Why won't SE merge the servers due to few people playing the game?

[Abriael]

@Abriael
Now, if you really believe that the population of players logging
in more than once a week is higher then 50k, then... oh boy.

I don't have the tools to determine that, and differently from other people (that seem to have a quite telling FUD-spreading agenda), I'm not keen on "inventing" tools that simply hold no statistical or factual value.

What I do see is that I have plenty people to group with, I never had to look for group for more than five-ten minutes, i get my stuff repaired in no time just by putting it in my bazar for five minutes while i run around a city and so forth.

FFXIV is designed around very clear hubs, and this means that population won't be a real problem until/if it'll be much worse than it is now.

[Rinsui]

Consider yourself lucky then -.-/
If you read back a little, not many people seem to share that luck.

Btw, the data back in December was not "invented". It was just a compilation
of aggregated player numbers logged in at a specific time each day. No hocus-
pocus. Just the numbers SE allowed us to see back then.

Those that vanished once the downward-trend became obvious.

Again: I am confident... no... I believe they have a realistic chance to turn
this boat around and actually win back huge numbers of players once the
promised changes and improvements are implemented. But at the moment,
that's future-talk.

[Abriael]

Consider yourself lucky then -.-/
If you read back a little, not many people seem to share that luck.

or maybe those are unlucky, or don't look hard enough for people around them.Or don't bother to use the party search function, that while not perfect, works much better and more effectively than many tend to believe.

Btw, the data back in December was not "invented". It was just a compilation
of aggregated player numbers logged in at a specific time each day. No hocus-
pocus. Just the numbers SE allowed us to see back then.

The problem is that that kind of compilation of aggregated numbers fits the description of "empyrical data without any statistical value" perfectly.

Declining numbers past release (especially concurrent login numbers, considering that players play the most in the first weeks, when the "novelty" factor is still strong, on every online game), is nowhere out of market standards, and that's why developers (not nearly just SE), tend to remove the tools to see them past release.
They give people with an agenda something to work with (normally and quite conveniently forgetting to mention decisive factors that don't fit that agenda, like what I mentioned just above).

[Rinsui]

or maybe those are unlucky, or don't look hard enough for people around them.

Another sensible conclusion would be that Eorzea is full of unlucky people. ^.^/

The problem is that that kind of compilation of aggregated numbers fits the description of "empyrical data without any statistical value" perfectly.

Err... no. The method they used is pretty sound. At least I am not aware of a better way to draw conclusions about the player population than by noting said player population at predefined intervals.
Is there?

(Btw: empirical != empyreal).

[weeble]

aye, i think he must be in one of the 1-3 servers that have 3chocobo population, no one uses the search function on our servers. finding leve party people if not set up threw ls usually never hit 8people, its a 50 50 chance for it. usually i'm happy with 4-6 long as i get full links.

b4 they removed the server pop numbers on a patch, my server was down to like 600-700people on good hours, what u think they are at now? and how many of them u think are afk, botting crafters,rmt? ask most at this point even the smallest things that u can do without an ls like grinding, a linkshell of fully active people is needed. it don't make for a good game when u gotta make timed events for something as simple as leve links or wait for people to log in to do any type of grinding.

[Abriael]

Another sensible conclusion would be that Eorzea is full of unlucky people.

Considering how many, even in this thread, say that a server merge is not warranted (enough to make the OP concede that he was wrong), I would say that it's much less "full" of unlucky people than you make it up to be

Err... no. The method they used is pretty sound. At least I am not aware of a better way to draw conclusions about the player population than by noting said player population at predefined intervals.
Is there?

The fact that there are no better methods doesn't make a statistically weak method any more solid. It just means that speculating without elements is useless when not detrimental.

[weeble]

like i posted earlier, this feels like warhammer server i was on, it was absolutely empty. and they didn't merge for whatever reason, our ls leader took an hour video of us on high pop times threw the entire game, showing it was absolutely empty (pvp have u) and threatened to send it to a paper lol. we merged a week or so after lol. maybe that is what is needed to be done, i can guarantee what u'll see is that most servers are empty outside the few.

[DarkRain]

With 19 XIV servers running (i.e. when they have electricity) and, what, 35k people playing, why are we not seeing servers merging?

Here are a few reasons for it that I can think of off the top of my head:

1) Once XIV goes PS3, there will be a large gap between PS3 and PC players - by merging you can have the PS3 users start fresh with their own peers while we continue on with our own peers

2) Keep current XIV players happy - we'd be playing in well populated worlds
As a result of (2), we'd be able to:
A) Find groups
B) Establish [friendly] rivalries between guilds for NMs, items, etc
C) Find a LS that fits us well (social vs core vs German vs Japanese, etc)
D) Feel like we're playing an MMO and not a single person RPG
E) RP, for those who are into that

3) RL gil - it'd be cheaper to run fewer servers

Mostly though, it's point no. 3 that I feel is the most important (to SE). Frankly, I'm surprised why it hasn't happened already.

I also think that the fact that all these servers are running is a sign of SE's misplaced optimism. It's like they're waiting for the servers to fill up, even though it might take a while (if ever?).

Finally, I realize that there are many inactive accounts, but 19 servers still seem like too many.

#1. What if a lot of people quit a server and then restart or someone new restarts? sorta kills that logic ( no offence )
#2 Some people like less populated worlds
A. if you have a good LS you should allways be able to make a group
B. This allways happens no matter what server size your on
C. Again every server big and small allready have this
D. Server size has nothing to do with this , This is more of a player perspective
E. My server is a smaller server ( Saronia ) and we have a lot of people who role play i know of 2 methra and a taru who allways role play next to the repair npc in Ul'Dah , and its funny to watch wile your crafting.

3. Right now SE isent makeing anything on this game other then stright sales of the game. Were playing it for free when it should be 15$ a month more or less depending on your needs/wants.

The only way a server gets combined is when the world drops to like 750~500 a server. Then worlds combine. Wait til PS3 the worlds will fill up more. And like i said People come and go in every server so it makes no sence to combine servers if theres no need to do so now. ( also lower server count = less lag in some areas )

[Gun_Anam]

ask most at this point even the smallest things that u can do without an ls like grinding, a linkshell of fully active people is needed. it don't make for a good game when u gotta make timed events for something as simple as leve links or wait for people to log in to do any type of grinding.

This is why you join 3-4 linkshells instead of hoping to find 1 perfect active linkshell. There's no such thing. People need to start expanding their social network within the game if they want to have people to party with all the time.

Up until about a month ago I was just in 1 linkshell thinking that it was a good community and there was nothing wrong with just having 1 or 2 people on in the LS to party with. Then I started grouping up outwith the linkshell and joined a couple of others whilst also gaining other contacts. Since then it doesn't take more than 10 minutes to get a 8-man party formed for leves.

If people make that little bit more effort to find people to play with then they'll find that the people are actually there. If you see a random person asking for someone to do leves with at a camp then invite them to join you. If you're able to take leves, take them for a place you know is going to be busy so you put yourself in a position to be able to meet more people. I'll admit, I'm one of those people who hate pick-up groups, but it's something you'll have to get used to until there's a more consistent population and there's not lots of people coming and going from the game.

[DarkRain]

also theres nothing wrong with standing in Ul'Dah and shouting /shout leve party do you need it? Lv. 40~45 yes please!
Or /shout grind party can i have it. level 20~25 yes please.

really not that hard to get a party