HFBServers - My review

[Uncle Zed 272]

Update: My server problem was resolved: http://dayzmod.com/forum/index.php?/topic/141733-hfbservers-my-review/#entry1394908

I was looking for a Lingor (Skaronator version) host since my Chernarus server host doesn't currently have that version of Lingor. I decided to go with HFBServers. I received my server on June 24th, a week ago, and I still don't have a working server.

After getting my control panel information, I looked for the install link for Lingor Skaronator, but could not find it. I only found regular Lingor, so I put in a support ticket. Two hours later, I got a reply. Quite a bit slower than my other host, but acceptable. They stated it was in the list of installable maps, but it was not, so I replied, with a screenshot of my control panel to show them that it was NOT there. Four hours later they replied they were working on it. Four hours after that, they let me know it was now available in the control panel. So, 10 hours after I ordered the server, I was finally able to install Lingor Skaronator. As soon as I started playing, I began getting kicked for BattlEye restrictions. The server had the latest 1.7.7.1 filters (Version 2.3.1 of Lingor Skaronator uses 1.7.7.1). An hour after I told them I'd been getting kicked, they replied back saying they made changes and I should test again.

I got around to testing the server again and found I was still being kicked. Two hours later, they simply replied that they were able to "join the server flawlessly". This means, to me, they connected and disconnected without trying to do anything, before BE kicked them. I replied back, saying you have to play for a few minutes, maybe kill some zeds, etc, and BE will kick you. Thirty six hours later, still no reply, so I opened a new ticket in their "Emergency" ticket area.

Ten hours after opening the emergency ticket, I got my first reply, telling me they updated my BE filters and that I should try again. After trying again and failing, I replied back. I got the quickest reply yet after that reply, about 30 minutes, asking for some more information. I replied back. Fifteen hours later, they replied back saying they replaced my filters again. I tested again and replied that it still wasn't working. Six hours later, they replied back that I should test it once my server came back online from their "chicago migrations". No idea what they were referring to, I replied again.

It has now been 51 hours since I replied and they have not replied back.

Just for your reference, I do know how to edit BE filters so every time I was kicked, I either changed a 5 to a 1 or I commented the line out of the particular txt file, or added an exception. It got so frustrating after doing this for an hour or more of connecting, waiting to be kicked, checking the log, editing the txt file, the I gave up and I'm simply waiting for them to reply.

So, I would not recommend them. They obviously need to hire more tech support people.

Edited July 2, 2013 by BetterDeadThanZed

[anthony_henson2003@yahoo.com 33]

You have replied to your ticket own ticket several times very early in the morning, each time bumping it to the top of the ticket list making it seem like a new ticket. So right now from our eyes your ticket is only 7 hours old which is still in the category of very acceptable time frame. Since we work from oldest ticket to newest, each of your replies has simply caused your wait to be longer.

EDIT

Our support has been slightly slower with some tickets hitting the 18 hour mark due to the large amount of tickets regarding Breaking Point however a ticket would NEVER ever hit 51 hours without a response from use if you did not reply to it yourself a few times. With that being said as an apology I have extended your due date by 3 months.

Edited July 1, 2013 by hungoverfurball

[anthony_henson2003@yahoo.com 33]

Also it is worth mentioning, Skaro lingor was custom added as per your request, it was never available for customer access before.

[Deathlyrage 4]

Yeah, you shouldn't respond to your own ticket like that, but give them a chance to take a look at it.

It's one of them things that assume that you are 'bumping' your ticket, but only making it slightly worse for yourself.

I have several HFB Servers and they seem to be quite reliable and stable.

[Blondedash 403]

You have replied to your ticket own ticket several times very early in the morning, each time bumping it to the top of the ticket list making it seem like a new ticket. So right now from our eyes your ticket is only 7 hours old which is still in the category of very acceptable time frame. Since we work from oldest ticket to newest, each of your replies has simply caused your wait to be longer.

that is ironic.

[Uncle Zed 272]

You have replied to your ticket own ticket several times very early in the morning, each time bumping it to the top of the ticket list making it seem like a new ticket. So right now from our eyes your ticket is only 7 hours old which is still in the category of very acceptable time frame. Since we work from oldest ticket to newest, each of your replies has simply caused your wait to be longer.

EDIT

Our support has been slightly slower with some tickets hitting the 18 hour mark due to the large amount of tickets regarding Breaking Point however a ticket would NEVER ever hit 51 hours without a response from use if you did not reply to it yourself a few times. With that being said as an apology I have extended your due date by 3 months.

On the 29th, at 02:05, I replied to my ticket. I waited one day (24 Hours) and replied on the 30th, at 1:47am because I got no reply. I then waited another 24 hours and at 04:33 on the 1st, I replied again. That's 51 hours with no reply.

Also it is worth mentioning, Skaro lingor was custom added as per your request, it was never available for customer access before.

Oh really? On June 24th, before I ordered, I submitted a ticket, asking if it was available. The reply was:

Hi Andy,

Yes, we provide both versions of Lingor including Skaro.

Regards,

Michael 'Kiotie' Moore

Support Specialist

It's funny. After I posted the original post in this thread, I told them that since they couldn't get my server working, to refund my money. They managed to reply to THAT within an hour, with the statement that they don't give refunds, even though they haven't delivered what I paid for yet and didn't make any attempt to address the issue with the server.

Edited July 1, 2013 by BetterDeadThanZed

[Stealth (DayZ) 3]

I emailed them orginally as that was my first communication method.

They told me to make a ticket.

I made a ticket and they ignored my question and gave me the run around when all I wanted was my account working.

I made a thread and they denied they did anything wrong and still didn't fix my account when that's all i wanted.

Then they never updated my server for a week and then said it was because my subscription ran out....(they ended it early)

When I called them out on it with proof, w/ pics and emails they deleted the thread ( dayz dev works with them)

Pm'ed me and said what could they do to make it better. I asked for a working account and partial money refunded or credited as I missed a week

of paid service.

They gave me a credit of $10 for the next month which didn't do anything as they charged my this month the same amount.

They also increased my slot service to 50 which didn't do anything because the max my server has seen is 30 people and it dropped from top 50 ranked server

to worst 50. I rarely see over 20 people, it's mostly 4-10 people and it laggs like crazy, My ping went from originally under 30 to over 90+ now because of their server

migration.

that was my experience with them over a year ago, seems they are still up to the same BS.

Edited July 1, 2013 by Stealth

[anthony_henson2003@yahoo.com 33]

On the 29th, at 02:05, I replied to my ticket. I waited one day (24 Hours) and replied on the 30th, at 1:47am because I got no reply. I then waited another 24 hours and at 04:33 on the 1st, I replied again. That's 51 hours with no reply.

Oh really? On June 24th, before I ordered, I submitted a ticket, asking if it was available. The reply was:

It's funny. After I posted the original post in this thread, I told them that since they couldn't get my server working, to refund my money. They managed to reply to THAT within an hour, with the statement that they don't give refunds, even though they haven't delivered what I paid for yet and didn't make any attempt to address the issue with the server.

Michael was mistaken in his first msg then, As I strictly remember him talking with me regarding your ticket, asking if it was alright for him to add lingor skaro to the mods section which he ended up doing, that is why you did not see it before, him saying it was fixed was him creating the new package and allowing all customers to then install it. Also, your ticket would have been responded to at the same time weather your asked for a refund or not as I had just gotten out of an hour or so convo with my support reps regarding upcoming updates and changes, so they had just begun working on the tickets that were there, yours included.

EDIT

I forgot to add that, your ticket as it approached the 24 hour mark would have been guaranteed a reply as we make sure that tickets don't go over the 24 hour mark without being answered (give or take an hour if its early morning) during this excessive amount of tickets as a result of Breaking Point, but when you replied, as I said before, you made your ticket appear to be brand new and opened very early in the morning. Most tickets at the moment are getting responses right around the the 8 hour mark simply due to like I said, the excessive load that is a result of Breaking Point.

Edited July 1, 2013 by hungoverfurball

[anthony_henson2003@yahoo.com 33]

I emailed them orginally as that was my first communication method.

They told me to make a ticket.

I made a ticket and they ignored my question and gave me the run around when all I wanted was my account working.

I made a thread and they denied they did anything wrong and still didn't fix my account when that's all i wanted.

Then they never updated my server for a week and then said it was because my subscription ran out....(they ended it early)

When I called them out on it with proof, w/ pics and emails they deleted the thread ( dayz dev works with them)

Pm'ed me and said what could they do to make it better. I asked for a working account and partial money refunded or credited as I missed a week

of paid service.

They gave me a credit of $10 for the next month which didn't do anything as they charged my this month the same amount.

They also increased my slot service to 50 which didn't do anything because the max my server has seen is 30 people and it dropped from top 50 ranked server

to worst 50. I rarely see over 20 people, it's mostly 4-10 people and it laggs like crazy, My ping went from originally under 30 to over 90+ now because of their server

migration.

that was my experience with them over a year ago, seems they are still up to the same BS.

Comparing an experience you had over a year ago with a unique situation betterdeadthenzed had is a bit like comparing apples with oranges, We have improved drastically since your post over a year ago, I will admit that our support over a year ago was not the greatest, but the past several months it has been pretty darn good, Only the past few days has our support been a bit slower due to the almost 3x of tickets as a result of questions about Breaking Point, and random issues people have with Breaking Point.

Edited July 1, 2013 by hungoverfurball

[Uncle Zed 272]

Michael was mistaken in his first msg then, As I strictly remember him talking with me regarding your ticket, asking if it was alright for him to add lingor skaro to the mods section which he ended up doing, that is why you did not see it before, him saying it was fixed was him creating the new package and allowing all customers to then install it. Also, your ticket would have been responded to at the same time weather your asked for a refund or not as I had just gotten out of an hour or so convo with my support reps regarding upcoming updates and changes, so they had just begun working on the tickets that were there, yours included.

EDIT

I forgot to add that, your ticket as it approached the 24 hour mark would have been guaranteed a reply as we make sure that tickets don't go over the 24 hour mark without being answered (give or take an hour if its early morning) during this excessive amount of tickets as a result of Breaking Point, but when you replied, as I said before, you made your ticket appear to be brand new and opened very early in the morning. Most tickets at the moment are getting responses right around the the 8 hour mark simply due to like I said, the excessive load that is a result of Breaking Point.

Thanks for the info. Of course, my ticket is still sitting there, unanswered since your first reply and I still don't have a working server.

[anthony_henson2003@yahoo.com 33]

Thanks for the info. Of course, my ticket is still sitting there, unanswered since your first reply and I still don't have a working server.

Your ticket will receive the same attention it would have other wise gotten, we do not provide special attention because of this thread, we treat all customers with the same level of support, which means since the last reply 3 hours ago, when support works through the tickets older then yours (there were roughly 50 tickets opened before your response 3 hours ago) then your ticket will be answered. I can see that your ticket only has 5 ahead of it now, so I will personally take a look into it since it is now your tickets time. Im sorry if this is a bit of an odd method, but it has proven to work the most successfully, as no client gets favoritism for responses weather it be the client paying us $1000 a month, or the client paying us $2.50 a month, each is entitled proper and due diligent support.

[Uncle Zed 272]

The response it received 3 hours ago didn't address the problem. By your theory, if someone replies to my ticket with "Is it working now?", you can justify waiting 24 hours to reply again after I say "No". I used to work for a GSP, so I'm familiar with WHMCS and how it works. We would never answer tickets in this method. The actual problem with the server hasn't been addressed since June 28th, at 11:47pm.

Edited July 2, 2013 by BetterDeadThanZed

[jBrick 116]

I have worked with HFB for almost 3 months. I can't complain. They've done exactly what I've asked when I've asked it of them with the worst being on update days with is somewhat understandable.

[anthony_henson2003@yahoo.com 33]

The response it received 3 hours ago didn't address the problem. By your theory, if someone replies to my ticket with "Is it working now?", you can justify waiting 24 hours to reply again after I say "No". I used to work for a GSP, so I'm familiar with WHMCS and how it works. We would never answer tickets in this method. The actual problem with the server hasn't been addressed since June 28th, at 11:47pm.

With all do respect, The last request before our latest reply was you asking to cancel, which the support rep set your server to be cancelled and that would have been ticket completed, You then responded once saying never-mind on the cancellation and to go back to fixing the original issue, then again a couple minutes later on asking to make sure you get the extension. So now your issue is once again open, and back to the original issue which I am currently looking into.

There is a few issues with our method your example being one of them (which only applies when we are under very heavy load like the past few days) but it solves issues like people submitting tickets with all caps saying "MY SERVER IS BROKEN FIX IT NOW FIX IT NOW FIX IT NOW" as we simply get to that ticket in the order it was received.

[Uncle Zed 272]

It appears that Skaro Lingor was set up improperly, resulting in the problems my server had. They have fixed the install and all seems to be working properly now.

For anyone that may read this thread in the future, trying to get opinions of HFBServers, please take note that they did eventually fix it, but in my opinion need some work in their support department. This could have all been avoided had I been given correct information about the availability of Lingor Skaro servers and if it had been set up properly.