'Global PVP' server a failure

[LeopoldRNN]

Not enough players are ever on that (global PVP) server to make the game viable. Rarely do you see more then 200,  and often the population is < 100 . It was a noble effort, and I do understand the reason(s) why the 2 server distinctions were made (PB timing issues involving playing time periods around the world), but apparently the vast majority of Naval Action players are European, or don't mind playing on the Euro' server even when PB's can only occur during Euro' prime-time. The dysfunction of the global server is why I (and other friends of mine) have stopped playing.  To divide the currently small universal NA player base, while again done with good intentions, has become a bad thing. 

 A new NA PB rule set (and other game-play issues), needs to come to grips with this, and be designed so that the the two servers can be unified into one player base environment/experience. 

I also feel the 'PVE' server(s) should be eliminated, with those players also merged in to this single cohesive server.

 

[Vizzini]

Players are free to migrate from one server to another if they wish. Some have done so already. No need to merge when people are migrating by themselves. As for the PVE server, I have no idea as to it's population but there should be a place for those who don't like PVP

I am sure both servers would welcome players who arrive on their server but there are many who do not wish to go backwards to nighflips .. etc etc

 

Switch if you want, I did and could do so again. No need to try and force others though

 

 

 

 

[LeopoldRNN]

Quote

oh look. another servermerge thread 

Thank you for letting me know many other players share this same concern and have reached similar conclusions.

 

[Jean Ribault]

1 hour ago, LeopoldRNN said:

Not enough players are ever on that (global PVP) server to make the game viable. Rarely do you see more then 200,  and often the population is < 100 . It was a noble effort, and I do understand the reason(s) why the 2 server distinctions were made (PB timing issues involving playing time periods around the world), but apparently the vast majority of Naval Action players are European, or don't mind playing on the Euro' server even when PB's can only occur during Euro' prime-time. The dysfunction of the global server is why I (and other friends of mine) have stopped playing.  To divide the currently small universal NA player base, while again done with good intentions, has become a bad thing. 

 A new NA PB rule set (and other game-play issues), needs to come to grips with this, and be designed so that the the two servers can be unified into one player base environment/experience. 

I also feel the 'PVE' server(s) should be eliminated, with those players also merged in to this single cohesive server.

 

 

Here we go again with the "Oh your play style isn't mine, so let me take away your fun since you shouldn't be allowed to exist" comments.  Like roaches from the woodwork, where do you people come from?  Do you realise the pve server is currently more successful than pvp global?

Resurrecting the server merge argument in yet another thread with different wording won't solve anything either.

Edited September 7, 2017 by Jean Ribault

[Serk]

PVE player should all move to a PVP server and get involved in RVR. They'll find all the PVE they want.  

 

 

Edited September 7, 2017 by Serk

[Jean Ribault]

1 minute ago, Serk said:

PVE player should all move to a PVP server and get involved in RVR. They'll find all the PVE they want.  

 

 

It's kind of true, I play on both pve and pvp global, no difference right now other than pve is more pleasant.

[Guest]

#NOSERVERMERGEDON'TKILLTHEONLYFUNCTIONINGSERVERTOSAVEABADIDEA

 

Worst idea ever.

[DeRuyter]

Actually admin responded in another thread that there will be no server merge in the near future.

[Guest]

21 minutes ago, Peter Goldman said:

EU server is functioning? lol

Yeah it is..

When the players from unity5 testing returns and the devs get their act together and stop announcing RvR/map adjustments every 5 weeks after the most recent map reset then yeah - we've got a functioning server.

Just because you can't be bothered to come to CS for PvP (and whine when we come to you) doesn't mean that every little thing in the game is bad.

[Barbancourt]

6 hours ago, Vizzini said:

Players are free to migrate from one server to another if they wish.

Only if you're willing to give up all your progress and go back to grinding up from Basic Cutter.  Very few players will do that. 

 

[Kawazz]

5 hours ago, LeopoldRNN said:

Thank you for letting me know many other players share this same concern and have reached similar conclusions.

 

A misdirected concern.

[Bach]

Though players are free to migrate you generally do have to give up any hope of RvR if you switch. So the switch can get you more PvP. If tou like PVE there is no real reason to switch.  So the choice is essentially.

PVE = opposite your time zone server

RvR = you time some server

PvP = whichever server has more people.

The ONLY reason they don't merge the servers is RvR. No other play style matters as much.  In the upcoming patch I suspect we will find the dreaded "night flip" 😮 will become irrelevant. When clans have to pay to own ports it becomes impractical to run around capping everything.  So we might finally get a step or two closer to merging servers.

[Barbancourt]

19 minutes ago, Bach said:

The ONLY reason they don't merge the servers is RvR. No other play style matters as much.  In the upcoming patch I suspect we will find the dreaded "night flip" 😮 will become irrelevant. When clans have to pay to own ports it becomes impractical to run around capping everything.  So we might finally get a step or two closer to merging servers.

Won't clans just flip ports to take them away from enemies, then not pay for them and let them revert to neutral? 

 

[AngryPanCake]

I don't think the main problem is the number of players on any given server. Actually, server depopulation is the result and not the cause of NA problems!

So, stop with the "fix all server merger half ass dream", focus on providing feedback that would actually improve the game in order to attract and retain players instead of using catch phrases and gimmicks that lead to nowhere.

Quote

I also feel the 'PVE' server(s) [you don't even know there is only ONE server!!!] should be eliminated, with those players also merged in to this single cohesive server.

Oh, I think we have a solution here, let's bring the 77 PvE players into the PvP server and with the 500 PvP players there, it will bring the numbers up to 25K at peak hours!

 

                                                                              

 

                                                                                                                     Great suggestion!

Edited September 8, 2017 by AngryPanCake

[Farrago]

Global is not failing because of nightflips or other PB scheduling issues. It's failing because it was closer post wipe to that minimum number (whatever that is) when players just give up because there's not enough activity to be fun than the Euro Server. Euro is on a downward spiral too. If they combine them, it would just delay the inevitable. If they don't combine, then Euro is going to eventually be in the same situation.

I don't know if enough players will stick it out until the next "fix". Or enough will return. I hope so. 

[Salty Dog.]

7 hours ago, LeopoldRNN said:

Not enough players are EVER on that (global PVP) server to make the game viable. Rarely do you see more then 200,  and often the population is < 100 . It was a noble effort, and I do understand the reason(s) why the 2 server distinctions were made (PB timing issues involving playing time periods around the world), but apparently the vast majority of Naval Action players are European, or don't mind playing on the Euro' server even when PB's can only occur during Euro' prime-time. The dysfunction of the global server is why I (and other friends of mine) have stopped playing.  To divide the currently small universal NA player base, while again done with good intentions, has become a bad thing. 

 A new NA PB rule set (and other game-play issues), needs to come to grips with this, and be designed so that the the two servers can be unified into one player base environment/experience. 

I also feel the 'PVE' server(s) should be eliminated, with those players also merged in to this single cohesive server.

change "EVER" to "NOW" and you may have a argument.

People are playing the test server, those are the most dedicated player.  So, of the remaining people I think it is made up of more casual players.

Now lets throw on the fact that ports are going to be reset......  Why even bother?

Plus after going through slow periods between Sea Trials, Open World, Start of Port battles flags,  intro of RVR and the "The Non-EU players wipe" I'm not surprised it is going through another slow period.  The sad news, if history repeats, fewer people will come back.

 

I happen to be one of the players that was forced off the pvp1, the server I had been playing since Open World started(and a NA player since 1/28/2015), onto the much smaller 'global' server.( AM I SALTY?  HELL YES! I am one Salty Dog!)   Have the same players QQing in the EU server accepted that the world is round?  

Unless the new rules are FAIR to everyone, you will be a massive quitting if we are forced onto one server but non-EU players are not allowed to play the whole game.  Now, lets not forget that the servers are no longer synced... does Global get screwed again and are forced to start over?

1 hour ago, Bach said:

The ONLY reason they don't merge the servers is RvR. No other play style matters as much.  In the upcoming patch I suspect we will find the dreaded "night flip" 😮 will become irrelevant. When clans have to pay to own ports it becomes impractical to run around capping everything.  So we might finally get a step or two closer to merging servers.

I hope you are right.  It would seem to costly to hold ports you are not using anyway.  

[Norfolk nChance]

8 hours ago, LeopoldRNN said:

Not enough players are ever on that (global PVP) server to make the game viable. Rarely do you see more then 200,  and often the population is < 100 . It was a noble effort, and I do understand the reason(s) why the 2 server distinctions were made (PB timing issues involving playing time periods around the world), but apparently the vast majority of Naval Action players are European, or don't mind playing on the Euro' server even when PB's can only occur during Euro' prime-time. The dysfunction of the global server is why I (and other friends of mine) have stopped playing.  To divide the currently small universal NA player base, while again done with good intentions, has become a bad thing. 

 A new NA PB rule set (and other game-play issues), needs to come to grips with this, and be designed so that the the two servers can be unified into one player base environment/experience. 

I also feel the 'PVE' server(s) should be eliminated, with those players also merged in to this single cohesive server.

 

LMAO... Mrs nChance always says its not the size of it, it's what you do with it Norf...

 

you need to come to PvP GLOBAL George Town this weekend. Its better than bitchin or fishin

 

Norfolk.

 

[Guest]

27 minutes ago, Farrago said:

Global is not failing because of nightflips or other PB scheduling issues. It's failing because it was closer post wipe to that minimum number (whatever that is) when players just give up because there's not enough activity to be fun than the Euro Server. Euro is on a downward spiral too. If they combine them, it would just delay the inevitable. If they don't combine, then Euro is going to eventually be in the same situation.

I don't know if enough players will stick it out until the next "fix". Or enough will return. I hope so. 

This is simply not true. Right after the wipe there were about 500 players online regularly on global. This was imo a huge testament to the interest the game can generate. EU servers were around 1500 in peak hours. The depopulation has nothing to do with "minimum" numbers and a server-merge will only serve to kill of the one functioning server. Does the game mechanics require some tweaks?

 

5 hours ago, Peter Goldman said:

Also... You have Tiburon right next to Jamaica. I have... ??? I've got 2 hours of sailing to CS and need to sail back sometime...

You really think that I consider server and game not functioning because few clowns from DNP sail around my capital and brag in Global chat? You wish lol

Here's a huge problem right there. Why am I raiding KPR and not Belize? - Because I am as lazy as mr. Goldman. I can find him as laughable as the next noobish brit but facts are facts - He has a point.

Another point to be made is the balance between revenge fleets and ganking. A few nights ago I got jumped with two of my mates after killing a lone LGV (I know 3 raiders against 1 trader - I'm a horrible human being) and then got greeted by a revenge fleet of 30 or so players. I'm all for the possibility of revenging a loss but it should not be possible to camp a battle site. Either return the BS screen with jump to nearest friendly port (and god I hope not - the magic of cloaking has no place in NA) or let players stay in instance/log out of instance indefinately. Personally I prefer the current invisibility system but it should be increased and the "can't join/can't start battle" timer should start once the invisibility and speed buff is removed. I have a half a hearth sympathy for the brits I've killed when jumping out of one battle instance and onto an unsuspecting prey.

Another huge issue is crafting xp. No new crafters are coming through the system and why? - it's tedious, it's boring and it's expensive. Why on earth the devs made only the ships give xp and not the parts?

Another huge issue is the econ grinding. I have millions. Another player just starting out will strugle to make thousands.

Another huge issue is the grind. I believe it was @rediii who proposed an exponential increase in ship costs and I'd like to elaborate on that idea by suggesting exponential increases in knowledge xp req to unlock slots on different ships.

 

To summarise: There's plenty of issues that caused/causes the depopulaton. A server merge would solve neither and only compound to an already unhealthy situation.

Edited September 7, 2017 by Guest

[Guest]

7 minutes ago, Salty Dog on Global said:

change "EVER" to "NOW" and you may have a argument.

People are playing the test server, those are the most dedicated player.  So, of the remaining people I think it is made up of more casual players.

Now lets throw on the fact that ports are going to be reset......  Why even bother?

Now, lets not forget that the servers are no longer synced... does Global get screwed again and are forced to start over?

And this is another glaring reason for the depopulation. There's is not the thinnest excuse for a redline in the development of the game. Just take the grind when we all got back from 3 months of hiatus. And 5 weeks later the devs announce another change to RvR system and another map reset.

And why remove the sync of player rank and craft xp? - Would've loved killing @Christendom on the global whenever I from time to time is insomniac. And I'll bet he'd have loved the chance to do the same to me. I see the two servers (and the choice they bring) as mutually beneficial - if done properly. Shame though that @admin didn't give half a thought to wether or not they wanted to cater for the casuals or the grinders and ended up with a lopsided grind, with little to no PvP and no chance that the two servers could provide eachother with some fun.

Just think of the competitions we could've had.

[Bach]

55 minutes ago, Salty Dog on Global said:

 

I hope you are right.  It would seem to costly to hold ports you are not using anyway.  

If you consider the new prime RvR nations (Brit, Spain, France, USA) have so many uncapturable ports  you cant stop them from building ships. In fact very few port captures are likely to effect their home port ship building. But you can counter them by attacking main bases they may have built far from home to project power.  Sweden, Danes and to some degree the Dutch will still be susceptible to night flipping tactics. But they are hard play mode.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Bach

[Kawazz]

 

The game is broken, not the servers.

[Bach]

Its a historical styled niche game in a world of instant gratification FPS and a steady stream of MMO releases each month.  The idea that it would ever maintain a population large enough to support multiple servers is just as broken.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Bach

[Farrago]

16 hours ago, Bearwall said:

This is simply not true. Right after the wipe there were about 500 players online regularly on global. This was imo a huge testament to the interest the game can generate. EU servers were around 1500 in peak hours. The depopulation has nothing to do with "minimum" numbers and a server-merge will only serve to kill of the one functioning server. Does the game mechanics require some tweaks?

[snip]

To summarise: There's plenty of issues that caused/causes the depopulaton. A server merge would solve neither and only compound to an already unhealthy situation.

You seem to have misunderstood my point since your summary is basically the same thing I was saying. There is no reason to merge because both servers are dying. As you show with your numbers, both servers are at about 20% the population of their post-wipe highs. All I was saying is that there is some number (whether it is 100 players prime time or 200 or 300) when the population falls exponentially. Global has reached that number. Euro will. Combining the servers will only slow Euros fall for a week or two.

[Hodo]

GLOBAL wasnt a failure... the admin failed it.

1- he placed the server in the second choice slot.  

2- he provided ZERO information for the incoming playerbase on the differences between the servers on login.

3- there was no information on STEAM or in a email to the player base to tell the restrictions on EU or the lack of restrictions on Global.

4- there was LIMITED information put out prior to the wipe informing everyone that they would HAVE to login and do something on that server in order to update XP and character information.

5- It was not a true wipe, those that had clans there stayed, those that migrated had to start from scratch.

 

Over all the server was ate up like a soup sandwich.   I have seen US Army privates perform a simple task like that better.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Hodo

[LeopoldRNN]

It is a complicated issue. I can respect all the opinions expressed here.

What concerns me is new players as well as existing players, who:

1) Begin as a 'Global PvP' player because it seems logical given their time zone or personal playing time habits (pattern).

2) Invest time in XP rank and resource gain.

3) After weeks or months, finally understand the game well enough to realize Global isn't functioning very well, much beyond essentially being a de facto solo PvE experience.

4) Leave the game because they feel poorly informed and led astray, and dismayed at the idea of starting XP grind all over on 'Euro PvP'. 

 This is essentially what has happened to me and others in my circle of friends, who otherwise like the game very much, but are dismayed at the current situation(s).

IMHO the game rules ('forthcoming' discussion thread , etc) need to somehow allow for a merged server & rule set (PB's, etc) that reasonably accommodates everyone.

Either that or this game might remain (for the foreseeable future) a small niche game for just the Europeans. Maybe that's ok?

 

Edited September 8, 2017 by LeopoldRNN
clarity