a new server would be terrible

[maxtorps]

I'm neither here nor there on a new server... I mean, there was blue, then there was green, right? Although I see your point about all these existing players just creating accounts on a new server to be the first to do something.. which is also the point of competitive gaming.
I hear of calls to server merge too and I suppose that's to alleviate the user profile issue and the degree of top heaviness.
But, and it's only ,my opinion, after years and years of hearing about new servers being the panacea of all the world's ill's, I personally think ongoing recruitment of new players TO the game will be of greater benefit.
And that's a huge challenge given the age of the game. I do think the FTP quality will be a greater draw as pennies become tighter. Or maybe that's just me.

[Pootle]

Originally Posted by maxtorps [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

I hear of calls to server merge too and I suppose that's to alleviate the user profile issue and the degree of top heaviness.

Wouldn't merging the servers double the top heaviness, not alleviate it???

[maxtorps]

Originally Posted by Pootle [You must be logged in to view images. Log in or Register.]

Wouldn't merging the servers double the top heaviness, not alleviate it???

Probably. I'm not saying that reasoning is correct and I'm not calling for it. Precisely the opposite. This is why I would be more inclined to look at attracting new players to keep the churn going. But with no revenue stream other than donations, then the effort and expense made attracting new players has to be appropriate to the reward gained. I feel, by and large, that effort has to be down to us. Word of mouth is as cheap as chips and very effective.

I mean, there's loads of discussion on this. Look at the TLP's in live. They all end up being top heavy, guiding the "new" players up the levels until instanced raid content is reached, then after a while they open up a new server.

The only thing in question there is how much revenue is generated in live by actually attracting new players vs how many are old players rolling alts on new servers and simply maintaining their subscription. Either way, it's a lucrative revenue stream for a twenty odd year old game.

I guess it boils down to maintaining interest. Whatever way it is done, it needs to match the circumstances. Wasn't green meant to merge with blue then a new green server launched? (I'm not sure on this, as I'm new) If so, I think you have P99's attraction model there.