Dev response to Server Merge please.

[Comeatmebro]

it's not a question of whether the game would be better with a 2:1 or 3:1 merge(it would), it's their infrastructure

instanced zones can barely handle busy times as is, anyone who's done delve(particularly around may-september '13 when populations were still high) can speak for the frustration of TP moves not readying, missing the message(and subsequently the recast staying 0) when a spell completes, 'cannot cast at this time' spam from your outgoing spell getting sent twice, etc..

mission bcs are less congested now that there are more of them, but ark angels are still the primary chapter BCs and with only 3 instances per server a soloer or 2 will almost always result in congestion, 10-20 minute waits for a group to finish bc aren't fun, especially if someone at a different entrance beats you into the opening leaving you stuck waiting again

entrance for salvage can be a 10 minute wait at times, and at busy(jp) times the servers will disconnect people midrun because they can't keep up

frequent r0s independant of internet connection in essentially any zone, particularly inside mog house

the population is minimal at the moment and these issues are still all over, the servers need serious hardware and/or software improvements to be able to maintain the people they have at the quality one would expect for their monthly fee.. these issues will be compounded if they decide to just dump servers together and se knows it

[InpendingDeath]

I would really love a server merge! I recently came back after a year or so and the population is really depressing... The game is still fun, but it feels lonely, I guess I have Trion and Ayame to talk to...

They could make some good things happen by running a welcome back campaign, along with server merge and maybe a permanent 50% off the sub price (let's be honest the sub price is extortionate). I think the QoL changes since coming back are amazing and I think players who left a year or two ago would be pleasantly surprised too but they'll be put off (like me) by the low population and high sub price.

I think the campaigns are great, the WoE campaign sure did bring alot of people online but everyone was in WoE so it diddn't effect the common person making a shout really. The game does feel lonely at times, Sitting in jeuno and being the only person to shout for the past hour and not one reply to the thing your shouting for sucks.

[InpendingDeath]

it's not a question of whether the game would be better with a 2:1 or 3:1 merge(it would), it's their infrastructure

instanced zones can barely handle busy times as is, anyone who's done delve(particularly around may-september '13 when populations were still high) can speak for the frustration of TP moves not readying, missing the message(and subsequently the recast staying 0) when a spell completes, 'cannot cast at this time' spam from your outgoing spell getting sent twice, etc..

mission bcs are less congested now that there are more of them, but ark angels are still the primary chapter BCs and with only 3 instances per server a soloer or 2 will almost always result in congestion, 10-20 minute waits for a group to finish bc aren't fun, especially if someone at a different entrance beats you into the opening leaving you stuck waiting again

entrance for salvage can be a 10 minute wait at times, and at busy(jp) times the servers will disconnect people midrun because they can't keep up

frequent r0s independant of internet connection in essentially any zone, particularly inside mog house

the population is minimal at the moment and these issues are still all over, the servers need serious hardware and/or software improvements to be able to maintain the people they have at the quality one would expect for their monthly fee.. these issues will be compounded if they decide to just dump servers together and se knows it

Yes you make very good points, I would expect this to be fixed as well. They can do it with XIV, why can't they do it with XI is it an issue of not wanting to invest resources or is it maybe somethng with the games coding that will make this extremely more difficult to do? Either way I believe they should have been planning for this for a while now.

[Pixela]

Over the past month I've noticed the game being less populated, /sea all during NA prime time on week days are 400-500 people and /sea all during JP prime time is 700-900 people. Now we KNOW these are not all active, most are asleep or at work just on game to bazaar items. Most are peoples second even third accounts. Realistically speaking we can assume 200-250 are active people. Or 350-450 during JP times and I'm pretty sure that's being generous.


This is a MMORPG right?


I know a lot of people are ok without the server merge because they prefer less people to compete with over certain NMs, and some people do everything as a linkshell so they could care less. But what about the people who rely on making their own shout groups and joining the public runs? No reason for a MMORPG to be dead during prime times and SE not say anything about it. Will it be this way until more and more people quit playing until you can't do anything without shouting for 5-6 hours?

Feel free to make a similar topic instead of posting in this one, maybe if 20-30 people do we'll get a response.

The problem is nobody needs what you're shouting for or they do it with their linkshell, 300-400 people is more than enough people if the content was relevent for them. The problem is that most people don't need what you're shouting for and of those that do, they are either too gimpy for you or they are JP.

Do I need to mention that old FFXI had almost no shout groups for anything, ever? You joined a linkshell or you did no endgame content, shouting only started with Abyssea so it pretty recent.

Server populations aren't NA prime time, they are 24/7 averages. JP numbers peak a fair bit higher.

Not saying I don't agree with server merges but if you think it's going to solve your problems you're delusional. Also people quit after merges due to losing names and community.

[Dale]

The problem is nobody needs what you're shouting for or they do it with their linkshell, 300-400 people is more than enough people if the content was relevent for them. The problem is that most people don't need what you're shouting for and of those that do, they are either too gimpy for you or they are JP.

Do I need to mention that old FFXI had almost no shout groups for anything, ever? You joined a linkshell or you did no endgame content, shouting only started with Abyssea so it pretty recent.

Server populations aren't NA prime time, they are 24/7 averages. JP numbers peak a fair bit higher.

Not saying I don't agree with server merges but if you think it's going to solve your problems you're delusional. Also people quit after merges due to losing names and community.

I agree. The real problem is expecting to rely on shouts. That's not going to work even if the sever population was tripled. The only solution is to stop relying on shouts.

[InpendingDeath]

The problem is nobody needs what you're shouting for or they do it with their linkshell, 300-400 people is more than enough people if the content was relevent for them. The problem is that most people don't need what you're shouting for and of those that do, they are either too gimpy for you or they are JP.

Do I need to mention that old FFXI had almost no shout groups for anything, ever? You joined a linkshell or you did no endgame content, shouting only started with Abyssea so it pretty recent.

Server populations aren't NA prime time, they are 24/7 averages. JP numbers peak a fair bit higher.

Not saying I don't agree with server merges but if you think it's going to solve your problems you're delusional. Also people quit after merges due to losing names and community.

Well i've only played for about 3-4 months so I can't speak for the past. 300-400 people might be enough if they need said content but as you said most have completed with their linkshell. What about the people who are in casual linkshells and can't always play when stuff is planned out just give them the finger? I think having a server merge would help all shouts, more people is always better they might not need everything you shout for but maybe a few need AAs/Rem Ch1-5 runs/VW/Delve/Skirmish/Merit BC fights/etc and when your looking at the population every single person counts. I also believe having a server merge would attract people, they can logon and not be in a ghost town they'd be in a MMO, which thrives on community and more people equals more community. Also don't know the average age of people who play this game but you have to be pretty young/immature to quit over something as small as having to change your name. I don't think I have ever met nor heard of someone quitting a game they enjoy due to not being able to use the name they wanted. I have however heard of people quitting games due to population issues.

[InpendingDeath]

I agree. The real problem is expecting to rely on shouts. That's not going to work even if the sever population was tripled. The only solution is to stop relying on shouts.

As a casual player how do you not rely on shouts? You expect people in a linkshell to always be willing to do that you want to, no. Shouting is the main way for casual players to get things they need cleared. If i shout for a AA run and get 1 reply we now have 2 people, if the server population is tripled wouldn't that mean we'd have 6? Numbers are important to rely on shout groups which should be important since there are so many things you can do via shout. Maybe if I wasn't a casual player and knew many people who needed the same things I did I could stop relying on shouts, but thats just unrealistic when you have job/family and more important things to do.

[Dale]

As a casual player how do you not rely on shouts? You expect people in a linkshell to always be willing to do that you want to, no. Shouting is the main way for casual players to get things they need cleared. If i shout for a AA run and get 1 reply we now have 2 people, if the server population is tripled wouldn't that mean we'd have 6? Numbers are important to rely on shout groups which should be important since there are so many things you can do via shout. Maybe if I wasn't a casual player and knew many people who needed the same things I did I could stop relying on shouts, but thats just unrealistic when you have job/family and more important things to do.

I'm a casual player and don't rely on shouts. If I relied on shouts to play this game I would have quit it long ago.

What you can do is take the time to talk to others and get to know them. Create a link shell and recruit people who have like-minded goals whom you enjoy playing with. In the end this is a multi-player game and if you want to enjoy it your best option is to make friends and get to know people you can play with consistently to get things done.

Even when this game first came out and the servers were full, shouts were an awful way to get things done. Increasing the server population would not help.

[InpendingDeath]

I'm a casual player and don't rely on shouts. If I relied on shouts to play this game I would have quit it long ago.

What you can do is take the time to talk to others and get to know them. Create a link shell and recruit people who have like-minded goals whom you enjoy playing with. In the end this is a multi-player game and if you want to enjoy it your best option is to make friends and get to know people you can play with consistently to get things done.

Even when this game first came out and the servers were full, shouts were an awful way to get things done. Increasing the server population would not help.

So I'm expecting people to be online when I have chances to play, expect people to not be doing anything when I have chances to play, expect people to be in need of the same thing I am when i have chances to play, and expect all these people to leave their frineds/linkshells to join one I create? Like i said I can't say how the past was due to being new but shouts have always been the way to go for me and have always worked, still do work perfectly fine when theres people online. The issue is when population starts to decrease those who rely on shouts are left having to shout for a longer period of time. There are just as many that rely on shouts that don't from what i've seen, the fact is there are people who do rely on shouts and more people would be great for those who do.

[Deifact]

For those who say don't rely on shouts, rely on a link shell, how did you get into that linkshell? How did you prove to those people that you're worthy of bringing into the fold?

Sure anyone can join a social or casual LS but I'm sure a lot of people have joined a LS from a shout group. Shout groups (or pugs) are the only way to meet like minded people, you bump into the same faces a few times. You ask for a shell and boom you have that linkshell to help you out.

Imagine being a new player now? There's a huge divide between veterans and noobs that those noobs have to break through. How can they get into these linkshells? There aren't enough people in the same boat as them to make their own, and an established progression or endgame LS might be reluctant to take in a total newbie.

So the newbie gets to a natural stopping point where progress grinds to a halt and quits.

TL;DR shout groups are an important social activity that help build bonds between players.