Dev response to Server Merge please.

[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]

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.

[Dale]

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.

Pretty much. You need to rely on others to play with with if you want to do group content.

You can try to rely on shouts, but it won't be reliable or effective. I understand that you think server merges would help, but I just disagree. I don't think it will.

[Missdivine]

None of this make sense to begin with, making a linkshell is hard nowdays because low population and most players on go online but afk/bazzaring or doing their own thing
ffxi is just made for hardcore players now, and the casuals are abandoned because they don't have stuff to get done. thats why i quit ffxi because it have become a sad offline mmorpg with npcs

[Malithar]

None of this make sense to begin with, making a linkshell is hard nowdays because low population and most players on go online but afk/bazzaring or doing their own thing
ffxi is just made for hardcore players now, and the casuals are abandoned because they don't have stuff to get done. thats why i quit ffxi because it have become a sad offline mmorpg with npcs

The game is more casual then it's ever been, your own post even calls it "a sad offline mmorpg with npcs." That's not hardcore at all. Anyone can jump back into the game and get caught up within a fairly minimal amount of time at this point. "None of this makes sense" indeed.

[elqplau]

Im a soloist meaning i didnt like the way parties where set up when rdm was nurphed so long ago...ive been playing sence na release. ..me and my mules have been through 3 merges... i dont rely on shouts....to me its spam...im in. City long enough to change jobs dump merits upgrade nvr longer than that

[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.