About the World Merge and Character Transfers (02/09/2012)

[Jinko]

I think Option 2 was the best choice.

Hopefully there is still a chance he will change his mind.

[TheFatHousecat]

So why do you think option 4 is better than option 2? Why can't you have both old AND new friends.
People are "QQing" about this because it's a big deal for people with large communities and multiple linkshells.

As far as I can see the only difference between 2 and 4 is that rather than everyone picking whatever they want you're given a 'suggested server', so to speak, and if you don't want it you can choose any of the other worlds.

I think the vast majority of people in World B would just go ahead and let the automatic transfer happen, barely anyone would opt for a different world, and World A would go over its set capacity. This would result in even more stress for the people who can't go to World A with their LSs and such. Although it sounds great, it wouldn't be perfect and you'd most likely lose friends or LSs to the population cap., which would be more traumatic to both parties.

I wish the merger didn't have to happen in the first place, and it does suck for people with multiple linkshells, but it shouldn't take much effort to try and negotiate a common world between yourselves and go for it. In either option 2 or 4, communities are going to have to cut ties when players decide to follow one LS over another or etc., and it would be great if that didn't have to happen, but it does. You might have to leave one of your LSs or say goodbye to a few in-game friends, but you'll have the opportunity to make new friends on the new server.

[Seyra]

I'm french and I didn't see anyone complaining about this before. It seems like they took that decision without asking to the people they think they are doing it for.

I saw them bringing up the fact that they are thinking about French/German players a couple of weeks ago but I didn't think it would end up in mess. In that mess.

As someone said, French and German players already created there own core group on their respective servers. And they also created bonds with other players of the said servers. Now let's break all of this and play an international with max people from your country yay!

[Niqote]

It's great that we have been heard and he makes a good address of the issue. It looks like there is a chance they will change the current plans.

Personally I like ② the best out of all of them... This way we can stay together and still give those people who want to go somewhere totally different the choice! ... for all the reasoning in the post this one just screams out at me as the obvious best choice.

①A + B⇒A World to merge with B World
②A + B - X ⇒A World to merge with B World, except people that would like to move are able to choose a different World
③A + B - C ⇒A World to merge with B World, except people that would like to move are able to choose to go to C World
④Prepare 10 Worlds, set a limit, and give everyone the power to move their characters to a World of their choice.

[Sidious]

I have no problem with people wanting to stay with their friends. The issue arrises is when these people don't want to move at all, keep their entire ecosystem, and have the rest of us try to fit in somewhere in that well-established equation. Every blanket merge I've been a part of hasn't yielded a cohesive community. It's yielded two communities trying to coexist, sometimes quite unsuccessfully. It sucks.

[Phen]

Because all the other threads are getting locked, I'll just post here for the record:

I'm for the server move as is.

The only change I'd make is to suggest coming up with all new names for the servers ahead of time so we have something to choose from.

Ok, everyone, back to your QQing, sorry for interrupting.

Seconding this, Yoshi-p said hes open to feedback this is mine.

[Vaen]

It's so easy to say "you're all QQing too much."

It's more challenging, and more intelligent and appropriate, to explain why you would still think that they should stick to option ④ when option ② fixes all of the legitimate issues players are pointing out, costs SE less, and still provides you with the "exciting chance to meet all new people" if you want.

[Dragonheart]

Everyone read please.

Yoshida didn't care for ppl that maybe wish to come for 1.22 as example... My case: i have a lot of friends that left FF14 for SW.. What about if they get tired of SW and want come back to FF in a couple of months? They probably dont even know that server merge is going to happen... So if they miss the opportunity to move in the limited time, They have to wait the 2.0 ...? They want give as second chance to the game, but they can't play with their old friends cuz they'll be sended on random servers...?
Are all crazy in SE ?
They simply trow away possibly returning customer until 2.0 ? Is this all the care that they can give to customers? People that don't assidly follow the game/forum atm, but that want to came back a bit after 1.21 , are simply not even considered..! End of the story...
Bah i hope that they pick option 1 or 2 ...

[Sidious]

It's so easy to say "you're all QQing too much."

It's more challenging, and more intelligent and appropriate, to explain why you would still think that they should stick to option ④ when option ② fixes all of the legitimate issues players are pointing out, costs SE less, and still provides you with the "exciting chance to meet all new people" if you want.

It doesn't fix what I was saying earlier.

"I have no problem with people wanting to stay with their friends. The issue arrises is when these people don't want to move at all, keep their entire ecosystem, and have the rest of us try to fit in somewhere in that well-established equation. Every blanket merge I've been a part of hasn't yielded a cohesive community. It's yielded two communities trying to coexist, sometimes quite unsuccessfully. It sucks."

Option 2 doesn't alleviate that. It's still just a blanket merge, and I don't want that. No matter where I go, there will have been a blanket merge and the community won't be cohesive.

They simply trow away possibly returning customer until 2.0 ? Is this all the care that they can give to customers? People that don't assidly follow the game/forum atm, but that want to came back a bit after 1.21 , are simply not even considered..! End of the story...
Bah i hope that they pick option 1 or 2 ...

By the time 2.0 is out, they'll have the option to transfer to whatever world they please. Call it a "you weren't subbed, so you didn't get to choose" tax. Unsubbed people should never take precedence over subbed people in a world transfer.

[Kyri]

I've been reading threads on this topic. Honestly... true friends are friends that will exist beyond the confines of a computer-generated fantasy world. You will have means of communication with these friends even if you don't happen to wind up on the same server after the merge. You will not lose all ties to them, and they will not be forever stricken from your life. Yes, it would be preferable if they were able to transfer along with you to a new server where you could continue your adventuring careers in each others' company, but things aren't always perfect.

For everyone arguing about the "friends" they have that don't pay to play and are waiting until 2.0, and they have no means of contacting them whatsoever to inform them of this server merge.. then honestly, ask yourself how close this friend really is? Your friendship honestly doesn't mean enough to them for them to cough up $10 a month to remain in the game, nor enough to entrust you with a phone number or even an e-mail address, but you are earnestly waiting for them to come back from a year's hiatus and remember who exactly you were and why you're waving and cheering at them with such fervor? And this assuming that their name doesn't change as a result of said server merge for you to even be able to recognize them?

During my time in the Army, I made many friends in many different countries. I didn't have the choice to tell the government that I did not want to move to a new duty station because it would wreck friendships I had made. I simply had to deal with it. Military kids, children who are forced into these situations simply because a parent is, have to adjust and adapt. Many of them handle these scenarios with more courage and maturity than some of the people on these forums do. I am still in contact with some of the friends that I made while I was in the Army, and others I have lost touch with. My world did not come to a screeching halt the moment one of them vanished on me. It's life. Move on.

Step 1) Try to coordinate with your close friends and linkshell mates in game to decide on a server to move to.
Step 2) Exchange contact information with people to ensure that you have the means to stay in touch with friends in the event that you cannot move to the same server, or in the event that the server "fills" before they can choose to move there.
Step 3) Remain in contact with your friends via any form of communication necessary until Version 2.0, at which time another server merge may be sought and try to get into the same server again.
Step 4) If all else fails, remain in contact until an open "World Transfer Service" akin to Final Fantasy XI is implemented which will allow individual people to attempt to consolidate onto one selected server.

It's not hard. If these people are really your friends and really mean that much to you to make such a huge fuss over the whole issue, then they are worth getting contact information from and remaining in contact with throughout this process regardless of where the end result places you.