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Hey there:|
Originally Posted by Oxmyx
One idea I was toying with was perhaps some thought might be given to allowing free transfers to the less active servers only along with some other incentive (such as a limited time/use temporary power or unique mission/badge). Maybe even each server a unique feature. Again, the goal would be to hopefully spread the load more evenly amongst all the available servers.
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I wanted to only address one portion of your text, hence the fact that only
part of your message was quoted. I myself have recently transfered from a
server (Protector) that in my opinion was less active to one that has a great
deal more players present (Freedom)
While I can understand lag being a concern to some, I personally enjoy the
player/character interaction more on the Freedom server then my previous
home. My rationale is as follows: If I didn't want to be surrounded by more
players for grouping and conversation, I could easily play a game that only
offered single or small group play.
By no means am I putting you down for your question(s) - It is only my own
personal opinion.
Cheers!
Since I began playing this game some 5+ years ago, I've stayed on one server. It's a low population server.
During that time I've taken breaks and I've always had other games at my disposal for whenever CHV burnout occurs.
Yet, I keep coming back here time and time again.
Here's the real kicker: I solo 95% of the time.
So as a counterpoint to your first reply, I think free server transfers away from the high-pop servers would be an interesting experiment. Or... I would if it hadn't already been done.
We've had a period of free server transfers. We're about to get another one. I bet that more players are migrating from the low-pop to the high-pop for the reason Darthic stated: Most people that play MMOs do so to play with other people.
I'm an oddity. In more ways than one, I'm sure.
So while I think leaving transfers from high to low-pop free would be interesting to watch, we aren't given the info to really watch it, and I don't think it would accomplish anything.
Be well, people of CoH.
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First, thank you for your opinion - it is a good, well-reasoned and thought provoking one.|
Originally Posted by Darthic
While I can understand lag being a concern to some, I personally enjoy the player/character interaction more on the Freedom server then my previous home. My rationale is as follows: If I didn't want to be surrounded by more players for grouping and conversation, I could easily play a game that only offered single or small group play. |
I guess part of my goal/vision/desire would be to find a way to have more servers (at least one or two more) be like "Freedom" wherein we can "be surrounded by more players" without the lag or disconnects. It just strikes me as wasteful/inefficient to throw the lion share of the load onto one server. It can also be a bit frustrating to find a team to, say, taskforce with and then have to deal with issues related to overcrowding only to try and find a server where disconnects/lag aren't a problem but getting a team together is.
Part of this might possibly be addressed by simply posting relevant statistics (even if it were in the form of truly meaningful ratings in various catagories) so we could be more informed when choosing a server to begin with.
Some folks want higher pop.
Some people want lower pop.
Some folks like where they are, high or low.
Some folks use other servers as long term storage for less played alts.
Some folks want to join the specific communities available on different servers, like RP on Virtue, LBGT on Victory, or falling-down-drunk on Pinnacle.
Server transfers make all these people happy.
www.paragonwiki.com is a great source of information for this game.
New or returning to the game? Want advice from experienced players who want to help YOU?
The Mentor Project: Part of the New Player Council.
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<.<| or falling-down-drunk on Pinnacle. |
>.>
I love my server.
Be well, people of CoH.
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Originally Posted by Bill Z Bubba
<.<
>.> I love my server. |
It's not a server, it's a bartender.
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Originally Posted by Dechs Kaison See, it's gems like these that make me check Claws' post history every once in a while to make sure I haven't missed anything good lately. |
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I prefer when my server brings the drinks to me not having to go to a bartender. But, I'm lazy like that.|
Originally Posted by ClawsandEffect
It's not a server, it's a bartender.
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--Rad
/whereami:
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The idea that people should be "forced" to use free transfers to lower population servers does not work at all.|
Originally Posted by Oxmyx
I am just curious to know if there is a source to find out the average activity level of the servers per day/week/month?
With the free character transfer weekend being extended again I was also wondering if the point was to even out the server loads or is it to allow folks to move characters from less active servers to more populated ones? I ask this because the net effect so far seems to be that more characters are going from less populated servers to the ones that suffered conjestion problems/lag/disconnects already thereby making the free transfers somewhat counter-productive. One idea I was toying with was perhaps some thought might be given to allowing free transfers to the less active servers only along with some other incentive (such as a limited time/use temporary power or unique mission/badge). Maybe even each server a unique feature. Again, the goal would be to hopefully spread the load more evenly amongst all the available servers. Anyway, any answers/feedback would be apreciated. Thanks for reading.  |
You theorize the purpose of free server transfer is to reduce the bandwidth on high population servers by giving people a chance to go to low population servers that do not suffer as much lag...I doubt that's the purpose of free server transfers.
My theory on why they offer free server transfers is so that those individuals who have access to computers & internet connections that allow them to handle the higher populations, can switch from the low population server they started on to the higher population server that offers them this MMO feature: greater interaction.
Nothing wrong with offering people incentives to transfer to lower population servers. I wouldn't make the transfer myself. My computer & internet connection can handle Freedumb's higher population tyvm.
Most definately something wrong with forcing the community to use free transfers only to move to lower population servers.
Freedumb is the only server I've made characters on.
Oh, for those of you who prefer solo here's a thought:
how about setting your default keybindings so that with the push of a key your new alt will instantly become hidden to searches.
That way the only time anyone will bother you is if they right-click on your character and attempt to engage you.
Then again you can remain absolutely mute to the entire community by altering your chat boxes so you do not see any broadcasts, private messages or any other type of communication so you do not have to deal with anyone.
So I ask you "solo" players: why not have your cake and eat it too?
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Nobody is "forced" to use transfers at all, regardless of where they are going to, and whether free or "for pay". That said, most other MMO's do, in fact, use the incentive of a free transfer to balance server populations - i.e., they offer free transfers only to a limited number of new or lower-population servers. That's business.|
Originally Posted by milehigh77
The idea that people should be "forced" to use free transfers to lower population servers does not work at all.
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| You theorize the purpose of free server transfer is to reduce the bandwidth on high population servers by giving people a chance to go to low population servers that do not suffer as much lag...I doubt that's the purpose of free server transfers. |
I think that the purpose of free server transfers was exactly what was stated when they offered them: an opportunity for us to visit other servers or transfer permanently somewhere else we wanted to go for whatever reasons we had for going there.
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| My theory on why they offer free server transfers is so that those individuals who have access to computers & internet connections that allow them to handle the higher populations, can switch from the low population server they started on to the higher population server that offers them this MMO feature: greater interaction. |
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| Nothing wrong with offering people incentives to transfer to lower population servers. I wouldn't make the transfer myself. My computer & internet connection can handle Freedumb's higher population tyvm. |
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| Most definately something wrong with forcing the community to use free transfers only to move to lower population servers. |
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| Freedumb is the only server I've made characters on. |
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Oh, for those of you who prefer solo here's a thought: how about setting your default keybindings so that with the push of a key your new alt will instantly become hidden to searches. That way the only time anyone will bother you is if they right-click on your name and attempt to engage you. Then again you can remain absolutely mute to the entire community by altering your chat boxes so you do not see any broadcasts, private messages or any other type of communication so you do not have to deal with anyone. So I ask you "solo" players: why not have your cake and eat it too? |
I also understand why some people would rather play in a crowded gameplay environment - it's just not my personal preference. In most of the games I play, my personal real life friends have influenced my choice of game servers/shards/realms. As it happens, they apparently often prefer mid- to low- population gameplay as well.
It takes all kinds, y'know?
Storm
Serenity is not freedom from the storm, but peace amid the storm ...
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I can't tell whether this is supposed to be sarcasm or just downright insulting.|
Originally Posted by milehigh77
Oh, for those of you who prefer solo here's a thought:
how about setting your default keybindings so that with the push of a key your new alt will instantly become hidden to searches. That way the only time anyone will bother you is if they right-click on your name and attempt to engage you. Then again you can remain absolutely mute to the entire community by altering your chat boxes so you do not see any broadcasts, private messages or any other type of communication so you do not have to deal with anyone. So I ask you "solo" players: why not have your cake and eat it too? |
How would following this prescription make my experience playing on Freedom "Having my cake and eat it too"?
I am part of communities on a couple of servers (so-called low-pop servers) where the interaction takes place thru globals while people are <gasp!> soloing. I enjoy those communities.
As an experiment of sorts, I transferred one fairly high-level character to Freedom during these free transfers. Admittedly, I haven't joined any globals, but I haven't really found teaming all that more prevalent there than on my "low pop" servers. Lots and lots more broadcast, of course, just not necessarily more teaming invites.
Why the hate towards people who do not want to team as much as you do?
BTW, although it's anecdotal evidence, I have also seen people transferring off Freedom (going by various posts here in the forums) as well as those transferring to Freedom - in fact, I have also heard a few complaints here & there that Freedom may have lost population. I don't have any of them bookmarked, nor am I going to search for them since I am not relying on them to present any kind of position about the direction of transfers other than to say it's not been all one-wat TO Freedom & Virtue.
Altoholic - but a Blaster at Heart!
Originally Posted by SpyralPegacyon
"You gave us a world where we could fly. I can't thank you enough for that."
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Only by logging in and looking for yourself.|
Originally Posted by Oxmyx
I am just curious to know if there is a source to find out the average activity level of the servers per day/week/month?
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At the server listing, they are listed as follows: the last server you visited is at the top. All of the others are listed in order of 'server load' with the heaviest load at the bottom. In general, 'server load' is a decent proxy for 'people online'.
Paragon City Search And Rescue
The Mentor Project
Not really sure why the 2 people who quoted me were either annoyed by or not annoyed by, whichever suites you, my suggestion with respect to the hide option.
The 2nd person somehow read "hate" out of my suggestion.
Wasn't my intention to "hate" anyone. It was a suggestion followed by a question.
As to low-mid level population servers offering a "different" (or please use whichever adjective makes you comfortable) game playing experience..how much different can it be?
Not really looking for an answer to that last question.
I have a feeling your first "natural" response would be for me to find out for myself.
& with that this lovely convo is over.
For the record you two got the best of me.
Gratz.
The only server transfer i would do is from EU to US servers. At least the US players get a chance for high pop servers, ours are ALL low or very low.
Dark armor lover.
The Claws/DA Scrapper guide.
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Let's see. Freedom and Virtue had gone from fairly consistently 2 bubbles to one bubble.|
Originally Posted by Oxmyx
I am just curious to know if there is a source to find out the average activity level of the servers per day/week/month?
With the free character transfer weekend being extended again I was also wondering if the point was to even out the server loads or is it to allow folks to move characters from less active servers to more populated ones? I ask this because the net effect so far seems to be that more characters are going from less populated servers to the ones that suffered conjestion problems/lag/disconnects already thereby making the free transfers somewhat counter-productive. |
How exactly are you making the conclusion that "most" players are moving onto Freedom and Virtue and not way from Freedom and Virtue?
It seems if the server load is going down, then there is better data to suggest people are moving away from Freedom and Virtue
The fact that there have been posts in the Freedom forums to merge the servers because the server population is down also seems to be another indicator that players are moving AWAY from Freedom.
Please post some data to support your claim that more players are moving to Freedom than way from it.
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One idea I was toying with was perhaps some thought might be given to allowing free transfers to the less active servers only along with some other incentive (such as a limited time/use temporary power or unique mission/badge). Maybe even each server a unique feature. Again, the goal would be to hopefully spread the load more evenly amongst all the available servers. Anyway, any answers/feedback would be apreciated. Thanks for reading.
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Your conclusion here seems to be that you want to even out the servers.
Please log in and look at the server selection screen. See how all the servers have 1 bubble each?
The servers are all at low load.
What is it that you are trying to balance?
What I see is giving badges/temp powers for people to move around for free. As one servers load increases and it becomes more populated, then players will be not be able to move to it, but to some other less populated server instead. This starts a cycling of more populated and least populated servers by badge hunters and temp power seekers. The free transfers are now used to gain temp powers and badges rather than to move where you want to join up with friend or join in special events.
This plan seems to encourage more server transferring.
Also, if you move characters away from "the more populated servers", it opens up more slots on them to make new characters. So what you want to do is to try to temp people with higher level characters to move away from the what is currently the higher population severs to less populated servers so that those players can make new lower level characters on what is now the higher populated servers?
I guess most of the power-leveling that still goes on "goes on" on the most populated servers. Also the most egregious farming goes on that server as well. I would actually rather that the farmers and pl'r stay there so I can avoid them.
Your plan might disperse these people who like that kind of behavior because they are trying to get their badges and temp powers.
I posted a thread on keeping SERVER TRANSFERS FREE - FOREVER.
After seeing this post, I guess it is good that they will be gone soon if there is any chance that your plan would go into effect.
Get ready for the server lock-up on those high population servers though, because players that haven't played are going to get their free-reactivation for double XP weekend, and I have a pretty good idea of where many of them are going to want to hang out.
However I have to say that it was A PLAN to try to conceive of a way to get players to move off Freedom so that you wouldn't get locked out on double XP weekend.
....Hmm.. maybe you could just move your character off Freedom and you wouldn't get locked out?
Nah, that would be silly.
Better to get other players to move their characters off instead - and, while your at it, make it one way.
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Originally Posted by Celidya
The only server transfer i would do is from EU to US servers. At least the US players get a chance for high pop servers, ours are ALL low or very low.
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I wouldn't mid having access to the EU servers just to check out what the play-styles are like on them, but I don't have the loot to run another subscription at this point - especially with GR and Ultra-mode coming down the pipes.
I think it would be a nice gesture to allow EU players to move their accounts to the NA servers completely if an EU player wanted to do so. I'm not sure if the EU players would want the lag that may be associated with playing on the NA servers, however.
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Why? What's up with Pinnacle, never played there....
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Originally Posted by Bill Z Bubba
<.<
>.> I love my server. |
Virtue and Freedom
Hi, my name is Northman, and I am an Altoholic. No wait, I'm Lost Nova, no wait, Arc Havoc, no, Dragon Moon, no, Lord Fury......
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They don't have cookies, they have margaritas. |
Originally Posted by Northman
Why? What's up with Pinnacle, never played there....
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A point of clarification: with the exception of server events like Rikti invasions with a high number of participants, the higher population servers do NOT suffer problems with lag or disconnects. Some players whose network connections and computer hardware cannot handle a large number of bodies on a screen may suffer client side lag and or disconnects as a result, but thats not a problem with the server.
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Originally Posted by Oxmyx
I ask this because the net effect so far seems to be that more characters are going from less populated servers to the ones that suffered conjestion problems/lag/disconnects already thereby making the free transfers somewhat counter-productive.
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Originally Posted by eltonio
This is over the top mental slavery.
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Originally Posted by Xalaqia
Some folks want higher pop.
Some people want lower pop. Some folks like where they are, high or low. Some folks use other servers as long term storage for less played alts. Some folks want to join the specific communities available on different servers, like RP on Virtue, LBGT on Victory, or falling-down-drunk on Pinnacle. Server transfers make all these people happy. |
LBGT? you mean LGBT? Lesbian Bisexual Gay Transgendered?
Sorry still not familiar with all the acronyms in this game and not sure if I read it out of context
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What about beer?|
Originally Posted by Red Valkyrja
They don't have cookies, they have margaritas.
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I like beer.
Virtue and Freedom
Hi, my name is Northman, and I am an Altoholic. No wait, I'm Lost Nova, no wait, Arc Havoc, no, Dragon Moon, no, Lord Fury......
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"People online" at any given time. But wouldn't it be useful to have something more (even if it was just a monthly posting here in the forums ranking the servers on a monthly and year-to-date activity) that would allow for an informed choice in server selection?|
Originally Posted by Ironblade
Only by logging in and looking for yourself.
At the server listing, they are listed as follows: the last server you visited is at the top. All of the others are listed in order of 'server load' with the heaviest load at the bottom. In general, 'server load' is a decent proxy for 'people online'. |
Btw, I do thank you and appreciate the info regarding how the servers are listed. I knew about the "bubbles" (green, yellow and red to indicate server load) but I did not know the list order meant something.
A general response to several postings:
Right-off-the-bat I would like to thank folks for the responses so far as several of them have been very informative. Some though have been somewhat harsh and to those I would like to clear a few things up.
One, I am not looking for anyone to be "forced" to do anything. If folks want to team-up or solo that's fine by me. If folks want to be on low population servers versus higher population servers then that's great. We all pay our subscription fee and are entitled to define our gameplay experience however we wish and I absolutely respect that.
Two, I was and am only opining and seeking information from those here who are more knowledgable than I on how and why things may be done here. Do I have a stacks of data to support my surmises? No. Then again I have in no way represented that I do.
Three, I am only looking to have a discussion not a confrontation with anyone. If my postings have come across as a bit coarse or argumentative than I sincerely apologize as that has never been my intent. I wish all here well and thank everyone for their time and consideration. Peace.
I am just curious to know if there is a source to find out the average activity level of the servers per day/week/month?
With the free character transfer weekend being extended again I was also wondering if the point was to even out the server loads or is it to allow folks to move characters from less active servers to more populated ones?
I ask this because the net effect so far seems to be that more characters are going from less populated servers to the ones that suffered conjestion problems/lag/disconnects already thereby making the free transfers somewhat counter-productive.
One idea I was toying with was perhaps some thought might be given to allowing free transfers to the less active servers only along with some other incentive (such as a limited time/use temporary power or unique mission/badge). Maybe even each server a unique feature. Again, the goal would be to hopefully spread the load more evenly amongst all the available servers.
Anyway, any answers/feedback would be apreciated. Thanks for reading.