A long time ago when my fury was still young(I was young to the game as well) I got into a group that was surprised when I said I wanted to heal not dps and was specced for it. Silly of me I guess, I was under the impression that a healer healed.
We received those tokens for the merge with Sebillis just as every other server involved in a merge was given tokens. I am talking prior to the merges, 2012, 2013, 2014, we had a survey.
Just pulling from recent posts. https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq2/index.php?threads/ranger-titles.581079/#post-6465855 https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq2/index.php?threads/is-there-a-tlp-server-for-this-game.581067/ https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq...w-to-everquest-2-have-a-few-questions.580986/ https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq2/index.php?threads/newbie-needing-help.580991/ https://forums.daybreakgames.com/eq2/index.php?threads/newbie-needing-help.580991/
Sure. The two sentences that followed the part you quoted, explained why I believe it could backfire. Kind regards, X
If they were expecting this game to thrive long-term, we'd have seen them invest what it took to make cross-server grouping work. Apparently it was deemed to be prohibitively difficult and isn't a viable option. Unfortunately it's pretty much the only really good answer for the set of problems the OP pointed out. They certainly could do more server merges... it helps for a while of course but you've seen what a temporary solution that ends up being, and it always creates some understandable grievances over guild and character name conflicts (it would help if they could find a process to settle those things more fairly). It seems obvious to me that creating new "special ruleset" and "limited time event" gimmick servers splits the population and exacerbates the problem; I predict they will keep doing it though, because each one is probably a microtransaction gold mine for a few months after it opens and like I mentioned earlier, I don't think it's about the long game strategy anymore. Sorry if I come across as a negative nancy, the game is special to me but it's important to look at it realistically. I do hope players on low population servers can have a better experience, one way or another.
I have toons on SKyfire and 3 on AB. I love my guild on AB but I dont play there anymore. Just not enough folks on the server to do much. I would be ecstatic for a merge of these 2. But to be honest, only DBG knows the actual population. It would be financially prudent for them to merge servers but not at the cost of overcrowding.
nobody wants a starsider 2.0, for those of you that don't know what i'm talking about: starsider was a SWG server, it was a large one and every goddamn ****** that was on that server that used the forums every godamn time some new or returning player posted on the general or server specific boards(you were supposed to stay to your own servers boards and not bother other servers) they'd post about how great starsider was etc, etc and drain all the new/returning player intake from other servers. (and most of these players got over there realized it was **** with so much lag ether changed servers or quit) the result was starsider got bloated and i don't mean normal bloated i mean super bloated, lots of lag, delays in even bringing up a menu and the routinely stressed the zone servers to failure. AB does not need to merge with another server just because the 1% of them that post on the forums want it, even if it did why should skyfire get merged into it? because those AB peeps here want for free a transfer to the server they see as most populated that they used to have? i don't want to see all of AB's bads on skyfire, we've already got enough of our own bad player and trolls. if it's such an issue for you ask them to do free transfers off AB, just because you don't see enough players interested in your playstyle doesn't mean their aren't other players you never really see that are keeping the server financially viable. at least a free transfer service will spread out the toxic elements. forcing roleplay association on our server is like forcing pvp on us (which thankfully they never did)
Part of the issue seems to be that the word "roleplay" seems to have taken on the same characteristic as "ebola". While I am not an active roleplayer (online, anyways...I will always loves me my polyhedral dice), it is a rather unfair characterization of the roleplaying community as being something akin to a beastie from a Fallout or Gamma World game. The best idea, in my opinion, is to merge AB with Isle of Refuge (which is deserted enough to make AB seem like complete bedlam by contrast), give it one server name or the other (or make a new one..."Bayle's Isle" or whatever), retain the Isle's Free Trade designation, and remove the subscription requirement (which, more than anything, is what is causing Isle of Refuge to slowly suffocate to death). Do these things, and I really do believe that AB/IoR/etc would see a newfound revitalization, as players come to check out a server with a player-advantageous ruleset that no other server has.
In a game like EQ2 it's difficult to judge purely on observation as SOE/DBG has done such and amazing job of segregating the player population into little guild pockets. Without the metrics it's difficult for a player to gauge. HOWEVER, that's only true to an extent. You can easily to a /who all of a current tier overland zone or see how many instances of it are open to get a vague idea. If the current tier overland doesn't have multiple instances open, that's a bad sign. Additionally, compare the game to EQ1 and the number of EQ1 servers vs. the number of EQ2 servers. There is a huge disparity there. This game is down to only a handful of servers.
Your idea that would force a Free Trade + Free To Play ruleset on AB is not something I would personally support, without some extensive conditions, including but not limited to: Unique server bonused to loot, tokens, guild exp etc (ie: everything except the capacity to trade most items) would be forfeited. If the server is FTP it has no business receiving such significant benefits. A vote exclusive to existing AB players would need to be done, and require a 75%+ yes result for the merge to go ahead, or all existing AB residents would need to be offered free transfers, to any other server of their choice, prior to the merge. And guilds that want to transfer to avoid the Free Trade merge, would need to be manually moved (in full, guild level and hall included) by DBG. Of course, the next person is entitled to have much lower standards, and be happy to see people who rolled on AB on day #1 be subjected to a ruleset change they do ask for, or want, and be given no alternative than to pay for transfers (and lose their guilds), or quit.
Any conditions that DBG chose to impose, whether they include any of the ones you suggest, would be entirely up to the staff members who were responsible for the final decision - I am more than aware that such finalities are beyond my level of input (or indeed, anyone else's, for that matter). In truth, I am not of the opinion that DBG is going to do anything to save either server...AB will likely continue to limp along, slowly "losing weight" until it reaches the stage where IoR is now, while IoR will become a howling wilderness where all the Free Trade ability on Norrath isn't going to save it. I've seen more life on the barren waste that is Stormhold than on IoR - I've already transferred all but one of my SH toons off, and the best word to describe SH is "quiet". Another accurate descriptor would be "dead". DBG is going to have to decide if that's the fate they intend for AB or not (IoR is likely going to be toast very soon, regardless). I am deliberately not using my level 100 token until there's a decision one way or the other, as I may end up transferring more toons if they decide AB isn't worth the server power and tech required. Add to that the ultimate fate of Fallen Gate...it, too, may eventually swirl into the tank, though the ruleset there may give it longevity that SH just didn't have. We have a while to wait, for that, however...fortunately.
The only problem with merging IOR and AB is that the same players/accounts play on both servers. I know that many players from AB made new characters on IOR when it launched, while keeping their characters on AB. It would be a wash really.
