will pass through it once the game is in the shops. I take a lot of comfort from the fact that syncing isn't going to affect DA:I, but I really don't see how it can be said to be where it should be.

[Birdy]

Really?

 

I know it works for some people, but I (and others) have still not had a single character, achievement or reward show up in the Keep. I have been in the Keep for two weeks now, and I have tried every workaround suggested. After all that time and effort, syncing is still a complete and utter failure for some of us. I really can't see that that's where it needs to be at this stage.

 

Two weeks before launch, I'd have said that where it needs to be is working perfectly in almost every respect for everyone here, so that the only unknown left is whether it will be able to cope with the volumes that will pass through it once the game is in the shops. I take a lot of comfort from the fact that syncing isn't going to affect DA:I, but I really don't see how it can be said to be where it should be.

I think they were just talking Keep not syncing. The Keep is about where it needs to be.  And at this point, I doubt it's the que for syncing that's not making out heroes show up.  And you don't have achievements showing up? I at least got that and a dlc.

[Ranadiel Marius]

Really?

I know it works for some people, but I (and others) have still not had a single character, achievement or reward show up in the Keep. I have been in the Keep for two weeks now, and I have tried every workaround suggested. After all that time and effort, syncing is still a complete and utter failure for some of us. I really can't see that that's where it needs to be at this stage.

Two weeks before launch, I'd have said that where it needs to be is working perfectly in almost every respect for everyone here, so that the only unknown left is whether it will be able to cope with the volumes that will pass through it once the game is in the shops. I take a lot of comfort from the fact that syncing isn't going to affect DA:I, but I really don't see how it can be said to be where it should be.

As far as I am concerned, they just need the stuff for DAI working right now, which synching does not include. As for the synching issues, as far as I can tell the synching is mostly working in the Keep. The problems lie in DAO and LBSN, which have been having upload issues for years.

Also, stupid question, but are you sure that you are signing in withe same account with DAO and the Keep? The only options for nothing uploading would be that, ISP or Firewall blocking the upload, or a glitched install (assuming you are playing on PC).

[DAJB]

I think they were just talking Keep not syncing. The Keep is about where it needs to be.  And at this point, I doubt it's the que for syncing that's not making out heroes show up.  And you don't have achievements showing up? I at least got that and a dlc.

Yeah, terminology is a problem. The Keep comprises both the Tapestry and syncing.

 

As far as we know the Tapestry seems to be working fine (despite a few conflicts which may or may not make sense) and, yes, I accept that's probably where it needs to be. 

 

Syncing, however, still seems to be a disaster for some of us and - unless that's removed from the Keep (at least for the time being!) - I don't see how the Keep as a whole can be said to be on track. Which, I guess, is the point the OP was making.

[DAJB]

As far as I am concerned, they just need the stuff for DAI working right now, which synching does not include. As for the synching issues, as far as I can tell the synching is mostly working in the Keep. The problems lie in DAO and LBSN, which have been having upload issues for years.

Also, stupid question, but are you sure that you are signing in withe same account with DAO and the Keep? The only options for nothing uploading would be that, ISP or Firewall blocking the upload, or a glitched install (assuming you are playing on PC).

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree that the only important thing to get right for now is the Tapestry. Frankly, if syncing never works, it wouldn't bother me. For me, I can't see that it has any added value for my DA experience whatsoever. Since it does form part of the Keep, however, I don't see that it can be said that the Keep is working properly. That's all I was trying to say.

 

As for my own issues, I played DA:O and DA2 on XBox, so PC-related problems shouldn't be affecting the upload (at least not from what we've been told so far!)

 

As for signing in with the same account, I have no idea. As far as I know, I only have one account. I opened an Origin account purely and solely for this purpose. I have never visited BSN before or used it for any purpose. So, unless another account was opened automatically when I clicked the "Upload game info" boxes, I can't really see how that can be the problem. I could be wrong about that, but - if I am - I'm sure there will be a lot of other gamers with the same issue in two weeks time!

[Ranadiel Marius]

Oh, I wholeheartedly agree that the only important thing to get right for now is the Tapestry. Frankly, if syncing never works, it wouldn't bother me. For me, I can't see that it has any added value for my DA experience whatsoever. Since it does form part of the Keep, however, I don't see that it can be said that the Keep is working properly. That's all I was trying to say.

As for my own issues, I played DA:O and DA2 on XBox, so PC-related problems shouldn't be affecting the upload (at least not from what we've been told so far!)

As for signing in with the same account, I have no idea. As far as I know, I only have one account. I opened an Origin account purely and solely for this purpose. I have never visited BSN before or used it for any purpose. So, unless another account was opened automatically when I clicked the "Upload game info" boxes, I can't really see how that can be the problem. I could be wrong about that, but - if I am - I'm sure there will be a lot of other gamers with the same issue in two weeks time!

Hmm if I remember, I'm going to try bugging you after I get home from work to try and help you out. If it is an account issue then it should be fixable, but I'm not going to want to figure out how from my phone.

[Senjougahara Hitagi]

The Keep itself, or the syncing part to be precise, works quite well now (apart from not being able to recognize if you own DLC on console and the accursed "Signature Edition Rewards" tile not working and we know that is being worked on right now).

 

Apart from that, there are really only problems with Wardens not appearing in the Keep for various reasons. And these are not the Keeps fault. Once you get them in the BSN storage, they are bound to appear in the Keep sooner or later. It's the old BSN storage that's at fault here. It has an unreasonably low file limit imposed on itself (I mean you get 100 MB but only 50 files? what the hell?). 

 

Then there is the fact that it consistently screws up while uploading images resulting in their corruption (and characters with corrupted image files won't be uploaded to the Keep). And once the character uploaded to the BSN is corrupted, it will stay corrupted until it's manually deleted from the storage (saving again won't help for god knows what reason), the new upload will not override the old ones corruption.

 

Even if some people can't get to the diagnostics page to actually check that one of the two problems described above is what's haunting them, I'd bet it is. 

 

But these two, they can be "easily" fixed (just give us back the button, or increase the limit or whatever), there is the last problem. That is characters not even being uploaded in the BSN in the first place(and as a result in the Keep). The cause of this one is a mystery to me, but no matter the angle you look at it from, I think it cannot be fixed by the Keep devs. I think this one will stay with us for good. 

[Devil's Avocado]

 

But these two, they can be "easily" fixed (just give us back the button, or increase the limit or whatever), there is the last problem. That is characters not even being uploaded in the BSN in the first place(and as a result in the Keep). The cause of this one is a mystery to me, but no matter the angle you look at it from, I think it cannot be fixed by the Keep devs. I think this one will stay with us for good. 

Aside from the simple solutions like not logged in/wrong account/mods/box not checked.

 

[nightscrawl]

The main thing it seems to be doing is misleading people about what the Keep does do and what it doesn't do. From what I've seen on this board, anyway.

 

No, I don't think it was a mistake. There has been ample information about what syncing IS and what it is NOT. It is the player's fault if they choose to ignore the information that has been available for months. The very best example is the fact that people keep asking about the importing of save files when the answer was in the very title of the Scuttlebutt Keep thread. And in these very beta forums are people still complaining about the lack of importing when when we have known with 100% certainty that this was the case for months. That is absurd.

 

Now, if you want to bring it to a technical level and ask whether it was a good idea because there are still so many problems, you have a point and it certainly is a valid discussion. But Bioware is not to blame for the willful ignorance and obtuseness I've seen regarding this aspect of the Keep.

[Senjougahara Hitagi]

Aside from the simple solutions like not logged in/wrong account/mods/box not checked.

 

 

Right? I mean, people tend to miss the most obvious stuff it seems. That's why I updated my thread with the ultimate guide that makes sure you REALLY did all those things (assuming people in question are competent enough to follow it, which is open to debate, in fact I'm still waiting for the first PM that'll go "I have deleted all my saves just as you told me to and now I can't get them back." I'm sure it will come sooner or later). 

[INQUISITOR/Accelerator]

I dont think so, i actually really like the way it is now and i seriously was suprised when i've first discovered the other features of the keep (i actually had a rather different imagine in my head how the keep will be ^^ luckily i got suprised, and not in a bad way ;D)  I like it i think bioware did a great job with that and i hope to see it getting improved over the time

Regards,

Accelerator

[AlanC9]

No, I don't think it was a mistake. There has been ample information about what syncing IS and what it is NOT. It is the player's fault if they choose to ignore the information that has been available for months. The very best example is the fact that people keep asking about the importing of save files when the answer was in the very title of the Scuttlebutt Keep thread. And in these very beta forums are people still complaining about the lack of importing when when we have known with 100% certainty that this was the case for months. That is absurd.
 
Now, if you want to bring it to a technical level and ask whether it was a good idea because there are still so many problems, you have a point and it certainly is a valid discussion. But Bioware is not to blame for the willful ignorance and obtuseness I've seen regarding this aspect of the Keep.

Hey, I didn't mean to suggest that people who get confused by syncing aren't wrong. Or ignorant, or stupid, or whatever you like. My question was whether Bio's maybe underestimating the cluelessness of gamers. You're selling games to the buyers you have, not the buyers you wish you had.

[DAJB]

Hey, I didn't mean to suggest that people who get confused by syncing aren't wrong. Or ignorant, or stupid, or whatever you like. My question was whether Bio's maybe underestimating the cluelessness of gamers. You're selling games to the buyers you have, not the buyers you wish you had.

Yup. 

 

It's a long time since I played anything on PC and, having been converted to the Dark Side (i.e. console gaming), I can say that one of the chief advantages of playing on a little box under the TV is that you can buy the game off the shelf, take it home, put the disk in the slot and it will play. There is nothing to enable or disable. There are no web addresses or file names that need to be manually changed. There is no waiting for hours while it installs. There are no questions about whether your machine has the right specs. It's simple and immediate plug-in and play.

 

For a huge number of DA:I players therefore, having to go online at all is going to seem unnecessary. They'll do it, but it will feel like an extra step they shouldn't have to make. Now, having gone online, will it do what they expect it to? No. Many of them will be expecting it to import their saves, so no, it won't. Is that their fault? Despite what a few people on here are saying, no, I don't believe it is. Most of them have probably never visited these forums. A small percentage of them may read gaming magazines or websites, but even some of the journalists are hedging their bets and being ambiguous in the way they describe what the Keep is for. So, yes, they'll be ignorant, but it won't be their fault.

 

And what will they find when they do get online? They have to open an Origin account which most of them won't already have. They'll have to download the Origin client because that isn't automatic. They'll have to link their XBL and/or PSN accounts even though nothing on their Origin homepage tells them how to do it. Only then can they even try to use the Keep.

 

And if, after all that, it doesn't work correctly first time? There will be anger and frustration and a repeat of the ME3 backlash. Is it their fault? No, it's the fault of everyone who's said or implied that it's an easy or straightforward process.  For some, it obviously will be, especially if they already have Origin set up, use the BSN forums regularly and are used to games having to be tinkered with. But, for an awful lot of gamers, it's going to seem like a lot of extra time and effort before they can even start to play the game. And that's not going to go down well, especially if people try to tell them it's somehow their own fault.

[Birdy]

I actually never thought of it that way for console gamers.  My idea of the Keep and it's needing to be online is mostly for pirated games.  They could very well have made that website into a program but didn't.  This was it'll be a LOT harder to pirate the game and continue where you left off on the last two games.  Which I'd like to point out, pirate games include pc and consoles, so it's not entirely just for pc pirates.

[DocDoomII]

DAJB, if someone starts using anything without reading the manual and they **** it up, it's their fault, not the manufacturer fault for not making it user friendly enough without a manual.

[DAJB]

DAJB, if someone starts using anything without reading the manual and they **** it up, it's their fault, not the manufacturer fault for not making it user friendly enough without a manual.

On the contrary, it's exactly the manufacturer's fault if the manual is incomplete.