Fixing instance server errors
by Mike Schramm 
Dec 23rd 2008 at 11:30AM
You may have seen this same error what9000 is getting every time he tries to enter an instance: he gets bounced out of the portal and "Additional Instances Can't be Launched" pops up on the screen. Just in case you've never quite heard exactly how the game works, the World of Warcraft is actually a series of servers, and as you travel across it, you contact more than one system of computers. Your realm is one group of servers, but within that group, there are many different computers sending information to and from yours -- when you're in Azeroth, you're talking to one server, when you go out to Outland, you visit another, and in Northrend you're on yet another. And there are even servers that track non-location information: how much money you have, what you're wearing, and so on.Likewise, instances have their own system of servers, which is why you can sometimes be in an instance when the world server "outside" will go down, and if you leave that instance you'll get disconnected. And Instance servers can be overloaded as well. This error message is likely a way for Blizzard to keep from crashing the instance servers -- if too many instances of a dungeon have already been created, new players trying to get in are not allowed.
However, as a few people say in the comments of what9000's post, there are some client-side fixes as well. Sometimes, the Instance server will lock you out just for a single instance's creation, so resetting the instance on your side (by leaving a group and rejoining) will sometimes clear things up and let you in. It's not impossible that Blizzard's servers are overloaded (we should see a nice bump of new players this weekend, after the holiday), but if you're seeing this message constantly, even during slower times, something is likely wrong.
Filed under: Analysis / Opinion, How-tos, Odds and ends, Blizzard, Instances, Hardware
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Feanor Dec 23rd 2008 11:54AM
Hope ppl read this as it is frustrating when 4 ppl are in the instance and you are denied entrance and are considered a liar. ( as in you have done the heroic with in the 24 hour time frame)
Much hatin' happens as a result
ty for informing
David Dec 23rd 2008 11:53AM
And what it all boils down to is that Blizzard could easily just add more server power to the instance server cluster and SOLVE this problem, but I'd think they are too busy counting their money.
I mean.. a week or 2 of this is all fine and unexpected. but they are obviously doing nothing about it which sucks.
Brian Arnold Dec 23rd 2008 12:04PM
If you think Blizzard is doing nothing about it because it's taking a few weeks to clear it up, you're a damn fool. You can't just throw more hardware into the mix and expect it to clear things up.
It's a big game. Bigger than anything out there. Blizzard is doing something effectively unknown to any other company in the history of gaming. The scale is immense. It's a truly unique problem that they're working on solving every day.
Don't be a moron. If it bothers you that much, cancel your account. The other 12 million of us will enjoy our game and realize that the occasional glitch is just part of the experience.
blkmasta55555 Dec 23rd 2008 12:05PM
Right, because we haven't had 3 weeks of blue posts about this particular issue or anything.
I doubt you'll be getting the apparently non-existent fix soon anyway, or did you not notice its the christmas holidays?
Incendium Dec 23rd 2008 12:19PM
Any server/network admin who knows what they are doing knows that blindly throwing more capacity/power is never the answer.
Charlie Taylor Dec 23rd 2008 12:13PM
It's really not that easy. Introducing new architecture into a server environment always makes things more complicated and prone to problems. It's not like they can just slot in a few more RAM chips like you do at home, these servers are probably already maxed out on everything so upgrading them would require replacing entire machines, which takes a LOT of testing and planning not to mention more downtime than usual.
Blizzard knows what they're doing, so how about we stop thinking we know better than one of the most profitable game companies in the world.
Treason Dec 23rd 2008 1:47PM
You can't just spend money and have that solve IT problems.
Testing alone takes weeks.
hold up Dec 23rd 2008 1:01PM
Well, to be honest, if this was coded properly in the first place to allow for scalability then it shouldn't be too hard to add another server. If a server reaches it max, have the server return an error code, if that error code is received attempt a different server in the list of "instance servers". My guess is that it wasn't coded like this and they are probably recoding as we speak. Of course, they could just be sitting back and counting their money. Honestly, with well over $200 million in recurring revenue I'm sure they could find a way to fix the problem.
My theory is that they want you to be unhappy with your high pop server and to transfer to a medium pop server. After I transferred I haven't had another queue time and never had any instance zoning or world server down problems. Of course, there is a great lack of "talent" on the med pop servers. But that just takes some training. :)
dpoyesac Dec 23rd 2008 2:20PM
Anyone else notice there is always a correlation between people assuming the MALEVOLENCE of Blizzard and the OMNISCIENCE of Blizzard?
"Blizzard can do anything, but they choose not to because they are (1) too busy counting their monies to notice us, or (2) they want to screw with us."
Any time anyone starts falling into the trap of believing crazy, kooky conspiracy theories like this its a sign you're taking this company too seriously. Go outside. Read a book. There's a whole world out there that ISN'T conspiring to make your life miserable.
Will Dec 23rd 2008 3:10PM
Blizz needs to stop playing in their money vault and (buy more servers!!! / hire more technicians!!! / write better code!!!)
I am a (web developer / VB programmer / IT field unrelated to server cluster admin) so trust me, I know what I am talking about. If Blizz did things the way *I* suggested, they wouldn't be dealing with (major content patch launch glitches / minor instance issues / bugged quest rewards).
Vitto Dec 23rd 2008 11:55AM
I really didn't know that...
Anow Dec 23rd 2008 11:55AM
Ah, that explains a helluva lot. :)
Again, WoWInsider gives me something to read while I sit waiting for servers to repopulate ^.^
chaddlock Dec 23rd 2008 12:09PM
"This error message is likely a way for Blizzard to keep from crashing the instance servers -- if too many instances of a dungeon have already been created, new players trying to get in are not allowed."
Right before Wrath went live, this was happening quite a bit on high-pop servers in Old World dungeons/raids. Quite a few times, when trying to down Ony or head into ZG, groups I was in wouldn't be allowed in :(
As of late, I have been getting a lot of lag and crashing in Naxx 10/25. With the raids being tuned down a bit, in comparison to previous raid content, so many people are hitting Naxx at one time, it seems to be stressing the servers quite a bit. Blizzard is hopeful that this will be resolved, and it will be very nice when it is. While it's a little frustrating, it's not game breaking for me because I know Blizzard will get this fixed. It does get a little frustrating though; pugging healers and then getting beat down by lag is frustrating.
Anow Dec 23rd 2008 12:15PM
I had the same problem too. I also lagged like a fat lady trying to walk up the CN Tower any time I tried to log in/out or just walk around in Dalaran. Try defragmenting your computer, removing unwanted programs, and deleting old unnecessary files. :)
almond Dec 23rd 2008 11:59AM
This can't happen if anyone from the group is already in the instance Feanor, because the server the instance runs on has already allocated space for your group. It happens when everyone is out and you're trying to get in ie the server is trying to get some space for you to enter.
Hiu Dec 23rd 2008 12:01PM
Not sure if what happened to me yesterday was related to the article. Yesterday, while playing my resto druid at The Nexus: Heroic mode, I was the only dead after downing Anomalus and so i asked the hunter in my group to cable res me. I accepted the res and my toon was transported out of the instance to the graveyard in Westfall. This is the 1st it has ever happened to me and was kinda funny when the rest of the group had to run out the instance to summon me. :)
ssandv Dec 23rd 2008 1:22PM
Ending up in the Westfall graveyard means you got 'lost'. It just happens to be location 0,0. Why that would happen on a rez is anyone's guess, but that's typically what a sudden teleport to Westfall means.
Phil Dec 23rd 2008 12:28PM
Believe it or not, you're not the first person this has happened to: http://chicanery.fibergeek.com/2008/12/19/orly-westfall/
anu666 Dec 23rd 2008 1:12PM
Thats the nexus for you. Had the same thing happen on 5 consecutive lock summons not to long ago. They just kept getting thown back to the same graveyard... It was kind of funny actually.
Joshua Meadows Dec 23rd 2008 1:13PM
I had something similar happen. Got asked to heal regular Nexus and was summoned into the instance by a warlock. When I teleported I ended up in the Barrens instead. Kept happening over and over until I left the group and rejoined, then I was summoned into the instance normally.