2000/map is huge but enough?

[Otleaz]

Just so people know... When only counting the front lines in the in map they gave us, it would leave us at 66 players per hex(not facility). That leaves the average fight at around 150 players, since most facilities involve more than one hex. This number is increased if it involves the third faction as well.

Bases will draw players away from the smaller(lol) fights so you are probably looking at 300-400 players all fighting at the bases on the front lines. 400 players at the base in the E3 video... Can you imagine even 200 there?

Like I said, you guys are gravely underestimating how many players 2000 really is. You have to remember that you aren't fitting 2000 players in 64^2 km, you are fitting 2000 players on the front line.

EDIT: Fixed some numbers

[GhettoPrince]

The pop lock on planetside servers is 600, with 200 spots for every faction and most fights being just 2 factions (400 people). Even with just 400 people the front line fights are crazy as hell and you are always getting backhacked,

[Baneblade]

You also have to take into account that 2000 is a projection, not an absolute. They might overshoot and get 3000 per continent... or miss the mark (more likely) and end up with 1200 or something, which is when the lack of continents will become a real problem.

[Brusi]

It was my assumption that they believe 2000 to be the maximum they believe the server could maintain on a single continent...

[Doxy]

2000 imho is more then enough.
I just hope SOE servers can handle the load =]

[The Degenatron]

I suspect that if the max number of players is 2000 per continent, then SOE will aim for 80% saturation across all servers - 1800 per continent.

To do this they will create additional worlds at first to accomidate the masses and then as the overall population shrinks to its stable size and continents are added, you'll see servers merged to keep the saturation at around 80%.

This gives enough slots for the free flow of players in and out of the game and continent to continent, and it also allows for imbalances in Empire strength which is how you achieve frontline movement and a dynamic battlefield.