The Daily Grind: What do you do when you're in a queue?

Yeah, more servers for launch is a good idea.

It's not hard to find an MMO player who's gotten to experience the singular joy of the server queue. Maybe you were trying to log in to DC Universe Online right after it switched business models; maybe you've been taking part in this weekend's beta testing for Star Wars: The Old Republic; or maybe you were around for the launch of World of Warcraft. There's no debate to be had over whether or not server queues are good -- not even the developers consider them something good, just occasionally something necessary.

No, today's question is about how you handle it. Do you wait it out and watch the time tick down? Read a book while you wait? Whip out a handheld game system? Play some Solitaire? Fix a snack? When the worst-case scenario happens and you're stuck in a server queue, what do you do to help pass the time between the start of the queue and the time when you get in?

Every morning, the Massively bloggers probe the minds of their readers with deep, thought-provoking questions about that most serious of topics: massively online gaming. We crave your opinions, so grab your caffeinated beverage of choice and chime in on today's Daily Grind!

Reader Comments (60)

Depends.

If I'm consistently put into login queues whenever I want to / can play, and the situation persists for over a week: unsubscribe from the game. I might come back if there is some indication the queue issue was solved.

Otherwise, mobile games on either my DS/3DS or Android, or a book (usually a digital one).

@DarkWalker Agreed - my iPhone works out a lot during queues, that or my iPad as I've usually got Tap Play: Star Controller loaded up ready ;-)

@DarkWalker

Yeah, I usually pick up another game if there are huge queue issues. If I find something good on my 360, I'll just unsubscribe from the MMO. I put up with queues 7 years ago. I have much less tolerance for them today.

I understand the reason for the queues so I don't get upset about them. While I am in one I usually grab a beverage and stare at the queue number. Cuz watching it closely makes it go down faster... :)

Angry Birds beta in Chrome.

Still a couple of levels on which I haven't gotten three stars yet.

Depending on how long it is and how long it's taking for the numbers to go down, I'll read a book, play a single player game, or wander off. For example, I've been playing KOTOR during the TOR queues.

@J45neoboy
That must have been depressing.

read a book. I also sometimes do that during cinematics.

@wahahabuh
Damn those have got to be some pretty lame cinematics to read a book instead of watching.

@(Unverified) a lot of MMOs have lame cinematics and some may not be lame. But given that I'm an altaholic, I've watched them like 50 times before. At that point they do become very boring. Plus some games don't let you skip the cinematics.

Read whatever book I'm currently on. This week it's "Busted Flush", from the Wild Cards series. Really, really good stuff - I know the "superheroes in the real world" thing has been done many times, but Wild Cards does it very well.

@(Unverified) I agree the Wild Card books are great and while the super heroes in the real world have been done many times that particular book series was first published in the 80's so it has been around for awhile.