Server Merges?

[little ninja]

Re: Server Merges?

I totally agree. While I can't comment on the current state of affairs with the endgame crowd (as I'm nowhere near there obviously), I can tell you it's ugly out there for us lowbies. If it wasn't for my static party of 3, I probably would've only gotten 1/2 the xp parties I've been in. And it's not for lack of trying...my gear is always current with appropriate stat bonuses, I eat my food, and I know how to play my job (MNK is pretty easy to play, which I'll admit, but oh so fun ^^).
S-E needs to either encourage more people to play these levels (whether new players, or established players taking a new job up), and if they can't do that, need to introduce more soloable mobs. I'm all for the party atmosphere, and I prefer that style of gameplay...but it'd be nice if I could grind a couple levels here and there on my way up if the pickings in my current level range are slim.

To be honest. S.E turned alot of its gamers off of "Endgame" activites. I included. If i wasnt being mpked at some hnm i spent the better part of my day camping. I was forced to watch other ls's either bot it. or steal it. In sky i was forced to watch the G/S get every claim, either by bot, or the constant notion, they knew every window down to the hour. Sea for myself held little interest. First you had to be pretty lucky to get it, an then after that, there wasn pretty much nothing more to do.

I dont think you will ever see anything done to the exp system. If so S.E would have to redesign the whole system from an its formulas. Something i know for sure S.E wont attempt. I know in other MMO's i was able to kill a mob a lvl or 3 higher then me, an walk away with 200+ exp, an some wear in tear. The same cant be said for the mobs in ffxi, since its based skill is calculated by 6, so even an E.P with low def an eva, can pretty much leave u for dead, an if not with 1hp out of 1k.

[Effedup]

Re: Server Merges?

Sadly its to the point that getting from the 20-37 is becomming just as painful as it was to get from 50-75 in the old days before they lowered the exp per lvl.

An Icemage was right, There is alot of stuff going on around endgame. Which in fact does slow down the players trying to go from 1-75. The next thing is what Jei sad. An that alot of us have 2-4 jobs at 75. Not much more reason to grind anymore.

So now what do you do if yoru someone like EFFE? If you dont get lucky playing a high in demand job ( which means little nowadays +9 hours an no invites with 38 rdm) What do you do. Especially if you dont have an LS. who does exp sessions together, an you dont have a SP. Honestly your wasting you time.

S.E can do whatever they want. Add content, add new battles. But what they can never do is resupply the players who quit. an leave. Because as alot of players are noticing its becomming harder an harder to grind from 12-75. Thus why S.E has always aimed to keep the 70+ happy, an not worry to much about the 1-60's. An since this game isnt based around exp from quests, an soloable mobs like WoW. Well you get the picture.....

I totally agree. While I can't comment on the current state of affairs with the endgame crowd (as I'm nowhere near there obviously), I can tell you it's ugly out there for us lowbies. If it wasn't for my static party of 3, I probably would've only gotten 1/2 the xp parties I've been in. And it's not for lack of trying...my gear is always current with appropriate stat bonuses, I eat my food, and I know how to play my job (MNK is pretty easy to play, which I'll admit, but oh so fun ^^).

S-E needs to either encourage more people to play these levels (whether new players, or established players taking a new job up), and if they can't do that, need to introduce more soloable mobs. I'm all for the party atmosphere, and I prefer that style of gameplay...but it'd be nice if I could grind a couple levels here and there on my way up if the pickings in my current level range are slim.

[little ninja]

Re: Server Merges?

There's not much reason to play any job beyong 37 now for most eng game players except for fun :O I think it will eventually get to the point where 37-70 will be near impossible to PT. We're slowly getting there xD

Sadly its to the point that getting from the 20-37 is becomming just as painful as it was to get from 50-75 in the old days before they lowered the exp per lvl.

An Icemage was right, There is alot of stuff going on around endgame. Which in fact does slow down the players trying to go from 1-75. The next thing is what Jei sad. An that alot of us have 2-4 jobs at 75. Not much more reason to grind anymore.

So now what do you do if yoru someone like EFFE? If you dont get lucky playing a high in demand job ( which means little nowadays +9 hours an no invites with 38 rdm) What do you do. Especially if you dont have an LS. who does exp sessions together, an you dont have a SP. Honestly your wasting you time.

S.E can do whatever they want. Add content, add new battles. But what they can never do is resupply the players who quit. an leave. Because as alot of players are noticing its becomming harder an harder to grind from 12-75. Thus why S.E has always aimed to keep the 70+ happy, an not worry to much about the 1-60's. An since this game isnt based around exp from quests, an soloable mobs like WoW. Well you get the picture.....

[Jei]

Re: Server Merges?

well there are way too many competition end game already. Merging server will ruin what's already ruined. There gotta be other alternative. we can talk more in Icemage's thread.

[Effedup]

Re: Server Merges?

There's not much reason to play any job beyong 37 now for most eng game players except for fun :O I think it will eventually get to the point where 37-70 will be near impossible to PT. We're slowly getting there xD

Some nights it's already near impossible to get a party at those levels...I'm a 32 MNK and the last 2 times me and my ls mate went out to kazham to XP we ended up waiting 2 hours before we both said screw it and went mining. I know DD's are a dime a dozen out there, but damn was it frustrating. It'd be one thing if it was a tuesday afternoon or something, but I'm talking friday night at 8 pm.

I've only been playing about a year now, but I can see a big difference in the number of people on nowadays compared to back when I started. I'm sure some of it is due to winter break, but it was getting bad before now. I honestly love the game, especially now that I'm getting out of the low level grind b.s. and into the fun stuff, but it seems like more and more people are quitting the game and there isn't enough newbs coming in to balance it out. A year ago I was fighting for mobs to solo in West Ronnfaure; now there are days that I'm the only person in the zone (that isn't just passing through). It's really made me re-evaluate the way I play the game...whereas before I took my time with gaining levels, I'm definitely going to kick it up a notch and start cranking out the xp...mainly because I'd like to at least get 1 job to 75 before the only people playing ARE 75's doing endgame shit.

For that reason, I think merging servers would be a good thing in the long run. Unless S-E can come up with some way to get a lot of new players interested in the game, I'd rather deal with over-camped and laggy areas then the ghost town's that a lot of areas have become.

Just my 2 cents ^^

[Jei]

Re: Server Merges?

There's not much reason to play any job beyong 37 now for most eng game players except for fun :O I think it will eventually get to the point where 37-70 will be near impossible to PT. We're slowly getting there xD

[John Doe III]

Re: Server Merges?

Ragnarok is too old lolz

[Caspian]

Re: Server Merges?

Yours is the only server I've ever heard of being that low, especially at primetime. I can't remember the last time I saw Fairy below 2k, and that was shortly after a Maintenance or something.

[Icemage]

Re: Server Merges?

I'll again point out that the population is not the problem. Everyone hated it when there were 4500+ people online at the time. Huge lag, massive competition for XP spots.

The issue is not that there are fewer players - it's just that there are fewer players going through the XP grind. There's a ton of end-game level 75ish stuff in the game that is distracting a sizable chunk of the player base nowadays, so the actual number of people seeking for XP any any given level is now a smaller number than it used to be.


Icemage

[John Doe III]

Re: Server Merges?

This game seems to be on its last legs when i think about it. Alot will say its due to the holidays, But a few months back i posted how during NA prime time range. My server didnt even get much higher then a total population of 2100 peeps. An when it got into JPN prime time, the numbers were around the same.
I know i been like you with 3 different job ranges. An struggling during the week to get pick up pts, or make my own. An i tried during all 3 major times, NA, JP, an EU,
Honestly if you remove afk players from the server youd probably only have 1000-1500 max

Yeah, I have everything ready to go but when I ask they are either, not PTing, not in a PT anymore, dont want to party, or do want to. And when I can't find anyone they leave. I did /sea all, found about 1700 people almost close to primetime (today was up around 2300). Then I did /sea all 75, it came close to 500. Then you do /sea all 1- and there is your options.

I remember back when servers were filled with close to 4k all the time. Doesn't anyone wish there was that much now? They either poorly implemented all the areas, need more areas, or need to improve on certain things. SE needs to allow players to move server mainly due to the fact that they are getting lower and lower, if this is done then they can get rid of a few servers. Then many will be at a full capacity allowing for more gameplay.

[dirtyclown]

Re: Server Merges?

For the mid levels, it only seems like there's only a dozen players at your range playing. But when you finally settle into a camp, that's when 18 other players show up right next to you. It's really odd...

They're kinda like roaches.

I can remember back when this game was in it's prime (4-5k on at one time) and I'd do searches for people in the high 40s low 50s, and get the same result of 12 or less people on. It's been like that since I can remember.

[Jei]

Re: Server Merges?

I guess a lot of players just set up statics.

[LyonheartLakshmi]

Re: Server Merges?

For the mid levels, it only seems like there's only a dozen players at your range playing. But when you finally settle into a camp, that's when 18 other players show up right next to you. It's really odd...

[Icemage]

Re: Server Merges?

That's not unusual though - the reason there's fewer players LFG in the mid-ranges is that at least half of the player base that has already hit 75 is doing something other than levelling secondary jobs. Those people are hunting HNM/Assault/Dynamis/Limbus/Salvage/merits 95% of the time, which takes them effectively out of the levelling pool.

What does this mean? It's harder now to form parties than it was a few years ago when everyone was pushing through as a "wave" since people have more alternative activities screaming for their attention.

I don't really see this as deterioration in the game, merely shift in focus. It's bad for newer players, though, and I'd like to see Square-Enix step up to the plate and address the requirement for 6 players in a party to earn decent XP. It definitely is turning into a problem finding people who need to gain levels.

This brings up an interesting idea I have, but I'll post it over in the Ask Square-Enix Questions forum.


Icemage

[little ninja]

Re: Server Merges?

Bleh, on all day every day. The job range was 49, 57, 62. Was just curious.

This game seems to be on its last legs when i think about it. Alot will say its due to the holidays, But a few months back i posted how during NA prime time range. My server didnt even get much higher then a total population of 2100 peeps. An when it got into JPN prime time, the numbers were around the same.

I know i been like you with 3 different job ranges. An struggling during the week to get pick up pts, or make my own. An i tried during all 3 major times, NA, JP, an EU,

Honestly if you remove afk players from the server youd probably only have 1000-1500 max