Dear SE, please unlock Balmung

[Tiggy]

Actually I don't think it is legitimate players that is the issue. It's the hacking bots that is causing the issue. There's quite frankly, a ton of them on Balmung, and nothing appears to be getting done about them. Goto a major quest hub, mainly a story quest npc area, or even just to the npc outside of the sunken temple of qarn. You will see black mage bots teleport hack to the npc, talk to the npc, then teleport hack away.

This is the biggest part of the problem. I'd wager hundreds of server slots are taken up by the bots. It's actively hindering legit players from using the server.

And I didn't say I know how there system works, but I'm not stupid I know how memory space works, it doesn't take a genius to understand that.

Your attitude could use some improvement. You're talking like what you're saying IS the only correct answer. Bots are clearly a big part of the problem as are vast quantities of AFK players.

[Snugglebutt]

This is the biggest part of the problem. I'd wager hundreds of server slots are taken up by the bots. It's actively hindering legit players from using the server.

The bots are not the issue long term though, they do not help the issue but with or without them the issue is still players trying to squeeze into a cramped server. The population limit is required for server stability and such. If removed all the bots, the issue would continue to exist with players trying to get on and while you might get a tiny respite in terms of how long before back to square one server full again...it would still happen and quite quickly too.

If anything locking the server permanently on and off based on population limit will help remove the bot population almost completely because no new bots could be created on the server so when they ban one it cannot be replaced with another. But it would need to be locked at the end once filled with actual players not bots if hit the population limit. The population limit needs to be adhered to for server stability so when locked, should not be opened up during off peak hours, it should only be unlocked when significant population drops happens.

Once they banned every bot on the locked server they could then maybe open it up for a period of time for new players to fill those spots then lock it once more when hit population limit > ban any bots that sneaked their way in and keep doing that until the server is just non-bot players hitting the population restriction and then lock it for a final time. Do the same on all servers and it will clear the entire RMT bot population over time from world to world as each one fills up with actual players.

[Blackweaver]

snip

These issues though, weren't happening nearly as much when the bots were banned soon after they were reported, and there was an AFK auto-kick feature in place. Now, they removed the afk timer, and bots are running rampant, with nothing being done. Legit players are not the issue. It's those 2 groups that are. Yeah there were lockouts, but Balmung used to be on a level of the other popular servers. But, the fact there's now so many bots. I bet if I did a head count, I could have the names of at least 1000 active bots on balmung. SE should ban those accounts, and delete them characters, and guess what. The issues will dissipate.

[Snugglebutt]

The issues will dissipate.

It would only alleviate it for a tiny amount of time until fills up again whether by bots or by players. It does not solve it, there is no way to solve it completely unless players stop trying to squeeze into a pretty full server. I think they should lock it completely (off peak and peak hours) then go through banning all the bots, then unlock it for period of time to allow players to join to fill the spots once held by bots, lock it again once hit population cap and keep it locked at that stage until population drops significantly of its own accord. I think they should do that combined with the option of free transfer weekends from time to time.