The probable cons of server tokens

[ProtossMaster]

I just want to warn the SOE and the community about the consequences of releasing server tokens.

My credibility is I am an outfit leader for ADK, largest outfit on genudine. Genudine is also one of the lowest pop servers.

Server tokens will allow a character to switch to a server of their choosing. This is what the community wants. However the community also wants balanced populations.

Currently factions are imbalanced on many servers. Connery, for example, has the vanu rarely getting above 30% world population. There is no easy solution to this issue.

I have asked many people where they were going to switch. Many are choosing where their faction is dominant. I have also asked many why they are switching, many said because of low server pops while others said that their faction is not supreme.

So I am predicting that the rich factions get richer while the poorer factions jump ship, creating further imbalance. The low pop servers will be smaller while the large pop servers become bigger. I feel this will damage the game.

Any one agree with me?

[Hamma]

I'm sure (hope) they have checks and balances in place for that sort of thing.

[Methonius]

Ya they better have something that prevents you from transferring a char to a server if it is already over populated by that faction. Also it should recommend servers for you to go to by what pops are needed.

[Sifer2]

Yeah that's what they should do is not allow transfer to a faction that is already overpopulated but c'mon it's SOE. They have done a terrible job of managing population balance thus far. The bonus outnumbered sides get is still laughable. An worse still zero incentive to roll a character on a faction that needs more people.

[Riekopo]

This is why, merges.

[Lonehunter]

Merging is not the issue, we don't need every inch of space being contested 24/7.

It's really not that hard to only sell server transfers to people on servers with high pop, like TR on Waterson. At least just do it exclusively for them for a few months.

[Assist]

I just want to warn the SOE and the community about the consequences of releasing server tokens.

My credibility is I am an outfit leader for ADK, largest outfit on genudine. Genudine is also one of the lowest pop servers.

Server tokens will allow a character to switch to a server of their choosing. This is what the community wants. However the community also wants balanced populations.

Currently factions are imbalanced on many servers. Connery, for example, has the vanu rarely getting above 30% world population. There is no easy solution to this issue.

I have asked many people where they were going to switch. Many are choosing where their faction is dominant. I have also asked many why they are switching, many said because of low server pops while others said that their faction is not supreme.

So I am predicting that the rich factions get richer while the poorer factions jump ship, creating further imbalance. The low pop servers will be smaller while the large pop servers become bigger. I feel this will damage the game.

Any one agree with me?

I'm in disagreement but maybe because I'm in the minority of gamers where I enjoy getting my face bashed in over and over. I'd prefer to be on the underdog faction and the people I play with in games generally prefer the same. The balance of the game is more important than the balance of the population, IMO. The population will, eventually, sort itself out if the game is balanced across all three factions. I do agree that the lower population servers will end up being even lower in population but I don't think that the high pop factions will become even higher pop. I believe, as some on here have mentioned, that some outfits are sick and tired of being apart of the mindless zerg. They want to be on a server where they think they'll be more important. I'm hoping this means they'll transfer to a server that needs help as opposed to transfering to a server where they'll 'win'.


I'm in agreement with others that merging is the solution, not transferring. Transfer just create more of a need for merges, however it may eliminate a server or two from needing the merger. I think the real problem is the worldwide faction population imbalance that is indicative of the gameplay balance. Because of that issue merging servers becomes less of an option for solving the faction imbalance problems.

[Gimpylung]

I share the OP's concerns. Population balance incentives really need to be sorted out. Account wide unlocks are going to further damage server balance.

[Badjuju]

They should have another set of tokens which are free but have designated servers you can transfer too based on your faction and what servers have had consistently low populations of that faction. Maybe even through in some free certs. Limit them to a one time use, or once every X amount of months.

[Calisai]

I think they could put incentives in... IE, make free tokens for better moves

Genudine VS --> Connery VS
Genudine NC --> Waterson NC (ie, a lower NC pop server)
Genudine TR --> Jaeger TR (ie, a low TR pop server)

Whereas if you wanted to token to a server that has really high faction pop already, make it cost more.

Basically, cost based on how badly it would effect faction populations.


That said, it's really difficult to balance pops. Just because there are 10k VS on the server, doesn't mean they all play at the same time, or even play at all. On Mattherson, we have huge swings in pop at certain times of day. Especially due to larger outfit event nights, etc. There isn't much SOE would be able to do to even those out as it would out-balance the other days/times. Some players only play on event night for their outfit, etc.

[maradine]

Provided moving is reasonably economical, I'll take my team to wherever they can get the largest, evenest fight. I'd feel bad leaving Genudine worse than I found it, but not bad enough to stay.

[capiqu]

Allow servers with low empire populations to open up and give exp incentives for players from other servers to play there. Once pops are balanced the servers close up again. Next time you log on you will be back on to your original server.
No permanent transfers no server losing population permanently.

[maradine]

Probably worth stating for the record that I'd prefer we just merge the west coast at this point. Unless SOE knows something about the DAU numbers that they're not sharing, that is . . .

[Sifer2]

Merging is not the issue, we don't need every inch of space being contested 24/7.

It's really not that hard to only sell server transfers to people on servers with high pop, like TR on Waterson. At least just do it exclusively for them for a few months.


True everything doesn't need to be contested 24/7. But it would also be nice to be able to play on more than just Indar. Even on the highest pop servers these days it's hard to find good fights on the other continents anymore. If we had continent locks it wouldn't be as hard to see some variety in the battlefield. But we don't. And Indar is rarely locked anyway.

As for only selling to people on high pop servers. That would really anger people who rolled on what are now dead servers, and desperately want off it to find a better place to play. All servers should be able to transfer IMO but the average active player population of factions across a weekly basis should be measured. And the largest active population faction shouldn't be able to be joined by transfer.

[GTGD]

Knowing SOE they'll make it into a "low pop server" tax that will basically be mandatory if you don't want to lose all your stuff. Then they'll realize a month or two later that they're going to have to merge anyway - this will obviously be free. Then people who payed for a transfer will be upset since it was a waste, and SOE will try to appease them by giving them the equivalent in SC.

[ProtossMaster]

I think they could put incentives in... IE, make free tokens for better moves

Genudine VS --> Connery VS
Genudine NC --> Waterson NC (ie, a lower NC pop server)
Genudine TR --> Jaeger TR (ie, a low TR pop server)

Whereas if you wanted to token to a server that has really high faction pop already, make it cost more.

Basically, cost based on how badly it would effect faction populations.


That said, it's really difficult to balance pops. Just because there are 10k VS on the server, doesn't mean they all play at the same time, or even play at all. On Mattherson, we have huge swings in pop at certain times of day. Especially due to larger outfit event nights, etc. There isn't much SOE would be able to do to even those out as it would out-balance the other days/times. Some players only play on event night for their outfit, etc.
Issue is that it is a US West server. It would not be wise to force move people cross regions. So I do not see force moving genudine pop to US east servers viable.