As recently as June, the community reps let us know that subscriptions were emphatically UP.
The population always dips this time of year as people readjust to their school schedules. With the release of I16, it's much easier to find teams with the SSK feature, and so people are in instances more than they have been.
Also, the first month is CO is still in progress, so people who have bought the box but won't pay monthly for two games are still playing CO while they can. I'd expect to see a small but noticeable jump when then end of the month rolls around and people have to decide which game they want to continue to pay $15/month to play.
...I forgot what experience means.
What zone did you log in to? And how many did you visit?
Sub numbers are up, and we've just had a new content patch recently, so I think you might just be checking out the wrong zones 
Also, welcome home 
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Have you joined any of the global chat channels on your server?
I see plenty of people on low population Protector, and plenty happening on Pro's Jello Shooters chat channel
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Hmm.....I was in the Ritikki War Zone most of the time......Also, what is this new SSK feature you talk about? I need to really do some catching up. Also, I noticed that server load before on Freedom was always yellow to full, now I noticed server load on all servers to be low.
Also, what's new in the new patch?
Personally, I am playing Champions online to check it out and still like COH better......
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Load has to do with resource utilitization. Which is highly dependent on the hardware (which has been upgraded many times), as well as what's running on the hardware. It's perfectly possible for a single person to put a server into the red by doing exactly the wrong thing.| Also, I noticed that server load before on Freedom was always yellow to full, now I noticed server load on all servers to be low. |
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| Also, what's new in the new patch? |
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Originally Posted by ShadowNate
;_; ?!?! What the heck is wrong with you, my god, I have never been so confused in my life!
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Server loads are lower because they have been upgrading the servers. What used to send a server into the red doesn't have the same impact anymore.|
Originally Posted by cyberdude
Hmm.....I was in the Ritikki War Zone most of the time......Also, what is this new SSK feature you talk about? I need to really do some catching up. Also, I noticed that server load before on Freedom was always yellow to full, now I noticed server load on all servers to be low.
Also, what's new in the new patch? Personally, I am playing Champions online to check it out and still like COH better...... |
As others have pointed out not only are we experiencing the normal back to school dip that happens every september, Champions went live on 9/1, Aion started beta testing, and D&D online just went free to play.
Please remember that this dip in players online doesn't mean subscriptions are down. It just means they are doing other things for a little while.
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Bit of advice. When 'taking a long break' from an MMO, while patching all the stuff you missed out on during your break, read through all the patch notes from the last time you played to the present. The reasons are twofold: first, it helps you get up to speed on what has been introduced to the game and what has happened while you were gone. Second, it clues you in to where people are congregating (or might be drawn to). A tertiary benefit is it keeps you from making posts amidst the game's most ardent followers, speculating on the demise of said game (especially if you attribute it to a vastly inferior competitor that is still refunding long term subscriptions sold prior to its launch). Also, a game heavily based on instancing will tend to have fewer people in open areas in the weeks following a new content release.|
Originally Posted by cyberdude
Hmm.....I was in the Ritikki War Zone most of the time......Also, what is this new SSK feature you talk about? I need to really do some catching up. Also, I noticed that server load before on Freedom was always yellow to full, now I noticed server load on all servers to be low.
Also, what's new in the new patch? Personally, I am playing Champions online to check it out and still like COH better...... |
As for whether CoH is dying, heh, EverQuest laps CoH in age. As does Ultima Online. Both still going. And unlike CoH, both of those games have in-genre competition worth mentioning. EVE is 6 years old...and still growing. It wasn't that long ago that a major MMO publisher felt this property was worth buying in its entirety and investing heavily into it. Given CoH's numbers (which don't even come close to the market leader), that must mean someone in Korea felt this game had staying power. No, CoH isn't 'dying'. Check back in 2014 though, the game might've caught a cold by then.
TL: DR version: Just because people aren't congregating where you last remember them hanging out, does not reflect on the game's life or appeal. It just means you're behind the times.
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Note, Aion is live, not in beta. Headstart was last weekend, it's completely live now.
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Originally Posted by Forbin_Project
, Aion started beta testing
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Look,
I'm not putting the game down. Just noticed server load was different.
Also as far as people congregating, I was not referring to that. I was referring to the fact that when I used to log on or put a broadcast out that I was looking for a team, I would get like 10 to 20 tells or invites. Even when I search it seems like before there were 10-15 people looking for something, now search comes up with hardly anybody. Also, I used to notice a constant chat stream in the broadcast chat window and now nobody and I mean nobody is chatting. Just seemed dead to me, that's all. Another example is that I logged on tonight and got a tell asking for a team so I said yes. Then the guy comes back on and says couldn't find more. Then I asked him what was going on and that it seems like the place was empty and even he said and I quote, "Tell me about it".
I didn't post this thread to bash the game or say COH was dying. Just asking since I had been away for a little bit. Also, as far as catching up on patches, I never had to before because the player community was so awesome in helping. I hope COH community isn't getting like the WOW community (Rude). COH was a game you could just jump in to and everybody helped everybody even on getting up to date. As a matter of fact it I ranked it the best as far as a social MMO. Now the environment seems to be getting less social.
Look, I'm just stating my experience in coming back and honestly, it is not turning out to be a good one.
I fear you'll have to forgive us on this; since Issue 14 and the mass AE Farming, Issue 15 and its lack of major content, and Issue 16 with people upset the AE farming has been nerfed, we've seen an awful lot of "DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" posts, mostly having to do with seemingly low server populations.
Remember, in the game people can hide, so they may be doing that. Or, all the previous posts could be correct.
I have no troubles finding a team using my global channels on Guardian. The new super-sidekick system has made finding a team much easier, and there's still probably a lot of people testing out their toons on demon farms, solo, set to +4 mobs and an 8 person team, so there's probably a good deal of soloers now.
We're still helpful, but a little tired of doom posts. Sorry yours may have been seen as such.
Guardian server is Life!
Founder and Leader and all around greatest member of the Solo-SG, The Charybdis Clan.
I highly recommend creating your own teams, adding friends as you team with people, and joining your server's chat channels. Many people on each server use those to form teams for regular missions, story arcs, etc. I'm mostly on Victory, and we have a TON of regulars on the Victory Forum, Victory Badges, and Victory Badges 2009 channel. People are on those all day long.
Check in with your home server's section of the forums to find out what those are, and join them. I can only imagine Freedom would have tons of those channels, and that it should be fairly easy to find people using the search feature.
CoX was and is great for how easy it is to find a team, though people do seem to broadcast for teams less than they used to. Being willing to make your own teams, add friends to your list, and use the channels will help you get in touch with a lot of people.
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Lots of new games out recently:
On the MMO scene: Champions and Aion
On the consoles, quite a few good ones like Halo:ODST
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All of which mean not that much. I see plenty of people and teaming going on when I play. As I just said, make your own teams, use the search feature, add friends to your list, and use your server's channels. Oh, and finding an active SG helps, too.|
Originally Posted by Undead_Steve
Lots of new games out recently:
On the MMO scene: Champions and Aion On the consoles, quite a few good ones like Halo:ODST |
I see these posts periodically, and the issue is always where and how the player is trying to get teams: it's never that there just aren't people around (unless they're trying to play late at night for their server, which is then not that surprising).
Guide: Tanking, Wall of Fire Style (Updated for I19!), and the Four Rules of Tanking
Story Arc: Belated Justice, #88003
Synopsis: Explore the fine line between justice and vengeance as you help a hero of Talos Island bring his friend's murderer to justice.
Grey Pilgrim: Fire/Fire Tanker (50), Victory
Doom? No way am I saying Doom for COH! I love the game and it has been the only MMO I have stuck with over the years!
May I also mention that I purchased Champions on the Amazon discount to try it out and I have to say that it is no where close to COH and I don't see it evolving to a COH in any way. Champions has it's merits but it feels more like a console game with MMO thrown in and not a true MMO plus it lacks the social tools. I am not saying Champions won't mature, I am just saying it will never mature in to a COH. I see Champions as Cryptics attempt at COH sequel after selling it off and as we see in the movies the squeal is never as good...lol....
So how does this soloing thing work? I know, I know read the patch notes but I'm just not as patient plus like I said the beauty it the community has always been ready and willing!
Sorry if I suggested you were crying "dooooom!" Didn't mean it at all, just lamenting the mass amounts of other posts that are doom oriented.
As for the soloing thing, here goes: the Hero Corps Reps on blueside and their redside counterparts (I forget, I play redside very little) now have multiple difficulty options. You can set the mobs from -1 to +4, have bosses even when solo, set the spawns for anywhere from a 1-8 member team (even if you're solo) and face AVs while solo also. The super sidekicking is a nifty bit where the mission OWNER (not the team leader, though it may at some points be the same person) is the "mentor" of the entire team. So if the mission's holder is at and is running a level 35 mission, everybody above that is exemp'd to lvl 35, everybody below is sk'd to lvl 34. Bridging is dead. Added bonus though is that being exemp'd means you can still get xp; so you could run a Positron at level 49 and ding 50 during it. No more need to spend hours looking for the one last person to sk your buddy.
Guardian server is Life!
Founder and Leader and all around greatest member of the Solo-SG, The Charybdis Clan.
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Originally Posted by CharybdisClan
I fear you'll have to forgive us on this; since Issue 14 and the mass AE Farming, Issue 15 and its lack of major content, and Issue 16 with people upset the AE farming has been nerfed, we've seen an awful lot of "DOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" posts, mostly having to do with seemingly low server populations.
Remember, in the game people can hide, so they may be doing that. Or, all the previous posts could be correct. I have no troubles finding a team using my global channels on Guardian. The new super-sidekick system has made finding a team much easier, and there's still probably a lot of people testing out their toons on demon farms, solo, set to +4 mobs and an 8 person team, so there's probably a good deal of soloers now. We're still helpful, but a little tired of doom posts. Sorry yours may have been seen as such. |
Well, I for one am in game RIGHT NOW on Freedom. It's Saturday and I've been on since around 9pm Eastern (USA). I have visited several zones including Grandville, Cap, Nerv, Cim, Mercy ALL of them are the slowest I have seen in a LONG time. I have been on and off since Thursday and it has been pretty much the same amount of people that I have seen in Cap and GV.
As to whether i16 or Aion has caused it, I am uncertain. I'm sure CO has not. i16 did introduce other things besides the AE fix that are bugged and need to be worked on so people may be waiting for a patch to fix that.
To the OP, you are not imagining things, the population on most servers are down no matter what the "HAAAAAPPPPPYYYYY, all is great in the COH world now since AE was fixed" crowd states. The facts are there by just loggin in --- geeez, just visit the Black Market in Cap and there's about 4 people there!!!!. For now, it appears that unless you're in a SG/VG it's difficult to team up.
And give me a break with the "players can hide" bit and calling everyone who says the server populations are down doomsayers. If you're man/woman enough I invite to to come ingame with me RIGHT now or at a time specified and we can both tour the zones and then YOU tell me if we making it up, otherwise, shut up.
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Stooping to insults is the quickest way to get people to ignore you.
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Originally Posted by Prez1
If you're man/woman enough I invite to to come ingame with me RIGHT now or at a time specified and we can both tour the zones and then YOU tell me if we making it up, otherwise, shut up.
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Oh well, it's just as insulting to see people tell others they are "seeing" things ingame when they are not. Why haven't you quoted what CharybdisClan stated to the OP and told them they were insulting? Hmmmm? Why haven't you quoted a lot of others who post insulting remarks/replies to those of us who are voicing we're upset that the populations are down? Hmmmm? Thought so. Please, ignore me it would give me great pleasure. Or maybe you're just trying to help me out and give me advice, if so, I apologize.|
Originally Posted by Chaos Creator
Stooping to insults is the quickest way to get people to ignore you.
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331 people online, on a weekend, on Freedom is slow. It's insulting when people demeen those of us who are pointing it out.
It greatly depends on the time you're playing as well, by the way. The servers may seem quiet if you're logging on when everyone else is at work or asleep.
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ok as others said, sorry for some people's suspicion, but some people have been being pretty damn annoying lately, the short answer is, its September and 2 new mmos have come out, so there has been some shrink due to school and new toys, that said, you are on freedom, does freedom have a teaming channel? i lack knowledge about that server so im useless on specifics/ go to their server subforum and see what the deal is, they may have active play groups you can find that will help you out. I had the same issue in liberty till i joined lbx(and now lb) that helped me get a lot of tf's and teams. we simply dont know anything about population levels, as of comicon, the question was directly asked of a coh dev and higher sub numbers were confirmed, but they dont put out sub numbers so its all guesswork. I know from personal experience, i have noticed old global buddies popping back in, and some old names showing up on the forums, take from that what you wish.|
Originally Posted by cyberdude
Doom? No way am I saying Doom for COH! I love the game and it has been the only MMO I have stuck with over the years!
May I also mention that I purchased Champions on the Amazon discount to try it out and I have to say that it is no where close to COH and I don't see it evolving to a COH in any way. Champions has it's merits but it feels more like a console game with MMO thrown in and not a true MMO plus it lacks the social tools. I am not saying Champions won't mature, I am just saying it will never mature in to a COH. I see Champions as Cryptics attempt at COH sequel after selling it off and as we see in the movies the squeal is never as good...lol.... So how does this soloing thing work? I know, I know read the patch notes but I'm just not as patient plus like I said the beauty it the community has always been ready and willing! |
ok this link takes you to the freedom channel list.http://boards.cityofheroes.com/showthread.php?t=186115
let us know if those help.
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You do realize that the vast majority of content in this game takes place inside instanced missions, correct? This means that people, more often than not, aren't just standing around in zones broadcacsting about their desire to team. They are, more likely than not, hanging around inside missions taking advantage of easy teaming thanks to SSK and enjoying the new difficulty settings. |
Originally Posted by Prez1
If you're man/woman enough I invite to to come ingame with me RIGHT now or at a time specified and we can both tour the zones and then YOU tell me if we making it up, otherwise, shut up.
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Anyway, OP, apologies for the above snark. As others have said, global chat channels are often great fun and excellent tools for teaming, so check those out. And, of course, forming your own teams using the search function is often a very fast way to get a team going and doing the content you want it to.
Wow. I got insulted and flamed. First time for everything.
Be happy I'm a happy drunk.
You're entitled to your opinion Prez, of course. But standing in the BM and seeing how many people are on your server by using /search are two different things. Right now I'm on Guardian and am in the midst of starting up an LGTF. 248 people on the server that are unhidden. I believe in the global channel I frequent there is the LGTF and an LRSF going on. Not to mention the Synapse that was going when I logged on, and the respec I was asked to do.
Imagining things? Nah. As others said, remember, this is an instanced game, where a lot of people are IN MISSIONS. Not standing around bs'ing like the AE farm days.
kthxbai and have a good night! Love ya, don't mean it, but yeah. (I love being drunk! Celebrating new job!)
Guardian server is Life!
Founder and Leader and all around greatest member of the Solo-SG, The Charybdis Clan.
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Hi, |
Originally Posted by cyberdude
Look,
I'm not putting the game down. Just noticed server load was different. Also as far as people congregating, I was not referring to that. I was referring to the fact that when I used to log on or put a broadcast out that I was looking for a team, I would get like 10 to 20 tells or invites. Even when I search it seems like before there were 10-15 people looking for something, now search comes up with hardly anybody. Also, I used to notice a constant chat stream in the broadcast chat window and now nobody and I mean nobody is chatting. Just seemed dead to me, that's all. Another example is that I logged on tonight and got a tell asking for a team so I said yes. Then the guy comes back on and says couldn't find more. Then I asked him what was going on and that it seems like the place was empty and even he said and I quote, "Tell me about it". I didn't post this thread to bash the game or say COH was dying. Just asking since I had been away for a little bit. Also, as far as catching up on patches, I never had to before because the player community was so awesome in helping. I hope COH community isn't getting like the WOW community (Rude). COH was a game you could just jump in to and everybody helped everybody even on getting up to date. As a matter of fact it I ranked it the best as far as a social MMO. Now the environment seems to be getting less social. Look, I'm just stating my experience in coming back and honestly, it is not turning out to be a good one. |
Another thing you missed while you were gone was the invention of a little something called AE. It started a War in the Forums, dividing the playerbase up into three groups. The Farmers, the Non-Farmers, and the Neutrals.
So many angry temper tantrums have gone on that nobody likes to be nice anymore. Expect rudeness for no reason.
It is now a part of the CoH Forums.
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thats funny, i'm on freedom red side and so far have had to go to sharks to use the BM since the one at cap ran out of standing room only. you also might wantto read the reasons that were given in many of the DOOM threads as to why population AT THIS TIME OF YEAR go down a bit. of course come the Halloween event, the servers will be crowded again. then they will stay that way until about 2 weeks before the Winter event. even through the Winter event the pop might be slightly lower then Halloween event due to the Winter event happens at Christmas time. i wouldn't expect anyone who hasn't been here for any of the events or this time of year to know this, but when you are being told this by people who have been here for that long, you might want to drop the doom and listen.
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Originally Posted by Prez1
Oh well, it's just as insulting to see people tell others they are "seeing" things ingame when they are not. Why haven't you quoted what CharybdisClan stated to the OP and told them they were insulting? Hmmmm? Why haven't you quoted a lot of others who post insulting remarks/replies to those of us who are voicing we're upset that the populations are down? Hmmmm? Thought so. Please, ignore me it would give me great pleasure. Or maybe you're just trying to help me out and give me advice, if so, I apologize.
331 people online, on a weekend, on Freedom is slow. It's insulting when people demeen those of us who are pointing it out. |
Hi,
After a long break, I decided to sign back up and get back in to playing. I signed on it the server is empty and no chat going on at all! I can't find teams and it just seems deserted. I use Freedom which is normally full and active and for the last week nobody around. Is COH dying? I know Champions online just launched. Did COH loose most of it's base to Champions or are they just dying slowly?
This is wierd cause COH has always been active in the 5 years I've been playing....Now it's like empty!