Transfer Restrictions and Roleplayers

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

I just want to express my disappointment at this decision.

Balmung is as popular as it is for a reason, and rather than try to squeeze and constrict the population I'd rather they embrace it for the good news that it is. Its a community that people are willing to sacrifice for in order to join. This is a good thing, and unless the hardware itself is being challenged (its not) this is an overreaction on their part. Anyone who doesn't want to face the crowding issues the server provides is welcome to move elsewhere.

Perhaps free transfers off the server would be a wiser response than trying to suffocate their game's most successful server community.

The server WILL have issues, and has, with expansion launches. And there will be free transfers off, why is nobody READING THE WHOLE POST FROM THE LODESTONE?!

And Balmung is only as popular as it is because everyone tells everyone else to go to Balmung.

It used to be such a nice, mid sized server, without drama....

Also, a lot of us dont want to spend the money to transfer when we've been there since before it existed, though I will likely be taking advantage of the free transfer off, especially with the gil transfer increase.

[Aya_Foxheart]

The server WILL have issues, and has, with expansion launches. And there will be free transfers off, why is nobody READING THE WHOLE POST FROM THE LODESTONE?!

Good! That's terrific - a good idea, and something that people who rolled on Balmung before it became such a high pop server really do deserve. I hope you enjoy your game even more on your new home.

And Balmung is only as popular as it is because everyone tells everyone else to go to Balmung.

Those dastardly, low down everyones!

[Atreyu]

And Balmung is only as popular as it is because everyone tells everyone else to go to Balmung.

Isn't the point of an MMO to group with people of like minds and interests? Of course RPers would want to promote what we do (and where we do it) to our friends who also focus on RP. Why would we want to promote the game to our friends, only to strand them (or ourselves, if we decide to join them) on a server where there is little-to-no activity that we enjoy?

[ExKage]

Would it work for anything else, though? If SE actually did make a brand new official RP server, would Balmung see a mass exodus? Or would they probably keep complaining that they're already established in the community where they're at?

That's the question I have. I wouldn't be moving unless my current circle of friends do. I have no real pressing dire need for roleplay so whether or not there is one doesn't affect my personal opinion. The thing is, Balmung wasn't restricted as it was before when other communities were started. Gilgamesh wasn't closed. There was always that loophole of being able to transfer. What is the minimum threshold that will motivate large groups of people, largely populated communities, to move?

Based on the graphs I've posted earlier, it's my opinion that Balmung and Gilgamesh will not see a removal of the lockout until at least 4k of each server's population moves to the lower populated servers. The fact that Balmung and Gilgamesh are on the same data center exacerbates the issue. If you look at the populations across all three, 7-9k is "very populated". Balmung needs to get halved to reach even 7k.

[Valkyrie_Lenneth]

Isn't the point of an MMO to group with people of like minds and interests? Of course RPers would want to promote what we do (and where we do it) to our friends who also focus on RP. Why would we want to promote the game to our friends, only to strand them (or ourselves, if we decide to join them) on a server where there is little-to-no activity that we enjoy?

The problems arose when you concentrated everyone on to one server. If there had been 2-3 mid sized servers that all went for rp, then you wouldnt have 1 no one could get into.

[savageink]

Based on the graphs I've posted earlier, it's my opinion that Balmung and Gilgamesh will not see a removal of the lockout until at least 4k of each server's population moves to the lower populated servers. The fact that Balmung and Gilgamesh are on the same data center exacerbates the issue. If you look at the populations across all three, 7-9k is "very populated". Balmung needs to get halved to reach even 7k.

Here's my question: That's current active players right? How many inactives will be coming back for the xpack? What does that push the population of people sitting in the "Please wait" screen to and how many more people will need to take advantage of the move offers? Incoming!

[Atreyu]

The problems arose when you concentrated everyone on to one server. If there had been 2-3 mid sized servers that all went for rp, then you wouldnt have 1 no one could get into.

We did try that, as mentioned, with other servers. Primarily Gilgamesh in 2.0.
The issue is extremely complicated in that people will always see Balmung as the place with 'the most' RPers, and thus the most opportunities for RP. RPing is a hobby that can only flourish with more people involved. It mimics life in the sense that it blooms and is more immersive the more events, choices and ties there are. Balmung has all of those. There are entire Tumblrs, an RP calendar that has several events daily and more dedicated just to RP.

There are definitely other RPers on other servers, but the smaller servers often suffer from burning too hot, too fast, and then tiring themselves out. It takes a lot of time, dedication, effort and *people* to be on board with making something that could even hold a candle to Balmung's already roaring flame... and when those smaller communities inevitably die out from burnout, those who are left will inevitably give up and go where the community is already stable and self-supporting.

[MomomiMomi]

Well I'm going to excuse myself from this thread. But before I do, I wish all you people in locked servers good luck.

And since I just saw Atreyu's sig, I shall leave you with some parting words.



Existence is reasonable, let's make things better.

[ExKage]

Here's my question: That's current active players right? How many inactives will be coming back for the xpack? What does that push the population of people sitting in the "Please wait" screen to and how many more people will need to take advantage of the move offers? Incoming!

Please elaborate. Do you think the inactives who return will ignite enough server issues to cause people to leave and unlock Balmung? What is the point of your question?

[savageink]

Please elaborate. Do you think the inactives who return will ignite enough server issues to cause people to leave and unlock Balmung? What is the point of your question?

The point? The numbers you gave are current numbers. How significant an increase will the xpack have on those numbers? Will 3,000 players come back 5,000? How many people are inactive at any time that plan to return? It could be apocalyptic....or nothing. (I'm not betting on nothing.) More people online in the same instances = more instability. More active players also would effect wait times for log-in as well as the length of time it takes for character creation to resume. So, the lockout could be stretched forever if nobody takes advantage of the move offers. I was just pointing out it could be even worse then you said.