We haven't finalized the initial list of origin and destination servers. We know everyone is eager to see them, and we will provide them when we're able - we don't want to provide a list and then have to change it.

Probably better that you DON'T reveal the list too early anyway. Human nature being what it is, everyone targeted to a particular server will roll placeholder characters to reserve their names, and players would most likely get one character through Act 1 to reserve their legacy surname.

You'd see quite a drastic jump in server activity. I can just see it.....

This is not correct. We'll be providing a list of origin servers and destination servers. Each origin server will have one destination server, and players can elect to transfer their characters from the origin server to the destination. Our goal is to have destination servers with a much higher active player population, so we'll be monitoring the process and adding new origin and destination pairs as necessary to reach that goal.

Does this mean if we're stuck on an RP server and want off we're pretty much screwed unless we pay you X dollers PER character to leave?

We haven't finalized the initial list of origin and destination servers. We know everyone is eager to see them, and we will provide them when we're able - we don't want to provide a list and then have to change it.

I understand your apprehension Allison, but I assume you have a list of say what you would like to be transfer TO servers? Would you be able to maybe list the top 3 PvE and PvP transfer TO servers? Anything to give SOME players peace of mind would be great. Right now, I think we're all worried we'll need to start entirely over.

For the love of god if i can't get off the RP server I'm on and onto a regular PVE server I'll scream. Friends that no longer play or plan to play got us onto the RP server and now I feel stuck...no one ever wants to do anything content wise.

 

I really hope they DO give us some options to change server types otherwise this is complete ******** and when my time is up in July I'm out. I've already stopped logging in to my characters for the past 3 weeks.

why don't you start new characters on other servers? your not limited to the only server you've touched.

I don't have a guild, I don't care what server I play on as long as it isn't full of Russians (incidentally it would suit both English speakers and Russian speakers if you could let the two groups transfer to specific destination servers, there are a couple of EU unofficial Russian servers and I'm sure they would all like to be together as well). As long as where I get to has a decent population I'm fine. I could even care less about my char names.

Still... BW could you get this process ANY MORE WRONG? This is why the community has been begging for information for weeks. You're nearly at the end of a road a ton of people are very unhappy you are travelling down, would it be SO HARD to indicate in advance of starting all the development what you had in mind and why?

A consumer business regardless if it sells Ak-47s or video game subs is always the same - the CUSTOMER is ALWAYS RIGHT.

As I said in my post, I don't mind waiting a half hour as long as I know that server has my characters that I've put so much time into and I can get a decent Warzone/Flashpoint queue (and I'll just play Diablo while I wait). By trying to force us to go to some random server, they are just going to eventually run into the same problem.

I would definitely not wait half an hour, and I'm sure that the people who originally rolled on The Fatman / Swiftsure / etc. wouldn't appreciate it, either. BW is forcing us to pick between transferring to a server that will be of higher population, or ignoring our old toons and just level our re-rolls.

Either that, or wait for paid transfers. That's still a choice you can do in the future. I doubt it'll take all that long for that to get released, considering the monetary incentive.

I knew this was what was going to happen and its a complete joke. Bioware is trying to extend the life of dead servers hoping people will move to them and its not going to happen. I cant see anyone bothering to use this service with such limitations. You need to just open it completely, let people go to the more populated servers and empty out the dead ones so you can officially close them.

What bioware is trying to do right now is just not going to work. Just get it over with and merge the servers.

why don't you start new characters on other servers? your not limited to the only server you've touched.

Yes let me throw a level 20 legacy and level 50 characters away? I've been dedicated to my toons since PRE LAUNCH im not about to start the hell over. THe server I'm on is barely standard and I want off and I DONT wsant ON another RP server. This is a load of bull and crap.

I'm not starting over from scratch and throwing away all my hard work. I'd rather fraking quit.

Here is some info that I am now scared to post:

 

Before server transfers:

200 dead servers.

2 semi-full servers.

 

After server transfers:

180 completely dead servers.

20 mostly dead servers.

2 semi-full servers.

 

Just let us transfer to whatever *********** server we want to, for free, and yes there will be much QQ-ing about queue times to actually get into those severs, but that kind of QQ-ing is GOOD QQ-ing. Then I will stop my whining about cross-server functionality (sorry I lied earlier about never talking about cross-server again but that post got deleted so whatever).

Doing it your way, we'd end up with 2 completely full servers. One for PvE, one for PvP.

I don't mind the way they're doing it (selected servers), I dislike the way they act like guilds mean nothing though. I'll be expected to establish my guild on day ONE...something I can't commit to when I have no flipping idea WHEN that day will be.

What we're saying here is that we're unable to provide the origins and destinations in advance because those lists may change internally as we watch the response to transfers.

I would like this elaborated please.

In what sense do responses to transfers from the community (basically these forums) have anything to do with target transfer servers? Bioware knows already all they are going to get is QQ. All I could think of is that you are considering opening entirely new servers and then transferring the entire populations of existing servers to that new server. Don't divulge sensitive information, but seriously, that is like the only reason. That would eliminate half of the QQ on this thread and explain that you had a (ridiculously cruel) plan and didn't care if we knew it or not, because you're not telling us anything.

Call it server "mergers", or server "consolidations", but don't call it transfers unless you actually have the ability to pick and choose which server a particular toon can move from and to.

 

And let me guess, un-subbed players must re-sub in order to take part in this "free" "transfer", right?

 

Like the rest of this game, this "transfer" is on rails...

 

If I wanted to be continually bombarded with the illusion of choice, I'd spend my free time in politics.

QFT. They should have named it "Free, Optional Server Merges". The only choice is to move or not. That's it. And the move choice is riddled with issues and unanswered concerns. And even the community reps might not know how to answer those concerns floating out there, because they haven't bothered yet. Everything has been vague except the limitations.

Here is some info that I am now scared to post:

 

Before server transfers:

200 dead servers.

2 semi-full servers.

 

After server transfers:

180 completely dead servers.

20 mostly dead servers.

2 semi-full servers.

 

Just let us transfer to whatever *********** server we want to, for free, and yes there will be much QQ-ing about queue times to actually get into those severs, but that kind of QQ-ing is GOOD QQ-ing. Then I will stop my whining about cross-server functionality (sorry I lied earlier about never talking about cross-server again but that post got deleted so whatever).

I foresee the same outcome.

Before server transfers:

200 dead servers.

2 semi-full servers.

 

After server transfers:

180 completely dead servers.

20 mostly dead servers.

2 semi-full servers.

How is moving toons from 10 servers to 1 new server going to make that 1 new server "mostly dead?" Which, by the way, are numbers without evidence to support them.

Does this mean if we're stuck on an RP server and want off we're pretty much screwed unless we pay you X dollers PER character to leave?

Expect the worst.

So what the hell am i supposed to do if i have characters on several servers??? i wont be able to bring them all together on one???

You get to pay for that sort of move.

We haven't finalized the initial list of origin and destination servers. We know everyone is eager to see them, and we will provide them when we're able - we don't want to provide a list and then have to change it.

I for one don't want a list posted in advance, because then I feel players will need to create level 1 characters on the destination server in order to save names. That would not be good.

HOWEVER, I sincerely hope that destination servers are the same REGION as origin servers. I don't know why, but A LOT of players on Mandalore the Indomitable (West coast PVP) re-rolled on The Fatman (East Coast PVP). I for one have NO DESIRE to move my character(s) to a server other than in my region (West Coast for me).

I would like this elaborated please.

 

In what sense do responses to transfers from the community have anything to do with target transfer servers? All I could think of is that you are considering opening entirely new servers and then transferring the entire populations of existing servers to that new server. Don't divulge sensitive information, but seriously, that is like the only reason. That would eliminate half of the QQ on this thread and explain that you had a (ridiculously cruel) plan and didn't care if we knew it or not, because you're not telling us anything.

They can't tell you all the servers that will be transfer TO servers yet because they're going to be TRYING to equalize populations. If they move 6 servers to one, but only half the characters move, they may need to add a 7th or 8th to that list. I understand the variables they're trying to work with, but I think the top 3 servers (PvE and PvP) are pretty much set. THAT list I'd like to calm some nerves.

Probably better that you DON'T reveal the list too early anyway. Human nature being what it is, everyone targeted to a particular server will roll placeholder characters to reserve their names, and players would most likely get one character through Act 1 to reserve their legacy surname.

 

You'd see quite a drastic jump in server activity. I can just see it.....

Bingo, way to use the old noggin.

i have 2 questions about these transfers:

1- i have 4 chars in a legacy on server A, are all of them transferred in one transfer or do i have to transfer them individually ?

2- Are the free transfers a one time deal for each char ? what i mean is if i transfer from server A to server B and i find out that even after this server B is still underpopulated, can i transfer again or will have to wait for paid transfers ?

This for me makes it like a gamble, will i transfer to server B in the hopes that once transfers are done it will have a good population or do i stay on my origin server and hope that a more populated destination server will come later.

My origin server is very underpopulated at the moment so i can only imagine it will be a ghost-town once transfers are complete, so why would i stay, they give you the option to not transfer to the destination server but it is not an option at all, you have to transfer or else you will be playing on an even emptier server.

I can't help to think that this is a very bad way to do this.

I wonder if there's going to be a means of advertising one's server, (not including the server forums). Cause I'd encourage people to go to the server I am on.

Or what I'm trying to say is that once a list comes up, if people who want to transfer can check out the server forums and decide from that.

This, to also avoid a mass exodus of people from leaving the server I am on, like that they'll see an active recruiting effort and if successful will decide not to leave.

I just hope details will come up soon. I have chars on two servers are really want to merge them together!

The chances of that happening are slim, at least until paid transfers are coming where you can pick your destination server.

Forcing players to change servers and rename their characters just because you want them to doesn't sound like the greatest business move in history, does it?

He's not interested in logic. He just wants Bioware to take care of everything for him. With mergers, that is what happens, with transfers, he actually has to do something.

Unacceptable, he says. You will get no mergers, Kilo. Take that as it is, or hit the road.