Can we have a server merger after fee take place ?

[darkstarpoet1]

That's a valid point and it's definitely a con of regional servers, but I think I'd still prefer it. I like playing on a schedule sort of, as in, I like saying to my friends/linkshell/group "I can do content from 7-11 CST" and not have to worry about EU people not being able to make it or having to raid at bad times for them, etc. I would use those "noon" times to do solo activities like crafting or soloing an alt or something like that. Otherwise, a way to mitigate the effect (I can't speak for EU/Asian players) would be rather than make the servers strictly time zone restricted, is just make them like NA (Maybe include LA as well)/EU/Asian. NA time zones stretch across 5 hours? PST -> EST is 3 hr difference but I believe Hawaii is 5 hrs? I'd have to double check, but if I use WoW as an example, I play on an EST server and the server doesn't start dying down until around 1-2AM CST. If PST players played there as well tack another 2 hours onto that meaning things wouldn't slow down until 3-4AM CST( 4-5AM EST). There would only be a couple hours of dead time on the servers and I think the amount of people it would impact would be minimal.

If they really wanted to, they could just not force people to play on their region's servers. I know some people don't live the same lifestyle I do and may work third shift or something or for whatever other reason play during the NA "off-times", these people could have the option to play on an EU or JP server if they wish.

I've also met a lot of people from different regions that I have come to enjoy a lot. That and I'd probably miss all the hawt EU/Aussie accents. But what it comes down to at the end of the day for me is that I want to play the game and meet a certain level of productivity. I want to be able to do things on a consistent schedule, and it's hard when your linkshells have to work around vastly different time zones (EU/JP/etc.).

But of course it really comes down to the individual. It certainly seems like a less popular idea on the NA side than on the JP side, from what I've heard.

i see what you are saying, but look at the other side. yoshi stated he wanted 1500-2000 people online for each prime time. that would be 1500 people on for na primetime/ 1500 on for eu primetime/ 1500 people online for jp primetime. your ls would not have to work around schedules for the other time zones because there would be enough people on during each that they had plenty of people to play with. early in the game i had a ls that had 3 divisions with eu/jp/na divisions.

when the servers were populated no matter what time you got on there was people to do things with. i know it's a personal choice, but to me it's more fun to be able to get on no matter the time and have large groups of people to party with than a regional server would be getting on and having 1500 people during na primetime and nobody playing the rest of the day. one way has 4500 people playing over the course of the 3 time zones and the other has 1500.

i'm not saying anyone is wrong for wanting the region specific servers, but just stating why i would choose a global server over it. it's just a personal choice, but it's more to my style to be able to get on and play with people any time of the day instead of that 3-4 hour block most will be playing on their set prime time.

[Rowyne]

Aion atm is one of the most popular and largest mmos on the planet with over 1.6 million players... unfortunately there is < 30k in NA. The game is all but dead in the west... XIV was not well recepted and with NA players foaming at the mouth for western titles like ToR and GW2.... well XIV risks Aion's fate as well.

I understand your point, but NCSoft only has themselves to blame for that. NA got a very different version of the game. Updates were almost a year behind the eastern version. Basically one live GM for all the servers. No security key and hacking was rampant (the eastern version had a security code at login for months before western players ever saw it, even though they were screaming for improvements). The game just wasn't properly supported in the west.

Difference is, in FFXIV, JP, EU and NA are all getting the same crappy game.

[Ilean]

Difference is, in FFXIV, JP, EU and NA are all getting the same crappy game.

/moarchars

[Kyri]

I was enjoying this thread till the last 5 pages or so. Its very silly to want to "Quit" for the sake of moving servers. I agree that global and specific servers would be ideal, as much as I love anyone no matter if they speak differently or are blue for all I care or a man playing a woman, let them be them, if they would feel more at home on a server suited to them, that's a good thing, you get to move for free anyways(for now)

I started in Saronia, moved due to low population and I hear of a roleplay server(Besaid)
so yes, I did transfer and move due to a "statement" of what this server is. If I wasn't into roleplay then I would have looked for a more English based server. This has nothing to do with who I like or don't, it's about how I enjoy to play.
I admit I am not happy with besaid rp and wish that there was a server where people were "in character" similar to many MuD. Let roleplayers play with roleplayers without "RPtrolls"

Testing servers (I stayed on each for about 1-2 weeks time) throughout November I found:

I tried going back to Saronia, and was sad to see it was still very dead. shouts shouted for hours and I felt bad for them. They could really use a larger population.

After this I tried Fiagro, found it to be slightly smaller then Besaid but I wanted to see the server "Kaeko<3" was in. It seemed very dead and large drama in shouts had me jump off and check another server quickly.

I then tired Selbina thinking that I would like to have a larger poplulation and it was indeed bigger then even Besaid. Sadly I am turned away from many parties there for not being Japanese.

All in all unless choosing a RP server I would probably stick to a mixed server then a English server.. I picture a English server being troll heaven these days..

This isnt saying any of the servers were "bad" but none of them were really for "me"
Im sorry people dislike the idea of moving but I do think its for the best. population needs to be improved. Everything is too small and leads to too much drama and airing of dirty laundry. Let people choose a server that suits them. If your server no longer suits you, perhaps you should consider one that does. It's a lot of work to start from scratch (god i must have done this a dozen times or more) but were getting a free merge. Be happy people. If you want to jump to "F-this I quit!" all the time do us a favor and do it ;/

-Kyri Sagitta-

[Xenor]

Regional servers are the way forward. Doing events that start at midnight when you have to be up at 7am for work is not fun. It leads to retarded sleeping patterns like 4 hours when you get home from work and then 4 hours after your raid ends. A game shouldn't do that to your life, but if you want to play FFXIV or XI and have a job it's the only way.

I can see why NA/JP players want global servers because they've probably never had to experience such raid schedules and the idea of having people to play with anytime of day is cool, but there's not enough EU players in MMOs for it to work. In XI and XIV it has been the norm for EU players on my servers to join the NA LSs out of a lack of options. I could probably count on one hand the number of EU players on Wutai, was never enough to form a raiding LS.

[Jennestia]

I can see why NA/JP players want global servers because they've probably never had to experience such raid schedules and the idea of having people to play with anytime of day is cool

No, it's because we like interacting with other cultures and playing with people from all over the world. The "raid schedule" situation is player spawned, SE didn't tell players when they can host their raid (since nothing has a lockout timer in XIV, only a cooldown timer.) and you can guarantee that regional servers will have the same problem, because what's stopping an NA LS on an NA server doing runs at 12-3am pst or even 2-4am est? Absolutely nothing.

[TheVedis]

Regional servers are the way forward. Doing events that start at midnight when you have to be up at 7am for work is not fun. It leads to retarded sleeping patterns like 4 hours when you get home from work and then 4 hours after your raid ends. A game shouldn't do that to your life, but if you want to play FFXIV or XI and have a job it's the only way.

I can see why NA/JP players want global servers because they've probably never had to experience such raid schedules and the idea of having people to play with anytime of day is cool, but there's not enough EU players in MMOs for it to work. In XI and XIV it has been the norm for EU players on my servers to join the NA LSs out of a lack of options. I could probably count on one hand the number of EU players on Wutai, was never enough to form a raiding LS.

regional servers wont stop events from happening at midnight

that sounds more like an issue with the LS you may have joined


the secret is to find a LS in your region, regardless of what region the game goes, you will ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS find people at different timezones within it

[Ilean]

No, it's because we like interacting with other cultures and playing with people from all over the world. The "raid schedule" situation is player spawned, SE didn't tell players when they can host their raid (since nothing has a lockout timer in XIV, only a cooldown timer.) and you can guarantee that regional servers will have the same problem, because what's stopping an NA LS on an NA server doing runs at 12-3am pst or even 2-4am est? Absolutely nothing.

Blah blah other cultures blah blah meeting people from other places.

This is a game, and one that requires that we are able to communicate effectively.

Better playing experience >>>>>>>> meeting people from all over the world.

[darkstarpoet1]

Blah blah other cultures blah blah meeting people from other places.

This is a game, and one that requires that we are able to communicate effectively.

Better playing experience >>>>>>>> meeting people from all over the world.

having people on 24 hours a day to play with >>>>>>> having a few hours in the evening with people online

[Ilean]

having people on 24 hours a day to play with >>>>>>> having a few hours in the evening with people online

Having a few hours to play with people who understand you >>>>>>> having 24/7 (get a job man!) of people you don't understand and who don't bother to use the autotranslator.


Also if your schedule is outside of the norm you can just signup on a different region server.