Can we have a server merger after fee take place ?

[Bahn]

Exactly. Server mergers are something MMOs do to maintain a viable playerbase when they go into decline. Were Final Fantasy XIV operating as a normal MMO, then yes, at this point a server merge would probably be very wise. But right at the moment, even setting aside the negative media effect, merging the server databases and possibly beefing up the individual servers appropriately would be a waste of manpower could be better deployed elsewhere, and even then doesn't take into account the issues that still surround the servers themselves that might have to be resolved first at a further waste.

I don't think a server merge would require as much resources as you think it does. Also, the issue with your train of thought saying it wastes manpower to do the merge is that right now resources and manpower are being wasted to maintain servers that have very small populations. Square decided to go the subscription route to get some money; it makes absolutely no sense why they wouldn't do a server merge now to consolidate their resources and save money, which ultimately results in MORE money for Square to do what they need to do to get 2.0 out the door.

The player count, right now, barely matters; we're effectively in beta testing and screwing around with the servers in the face of the upcoming v2.0 isn't so much a waste as it is counter-productive, as it would just be one more thing had to be undone - if only in undoing the 'Oh they went through a server merge' media effect, assuming there would't be issues around unpicking the tangled databases when the new server architecture comes in.

Square already has bad media - there is nowhere to go but up with this game. Them switching back to the sub model and charging a fee that isn't worth the price of the game (in the view of the media, not defenders of Square in this thread) didn't help their image at all. At this point it only helps Square if they consolidate their IT resources and reduce operating overhead and costs.

I don't like to make so iffy an argument, but to me, demanding a server merge is.. a little bit selfish. At least in the 'I don't want to go through the inconvenience of making a new character somewhere else and choosing between the friends and achievements I have on my server, and the fact that I want a different/larger playerbase. Therefore the developers should waste resources performing a server merger they'll either have to undo and play down in the media, or will simply be a waste in the face of the v2.0 server reconfigurations and media push anyway.' sense.

So.. yes, so far as my own vote goes? Please, don't merge the servers. If it's so terrible a bother being on a quiet server, right now is a time that you can make a character on a new server without too tremendously great a deal of inconvenience. And if that really is so terrible, why not push for them to enable a world transfer service, instead?

I think you're making the server merge out to be a bigger deal in terms of resources than you make it out to be. There will be some manpower involved, yes, but the overall effect it has on the community is best for Square because it will get more people interacting with each other and give them a reason to stay. Your statement to tell people to recreate a character on another server is extremely unreasonable considering how much time it takes to make a character on another server catch up to the same status as the current character. They will be forced to repeat content again just so that they can have a character that is the same as the character that was on the server they left.

Leaving things as is will only cause MORE people to leave because on those smaller servers, nobody is playing, and that will cut into what little money they are already making by switching to a sub model. So yes, a server merge is necessary, and it will be incredibly shortsighted of Square to leave things as is if they used your train of thought.

And yeah, if we can't get them to merge the servers, I'd like an option for a world transfer service so I'll do the damn move myself, so we can protect the players and the "media view" of this game.

[darkstarpoet1]

Leaving things as is will only cause MORE people to leave because on those smaller servers, nobody is playing, and that will cut into what little money they are already making by switching to a sub model. So yes, a server merge is necessary, and it will be incredibly shortsighted of Square to leave things as is if they used your train of thought.

here's even another way to add to the top of a good reason to merge servers. my linkshell is likely to disband after the merge because they are all discussing taking a 6 month break after we defeat moogle. they are discussing it because the server we play on is completely dead. they are hoping in 6 months the population will build back up some with the new content being introduced.

the good reason to merge is because those 30 people that are active daily would not be considering leaving the game if we had a population to play with. it's not just one shell that will be leaving as we have spoken to most shells in our server because it is small and most are leaving. even if half of the people that were talking about leaving stayed if the server had a merge that is half that is saved and more money coming into their subs.

they also want to know what kinds of support they have from the community. if only half leave the dead severs because of nobody playing the game that tells se incorrectly they do not like the game enough to play. that is not the case. alot of us like the game and would be glad to pay, but it's no fun to play a multi player game on a dead server without other people.

[Rentahamster]

a lot of us like the game and would be glad to pay, but it's no fun to play a multi player game on a dead server without other people.

Indeed.

Most of the people who are playing now quite like the game despite its flaws.

The introduction of payments will inevitably give some of those people a reason to quit.

The subsequent drop in population without any server merge or world transfer options will then just give the remaining players yet another reason to quit.

The causation path seems pretty clear here.