The reason Balmung and thus Crystal is so crowded isn't just because of the RP scene. It's because it is a SOCIAL server. Even people like me who don't RP at all love the place simply cause...well people talk. There are actual conversations.

Who knew an MMO could be a place to socialize? That's what gives us longevity between patches and what not. We don't finish the patch in a day and that's it. We actually keep each other company. They could stop releasing content completely and Balmung would still be locked due to the social aspect alone.