[Dev Request] Brand New RP Servers

[HyperSMB]

What happens when those RPers expect the rules of an RP server, and then enter DF, where these rules do not apply? I sure hope they don't expect to RP their way through dungeons.

I would assume someone hardcore enough of a Roleplayer to have that much of an issue with this would FC run dungeons.

[Roda]

Let's be real, if Balmung grows any further, it's going to get worse. Remember when the server crashed on the first night of the make it rain campaign? Our server is so strained. I'm honestly fearful for how the servers are going to act on Friday.

I wasn't on when the server crashed so idk, but I do know that balmung is straining (raiding on server reset night was, and probably still is, a nightmare), I'm just giving a personal side to this discussion. Honestly, I think SE needs to figure out how to stabilize their server tech more than anything. The way they talk about it makes it sound like their servers and code are held together with spit and dreams. They blame the lack of features that other games are able to handle easily on how flimsy their servers are structured, and that's what's making me think this would be just a bandaid solution that at best would be delaying the issue from popping up again

[Oaken]

By some twist of luck the developers read this post, SE should consider designating a new official RP server for the following reasons:

(1) There is virtually no risk that roleplayers would create a toxic environment because the roleplay community is polite and supportive. Roleplayers are a fairly small community. We are not always roleplaying. Instead, we enjoy the same PVE and PVP content that non-roleplayers play. However, roleplayers are frequently looked down on by other players, and are griefed in-game and on social media. This is one reason why we enjoy playing on a server with others who enjoy roleplay where griefing is less common. As a result, we know what it is like to feel marginalized and do not want to treat others that way. The risk that roleplayers would make non-roleplayers feel excluded is incredibly low, as demonstrated by the virtual non-existence of forum and social media posts on the subject. In sum, roleplayers support and respect other players, period.

2. Roleplayers depend on having a large, active roleplayer community concentrated on as few servers as possible to ensure there is frequent and diverse roleplay. Because roleplayers are minority and roleplay is based on social interaction between different characters, roleplayers require large, centralized, and active hubs to ensure that roleplay is frequent and can suit differing interests. There are countless different styles roleplay, and types of content that roleplayers enjoy. If roleplay is not concentrated in one place, people are unable to find the type of roleplay they are interested in, and the community can dwindle in size (which means subscription loss). Small roleplay communities that consist of one free company on a server are not sustainable or desirable for most roleplayers. That is why most roleplayers have gravitated towards Balmung and will continue to search for the largest RP hub possible.

3. Designating a new official RP server and offering free transfers would likely alleviate the high population issue on Balmung. Balmung is congested because it houses a legacy population of both PVE and RP players. If SE designates an official RP server and allows free transfers, a /very large/ portion of Balmung RPers would likely transfer to the new server to support the RP community. This would greatly reduce the strain on Balmung and help balance the population at almost no cost to SE.

4. Roleplayers are loyal, long-term subscribers who support the FFXIV community. We have requested an official RP server since 1.0 for the reasons stated above, and the community has grown large enough to warrant one.

[Oaken]

What happens when those RPers expect the rules of an RP server, and then enter DF, where these rules do not apply? I sure hope they don't expect to RP their way through dungeons.

As someone who has RPed in FFXIV for over a year, this is not a real possibility. Roleplayers do not RP their way through dungeons unless it is with other consenting roleplayers (and such things are usually planned well in advance). Also, roleplayers are not usually in character, especially while engaging in PVE content.

[Paladinleeds]

I'm in two minds about this. I am not a roleplayer by any stretch (even though I chose Paladin as my Stormblood main because it fits my archetype perfectly, and the skills being given to Paladin focus on that archetype), but I was on a roleplay server on WoW (my RL friends played on it...). I can see the issue rearing its ugly head again on the new RP server. Non-RPers would still flock to it because it would become the hub for RP and non-RP and they'd feel if they ever wanted to try RP, they'd have to go there. So hardcore non-RP players wouldn't go, but everyone else would. So rules would have to be very strict to ensure that the law of the RP land is followed at all time. I would say for punishment, break it, and your character is transferred off to a random non-RP realm within the datacentre, with a ban from creating or transferring to any RP realm, if you breach the rules enough times (so if you clearly have no intention to ever roleplay, you can still play the game, just not on the official RP realm. But that's if you break it many times. A first offence etc wouldn't warrant that).

For Duty Finder, just make it clear that RP realm rules do NOT apply to DF and unless you're in a premade party with everyone from the RP realm, you're expected to play as if this was a non-RP realm.

It can probably be done, but there's a lot of extra nuances that need to be accounted for.

[Linadae]

WoW had very simple rules for RP servers. Names had to be at least semi-lore friendly and could not be the names of real people or characters, (i.e. no Ipwnzorurfce, Britney Spears, or Tyrion Lannister) and there was a hard core, no nonsense rule about trolling rpers, simply put, leave the rpers alone and the GMs will leave you alone.

And for all the creepy, brain bleach requiring stuff that went on in Goldshire, my time Horde side on Moon Guard was actually some of the most pleasant I've had. Everyone was nice whether they rped or not and I never really heard of any trolling incidents except for the rare jerk yelling in trade chat about how he hates rp and everyone else just telling him to take the free transfer off of Moon Guard if he doesn't like it there.

BTW I'm an rper and both I and everyone I know do NOT rp in a duty finder group. We save that for FC runs.

[DamianFatale]

What happens when those RPers expect the rules of an RP server, and then enter DF, where these rules do not apply? I sure hope they don't expect to RP their way through dungeons.

This makes no sense. Roleplayers don't force anyone else to RP, and roleplaying in dungeons isn't that common in the west. It's more popular in Japan. If it does happen, usually people clear the dungeon in a pre made, and then they roleplay for the duration.

It will not affect non role players. I really feel like I need to emphasize that the majority of XIV community, doesn't understand roleplayers, and how we really act.

[Sylvina]

What's the point of an RP server? I'll RP wherever I please thank you very much. If my friends are on one server that's where I play and that's where I'll RP too. Theres no reason to segregate RPers and Raiders, many players (myself included) are both.

[MistakeNot]

What's the point of an RP server? I'll RP wherever I please thank you very much. If my friends are on one server that's where I play and that's where I'll RP too. Theres no reason to segregate RPers and Raiders, many players (myself included) are both.

The point of an RP servers is to find plenty of other people to RP with. Few people are satisfied with only RPing with their friends - they want to find more people to RP with and perhaps become friends with.

Who said anything about segregating RPers from Raiders? As you mention many RPers also raid, and in no game I have ever played that has had RP servers has there been any requirement that people actually roleplay on the RP servers.
After all most RPers spend quite a bit of time OOC when doing normal PVE content.

[MistakeNot]

What happens when those RPers expect the rules of an RP server, and then enter DF, where these rules do not apply? I sure hope they don't expect to RP their way through dungeons.

What rules are you imagining? No RP server I have ever been on has had a rule that RP is required, and people are not expected to RP all the time.
Few RPers ever roleplay their way through dungeons, and when it happens it is always with a premade party.