Server merge inevitable?

[Mustybadger]

I have recently moved away from the Phoenix server to the Bahamut server, under the assumption that the Bahamut server would have a higher population of players but only to be left sorely disappointed.

There is often hourly delays between shouts for any type of event, no cohesion between players and not enough players to sustain the community.

I have also heard reports that smaller servers (even smaller than Bahamut) and reporting login figures of 250 people at EU primetime on a Saturday, how can SE expect players to continue logging into these servers when there is literally nothing to do in regard to group activities? It's basically become a single player game with the content available for group activities but those activities being completely out of reach.

In terms of a single player only game, it would be like buying the game and only having half the content available with no option to purchase the rest.

I think at this time of the game, a set of server merges is essential to keep FFXI, the game we all still play and love, afloat, surely? :confused:

[Anjou]

I have recently moved away from the Phoenix server to the Bahamut server, under the assumption that the Bahamut server would have a higher population of players but only to be left sorely disappointed.

There is often hourly delays between shouts for any type of event, no cohesion between players and not enough players to sustain the community.

I have also heard reports that smaller servers (even smaller than Bahamut) and reporting login figures of 250 people at EU primetime on a Saturday, how can SE expect players to continue logging into these servers when there is literally nothing to do in regard to group activities? It's basically become a single player game with the content available for group activities but those activities being completely out of reach.

In terms of a single player only game, it would be like buying the game and only having half the content available with no option to purchase the rest.

I think at this time of the game, a set of server merges is essential to keep FFXI, the game we all still play and love, afloat, surely? :confused:


Through a concentrated effort can this be brought to their attention, simply posting it on the forums won't do since they won't listen to us that often. This is a legitimate emergency, and can be the final nail in FFXI's coffin should the developers not consider doing this.

[fatbob]

Bismarck had over 800 payer logged in the other night. Not like 1200+ back in the day, but still playable if you find a good LS to join.

[Dragoy]

At around 1500+ during European afternoon slash Japanese evening on Fenrir, down to 400-600 or so roughly at the NA times I think.

I could see servers merging, and I have decided that Asura will be merged with Fenrir. In addition to that, I could see the game going Japan exclusive...

[Frankbrodie]

Wasn't/isn't Phoenix server like the 3rd highest populated server?

I always understood it went from Asura > Odin > Phoenix > whatever..

[leorez]

Wasn't/isn't Phoenix server like the 3rd highest populated server?

I always understood it went from Asura > Odin > Phoenix > whatever..

im on asura and most nights its around 600-700 duing NA peak times, in the morning and early afternoon EST its like 300-400 and late night for JP time it can hit over 1k.

Its pretty clear the JP players didnt care for 14 (probably because its basically a western MMO clone) so they have stuck around on most servers.

[Anjou]

Might wanna start getting friendly with the JP population then peeps, I've already made 5 new friends <3

[Numquam]

I really want a server merge.

[Spectreman]

Server Merge, Can I Have It?

[Tohihroyu]

At around 1500+ during European afternoon slash Japanese evening on Fenrir, down to 400-600 or so roughly at the NA times I think.

I could see servers merging, and I have decided that Asura will be merged with Fenrir. In addition to that, I could see the game going Japan exclusive...

Yeah... considering there has always been favoritism towards Japanese players, and that most JP look down upon non JP players...since most assume non jp are a bunch of botters, RMT and total assholes. I really don't see this game lasting very long once 2014 (loool gedit??) rolls around.

Even IF they did merge what difference would it make? 800~ or so where more then half are afk bazzaring, bots, RMT, or Japanese players who refuse non Japanese-- it'll still be just as dead as it is now.

Why else I agree about what if XI goes Jp only is because, well look at XIV's reviews! they got SO MANY NA/EU players, the servers on those sides quickly filled up so they had to add more servers to fit the mass amount of NA/EU players so much that error after error due to loads of people trying to log in. I think November's update is going to be the final test, because even with RME updates whats gonna happen? people will go back on update their RME (IF they didn't pitch them) get the new weapons and gear that made the previous ones insta obsolete then /shutdown and cancel their accounts again, I would say more missions but sadly next to no one cares about the story anymore.

[Byrth]

Yeah, at this point we almost need 3-world merges. If they wait another month or two, they might need 4-world merges or (if the November update is good) only 2 world merges. <_<

At the moment I think they're probably playing it right by waiting.

[Karah]

Yeah, at this point we almost need 3-world merges. If they wait another month or two, they might need 4-world merges or (if the November update is good) only 2 world merges. <_<

At the moment I think they're probably playing it right by waiting.

I've still got to say, logically, I'm the only one bringing up the right answer. Not merges. All a merge does is double the amount of afk players.

Open server transfers for free, with no 3 month waits. Log in today play on cerberus, log in tomorrow play on fenrir. See where all the people go and just stay there.

All the "oh that would screw up the economy" isn't it already beyond repair.

I'd be the happiest person alive if I could go to a "dead server" and not see a single other person clogging up my zone when I'm trying to accomplish something, then go to a "thriving server" and do group content.

[Damane]

Yeah, at this point we almost need 3-world merges. If they wait another month or two, they might need 4-world merges or (if the November update is good) only 2 world merges. <_<

At the moment I think they're probably playing it right by waiting.

waiting for now is definitly the right answer at least until the november update. However if there has to be a mass-server-merge thing to happen I would like them to designated different servers to specific Areas. Like designate an EU, a NA server, so those people that play in the same timezone/same dayhours/durign same time play together (hence avoiding a "death" time during EU-Primetime as it currently is on almost any server)

[Anjou]

I've still got to say, logically, I'm the only one bringing up the right answer. Not merges. All a merge does is double the amount of afk players.

Open server transfers for free, with no 3 month waits. Log in today play on cerberus, log in tomorrow play on fenrir. See where all the people go and just stay there.

All the "oh that would screw up the economy" isn't it already beyond repair.

I can see what you are talking about on this, perhaps if they at least gave it a shot. The active players would communicate among each other, and perhaps flock to a certain server after doing some testing. But then if there's no wait time, it'd have people joining different servers like a game of musical chairs.

[Damane]

atm I am torn between playing a game with a total ass-community (XIV) and a game that has an almost dead community (XI). My last straw is the november update with the hardmode and REM content. I cant stant the XIV community, because people act there like pricks and not like humans, but I also cant play XI because there is noone to play with almost ._.. In the end it might end up with playing none of the two :/

[lllen]

Yesterday afternoon about 250 people on Cerberus, which was the same amount several hours after the last update. There is nothing to do, I'm taking my gear and killing things for the hell of it..."Pay Back Time" for killing me so many times in the old days type mobs.

The last merge I was on Hades and thought how horrible only 1200 on...oh to have 1200 again.

[Edyth]

I hope every 3 servers get merged into one. My best friend from FFXI came back today, then sent me this email:

"I paid to get on 11 today, when I logged in it was DEAD 300 total players on the server! I decided to buy XIV :) Is it as fun as 11 when we were noobs?"

The number of players in itself is detrimental to the game's sustainability.

[Mustybadger]

I've still got to say, logically, I'm the only one bringing up the right answer. Not merges. All a merge does is double the amount of afk players.

Open server transfers for free, with no 3 month waits. Log in today play on cerberus, log in tomorrow play on fenrir. See where all the people go and just stay there.

All the "oh that would screw up the economy" isn't it already beyond repair.

I'd be the happiest person alive if I could go to a "dead server" and not see a single other person clogging up my zone when I'm trying to accomplish something, then go to a "thriving server" and do group content.

While your idea if the most logical and would probably be the best approach for the remaining players, it's just not going to happen. Why would SE keep servers open for the occasional person to login to when they want to run solo content. It's just an un-needed expenditure.

Atleast, with a server merge, the few remaining active players would have combined focus. It would also prevent examples like above happening, where people come back to the game, ready to play, log in, see there is only 300 people on the server on a Saturday afternoon, log off, presume the game is dead and never log in again.

FFXI still has a relatively solid player base, it's just a shame it's currently bunched into little pockets over 16 servers...

[FaeQueenCory]

FFXI still has a relatively solid player base, it's just a shame it's currently bunched into little pockets over 16 servers...
So much this.

I think they're waiting on the REM update... cause I know a lot of ppl rage-quit when their empy got outdated in a month 3x.
That should bring back those.... or at least some of them.

After that influx, then the mergers will happen.
Don't want to overcrowd a server after a merge and have to split it. :/
"measure twice and cut once" type of deals.

[KingShez]

So much this.

I think they're waiting on the REM update... cause I know a lot of ppl rage-quit when their empy got outdated in a month 3x.

I'm agreeing with you. I think the next update will bring a bunch back and then by New Years you should see another merger!

[leorez]

I'm agreeing with you. I think the next update will bring a bunch back and then by New Years you should see another merger!

I also think that the people who shifted to 14 will realize another month of the same oversimplified gameplay and very causal focused game is not gonna last for them. Ive seen people who defend the game and are basically forcing themselves to enjoy it start to see the cracks. Its nothng new, just old ideas mostly well polished, but same old crap everyone has seen and done before.

I think FFXIV will hold onto people for a tops of 6 months (2 updates worth) before they fully give up, and it will be because the devs are trying so hard to appeal to a "mass audience" they wont have the depth there to keep most players amused.

I wont be shocked if the servers fill back up in the next few months, especially if the devs for this game finally get a clue and stop this ilevel vertical gear grind most people are not in favor of, and get back to making it how it used to be.

[Keeley]

SE needs to merge the servers. We currently have 17. If they would just get rid of 9 of them, and send those people to the remaining 8, I think we would have another year or two where there are plenty of people to play with. I think FF14 is here to stay and if anything, it will drain more people from 11 to 14.

[Anjou]

SE needs to merge the servers. We currently have 17. If they would just get rid of 9 of them, and send those people to the remaining 8, I think we would have another year or two where there are plenty of people to play with. I think FF14 is here to stay and if anything, it will drain more people from 11 to 14.

I can agree with that, at least it'll give people some new playmate. Besides, the Japanese players keep us rather populated during their prime time, we just need to get EU players stabilized so they have some play time.

[Sp1cyryan]

im on asura and most nights its around 600-700 duing NA peak times, in the morning and early afternoon EST its like 300-400 and late night for JP time it can hit over 1k.

Its pretty clear the JP players didnt care for 14 (probably because its basically a western MMO clone) so they have stuck around on most servers.

I am also on Asura and while Leo is right. It easily hits 900-1k+ on weekends evening to night time EST. Over 1.1k this weekend. I assume that was because of the HKCNM event.


If SE plays its cards right with the November update then this problem will have a big bandage put over it. That is because FFXIs problems are not due to lolFFXIV anymore than they are due to Pokemon X and Y, GTA5, or the new CoD or AC comming out in a few weeks. FFXIs problem is it received a great expansion that was clearly not finished. It replaced all the existing content with a lack of content and a lack of endgame goals with rapid vertical progression (and the death of R,E,M). People burned out quickly this way and what we are left with is Monstrosity which is the glowing gem of FFXI at the moment, but needs a lot of work and expansion to stay that way.

Server merges are bound to happen regardless, but FFXI has a long ways to go in the life it has left in it. :cool:

[leorez]

I am also on Asura and while Leo is right. It easily hits 900-1k+ on weekends evening to night time EST. Over 1.1k this weekend. I assume that was because of the HKCNM event.


If SE plays its cards right with the November update then this problem will have a big bandage put over it. That is because FFXIs problems are not due to lolFFXIV anymore than they are due to Pokemon X and Y, GTA5, or the new CoD or AC comming out in a few weeks. FFXIs problem is it received a great expansion that was clearly not finished. It replaced all the existing content with a lack of content and a lack of endgame goals with rapid vertical progression (and the death of R,E,M). People burned out quickly this way and what we are left with is Monstrosity which is the glowing gem of FFXI at the moment, but needs a lot of work and expansion to stay that way.

Server merges are bound to happen regardless, but FFXI has a long ways to go in the life it has left in it. :cool:

Its that terrible and fast vertical progression (among a bunch of other things) that got me bored of FF14 so quick, and i really hope they stop doing what happens over there and poorly implementing it here, it just dont work in this game (nor should be used as some sort of testing ground for causalfest 14)

[Spectreman]

There not enough players to fill 10 servers. Need merge now.

[Anjou]

The only thing I'm worried about, is what'll happen with the players who lose their original server to the merge, I wonder how they'll act...

[detlef]

The worst part is if you merge servers at this point, you're essentially merging 4 servers worth of character names.

[Karah]

Here's the sad honest truth.

2000 people logged in for the "bcnmdropmadness weekend" this was literally the justification SE needed to say "no damn merges stop asking".

As long as you "quitters" keep logging in for lolloginrewards and stupid point driven gimmicks, there will be no merges, period.

It's cold and simple fact. It LOOKS like people are playing, whether they are or not.

Stop logging your mules in for log in points. (I'm guilty too I log in 10 accounts every day.) Until (we) all stop, there is no point complaining. It's your faults for falling for these tricks that keep merges from being discussed.

[Bearstar]

14 is pulling alot of player's attention but I don't see 11 ending anytime soon.

[predatory]

FFXI has a lot of life left in it provided SE stops the constant meddling at the top without reworking the bottom. They absolutely do need to finish SoA, but at the same time they need to breathe in some new life to some of that older content they've been sweeping under the rug since the advent of Abyssea, things that anyone who has been around this game for quite awhile used to do every chance we could. Sea, Sky, Dynamis, Campaign, Besieged to name a few, these could all have SoA strengths added to the mobs. Once they fix that horrible mistake they made of outdating all the gear in one fell swoop I hope they do bring this stuff back as quickly as possible, because let's face it, this constant 6-18 man instanced stuff is kind of lame, we should have big groups on grand adventures again.

[sc4500]

FFXI is running it course, To the end or to the smaller community in general. People age just like the game has aged. FFXI as went through it fine wine stage . With the abyssea content that brought a lot old players back and new players. Now it time for them just make the game fun and just keep there smaller community going.

FFXIV were many have move onto or other mmo's over the last few years. It the golden Age of choices when it comes to mmos now days from free to play. To the few that understand subscription base models.

One of the biggest flaws that going on with both FFXI and FXIV is there not making no reason for the elite players or there hardcore players to go back and do the older contents to get the good weapons. It just kill one boss for drops or farm same stuff over and over on the new weapons or gear, and everyone get same weapons or gear. No longer having to do old contents or stuff that you did work for over the long haul is worthless.

[Infidi]

At around 1500+ during European afternoon slash Japanese evening on Fenrir, down to 400-600 or so roughly at the NA times I think.

I could see servers merging, and I have decided that Asura will be merged with Fenrir. In addition to that, I could see the game going Japan exclusive...

I would welcome you to Fenrir, but we are going to rename Asura/Fenrir as Unicorn again. :D Bwahahaha.

[Splinters]

At this point server merging feels a lot like being in a sinking boat and people suggesting the passengers all sit close together. The boat will sink if the hole isn't fixed. People are saying 14 is the reason and I don't know if that is correct. What it felt like to me was the game was forcing me to use this one specific weapon for my job and to have this one specific gear set; make the old gear obsolete and eliminate gear swapping with these ilevel stats. That has never been 11. I always found WoW and Aion and other similar MMO's to be simplistic, even 14 feels like this. 11 has always been about finding that one piece of gear that will boost this one stat to make this weapon skill hit that much harder. And to get that gear I will have to crawl through hell on my knees to get it. It's not about that now. I could have been gone from the game for 3 years and within 3 hours I could have some of the best gear in the game for my job. The hardest part of getting gear now is getting to Skirmish camp that 1st time.

I did the cliche thing and went to 14 with the 90% of my linkshell and that community seems to be growing. Traded in my pearl for a Free Company with 65 people on on a slow day and 300 on a normal day. So what could SE do to make me return to 11? Probably nothing at this point. 11 will not shut down, I see it being sold off to some second-tier software company, have the FF name stripped off and made into an FTP.

[predatory]

At this point server merging feels a lot like being in a sinking boat and people suggesting the passengers all sit close together. The boat will sink if the hole isn't fixed. People are saying 14 is the reason and I don't know if that is correct. What it felt like to me was the game was forcing me to use this one specific weapon for my job and to have this one specific gear set; make the old gear obsolete and eliminate gear swapping with these ilevel stats. That has never been 11. I always found WoW and Aion and other similar MMO's to be simplistic, even 14 feels like this. 11 has always been about finding that one piece of gear that will boost this one stat to make this weapon skill hit that much harder. And to get that gear I will have to crawl through hell on my knees to get it. It's not about that now. I could have been gone from the game for 3 years and within 3 hours I could have some of the best gear in the game for my job. The hardest part of getting gear now is getting to Skirmish camp that 1st time.

I did the cliche thing and went to 14 with the 90% of my linkshell and that community seems to be growing. Traded in my pearl for a Free Company with 65 people on on a slow day and 300 on a normal day. So what could SE do to make me return to 11? Probably nothing at this point. 11 will not shut down, I see it being sold off to some second-tier software company, have the FF name stripped off and made into an FTP.

Maybe it should be sold to a second-tier software company because the way it's being run right now it might as well be.

There's going to be a server merge, of that I have no doubt, but the question is will it be too late at that point to keep the game afloat, earlier today I did a /sea all on Bahamut and there were 554 chars logged in, that's down roughly 300 from last month, and 1k overall since ffxiv was realeased. If they don't do a server merge pretty soon, people are going to keep abandoning ship simply because they don't have other people to do stuff with, and who wants to play an mmo when they can't get anything done for lack of a group?

[Demon6324236]

Well that's really the issue now. Adoulin has had only 3 real pieces of content, WKs, Skirmish, and Delve, while its been out around 7 months now, 2 sets of WKs, 2 sets of Skirmish, and 1 set of Delve, less than 1 real new piece of content each month. While a new FF game came out which was a MMO, and the game underwent a massive direction/development change which turned away a great deal of people. We are at the point where the game is losing people because the game is old, changing to much, and doesn't have enough content to make people want to stay, at the same time, the lower population is making it harder to do the new events, 1 of which asks for an Alliance, and the other which asks for multiple alliances.

People cant get a group because a lot of people already finished what there is to do, and don't want to do it anymore, while the people who are looking for a group either cant win, or cant gather the others to do it. Its just making the game fall apart faster. We need a lot of new content to keep people going since all of the old content got outdated and at the same time need server merges to gather enough people on servers to actually do the content too.