When they announce new ops, they will announce server merges.

Is there an official source for this assessment? If so , when will new ops be coming around

Well, they might go for server merges but not sure how the hardware will handle it. With the reduction of the transfer prices its was going well, yet the annoucement of the price increase made a lot of servers dead.

I suppose they hope that now new players wont know the servers and just pick one of the 3 english EU servers. They maybe hope that many will go to TOFN or so making the server live again. If this doesnt work however, im not sure what they plan to do. Even if they do reduce the prices of transfers again people wont go back to TOFN or Progenitor, no reason.

Overall the transfer prices together with the PVE/PVP instances messed up things big time!

Sure, here's a comment on server merge:

Dunno about you, but I feel better : )

Maybe they are looking how many desperate players will transfer for 1000cc. When this goldmine is exhausted... then... maybe...

I wonder if those purchases will offset the losses inflicted by all the players who will just quit though...IMO they should merge them sooner rather than later. Reducing the transfer cost again, as has been hinted at won't be a long term solution. The pertaining servers will become even emptier and it won't make any sense financially to keep them running just for the few guys who prefer dead servers to healthy ones.

Maybe they are looking how many desperate players will transfer for 1000cc. When this goldmine is exhausted... then... maybe...

Nailed it.

I wonder if those purchases will offset the losses inflicted by all the players who will just quit though...IMO they should merge them sooner rather than later. Reducing the transfer cost again, as has been hinted at won't be a long term solution. The pertaining servers will become even emptier and it won't make any sense financially to keep them running just for the few guys who prefer dead servers to healthy ones.

Any source for reduction of transfer prices in the near future?

Any source for reduction of transfer prices in the near future?

Yes, there is nothing definitive, yet, but they would be stupid to hint at it like that and then not follow through.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8928102#post8928102

I really don't think they need to make an announcement that states, "Nothing is changing with regard to servers.". I mean, what would the point be?

It is what it is - until it isn't. At that point, there will be an announcement.

Yes, there is nothing definitive, yet, but they would be stupid to hint at it like that and then not follow through.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8928102#post8928102

He never said BW was even going to consider doing it, he asked if something like that would help. And he got mixed reactions - with many people even on "dead" servers saying "no, it wouldn't help, we need mergers instead".

Ben never hinted at offering cheap transfers again - for all we know, they've already got something else in mind. Even if they were considering it, the followup posts to his question didn't exactly scream a resounding "YES!".

He never said BW was even going to consider doing it, he asked if something like that would help. And he got mixed reactions - with many people even on "dead" servers saying "no, it wouldn't help, we need mergers instead".

 

Ben never hinted at offering cheap transfers again - for all we know, they've already got something else in mind. Even if they were considering it, the followup posts to his question didn't exactly scream a resounding "YES!".

IMO he would've never said/been allowed to say that if they were not already considering this. If it was out of the question this post would've been a stupid move PR wise.

As for the alternative, yes I hope they rather merge servers as it would be far more effective.

I wonder if those purchases will offset the losses inflicted by all the players who will just quit though...IMO they should merge them sooner rather than later. Reducing the transfer cost again, as has been hinted at won't be a long term solution. The pertaining servers will become even emptier and it won't make any sense financially to keep them running just for the few guys who prefer dead servers to healthy ones.

EXACTLY Knorlac. The loss of revenue from players who woke up to a suddenly dead server at the end of 90cc transfers, WILL have an impact. The players who are so addicted that they would pay $10, already moved...$10 just kills off the casual.

90cc transfers was perfect. I really don't give a flip about people using it to loophole name changes either, because I guarantee you that Bioware made more money off 180cc name changes than they will make off 1000cc name changes. The only reason it became an issue was because of the change to the naming policy, allowing that space in a characters name.

I think we are asking for the wrong thing...while I agree something needs to be done, there are some that enjoy the lower population servers for one reason or another.

For those of us who want to do group content, I think cross server Group Finder would be ideal, but not enough. I propose a single server " hub". Doesn't necessarily have to be the fleet, but that makes the most sense. Throw everyone on the same fleet...different instances sure, but that would allow ops/FP group forming without relying on the seldom used GF tool.

May need one stateside and one oceanic, but I think the idea is sound...I'll let someone smarter than me figure out all the details.

Maybe they are looking how many desperate players will transfer for 1000cc. When this goldmine is exhausted... then... maybe...

I don't know about others, but they'll not see 1000cc for even a single transfer any time soon, more precisely EVER! If it gets to the point that I'll not be able to play because server turns out to be dead dead server, I'll move on to some other game... and yes, you CAN have my stuff, if it'll make any difference in a dead game!

Actually, since BW cannot predict what players will do (and that was proved by quite a few instances!), we should simply post what would we actually do if Case A: Servers merge; Case B: Servers dies, transfer 90cc; Case C: Servers dies, transfer 1000cc... and so on. That might give them ground for some healthy decisions... Too bad the players that bother to get on the forums do not accurately represent players in game.

I think we are asking for the wrong thing...while I agree something needs to be done, there are some that enjoy the lower population servers for one reason or another.

 

For those of us who want to do group content, I think cross server Group Finder would be ideal, but not enough. I propose a single server " hub". Doesn't necessarily have to be the fleet, but that makes the most sense. Throw everyone on the same fleet...different instances sure, but that would allow ops/FP group forming without relying on the seldom used GF tool.

 

May need one stateside and one oceanic, but I think the idea is sound...I'll let someone smarter than me figure out all the details.

Cross server isn't worth the expense. Free or 90cc transfers cost nothing. Bioware doesn't need to invest time into creating something that doesn't help the core issue of losing customers. They would be better off investing that time into making group content that ends the stagnation.

Yes, there is nothing definitive, yet, but they would be stupid to hint at it like that and then not follow through.

http://www.swtor.com/community/showthread.php?p=8928102#post8928102

Yeah... but if you read that objectively, it was not a hint, it was a question. I put no credence on him following up on his question after watching the melt downs in the forum for the last week. But time will tell.

If he follows up, great. If not... so what... live goes on.

IMO he would've never said/been allowed to say that if they were not already considering this. If it was out of the question this post would've been a stupid move PR wise.

As for the alternative, yes I hope they rather merge servers as it would be far more effective.

Personally, I don't think anything is 100% out of the question. But that does not correlate to any likely hood of him following up. What he did and they way he did it WAS a bad PR move. I chalk it up to a rookie mistake in communicating with the community.

I'm sure, at some point they will take some form of action about the now abandoned former PvP servers. What and when.... remains to be seen.

IMO he would've never said/been allowed to say that if they were not already considering this. If it was out of the question this post would've been a stupid move PR wise.

As for the alternative, yes I hope they rather merge servers as it would be far more effective.

You may be correct and may have been considering offering reduced rates for transfers again.

Even if you are correct, though, considering does NOT equate to a definitely will be doing so.

The question asked by that particular dev was NOT a promise that they would be offering reduced rate transfers again.

The question asked by that particular dev was NOT a promise that they would be offering reduced rate transfers again.

Yeah... the fact that he freely admitted he did not read through the threads 34 pages, followed by a question, to me is indicative that he is aware of the issue being raised.. but it certainly is not some flaming priority for him.

People need to think with their brains, rather then their emotions. He could have turned back on the discount price within hours of having posted his question. Yet that is not what has happened, which to me is telling.

Cross server isn't worth the expense. Free or 90cc transfers cost nothing. Bioware doesn't need to invest time into creating something that doesn't help the core issue of losing customers. They would be better off investing that time into making group content that ends the stagnation.

I would have to know the cost of implementing cross sever GF to weigh in on that aspect, but just becuse it's not free, or it takes some development time, doesn't mean it's not worth it.

I still think merging the fleets and letting players form their own groups should be considered. I don't know what issues it would create having someone from a different native server in your group, but since everyone would be transferred to the group leaders instance for whatever content you intended to do, I imagine they would be minimal.

I would have to know the cost of implementing cross sever GF to weigh in on that aspect, but just becuse it's not free, or it takes some development time, doesn't mean it's not worth it.

 

I still think merging the fleets and letting players form their own groups should be considered. I don't know what issues it would create having someone from a different native server in your group, but since everyone would be transferred to the group leaders instance for whatever content you intended to do, I imagine they would be minimal.

First one that comes to mind is name conflicts. This is both a technical issue and a social issue.

The technical issue could be solved, as other companies have done so... but I doubt it is trivial unless you planned for it early in development and put the hooks in for it in the future.

The social issue is Fred from server A being a complete arse and having a bad rep for it.. and then people thinking that Fred on Server B and server C, etc. are the same person... which sucks for Fred-the-good. Again.. the technical solution would resolve this.... but the point is.. that there are multiple consquences of a move to cross server and if you don't figure them all out in advance and implement to avoid them... things will be worse then if you did nothing.

Now.. could they invest in cross server and implement it? Very likely. Would it eat a good amount of resources? Very likely. Would if fix problems for players wanting instant queues? Probably not. It would help, but it would not solve it, for a variety of reasons already discussed 8 ways to Sunday already. Which means it would be an imperfect solution that requires resources that probably have higher priority on other things.

First one that comes to mind is name conflicts. This is both a technical issue and a social issue.

 

The technical issue could be solved, as other companies have done so... but I doubt it is trivial unless you planned for it early in development and put the hooks in for it in the future.

 

The social issue is Fred from server A being a complete arse and having a bad rep for it.. and then people thinking that Fed on Server B and server C, etc. are the same person... which sucks for Fred-the-good. Again.. the technical solution would resolve this.... but the point is.. that there are multiple consquences of a move to cross server and if you don't figure them all out in advance and implement to avoid them... things will be worse then if you did nothing.

 

Now.. could they invest in cross server and implement it? Very likely. Would it eat a good amount of resources? Very likely. Would if fix problems for players wanting instant queues? Probably not. It would help, but it would not solve it, for a variety of reasons already discussed 8 ways to Sunday already. Which means it would be an imperfect solution that requires resources that probably have higher priority on other things.

Most cross server compatibilities that aren't a compeitive game mode allow it as an option. If you did join a GF queue, you could simply choose not to be grouped with other servers and, most likely, not get a group or have it take an excessive amount of time. If people are going to be jerks in random groups, lack of cross server won't stop them.

Something that I would add to a possible server merger would be expanded conquests. Instead of the top 10 getting guild rewards I would change it to the top 20 get the rewards. Simply cause the amount of guilds in what we have been calling mega servers would suddenly have lots more guilds competing. Although even right now there is a guild that is at the 10th spot for a planet with only ZERO points up.

Jung Ma conditions for and queue during the day are none existent. In the evening for wz the prime time hours is 3 to 5 hours tops if lucky and even if one gets a pop there is no guarantee that the teams will be full. What is Ranked wz? Flashpoint pops are about the same way and they only pop a little more often then they used to before everyone got put into a tactical instead. I hatted the tactical at first but to me it saved the queue for flashpoints.