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

[Elexia]

I hate that "people with out active accounts shouldn't this". .

It's funny how people were all "If you don't pay blah blah" and "FFXIV is a dead MMORPG" now all of a sudden we should care for the people who quit or chose not to pay?

[Murugan]

It's funny how people were all "If you don't pay blah blah" and "FFXIV is a dead MMORPG" now all of a sudden we should care for the people who quit or chose not to pay?

As someone who plays the game shouldn't you hope, considering the sheer amount of people that have quit since launch (hundreds of thousands of people), that many of them will come back?

[Elexia]

As someone who plays the game shouldn't you hope, considering the sheer amount of people that have quit since launch (hundreds of thousands of people), that many of them will come back?

If they want to come back they will, but merging servers isn't to benefit people who don't even play so why should they be in consideration? It's something done for the people currently playing so if people who are inactive or don't even play can't choose or example..there's really no problem.

I just found it funny pre-merge people were all for getting rid of those who didn't play or quit due to pay-to-play, now they're saying "WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?!" basically.

[Murugan]

If they want to come back they will, but merging servers isn't to benefit people who don't even play so why should they be in consideration? It's something done for the people currently playing so if people who are inactive or don't even play can't choose or example..there's really no problem.

I just found it funny pre-merge people were all for getting rid of those who didn't play or quit due to pay-to-play, now they're saying "WHAT ABOUT THE CHILDREN?!" basically.

Why should it not be a concern? I'm saying it should be a concern, that they should keep all those players (the majority of everyone who has played this game this far) in mind when they do server merges. Especially given the unique situation of FFXIV where the game is relaunching and so many people are simply waiting for that until they give the game another chance. The development team should do everything they can to make sure that when those players come back they have a positive experience, and don't experience the added inconvenience or even rage because they got sent to a random server away from their friends, linkshells, and anyone they ever played with. Whereas if they come back to a server with familiar faces, and an improved game their chances of staying with the game this time are much much higher.

I don't remember anyone excited about getting rid of people who didn't play or quit, I think people were tired of those who were trolling the game without actually having any intention of playing. But if there is anyone who plays FFXIV who doesn't know at least one other person who has quit that they would like to see play again in the future I would be shocked.

[Babydoll]

Of course inactive characters are important! Now they are not the top priority but they should be at least kept in mind a little bit!<3

A lot of my friends plan on coming back 1.21 to give it another try. That is their problem though, if they want to worry where they end up they can read the updates like everyone else and act accordingly! Not the end of the world though because we get to pick new servers/names(hopefully!!!)/characters in 2.0 no?<3

[Murugan]

Of course inactive characters are important! Now they are not the top priority but they should be at least kept in mind a little bit!<3

A lot of my friends plan on coming back 1.21 to give it another try. That is their problem though, if they want to worry where they end up they can read the updates like everyone else and act accordingly! Not the end of the world though because we get to pick new servers/names(hopefully!!!)/characters in 2.0 no?<3

Well there is no guarantee that will be the case from the developers, even if it is likely that paid transfers will be allowed at some point in the future.

However, what if they come back in the meantime after the server merges and before paid transfers are allowed? They will be less likely to stick around.

They are expected to "follow people on the lodestone" to find what server they end up on, but they have to do that now in cases of people with non-unique name to know what server they end up on. Or if searching for people they know when they get back they have to remember both names, and spellings in order to search for people.

So that is much more imposing than just doing what SE has now decided to do, and base server merges on option 2:

A + B - X ⇒A World to merge with B World, except people that would like to move are able to choose a different World.

Now when they come back they will be on the default server for those from their old servers, and will be much more likely to run into people they know without having to search for those people on the lodestone, or external sites. In fact they might simply run into people who know them, and having people to play with is a huge part of making an MMO palatable for most players.


Also you say "if they want to worry where they end up they can read the updates like everyone else and act accordingly!". Why would they do that?

You expect people first of all to closely follow developments on an MMO they are not currently playing, then to sub to that game they are not playing for an entire month just so they can take part in the transfer to ensure they get on a server with everyone they know for when they eventually come back nearly a year from now.

By large, that's just not going to happen. It is asking way too much of people that Square Enix needs to be winning back.

[Babydoll]

Also you say "if they want to worry where they end up they can read the updates like everyone else and act accordingly!". Why would they do that?

I say this because it is really their responsibility to keep tabs on their character/game if they really care about it. Square Enix usually sends me emails to the account I signed up with when something "big" is happening. I am not defending SE per say, I don't agree with them just throwing characters who are inactive on random servers...but really people should also take some initiative to take care of their own things.

[Noir]

As someone who plays the game shouldn't you hope, considering the sheer amount of people that have quit since launch (hundreds of thousands of people), that many of them will come back?

Maybe isnt a sure. Plus, pay $4 for a month to transfer or stfu. SE gotta care for us that paid, even 6 months ahead. Not some ship jumpers that may or may not come back.

[Murugan]

Maybe is a sure. Plus, pay $4 for a month to transfer or stfu. SE gotta care for us that paid, even 6 months ahead. Not some ship jumpers that may or may not come back.

Well that's not much of an argument, the game needs more people to sustain it (and the former playerbase is a great target audience). They are "caring for us that paid", how are they not? But they need to appeal to these people when/if they come back too.

Threatening them that they will end up on a random server if they don't resub now isn't likely to bring anyone back, but it might make many think twice about even bothering to return to their characters. That's just one reason why Yoshida's decision to change course to Option 2 was in the best interest of the game.

Also where do you get $4 from?

[Frisque]

Also where do you get $4 from?

I'm a little curious about this myself...