You incentivize to actually grow the population by funneling people to the same server. PvP pops are slow and confined to peak hours. Servers larger than the status quo will address at least one of those problems. "Fine as is" isn't fine for everybody.

I thought the incentive was the better group pops. Now we need even more incentive. I can see why you would want to make it "cheaper" to move to a specific server but it should not be "more expensive" to move off a server that does not suit your playstyle (right now the server merge people talk about those trapped on dead servers but are perfectly willing to trap people on high population servers they don't want to be on). Perhaps people haven't migrated en masse to the larger servers because they don't want to. That seems to be the most overlooked point in this thread. People don't seem to want to move to get these "better random group pops".

You incentivize to actually grow the population by funneling people to the same server. PvP pops are slow and confined to peak hours. Servers larger than the status quo will address at least one of those problems. "Fine as is" isn't fine for everybody.

Really, being force transferred to Harb is going to make me call my friends and get them to return?

No, it will make me play EVE Online more and SWTOR less.

Jita has more class than Harb

Honestly, this is the internet. Anyone that's complaining about toxicity on the internet needs to take some self-initiative, do things like report and ignore and just plain grow a thicker skin. Server merges should not be negated especially just because a few internet trolls might hurt your feelings.

Harbinger is more than a "few internet trolls".

Leaving the choice of server and server population up tot he individual player and/or guild is, IMO, the most fair way address the issue of server population.

Resolve the issues surrounding transfers with regards to guilds and all guild assets, as well as all personal assets, and then let players/guilds decide whether they want a more populated server or a less populated server.

To me the Idea of merging servers means bringing people together so we can all enjoy the content swtor has to offer.

Now I play on the EU Servers so I'm not familiar with US servers as much but I can tell you there is only one server in the EU that's not literally dead The Red Eclipse. My old server (Tomb of Freedon Nadd) has literally 10 people on the fleet max, 10, 10 poor souls left on a barren world and I imagine its the same on many servers. These people deserve to be able to experience the swtor we do. The question for Europe is not "should we?" but "when will we?"

Honestly, this is the internet. Anyone that's complaining about toxicity on the internet needs to take some self-initiative, do things like report and ignore and just plain grow a thicker skin. Server merges should not be negated especially just because a few internet trolls might hurt your feelings.

Typical. Just because you're desensitized and/or a troll yourself doesn't mean everyone can and should be.

To me the Idea of merging servers means bringing people together so we can all enjoy the content swtor has to offer.

Now I play on the EU Servers so I'm not familiar with US servers as much but I can tell you there is only one server in the EU that's not literally dead The Red Eclipse. My old server (Tomb of Freedon Nadd) has literally 10 people on the fleet max, 10, 10 poor souls left on a barren world and I imagine its the same on many servers. These people deserve to be able to experience the swtor we do. The question for Europe is not "should we?" but "when will we?"

Those 10 "poor souls" on ToFN may well be there because they do NOT want to be on what they may feel is an "overpopulated server". If those 10 "poor souls" do not do group content or do their group content with friends and guild mates (and therefore do not use the LFG tool) and WANT to play on a less populated server, why FORCE them to move to an overpopulated server?

If any of those 10 "poor souls" want to play on a more populated server, they can do so NOW. All it takes is a simple transfer.

In terms of trolling: when one's paying for a game that is supposed to be enjoyable, they shouldn't have to open themselves up to being harassed or verbally abused. The onus is on the game devs and mods to keep it under control and create spaces that feel comfortable to players. Not on the player to "get a thicker skin" and constantly weather the attacks.

If players are saying over and over again that they find the climate at one server or another to be hostile, and wouldn't be happy there, and that it would potentially drive them from the game altogether if they were forced to go there - it needs to be taken seriously.

In terms of trolling: when one's paying for a game that is supposed to be enjoyable, they shouldn't have to open themselves up to being harassed or verbally abused. The onus is on the game devs and mods to keep it under control and create spaces that feel comfortable to players. Not on the player to "get a thicker skin" and constantly weather the attacks.

What has Bioware ever done to make this a reality? I have NEVER seen a GM in-game. I have NEVER seen vulgar public speakers silenced. Bioware needs to take control of it, I agree...but they never have. The trolling hurts their game...how they fail to comprehend that is beyond me.

They fail to do anything about bots etc. that most likely cost them money (I say most likely because tin foil hat mode has me wondering if they are somehow involved themselves if not a rogue dev - there is big money in credit selling) so I can't see them ever doing anything about the trolls especially since in my experience most seem to pay for their trolling privilege (demonstrated by how often they can post).

They should do something to expand the ignore list though, it's miserably small. From there it's not that much of an issue just to ignore and carry on.

For the issue of names. - Subs > anyone else. Pref over F2P.

If there are 2 subs - longest sub time should have first dibs. - Any losers in the names race should get a free rename.

Obviously this should not apply to names that have been created in the last few months - since people would try to carpet bag stuff, knowing their sub has been going a long time.

- I don't see why some of the old quiet / dead servers shouldn't remain, but when one selects a server, a popup can warn that this is a low-population server, for people who like to solo stuff, RP with their friends and not do as much group content. - You can have the option then, it can also state how to transfer if you are on an overpopulated /under-populated server.

OFC guilds splitting and who retains the assets ( guild ship, decos etc) is a tricky issue, but I'm sure you can issue a guild chip purchase certificate to whoever remains and maybe split any decos between the remaining guild and the leaving guild, maybe with a few extra thrown in for each- in order to at least fill all the empty hooks, so they don't lose their prestige status.

the pain of merges is nothing compared to the pain of waiting for groups, WZ pops, not being able to sell / buy on the GTN and all the other headaches.

What has Bioware ever done to make this a reality? I have NEVER seen a GM in-game. I have NEVER seen vulgar public speakers silenced. Bioware needs to take control of it, I agree...but they never have. The trolling hurts their game...how they fail to comprehend that is beyond me.

I do totally agree with you. I pretty much keep all the chat windows and whispers off because there's so much garbage, even on the nicer servers.

And I think this point is another compelling reason why server culture does need to be carefully considered, and everyone shouldn't be herded into a server like Harb. There *won't* be anything done about trolling and harassment, and it *will* drive people away from the game.

What has Bioware ever done to make this a reality? I have NEVER seen a GM in-game. I have NEVER seen vulgar public speakers silenced. Bioware needs to take control of it, I agree...but they never have. The trolling hurts their game...how they fail to comprehend that is beyond me.

One day I was out on my boat, in Felucca (UO), with my wife. We met another boat and she proceeded to RP with the other player, who then replied "FU" to her

She killed him so fast it was comical, we dry looted him and took his boat as well.

The point is this is an instanced game, we cannot extract justice or silence the annoying ourselves. It has to be done by paid staff which is a super expensive feature because it is never done. These are full time staff that stay forever.

Soon it will be cheaper to get us a new engine and add XServer queues...

Server Merge is a financial bust, they have to be figuring this out by now. So much effort and no features. Plus lost revenue from transfers and the potential for lost subs.

Devs: We will understand if you change your minds! Imagine trying to talk to several players on Sat night to decide what happened and how to police that particular behavior?

One day I was out on my boat, in Felucca (UO), with my wife. We met another boat and she proceeded to RP with the other player, who then replied "FU" to her

 

She killed him so fast it was comical, we dry looted him and took his boat as well.

 

 

The point is this is an instanced game, we cannot extract justice or silence the annoying ourselves. It has to be done by paid staff which is a super expensive feature because it is never done. These are full time staff that stay forever.

 

 

Soon it will be cheaper to get us a new engine and add XServer queues...

 

Server Merge is a financial bust, they have to be figuring this out by now. So much effort and no features. Plus lost revenue from transfers and the potential for lost subs.

 

Devs: We will understand if you change your minds! Imagine trying to talk to several players on Sat night to decide what happened and how to police that particular behavior?

They need to do something about it they are just not caring about subs and the in game culture within the game structure of SWTOR no player should have to deal with people talking about rape, suicide, and plain old nasty sexual based chat within the game if Final Fantasy XIV can control how people treat players in game then this game can as well it's not as if SWTOR has the player base that would be hard to monitor compared to FFXIV but they get it done and lead with a fine example of dealing with the in game trash.

Server Merge is a financial bust, they have to be figuring this out by now. So much effort and no features. Plus lost revenue from transfers and the potential for lost subs.

If the loss of 90cc and 150cc transfers busts EA's bottom line, the game is worse off than any of us know.

If the loss of 90cc and 150cc transfers busts EA's bottom line, the game is worse off than any of us know.

Agreed. Especially when you consider that having the population spread so far and thin would be losing more players than those transfers would bring in.

Remember, as many people in this thread have taken delight in pointing out, you get 500cc a month and people can use that to transfer. So Bioware arent making any more money form those people regardless.

Remember, as many people in this thread have taken delight in pointing out, you get 500cc a month and people can use that to transfer. So Bioware arent making any more money form those people regardless.

Most times we agree but is bs in all aspects. Those 500 cc aren't free like so many not so smart people in this thread have pointed out while embarassing themselves over and over. The only free cc in this game come from achievements. CC from referral links are technically not free either, just like the 500 or 600 monthly ccs, at least when you have at least basic understandig about logic and economics.

First thing is you actually pay for them or do advertising for Bioware, the second thing is, any of those not at all free ccs in the first place you spend on something Bioware has to fix to deliver a working infrastructure for their game, you can't spend for yourself, for things you want...you spend it for Bioware instead, in this case for Bioware's laziness and lack of foresight and vision. Is that so freaking hard to get into the mind?

Most times we agree but is bs in all aspects. Those 500 cc aren't free like so many not so smart people in this thread have pointed out while embarassing themselves over and over. The only free cc in this game come from achievements. CC from referral links are technically not free either, just like the 500 or 600 monthly ccs, at least when you have at least basic understandig about logic and economics.

First thing is you actually pay for them or do advertising for Bioware, the second thing is, any of those not at all free ccs in the first place you spend on something Bioware has to fix to deliver a working infrastructure for their game, you can't spend for yourself, for things you want...you spend it for Bioware instead, in this case for Bioware's laziness and lack of foresight and vision. Is that so freaking hard to get into the mind?

How is getting someone who is already playing and subbing the game to use my referral advertising for BWA? Noting that it's not then how would me as the recipient of said CC not be getting them for free exactly?

Most times we agree but is bs in all aspects. Those 500 cc aren't free like so many not so smart people in this thread have pointed out while embarassing themselves over and over. The only free cc in this game come from achievements. CC from referral links are technically not free either, just like the 500 or 600 monthly ccs, at least when you have at least basic understandig about logic and economics.

First thing is you actually pay for them or do advertising for Bioware, the second thing is, any of those not at all free ccs in the first place you spend on something Bioware has to fix to deliver a working infrastructure for their game, you can't spend for yourself, for things you want...you spend it for Bioware instead, in this case for Bioware's laziness and lack of foresight and vision. Is that so freaking hard to get into the mind?

You misunderstand, I agree with you. I was trying to say that they won't lose much money if people weren't transferring.

- I don't see why some of the old quiet / dead servers shouldn't remain, but when one selects a server, a popup can warn that this is a low-population server, for people who like to solo stuff, RP with their friends and not do as much group content.

Yes this is something i have noticed in this thread that RPers are afraid of trolls on big servers. Well then just merge the old PVP servers and leave one RP and one PVE server, I mean the RP servers still seem to be doing fine in terms of population.

Yes this is something i have noticed in this thread that RPers are afraid of trolls on big servers. Well then just merge the old PVP servers and leave one RP and one PVE server, I mean the RP servers still seem to be doing fine in terms of population.

RP servers are not doing fine look at Jung Ma & BC and some of the EU ones, The Ebon Hawk is hanging in there and seems to have a decent population but that population sinks to ground zero later at night.

Yes this is something i have noticed in this thread that RPers are afraid of trolls on big servers. Well then just merge the old PVP servers and leave one RP and one PVE server, I mean the RP servers still seem to be doing fine in terms of population.

I know Ebon Hawk is doing well with the population but a lot of the people on Ebon Hawk do things with their guild and/or friends. I noticed that when you are specifically doing heroics for the conquests, you will see people from the same guild grouped up running the heroics.

I know Ebon Hawk is doing well with the population but a lot of the people on Ebon Hawk do things with their guild and/or friends. I noticed that when you are specifically doing heroics for the conquests, you will see people from the same guild grouped up running the heroics.

Exactly.

Ebon Hawk is simply not as random group friendly as the traditionally non-RP servers. They are, by choice, more dependent on community connections (guilds, circle of friends, etc) rather then random unknowns looking for instant grouping via GF. I really do not understand why the Harbinger folks cannot grasp this and understand that forcing RPers to a non-RP server is NOT going to measurably increase GF pops.

RP servers are not doing fine look at Jung Ma & BC and some of the EU ones, The Ebon Hawk is hanging in there and seems to have a decent population but that population sinks to ground zero later at night.

Jung Ma may have had an RP tag.. but it more notably had a PvP tag and players left on low cost transfers to get to wherever they thought the best PvP group pops exist. So that is a false equivalency.

BC has for years been the smallest NA RP server. A little too small for my tastes, but players on BC seem to still think their server is fine. They do seem to enjoy their server.... so lets leave them be in my view. The player economy is a bit weak....but again... they have simple ways around that if they choose... so leave them alone on this.

Ebon Hawk is much more then "hanging in there". Even at smaller loading.. the community remains strong as does the player economy. In fact, in many categories of items traded and sold between players.... Ebon Hawk is actually the strongest and most stable economy in the server farm in NA right now.

EU servers... I don't play on them.. so no comment one way or the other.

How is getting someone who is already playing and subbing the game to use my referral advertising for BWA? Noting that it's not then how would me as the recipient of said CC not be getting them for free exactly?

You may want to rethink this post.