Lets do Pros and Cons and get these ideas sorted! I've read through the posts and have a general idea.
No Server Merger
+ Stable Server
+ Same/Better Economy
+ Keep Guild/Alliance Names
+ Rankings
+ Keep All Characters
+ Small Community (No Drama/Smega Spams Etc.)
- Worse Economy then what could be
- Not a Social Game and a regular RPG
- Hard to come by resources
- Small Community (Not enough people to catch all the botters)
The list can be added to, but so far this is what I have gathered. Now the rest of this is an opinion piece so don't get upset. BTW, I am for the server merge.
The server stability can easily be argued. When you merge the servers, you have excess technology from the previous servers that can be allocated to new channels. A lot of that technology isn't even being used to its maximum capacity and in fact, from Nexon's perspective would be a drain on profits. It could help servers that experience instability, by alleviating that "stress."
Economy can go three ways on the merger. Can become a better economy, worse, or stay the same. People claiming either side doesn't have the data to prove anything. They do not have information on the supply or demand. What can be said however, is you will now have "steadier flow". There will be more players generating goods, and more players consuming those goods. This could stabilize the market and prevent drastic pricing shifts when players mass buy goods (superior item crystals pricing varies greatly even in Bera).
Guild/Alliance Names no matter what will be an inevitable loss. For the most part, a lot of guild names won't be the same. If they are, they could be merged together as well (of course given a specific time frame to do so), be given a name change, or even be given the option to disband completely and remake. No matter how you look at it, you will be taking an L in this category. IMO, it will be worth taking this L due to the other benefits of the server merge (hear me out and read the rest).
Rankings are going to be an inevitable L as well. But this depends on how you look at it. If you are a small time player with a high rank in your low popularity server, yeah it may suck, but this gives you the opportunity and challenge of being able to "beat more players". If you already have a high ranking, then you get gloating rights. No matter how I look at this category though, it is just a way for people to flex their epeens and feel good about themselves. It can affect the way the game is played when looking at the MuLung Dojo Rankings (however the gloves aren't really end-game), but if we are talking about the leveling rankings, then it does not affect the way the game is played. IMO, again, it is a little thing and is worth taking the L for the other benefits.
A lot of players have made a ton of characters over a ton of different servers. How many you will get to keep? I do not know how lenient Nexon wants to be, but if you are able to keep enough to retain your legion level/character cards and your damage range, I do not see how this can be a negative effect.
Having a small community seems to be the main argument. For me, a small community does not give me the MMORPG experience/immersion. Maplestory is a MMORPG. The current state it is in, would destroy any other MMORPG's future. The fact that Maple is still alive and kicking is a true testament to how good of a game it is/was, and how much people hold it dear. When most of the players originally played, and even when Reboot came out, the community was buzzing and it resembled a true MMORPG, which IMO was probably Nexon's glory days. Now however, being in Broa, I just do not want to play because the market is too dam expensive, I have no one to carry me through bosses, and I can't make friends with anyone because there is no one. What the f*** do I do? Yeah you get to clear out all that drama in a small server and stuff, but are you really incapable of tuning it out or required to be sheltered to avoid it? If you seriously try to be an adult and handle it maturely, I am sure you will be just fine. With a larger community, you can have a player base constantly playing and notice botters more often and report them. There is a thing now where Nexon chain bans bots, so shutting them down could be a lot easier with more people running around to report them. I do not see how a larger community can be a detriment.
Seriously consider my thoughts. If you want to have a logical conversation then :quote: me, but only if you have actually read what I have wrote. I just don't see too much benefit in a small server other than childish, selfish reasons. Sorry if this offends you, but this is how I seriously feel.
I would really like for DarkPassenger and AKradian to respond, since they seem like the biggest advocates for a small server. I want to hear your opinions. Lets discuss!
Lets do Pros and Cons and get these ideas sorted! I've read through the posts and have a general idea.
No Server Merger
+ Stable Server
+ Same/Better Economy
+ Keep Guild/Alliance Names
+ Rankings
+ Keep All Characters
+ Small Community (No Drama/Smega Spams Etc.)
- Worse Economy then what could be
- Not a Social Game and a regular RPG
- Hard to come by resources
- Small Community (Not enough people to catch all the botters)
The list can be added to, but so far this is what I have gathered. Now the rest of this is an opinion piece so don't get upset. BTW, I am for the server merge.
The server stability can easily be argued. When you merge the servers, you have excess technology from the previous servers that can be allocated to new channels. A lot of that technology isn't even being used to its maximum capacity and in fact, from Nexon's perspective would be a drain on profits. It could help servers that experience instability, by alleviating that "stress."
Economy can go three ways on the merger. Can become a better economy, worse, or stay the same. People claiming either side doesn't have the data to prove anything. They do not have information on the supply or demand. What can be said however, is you will now have "steadier flow". There will be more players generating goods, and more players consuming those goods. This could stabilize the market and prevent drastic pricing shifts when players mass buy goods (superior item crystals pricing varies greatly even in Bera).
Guild/Alliance Names no matter what will be an inevitable loss. For the most part, a lot of guild names won't be the same. If they are, they could be merged together as well (of course given a specific time frame to do so), be given a name change, or even be given the option to disband completely and remake. No matter how you look at it, you will be taking an L in this category. IMO, it will be worth taking this L due to the other benefits of the server merge (hear me out and read the rest).
Rankings are going to be an inevitable L as well. But this depends on how you look at it. If you are a small time player with a high rank in your low popularity server, yeah it may suck, but this gives you the opportunity and challenge of being able to "beat more players". If you already have a high ranking, then you get gloating rights. No matter how I look at this category though, it is just a way for people to flex their epeens and feel good about themselves. It can affect the way the game is played when looking at the MuLung Dojo Rankings (however the gloves aren't really end-game), but if we are talking about the leveling rankings, then it does not affect the way the game is played. IMO, again, it is a little thing and is worth taking the L for the other benefits.
A lot of players have made a ton of characters over a ton of different servers. How many you will get to keep? I do not know how lenient Nexon wants to be, but if you are able to keep enough to retain your legion level/character cards and your damage range, I do not see how this can be a negative effect.
Having a small community seems to be the main argument. For me, a small community does not give me the MMORPG experience/immersion. Maplestory is a MMORPG. The current state it is in, would destroy any other MMORPG's future. The fact that Maple is still alive and kicking is a true testament to how good of a game it is/was, and how much people hold it dear. When most of the players originally played, and even when Reboot came out, the community was buzzing and it resembled a true MMORPG, which IMO was probably Nexon's glory days. Now however, being in Broa, I just do not want to play because the market is too dam expensive, I have no one to carry me through bosses, and I can't make friends with anyone because there is no one. What the f*** do I do? Yeah you get to clear out all that drama in a small server and stuff, but are you really incapable of tuning it out or required to be sheltered to avoid it? If you seriously try to be an adult and handle it maturely, I am sure you will be just fine. With a larger community, you can have a player base constantly playing and notice botters more often and report them. There is a thing now where Nexon chain bans bots, so shutting them down could be a lot easier with more people running around to report them. I do not see how a larger community can be a detriment.
Seriously consider my thoughts. If you want to have a logical conversation then :quote: me, but only if you have actually read what I have wrote. I just don't see too much benefit in a small server other than childish, selfish reasons. Sorry if this offends you, but this is how I seriously feel.
I would really like for DarkPassenger and AKradian to respond, since they seem like the biggest advocates for a small server. I want to hear your opinions. Lets discuss!
"Advocates for a small server"?
I enjoy a small server.
I like peace and quiet.
I like low competition for resources (not just maps to train in but also legendary veins, blackgate bosses, pianus, and anything else people tend to farm in all channels at once).
I like being able to talk with my small but tight-knit alliance and buddy list without being interrupted by smega wars and gach notice spam.
But I'm not "advocating" for a small server.
I'm not saying you, or anyone else, should play a small server.
If you enjoy a high-population server, I fully support your right to play in one.
I just don't see why the high-population server supporters feel the need to cram everyone into their crowded world, whether they like it or not.
As for the "it's an MMO, it has to be crowded" argument: no, it doesn't "have" to be anything at all, just because of a genre name. It's a game, and a game wants players. Telling a bunch of long-time dedicated players (and believe me, DarkPassenger and I are far from the only ones who like being in a quiet server) that "this is not the game for you" is not a smart tactic for Nexon. "Try to be an adult and handle it maturely"? It's a game, I want to enjoy it, not suffer through and put up with it.
You're putting up a strawman, pretending the alternative to cramming everyone into Bera is leaving things as they are.
But it isn't.
Everyone agrees that the way things are now is not good. There are far too many players who are unhappy with the population level in the world they play in.
But the solution doesn't have to be all-or-nothing.
I'm for combining worlds and I'm for people to be able to transfer between worlds with minimal losses (for example, leaping all characters at once so as to be able to keep things like Legion, Monster Collection, and Storage). I'm just saying that a not-insignificant portion of the population prefers small worlds, and should be allowed to remain in (or transfer to) an intentionally small world.
I don't want a merge. My few points on the matter: (1) you lose ranks, (2) item values fluctuate (e.g. Outlaw Hearts nearly doubled in value post-bera transfer), (3) you can lose your guild name, (4) more lag/stability issues due to higher player volume, (5) less training map availability for popular spots (especially during 2x), (6) not everyone wants a higher populated server.
I would like to bring back a world transfer and let players choose what server they want. That way if they want higher population, they can go to Bera or Scania, etc. and if they want less they can go to GRAZED, MYBCKN, etc... Overall player population will hit a high peak once June 20 rolls by due to the major update Ark; therefore, I don't see a need to combine servers.
RE: #2
More players in one area means more resources and more of these items going around. This would drop prices, not raise them. It's supply and demand. The only thing that would raise prices would be items that are in limited number. But perm cash shop items, rare drops, etc, would be more commonly sold, therefore, cheaper. There is a reason items in auction house cost significantly more than items in servers like Bera. Less players = less items = higher cost.
I'm hoping we do get a world merge so I can kick my feet back and watch all the complaining when it happens.
But at the same time I'm gonna enjoy watching prices on stuff drop by a lot, should be easy to get good gear and never really have a reason to spend any money doing that. Marvel stuff like primes will possibly end up cheap compared to 2-5bil in GRAZED ect....
I'd never need to worry about spending a dime on this game again to try and cube my gear.
I understand that a lot of people want this to happen, and that my enjoyment of a small server is likely a minority feeling. However, I'm really hoping that if Nexon decides to do something like a merge, a possibility of a small server can still exist for those of us who like it this way.
I feel like although we're a minority, there are more of us than it appears, but it is easy for our opinions to be lost in the posts from the more vocal camp who want an all-or-nothing merge.
My suggestion would be to allow transfers like the last event (all the characters you want, so you aren't disadvantaged by links/legion loss) for those who do want to leave the small worlds. Then, leave those small worlds alone for the rest of us, or if needed merge only with another very small world.
Please just be considerate for all kinds of players Nexon, and leave at least one server for us players who enjoy the quiet. The majority of the community in GRAZED who remain today are those who wanted to stay precisely for its small-community charm. Apologies in advance if I'm just reiterating thoughts already expressed. The issue is important to me and people I know, so I need to raise my voice on this one.
I decided to make a poll about it but of course it won't be here in the forum since many people who want a dead server made a lot of new accounts so the same person could just vote over and over so....
Internet polls are the easiest thing in the world to cheese.
Just ask all your friends and family to vote for your choice.
(And if you don't have enough of those, there are more ways)
As for your accusation:
The Forum Code of Conduct specifically forbids creating multiple accounts:
Forum IDs:
- You are allowed ONE forum account. This is to protect threads from being intentionally necro-bumped (bumping old threads), impersonations, and ban dodging.
- Duplicate forum accounts will result in the account banned from the forums.
If you suspect anyone of creating multiple accounts in order to fake support of a suggestion (or objection to one), please report it to the moderators or to Arwoo.
Be aware that if an investigation is launched into this issue, all accounts involved in this (merged) thread will be investigated. Be sure you really want that before flinging wild accusations around.
Lets do Pros and Cons and get these ideas sorted! I've read through the posts and have a general idea.
No Server Merger
+ Stable Server
+ Same/Better Economy
+ Keep Guild/Alliance Names
+ Rankings
+ Keep All Characters
+ Small Community (No Drama/Smega Spams Etc.)
- Worse Economy then what could be
- Not a Social Game and a regular RPG
- Hard to come by resources
- Small Community (Not enough people to catch all the botters)
The list can be added to, but so far this is what I have gathered. Now the rest of this is an opinion piece so don't get upset. BTW, I am for the server merge.
The server stability can easily be argued. When you merge the servers, you have excess technology from the previous servers that can be allocated to new channels. A lot of that technology isn't even being used to its maximum capacity and in fact, from Nexon's perspective would be a drain on profits. It could help servers that experience instability, by alleviating that "stress."
Economy can go three ways on the merger. Can become a better economy, worse, or stay the same. People claiming either side doesn't have the data to prove anything. They do not have information on the supply or demand. What can be said however, is you will now have "steadier flow". There will be more players generating goods, and more players consuming those goods. This could stabilize the market and prevent drastic pricing shifts when players mass buy goods (superior item crystals pricing varies greatly even in Bera).
Guild/Alliance Names no matter what will be an inevitable loss. For the most part, a lot of guild names won't be the same. If they are, they could be merged together as well (of course given a specific time frame to do so), be given a name change, or even be given the option to disband completely and remake. No matter how you look at it, you will be taking an L in this category. IMO, it will be worth taking this L due to the other benefits of the server merge (hear me out and read the rest).
Rankings are going to be an inevitable L as well. But this depends on how you look at it. If you are a small time player with a high rank in your low popularity server, yeah it may suck, but this gives you the opportunity and challenge of being able to "beat more players". If you already have a high ranking, then you get gloating rights. No matter how I look at this category though, it is just a way for people to flex their epeens and feel good about themselves. It can affect the way the game is played when looking at the MuLung Dojo Rankings (however the gloves aren't really end-game), but if we are talking about the leveling rankings, then it does not affect the way the game is played. IMO, again, it is a little thing and is worth taking the L for the other benefits.
A lot of players have made a ton of characters over a ton of different servers. How many you will get to keep? I do not know how lenient Nexon wants to be, but if you are able to keep enough to retain your legion level/character cards and your damage range, I do not see how this can be a negative effect.
Having a small community seems to be the main argument. For me, a small community does not give me the MMORPG experience/immersion. Maplestory is a MMORPG. The current state it is in, would destroy any other MMORPG's future. The fact that Maple is still alive and kicking is a true testament to how good of a game it is/was, and how much people hold it dear. When most of the players originally played, and even when Reboot came out, the community was buzzing and it resembled a true MMORPG, which IMO was probably Nexon's glory days. Now however, being in Broa, I just do not want to play because the market is too dam expensive, I have no one to carry me through bosses, and I can't make friends with anyone because there is no one. What the f*** do I do? Yeah you get to clear out all that drama in a small server and stuff, but are you really incapable of tuning it out or required to be sheltered to avoid it? If you seriously try to be an adult and handle it maturely, I am sure you will be just fine. With a larger community, you can have a player base constantly playing and notice botters more often and report them. There is a thing now where Nexon chain bans bots, so shutting them down could be a lot easier with more people running around to report them. I do not see how a larger community can be a detriment.
Seriously consider my thoughts. If you want to have a logical conversation then :quote: me, but only if you have actually read what I have wrote. I just don't see too much benefit in a small server other than childish, selfish reasons. Sorry if this offends you, but this is how I seriously feel.
I would really like for DarkPassenger and AKradian to respond, since they seem like the biggest advocates for a small server. I want to hear your opinions. Lets discuss!
I for one don't care for/about rankings, guild names, or drama; I agree that the economy would be a toss up; still fuzzy on stability since I'm still not sold on the servers getting more stable because of a merge, but I don't work with tech so I don't know.
The main things I find fault with is this "MMORPG" aspect and your personal experiences with the economy. This game being what it is shouldn't force people to interact, and it doesn't (for the most part). People should be able to play however they want, and if they want to be in an unpopulated server and it's a viable option like it is here, then people should be able to choose to do so. And with your experience with the economy...it's just that. Your experience. It affects you and you alone; if you're feeling like the economy isn't a fit for you, then you would be better off in a bigger server. Things are expensive right now in some servers, but that isn't a reason to merge everyone. The reasons against a huge merge are not childish and selfish at all, because they are just as legitimate as the arguments for a large merge.
I decided to make a poll about it but of course it won't be here in the forum since many people who want a dead server made a lot of new accounts so the same person could just vote over and over so....
Polls can be easily manipulated unless you're able to identify/have control over almost every aspect of the participants of said poll. It's an honest effort but wouldn't work in a thread like this, just as I've seen suggestions for features in other games have meaningless polls.
And as I said to someone else in this thread, if you want people to take you seriously, then don't make accusations in the middle of a discussion. I don't know about you, but I've seen a lot of people with new accounts advocating for merges as well. There's literally no point of finger pointing in this situation since your reason for suspecting people can be pointed right back at you.
Europe is only one server and from what I hear. it's unstable.
As for prices dropping with a merge, there are far less producers than there are consumers, so prices wont fall. For common goods like nodes and scrolls: bots are the producers they set the prices.
Merge worlds, don't merge worlds, I don't care anymore.
I'm just trying to save the game I love and so we'd have a big world with a lot of ppl because we all understand that popular games that make a lot of money usually (all the time actually) are games with as many people as possible, because nobody (the majority of maplers) like to play in a dead server just for "free maps" or just so people won't "spam smega me" and all those minor problems... (I'd not even call it a problem to be honest...).
Look at the biggest games in the world, League, Fortnite, etc, no one have them has such a thing as "the small place with just a few players".
Most of people tend to love being around with other people, that's just nature and I have no doubt that the majority of maplers would definitely agree with me.
But to those who actually want a dead server so bad and fighting for it as if their life depends on it, I want you to know one thing, slowly more and more people are leaving those dead servers because they got nobody to talk with, economy is really really bad, me, as a Scania player, I can no longer find a reason to log on... the only people I can find are just a bunch of bottres who spam 24/7 every single day, well maybe sometiems I do find a person or two, but they're all 24/7 afk.... I'm 100% alone and I'm not the only one, a lot of people are feeling like me and if that's in my world Scania so... I can't even imagine what's going on in GRAZED and all those other dead servers... this is just horrible!
So I want you to keep in mind that you're killing this game with your own hands because you want a dead server right? okay but what about the majority in your server who wanna go to Bera? what about them? and as I said above, slowly people will feel just like me, just no reason to log on... I'm tired of being alone... so you're killing this game with your own hands I hope you're happy about that.
I will not come back to this thread anymore as I said above, I give up, just do whatever you want, I'm done. oh, and GL, you'll need it.
Merge worlds, don't merge worlds, I don't care anymore.
I'm just trying to save the game I love and so we'd have a big world with a lot of ppl because we all understand that popular games that make a lot of money usually (all the time actually) are games with as many people as possible, because nobody (the majority of maplers) like to play in a dead server just for "free maps" or just so people won't "spam smega me" and all those minor problems... (I'd not even call it a problem to be honest...).
Look at the biggest games in the world, League, Fortnite, etc, no one have them has such a thing as "the small place with just a few players".
Most of people tend to love being around with other people, that's just nature and I have no doubt that the majority of maplers would definitely agree with me.
But to those who actually want a dead server so bad and fighting for it as if their life depends on it, I want you to know one thing, slowly more and more people are leaving those dead servers because they got nobody to talk with, economy is really really bad, me, as a Scania player, I can no longer find a reason to log on... the only people I can find are just a bunch of bottres who spam 24/7 every single day, well maybe sometiems I do find a person or two, but they're all 24/7 afk.... I'm 100% alone and I'm not the only one, a lot of people are feeling like me and if that's in my world Scania so... I can't even imagine what's going on in GRAZED and all those other dead servers... this is just horrible!
So I want you to keep in mind that you're killing this game with your own hands because you want a dead server right? okay but what about the majority in your server who wanna go to Bera? what about them? and as I said above, slowly people will feel just like me, just no reason to log on... I'm tired of being alone... so you're killing this game with your own hands I hope you're happy about that.
I will not come back to this thread anymore as I said above, I give up, just do whatever you want, I'm done. oh, and GL, you'll need it.
As I pointed out much earlier - the biggest issue is not only population, but the lack of party related things to do. Many people like to just solo bosses, etc. The PQ's aren't worth their rewards so many stopped playing them. Yes it's nice to find people, but even when I do find people for bossing, many leave the group to solo it.
How do you [any that are shouting for merge] plan on having that issue fixed? How do you plan on having the botters/etc that cause latency for those that don't have a "gamer cpu"? As many also pointed out - there's the issue for the "market" in that the means of getting things are based off those who are the elite and solo. To fix this, Nexon tried limiting bossing to 1 per day for each boss. Why? Because upping the count of players would mean no one would be able to boss but those who have multiple CPU's and accounts.
Merge worlds, don't merge worlds, I don't care anymore.
I'm just trying to save the game I love and so we'd have a big world with a lot of ppl because we all understand that popular games that make a lot of money usually (all the time actually) are games with as many people as possible, because nobody (the majority of maplers) like to play in a dead server just for "free maps" or just so people won't "spam smega me" and all those minor problems... (I'd not even call it a problem to be honest...).
Look at the biggest games in the world, League, Fortnite, etc, no one have them has such a thing as "the small place with just a few players".
Most of people tend to love being around with other people, that's just nature and I have no doubt that the majority of maplers would definitely agree with me.
But to those who actually want a dead server so bad and fighting for it as if their life depends on it, I want you to know one thing, slowly more and more people are leaving those dead servers because they got nobody to talk with, economy is really really bad, me, as a Scania player, I can no longer find a reason to log on... the only people I can find are just a bunch of bottres who spam 24/7 every single day, well maybe sometiems I do find a person or two, but they're all 24/7 afk.... I'm 100% alone and I'm not the only one, a lot of people are feeling like me and if that's in my world Scania so... I can't even imagine what's going on in GRAZED and all those other dead servers... this is just horrible!
So I want you to keep in mind that you're killing this game with your own hands because you want a dead server right? okay but what about the majority in your server who wanna go to Bera? what about them? and as I said above, slowly people will feel just like me, just no reason to log on... I'm tired of being alone... so you're killing this game with your own hands I hope you're happy about that.
I will not come back to this thread anymore as I said above, I give up, just do whatever you want, I'm done. oh, and GL, you'll need it.
As I pointed out much earlier - the biggest issue is not only population, but the lack of party related things to do. Many people like to just solo bosses, etc. The PQ's aren't worth their rewards so many stopped playing them. Yes it's nice to find people, but even when I do find people for bossing, many leave the group to solo it.
How do you [any that are shouting for merge] plan on having that issue fixed? How do you plan on having the botters/etc that cause latency for those that don't have a "gamer cpu"? As many also pointed out - there's the issue for the "market" in that the means of getting things are based off those who are the elite and solo. To fix this, Nexon tried limiting bossing to 1 per day for each boss. Why? Because upping the count of players would mean no one would be able to boss but those who have multiple CPU's and accounts.
I know a lot of people despite being able to solo bosses easily, regularly do them in parties. Also, PQs lacking incentives to do, would lack any incentive to do regardless of being in a populated server or not. But if someone wanted to pq, they most certanily not even bother trying cause they wouldn't even find anyone. In a populated world you could make friends and at least try to convince them, so that at the early least its an option.
As for the economy, I doubt anyone could be to sure if it will have benefits from merges or not. Right now in Khaini, I cant find the stuff I want or, the items are just to expensive, I can't say certainly if prices would change favorably
I would like to add in my opinion here. As someone who had stayed in Bera for over 10 years, the last world merge was very upsetting for me. It became harder to find maps to train in (see FES2 and CLP). Not to mention the amount of scammers now that plague the server. You can't speak for everyone. Some of us do NOT want an overall server merge for these reasons alone. I may not care about ranks or guild names, but I enjoy grinding alone and I do not wish to start over in a server with lower population because I have accumulated a large collection of perm NX which could NOT be transferred easily with the way world transfer was done last year, not to mention the work I had put into expanding my legion and my storage slots.
Merge worlds, don't merge worlds, I don't care anymore.
I'm just trying to save the game I love and so we'd have a big world with a lot of ppl because we all understand that popular games that make a lot of money usually (all the time actually) are games with as many people as possible, because nobody (the majority of maplers) like to play in a dead server just for "free maps" or just so people won't "spam smega me" and all those minor problems... (I'd not even call it a problem to be honest...).
Look at the biggest games in the world, League, Fortnite, etc, no one have them has such a thing as "the small place with just a few players".
Most of people tend to love being around with other people, that's just nature and I have no doubt that the majority of maplers would definitely agree with me.
But to those who actually want a dead server so bad and fighting for it as if their life depends on it, I want you to know one thing, slowly more and more people are leaving those dead servers because they got nobody to talk with, economy is really really bad, me, as a Scania player, I can no longer find a reason to log on... the only people I can find are just a bunch of bottres who spam 24/7 every single day, well maybe sometiems I do find a person or two, but they're all 24/7 afk.... I'm 100% alone and I'm not the only one, a lot of people are feeling like me and if that's in my world Scania so... I can't even imagine what's going on in GRAZED and all those other dead servers... this is just horrible!
So I want you to keep in mind that you're killing this game with your own hands because you want a dead server right? okay but what about the majority in your server who wanna go to Bera? what about them? and as I said above, slowly people will feel just like me, just no reason to log on... I'm tired of being alone... so you're killing this game with your own hands I hope you're happy about that.
I will not come back to this thread anymore as I said above, I give up, just do whatever you want, I'm done. oh, and GL, you'll need it.
If, as you said, nobody likes to play in dead servers for free maps and to avoid smega spam, then why do you think we like playing there then? Because we do like these benefits, among other things. There would not be this difference in opinions if there was actually a solid reason to interact with different people in game and if Nexon kept better tabs on the situations in different servers. If PQs weren't trash, and if training/bossing in parties wasn't so backwards, then maybe people would want to play with each other.
For myself and from what I've seen from a lot of the people here advocating against merging everything, it's just that: advocacy against blindly merging everything without looking at the drawbacks. I'm sure people would be fine if, say, several smaller servers merged. Personal experiences aren't really telling in a discussion involving as many people as this one is, but I currently am fine in GRAZED training my characters and bossing occasionally. If I need to interact with other people, I can do that within the guilds and alliances my characters are in. People against completely merging everything aren't "killing the game with their own hands" because they actually can't do anything but state their opinion on the matter and wait for Nexon's decision, nor are they forcing this "majority" (again, where are the concrete, non-biased numbers for this statement) to stay within a lower populated server because, again, they can't make anything happen.
It wasn't until today that I noticed that there are so many people talking about how servers should merge due to their low population. o.o I usually don't come to the forums ever, for many reasons, but today I thought I'd stop by and see what was being said about this, since I fist heard about the idea of a world merge in a Youtuber's video about MapleStory.
After reading all the pages of this thread, I felt that I had to come and say that I am part of the theoretical minority that doesn't want a merge.
I have played MapleStory since the beginning of 2006 (with pauses here and there, like everyone), and I've seen it change and grow and go up and down all these years. Through all those years, I've been a faithful member of Windia, because it was the world it saw me start my journey with this game and it has kept my characters and given them their space to live. Sure, Windia now is a ghost town compared to how it was back in the golden days of MapleStory, and now you rarely see other people around, there are no friends or guildies to chat and whatnot. That's all true. But I don't think it's only due to the fact that people have moved to Bera (which I didn't even know happened, because I was traveling and not playing the game at that time). I think it has more to do with the fact that many of the old players have grown up and quit the game due to circumstances in real life or personal interests, have moved to other types of games and simply have lost interest in the game, and there aren't as many new players and some would want, because younger people may be more interested in playing 3D games or other types of games, instead of coming to a game with an "old school feeling" like MapleStory.
While I see how the fact that there are less people playing is a problem and that now you can play all day long by yourself without running into another real player (because you CAN run into a whole lot of hackers botting away to their hearts' content ¬_¬) is a problem too, because now there are many things that kinda need you to be in a party of more than 1 (PQs and bosses that you can't really solo and, so, you can't really fight them unless you have some friends in the game willing to do that with you), I also appreciate the fact that nowadays you CAN train and do stuff at your own pace, without having the added stress of having to fight for channels or get ks'ed by some idiot who didn't have any respect for the fact that you were training at some map first.
Like I said, I've played this game almost since its birth and I remember how it was like when every single soul had to fight over the Dead Forest Trees IV map (with coolie zombies) because that was THE spot where you could get from 50 to 70, if you were patient enough and had a support system to help you fight the ks'ers and keep the map even if you had to literally RUN to the bathroom or to get a drink. I DO NOT MISS THOSE DAYS, AT ALL. I do not miss the times when you had to fight to get into a PQ because there were so many people trying to get it (and so many auto-clickers) that it required a very good leader with a good mouse, a good internet connection and some damn good clicking talents to get you in. Yeah, it was kinda cute to have to find good leaders that were legit and all, but all the time you wasted waiting for PQs that never came or trying to best the auto-clickers wasn't fun at all. And yeah, now you can say that there are many more options than before to train and level up, but the fact is that, in spite of all the many options, there are only so many places that are actually GOOD when it comes to grinding (specially at higher levels). And considering that now we all must make like 30 high level characters for the Legion and Link Skills and whatnot, there are many of us who appreciate the fact that, if I'm leveling up one of the many mules I need, I know I can go to X map and fight there in peace, without fear of getting ks'ed by some idiot or having to spend hours trying to find an empty channel. Plus, now that everything is damage-oriented and that people who spend thousands of dollars are the ones who have damage enough to fight bosses or grind at the best places, I know it would be the end of me if my world were to be full of people again. I don't have money to invest in getting the godly damages that people pursue nowadays, I'm a totally unfunded player (by nowadays' standards) and, if I used to have problems defending a map back in the old days when Assassins were the master ks'ers because they were the strongest (and I was simply a Cleric without Flash Jump or high damage or Haste or anything), now I simply could not do anything. I can't boss or do what most people do as it is, because I don't have the ranges needed to solo X or Y bosses, I don't have guildies or friends to make a party with and I don't particularly like bossing anyways (too much stress), so I just grind (and that's already hard for me as a Bishop. I keep dying all the time with the Arcane River monsters, for instance :P) and I could not fight for a map with all these damage-obsessed people that are the majority of MapleStory players these days.
I understand that this is an online game and that's not supposed to work as a "solo game", I do. I, too, miss my friends and the times when my guild was actually alive and we could do stuff together or at least chat while grinding. I do wish those friends would come back and that I could have some people to talk to or to do fun stuff with me. But the fact of the matter is that it's not only that there are less people playing, but the game mechanics have changed and now, even if you meet someone nice and who could become your friend, you leave the game for half an hour to go eat and they are already 20 or 30 levels ahead of you and can't train with you anymore. Most people nowadays (at least, the people I've met and let go) are so focused on getting to 200+ as quickly as possible, on getting to the highest possible damage as quickly as possible and all, that they don't care all that much about chatting or finding good maps to train together or even sharing a map with someone... And I myself have gotten used to training by myself and not having to worry about sharing a map with people and dealing with their stuff.
So, in all honesty, I, too, do not want a merge, and, if the worlds ended up all becoming one and Windia stopped being Windia, the "in-game country" I chose so many years ago and that I like, even if now it's emptier than before; if that were to happen, I think that would be the reason that would make me quit this game for good, in spite of all the emotional attachment I have towards my characters and my world and the game in general, that has kept me going despite everything that's happened and so many changes I haven't liked. :P Losing the identity of the world I've been a part of for almost 13 years, to be merged into a massive amoeba of worlds, to be dealing with laggy channels full of people during events (where you can barely walk, let alone train or do anything useful), to have to deal with ks'ers or having to settle for the "lesser" maps because I don't have the damage or personality to be stealing maps or fighting for them all over again... No. I didn't like that about the old Maple, I don't like that about Reboot and I wouldn't want to see all the worlds turn into one huge mess. I don't know anything about the technical requirements that such a feat would demand, what would Nexon need to make all non-Reboot worlds into one, but... I hope they realize that not "everyone" wants that and that are some of us who would definitely go if that were to happen.
Lets do Pros and Cons and get these ideas sorted! I've read through the posts and have a general idea.
No Server Merger
+ Stable Server
+ Same/Better Economy
+ Keep Guild/Alliance Names
+ Rankings
+ Keep All Characters
+ Small Community (No Drama/Smega Spams Etc.)
- Worse Economy then what could be
- Not a Social Game and a regular RPG
- Hard to come by resources
- Small Community (Not enough people to catch all the botters)
The list can be added to, but so far this is what I have gathered. Now the rest of this is an opinion piece so don't get upset. BTW, I am for the server merge.
The server stability can easily be argued. When you merge the servers, you have excess technology from the previous servers that can be allocated to new channels. A lot of that technology isn't even being used to its maximum capacity and in fact, from Nexon's perspective would be a drain on profits. It could help servers that experience instability, by alleviating that "stress."
Economy can go three ways on the merger. Can become a better economy, worse, or stay the same. People claiming either side doesn't have the data to prove anything. They do not have information on the supply or demand. What can be said however, is you will now have "steadier flow". There will be more players generating goods, and more players consuming those goods. This could stabilize the market and prevent drastic pricing shifts when players mass buy goods (superior item crystals pricing varies greatly even in Bera).
Guild/Alliance Names no matter what will be an inevitable loss. For the most part, a lot of guild names won't be the same. If they are, they could be merged together as well (of course given a specific time frame to do so), be given a name change, or even be given the option to disband completely and remake. No matter how you look at it, you will be taking an L in this category. IMO, it will be worth taking this L due to the other benefits of the server merge (hear me out and read the rest).
Rankings are going to be an inevitable L as well. But this depends on how you look at it. If you are a small time player with a high rank in your low popularity server, yeah it may suck, but this gives you the opportunity and challenge of being able to "beat more players". If you already have a high ranking, then you get gloating rights. No matter how I look at this category though, it is just a way for people to flex their epeens and feel good about themselves. It can affect the way the game is played when looking at the MuLung Dojo Rankings (however the gloves aren't really end-game), but if we are talking about the leveling rankings, then it does not affect the way the game is played. IMO, again, it is a little thing and is worth taking the L for the other benefits.
A lot of players have made a ton of characters over a ton of different servers. How many you will get to keep? I do not know how lenient Nexon wants to be, but if you are able to keep enough to retain your legion level/character cards and your damage range, I do not see how this can be a negative effect.
Having a small community seems to be the main argument. For me, a small community does not give me the MMORPG experience/immersion. Maplestory is a MMORPG. The current state it is in, would destroy any other MMORPG's future. The fact that Maple is still alive and kicking is a true testament to how good of a game it is/was, and how much people hold it dear. When most of the players originally played, and even when Reboot came out, the community was buzzing and it resembled a true MMORPG, which IMO was probably Nexon's glory days. Now however, being in Broa, I just do not want to play because the market is too dam expensive, I have no one to carry me through bosses, and I can't make friends with anyone because there is no one. What the f*** do I do? Yeah you get to clear out all that drama in a small server and stuff, but are you really incapable of tuning it out or required to be sheltered to avoid it? If you seriously try to be an adult and handle it maturely, I am sure you will be just fine. With a larger community, you can have a player base constantly playing and notice botters more often and report them. There is a thing now where Nexon chain bans bots, so shutting them down could be a lot easier with more people running around to report them. I do not see how a larger community can be a detriment.
Seriously consider my thoughts. If you want to have a logical conversation then :quote: me, but only if you have actually read what I have wrote. I just don't see too much benefit in a small server other than childish, selfish reasons. Sorry if this offends you, but this is how I seriously feel.
I would really like for DarkPassenger and AKradian to respond, since they seem like the biggest advocates for a small server. I want to hear your opinions. Lets discuss!
I for one don't care for/about rankings, guild names, or drama; I agree that the economy would be a toss up; still fuzzy on stability since I'm still not sold on the servers getting more stable because of a merge, but I don't work with tech so I don't know.
The main things I find fault with is this "MMORPG" aspect and your personal experiences with the economy. This game being what it is shouldn't force people to interact, and it doesn't (for the most part). People should be able to play however they want, and if they want to be in an unpopulated server and it's a viable option like it is here, then people should be able to choose to do so. And with your experience with the economy...it's just that. Your experience. It affects you and you alone; if you're feeling like the economy isn't a fit for you, then you would be better off in a bigger server. Things are expensive right now in some servers, but that isn't a reason to merge everyone. The reasons against a huge merge are not childish and selfish at all, because they are just as legitimate as the arguments for a large merge.
I decided to make a poll about it but of course it won't be here in the forum since many people who want a dead server made a lot of new accounts so the same person could just vote over and over so....
Polls can be easily manipulated unless you're able to identify/have control over almost every aspect of the participants of said poll. It's an honest effort but wouldn't work in a thread like this, just as I've seen suggestions for features in other games have meaningless polls.
And as I said to someone else in this thread, if you want people to take you seriously, then don't make accusations in the middle of a discussion. I don't know about you, but I've seen a lot of people with new accounts advocating for merges as well. There's literally no point of finger pointing in this situation since your reason for suspecting people can be pointed right back at you.
By definition, a MMORPG (Massive-Multiplayer-Online-Role-Playing-Game) requires a large community hence massive. Maplestory is a MMORPG and by its standards should provide an environment for a MMORPG player base. People should play however they want to play, but only within the game's design, which maple is designed as a MMORPG and a social one at that.
I did not mean community size was the main argument for me, it seems to be the main argument the opposition uses. It is my weakest understanding so I addressed it last. There will be negatives to a bigger server, but there will also be positives. Bots will have a harder time. More people in a server means more people the bots have to avoid to not get banned. In addition, it will be easier to quueee for Lotus and even the new boss that is coming out.
Also, the things I meant as childish are the rankings, not being able to ignore "drama smegas" and who has a bigger E-peen.
Okay. you want a small community to play with. Sure, you can have it, but Nexon shouldn't provide equal resources to your server compared to the larger server. A lot of the resources should be allocated to the server merger. Instead of a multiple server community like GRAZED, there should just be one small server with channels proportional to the small population. It isn't fair to demand a small server and the resources of a large server community too.
there's another possible suggestion to consider here - look at worlds population and consider what to merge as alliances - perhaps Scania can be merged with Bera?
maybe MYBKCN can be merged with another smaller populated world, same with GRAZED?
I do miss having some socializing in the game, but I miss doing things in groups of players too. Sadly the two biggest guilds in MYBKCN I've come across require you to be active - as in a minimum contribution per day/week - to stay in them. I get the idea of trying to keep a guild active etc, but when the leaders don't really organize any thing like bossing raids, etc then there's no real incentive for me to stay in such a guild anyway. The guilds I've been in the past sadly went quiet as people stopped playing the game.
It'd be nice if the pq area was changed up to have better rewards, might get people playing them again....
Lets do Pros and Cons and get these ideas sorted! I've read through the posts and have a general idea.
No Server Merger
+ Stable Server
+ Same/Better Economy
+ Keep Guild/Alliance Names
+ Rankings
+ Keep All Characters
+ Small Community (No Drama/Smega Spams Etc.)
- Worse Economy then what could be
- Not a Social Game and a regular RPG
- Hard to come by resources
- Small Community (Not enough people to catch all the botters)
The list can be added to, but so far this is what I have gathered. Now the rest of this is an opinion piece so don't get upset. BTW, I am for the server merge.
The server stability can easily be argued. When you merge the servers, you have excess technology from the previous servers that can be allocated to new channels. A lot of that technology isn't even being used to its maximum capacity and in fact, from Nexon's perspective would be a drain on profits. It could help servers that experience instability, by alleviating that "stress."
Economy can go three ways on the merger. Can become a better economy, worse, or stay the same. People claiming either side doesn't have the data to prove anything. They do not have information on the supply or demand. What can be said however, is you will now have "steadier flow". There will be more players generating goods, and more players consuming those goods. This could stabilize the market and prevent drastic pricing shifts when players mass buy goods (superior item crystals pricing varies greatly even in Bera).
Guild/Alliance Names no matter what will be an inevitable loss. For the most part, a lot of guild names won't be the same. If they are, they could be merged together as well (of course given a specific time frame to do so), be given a name change, or even be given the option to disband completely and remake. No matter how you look at it, you will be taking an L in this category. IMO, it will be worth taking this L due to the other benefits of the server merge (hear me out and read the rest).
Rankings are going to be an inevitable L as well. But this depends on how you look at it. If you are a small time player with a high rank in your low popularity server, yeah it may suck, but this gives you the opportunity and challenge of being able to "beat more players". If you already have a high ranking, then you get gloating rights. No matter how I look at this category though, it is just a way for people to flex their epeens and feel good about themselves. It can affect the way the game is played when looking at the MuLung Dojo Rankings (however the gloves aren't really end-game), but if we are talking about the leveling rankings, then it does not affect the way the game is played. IMO, again, it is a little thing and is worth taking the L for the other benefits.
A lot of players have made a ton of characters over a ton of different servers. How many you will get to keep? I do not know how lenient Nexon wants to be, but if you are able to keep enough to retain your legion level/character cards and your damage range, I do not see how this can be a negative effect.
Having a small community seems to be the main argument. For me, a small community does not give me the MMORPG experience/immersion. Maplestory is a MMORPG. The current state it is in, would destroy any other MMORPG's future. The fact that Maple is still alive and kicking is a true testament to how good of a game it is/was, and how much people hold it dear. When most of the players originally played, and even when Reboot came out, the community was buzzing and it resembled a true MMORPG, which IMO was probably Nexon's glory days. Now however, being in Broa, I just do not want to play because the market is too dam expensive, I have no one to carry me through bosses, and I can't make friends with anyone because there is no one. What the f*** do I do? Yeah you get to clear out all that drama in a small server and stuff, but are you really incapable of tuning it out or required to be sheltered to avoid it? If you seriously try to be an adult and handle it maturely, I am sure you will be just fine. With a larger community, you can have a player base constantly playing and notice botters more often and report them. There is a thing now where Nexon chain bans bots, so shutting them down could be a lot easier with more people running around to report them. I do not see how a larger community can be a detriment.
Seriously consider my thoughts. If you want to have a logical conversation then :quote: me, but only if you have actually read what I have wrote. I just don't see too much benefit in a small server other than childish, selfish reasons. Sorry if this offends you, but this is how I seriously feel.
I would really like for DarkPassenger and AKradian to respond, since they seem like the biggest advocates for a small server. I want to hear your opinions. Lets discuss!
"Advocates for a small server"?
I enjoy a small server.
I like peace and quiet.
I like low competition for resources (not just maps to train in but also legendary veins, blackgate bosses, pianus, and anything else people tend to farm in all channels at once).
I like being able to talk with my small but tight-knit alliance and buddy list without being interrupted by smega wars and gach notice spam.
But I'm not "advocating" for a small server.
I'm not saying you, or anyone else, should play a small server.
If you enjoy a high-population server, I fully support your right to play in one.
I just don't see why the high-population server supporters feel the need to cram everyone into their crowded world, whether they like it or not.
As for the "it's an MMO, it has to be crowded" argument: no, it doesn't "have" to be anything at all, just because of a genre name. It's a game, and a game wants players. Telling a bunch of long-time dedicated players (and believe me, DarkPassenger and I are far from the only ones who like being in a quiet server) that "this is not the game for you" is not a smart tactic for Nexon. "Try to be an adult and handle it maturely"? It's a game, I want to enjoy it, not suffer through and put up with it.
You're putting up a strawman, pretending the alternative to cramming everyone into Bera is leaving things as they are.
But it isn't.
Everyone agrees that the way things are now is not good. There are far too many players who are unhappy with the population level in the world they play in.
But the solution doesn't have to be all-or-nothing.
I'm for combining worlds and I'm for people to be able to transfer between worlds with minimal losses (for example, leaping all characters at once so as to be able to keep things like Legion, Monster Collection, and Storage). I'm just saying that a not-insignificant portion of the population prefers small worlds, and should be allowed to remain in (or transfer to) an intentionally small world.
Wrong of me to say you are advocating for a small server and rather I should say advocating against a full merger. Rather you wish to have a merger for the ones that want it, and for you guys, who want a small community, keep one server for you? If that is indeed your argument, then I say it is a fair one. However, the only issue I would have with that is where and how Nexon would distribute the resources.
A lot of the resources should be allocated to the merged server. Instead of a multiple server community like GRAZED, there should just be one small server with channels proportional to the small population. It isn't fair to demand a small community server and the resources of a large server community too.
Lets do Pros and Cons and get these ideas sorted! I've read through the posts and have a general idea.
No Server Merger
+ Stable Server
+ Same/Better Economy
+ Keep Guild/Alliance Names
+ Rankings
+ Keep All Characters
+ Small Community (No Drama/Smega Spams Etc.)
- Worse Economy then what could be
- Not a Social Game and a regular RPG
- Hard to come by resources
- Small Community (Not enough people to catch all the botters)
The list can be added to, but so far this is what I have gathered. Now the rest of this is an opinion piece so don't get upset. BTW, I am for the server merge.
The server stability can easily be argued. When you merge the servers, you have excess technology from the previous servers that can be allocated to new channels. A lot of that technology isn't even being used to its maximum capacity and in fact, from Nexon's perspective would be a drain on profits. It could help servers that experience instability, by alleviating that "stress."
Economy can go three ways on the merger. Can become a better economy, worse, or stay the same. People claiming either side doesn't have the data to prove anything. They do not have information on the supply or demand. What can be said however, is you will now have "steadier flow". There will be more players generating goods, and more players consuming those goods. This could stabilize the market and prevent drastic pricing shifts when players mass buy goods (superior item crystals pricing varies greatly even in Bera).
Guild/Alliance Names no matter what will be an inevitable loss. For the most part, a lot of guild names won't be the same. If they are, they could be merged together as well (of course given a specific time frame to do so), be given a name change, or even be given the option to disband completely and remake. No matter how you look at it, you will be taking an L in this category. IMO, it will be worth taking this L due to the other benefits of the server merge (hear me out and read the rest).
Rankings are going to be an inevitable L as well. But this depends on how you look at it. If you are a small time player with a high rank in your low popularity server, yeah it may suck, but this gives you the opportunity and challenge of being able to "beat more players". If you already have a high ranking, then you get gloating rights. No matter how I look at this category though, it is just a way for people to flex their epeens and feel good about themselves. It can affect the way the game is played when looking at the MuLung Dojo Rankings (however the gloves aren't really end-game), but if we are talking about the leveling rankings, then it does not affect the way the game is played. IMO, again, it is a little thing and is worth taking the L for the other benefits.
A lot of players have made a ton of characters over a ton of different servers. How many you will get to keep? I do not know how lenient Nexon wants to be, but if you are able to keep enough to retain your legion level/character cards and your damage range, I do not see how this can be a negative effect.
Having a small community seems to be the main argument. For me, a small community does not give me the MMORPG experience/immersion. Maplestory is a MMORPG. The current state it is in, would destroy any other MMORPG's future. The fact that Maple is still alive and kicking is a true testament to how good of a game it is/was, and how much people hold it dear. When most of the players originally played, and even when Reboot came out, the community was buzzing and it resembled a true MMORPG, which IMO was probably Nexon's glory days. Now however, being in Broa, I just do not want to play because the market is too dam expensive, I have no one to carry me through bosses, and I can't make friends with anyone because there is no one. What the f*** do I do? Yeah you get to clear out all that drama in a small server and stuff, but are you really incapable of tuning it out or required to be sheltered to avoid it? If you seriously try to be an adult and handle it maturely, I am sure you will be just fine. With a larger community, you can have a player base constantly playing and notice botters more often and report them. There is a thing now where Nexon chain bans bots, so shutting them down could be a lot easier with more people running around to report them. I do not see how a larger community can be a detriment.
Seriously consider my thoughts. If you want to have a logical conversation then :quote: me, but only if you have actually read what I have wrote. I just don't see too much benefit in a small server other than childish, selfish reasons. Sorry if this offends you, but this is how I seriously feel.
I would really like for DarkPassenger and AKradian to respond, since they seem like the biggest advocates for a small server. I want to hear your opinions. Lets discuss!
I for one don't care for/about rankings, guild names, or drama; I agree that the economy would be a toss up; still fuzzy on stability since I'm still not sold on the servers getting more stable because of a merge, but I don't work with tech so I don't know.
The main things I find fault with is this "MMORPG" aspect and your personal experiences with the economy. This game being what it is shouldn't force people to interact, and it doesn't (for the most part). People should be able to play however they want, and if they want to be in an unpopulated server and it's a viable option like it is here, then people should be able to choose to do so. And with your experience with the economy...it's just that. Your experience. It affects you and you alone; if you're feeling like the economy isn't a fit for you, then you would be better off in a bigger server. Things are expensive right now in some servers, but that isn't a reason to merge everyone. The reasons against a huge merge are not childish and selfish at all, because they are just as legitimate as the arguments for a large merge.
I decided to make a poll about it but of course it won't be here in the forum since many people who want a dead server made a lot of new accounts so the same person could just vote over and over so....
Polls can be easily manipulated unless you're able to identify/have control over almost every aspect of the participants of said poll. It's an honest effort but wouldn't work in a thread like this, just as I've seen suggestions for features in other games have meaningless polls.
And as I said to someone else in this thread, if you want people to take you seriously, then don't make accusations in the middle of a discussion. I don't know about you, but I've seen a lot of people with new accounts advocating for merges as well. There's literally no point of finger pointing in this situation since your reason for suspecting people can be pointed right back at you.
By definition, a MMORPG (Massive-Multiplayer-Online-Role-Playing-Game) requires a large community hence massive. Maplestory is a MMORPG and by its standards should provide an environment for a MMORPG player base. People should play however they want to play, but only within the game's design, which maple is designed as a MMORPG and a social one at that.
I did not mean community size was the main argument for me, it seems to be the main argument the opposition uses. It is my weakest understanding so I addressed it last. There will be negatives to a bigger server, but there will also be positives. Bots will have a harder time. More people in a server means more people the bots have to avoid to not get banned. In addition, it will be easier to quueee for Lotus and even the new boss that is coming out.
Also, the things I meant as childish are the rankings, not being able to ignore "drama smegas" and who has a bigger E-peen.
Okay. you want a small community to play with. Sure, you can have it, but Nexon shouldn't provide equal resources to your server compared to the larger server. A lot of the resources should be allocated to the server merger. Instead of a multiple server community like GRAZED, there should just be one small server with channels proportional to the small population. It isn't fair to demand a small server and the resources of a large server community too.
They failed at making Maple a social game a long time ago, and they had more than enough time to fix it. Various systems made soloing more lucrative than partying and that problem has not changed. As for bots, there isn't much we as players can do besides report them...and that is an inherent problem with bots. We report them, Nexon bans them, and they come back. We have to rely on Nexon to find ways to autoban them without setting off a ton of other problems, and with their record, the chances of them stumbling upon a successful formula are doubtful. Also I've seen some gutsy bots in my days...some'll come and bot whether you're training in a map or not. For your point about rankings and drama, I misunderstood that part and thought you were referring to the "don't merge" point of view as childish, but that's been cleared up.
As for allocating server resources, I don't see why they would shrink a server because the population isn't high. They certainly haven't shrunken GRAZED or MYBCKN because of low populations. I can certainly see them expanding the number of channels on servers with higher populations, but not in reverse; shrinking servers is literally the opposite of what people want, and it has little benefits (that I can see, at least) based on their current position server-wise.
Comments
No Server Merger
+ Stable Server
+ Same/Better Economy
+ Keep Guild/Alliance Names
+ Rankings
+ Keep All Characters
+ Small Community (No Drama/Smega Spams Etc.)
- Worse Economy then what could be
- Not a Social Game and a regular RPG
- Hard to come by resources
- Small Community (Not enough people to catch all the botters)
The list can be added to, but so far this is what I have gathered. Now the rest of this is an opinion piece so don't get upset. BTW, I am for the server merge.
The server stability can easily be argued. When you merge the servers, you have excess technology from the previous servers that can be allocated to new channels. A lot of that technology isn't even being used to its maximum capacity and in fact, from Nexon's perspective would be a drain on profits. It could help servers that experience instability, by alleviating that "stress."
Economy can go three ways on the merger. Can become a better economy, worse, or stay the same. People claiming either side doesn't have the data to prove anything. They do not have information on the supply or demand. What can be said however, is you will now have "steadier flow". There will be more players generating goods, and more players consuming those goods. This could stabilize the market and prevent drastic pricing shifts when players mass buy goods (superior item crystals pricing varies greatly even in Bera).
Guild/Alliance Names no matter what will be an inevitable loss. For the most part, a lot of guild names won't be the same. If they are, they could be merged together as well (of course given a specific time frame to do so), be given a name change, or even be given the option to disband completely and remake. No matter how you look at it, you will be taking an L in this category. IMO, it will be worth taking this L due to the other benefits of the server merge (hear me out and read the rest).
Rankings are going to be an inevitable L as well. But this depends on how you look at it. If you are a small time player with a high rank in your low popularity server, yeah it may suck, but this gives you the opportunity and challenge of being able to "beat more players". If you already have a high ranking, then you get gloating rights. No matter how I look at this category though, it is just a way for people to flex their epeens and feel good about themselves. It can affect the way the game is played when looking at the MuLung Dojo Rankings (however the gloves aren't really end-game), but if we are talking about the leveling rankings, then it does not affect the way the game is played. IMO, again, it is a little thing and is worth taking the L for the other benefits.
A lot of players have made a ton of characters over a ton of different servers. How many you will get to keep? I do not know how lenient Nexon wants to be, but if you are able to keep enough to retain your legion level/character cards and your damage range, I do not see how this can be a negative effect.
Having a small community seems to be the main argument. For me, a small community does not give me the MMORPG experience/immersion. Maplestory is a MMORPG. The current state it is in, would destroy any other MMORPG's future. The fact that Maple is still alive and kicking is a true testament to how good of a game it is/was, and how much people hold it dear. When most of the players originally played, and even when Reboot came out, the community was buzzing and it resembled a true MMORPG, which IMO was probably Nexon's glory days. Now however, being in Broa, I just do not want to play because the market is too dam expensive, I have no one to carry me through bosses, and I can't make friends with anyone because there is no one. What the f*** do I do? Yeah you get to clear out all that drama in a small server and stuff, but are you really incapable of tuning it out or required to be sheltered to avoid it? If you seriously try to be an adult and handle it maturely, I am sure you will be just fine. With a larger community, you can have a player base constantly playing and notice botters more often and report them. There is a thing now where Nexon chain bans bots, so shutting them down could be a lot easier with more people running around to report them. I do not see how a larger community can be a detriment.
Seriously consider my thoughts. If you want to have a logical conversation then :quote: me, but only if you have actually read what I have wrote. I just don't see too much benefit in a small server other than childish, selfish reasons. Sorry if this offends you, but this is how I seriously feel.
I would really like for DarkPassenger and AKradian to respond, since they seem like the biggest advocates for a small server. I want to hear your opinions. Lets discuss!
"Advocates for a small server"?
I enjoy a small server.
I like peace and quiet.
I like low competition for resources (not just maps to train in but also legendary veins, blackgate bosses, pianus, and anything else people tend to farm in all channels at once).
I like being able to talk with my small but tight-knit alliance and buddy list without being interrupted by smega wars and gach notice spam.
But I'm not "advocating" for a small server.
I'm not saying you, or anyone else, should play a small server.
If you enjoy a high-population server, I fully support your right to play in one.
I just don't see why the high-population server supporters feel the need to cram everyone into their crowded world, whether they like it or not.
As for the "it's an MMO, it has to be crowded" argument: no, it doesn't "have" to be anything at all, just because of a genre name. It's a game, and a game wants players. Telling a bunch of long-time dedicated players (and believe me, DarkPassenger and I are far from the only ones who like being in a quiet server) that "this is not the game for you" is not a smart tactic for Nexon. "Try to be an adult and handle it maturely"? It's a game, I want to enjoy it, not suffer through and put up with it.
You're putting up a strawman, pretending the alternative to cramming everyone into Bera is leaving things as they are.
But it isn't.
Everyone agrees that the way things are now is not good. There are far too many players who are unhappy with the population level in the world they play in.
But the solution doesn't have to be all-or-nothing.
I'm for combining worlds and I'm for people to be able to transfer between worlds with minimal losses (for example, leaping all characters at once so as to be able to keep things like Legion, Monster Collection, and Storage). I'm just saying that a not-insignificant portion of the population prefers small worlds, and should be allowed to remain in (or transfer to) an intentionally small world.
RE: #2
More players in one area means more resources and more of these items going around. This would drop prices, not raise them. It's supply and demand. The only thing that would raise prices would be items that are in limited number. But perm cash shop items, rare drops, etc, would be more commonly sold, therefore, cheaper. There is a reason items in auction house cost significantly more than items in servers like Bera. Less players = less items = higher cost.
But at the same time I'm gonna enjoy watching prices on stuff drop by a lot, should be easy to get good gear and never really have a reason to spend any money doing that. Marvel stuff like primes will possibly end up cheap compared to 2-5bil in GRAZED ect....
I'd never need to worry about spending a dime on this game again to try and cube my gear.
I feel like although we're a minority, there are more of us than it appears, but it is easy for our opinions to be lost in the posts from the more vocal camp who want an all-or-nothing merge.
My suggestion would be to allow transfers like the last event (all the characters you want, so you aren't disadvantaged by links/legion loss) for those who do want to leave the small worlds. Then, leave those small worlds alone for the rest of us, or if needed merge only with another very small world.
Please just be considerate for all kinds of players Nexon, and leave at least one server for us players who enjoy the quiet. The majority of the community in GRAZED who remain today are those who wanted to stay precisely for its small-community charm. Apologies in advance if I'm just reiterating thoughts already expressed. The issue is important to me and people I know, so I need to raise my voice on this one.
I decided to make a poll about it but of course it won't be here in the forum since many people who want a dead server made a lot of new accounts so the same person could just vote over and over so....
Here we go
http://pollmaker.vote/p/TFY8Q8DD
Just ask all your friends and family to vote for your choice.
(And if you don't have enough of those, there are more ways)
As for your accusation:
The Forum Code of Conduct specifically forbids creating multiple accounts:
If you suspect anyone of creating multiple accounts in order to fake support of a suggestion (or objection to one), please report it to the moderators or to Arwoo.
Be aware that if an investigation is launched into this issue, all accounts involved in this (merged) thread will be investigated. Be sure you really want that before flinging wild accusations around.
I for one don't care for/about rankings, guild names, or drama; I agree that the economy would be a toss up; still fuzzy on stability since I'm still not sold on the servers getting more stable because of a merge, but I don't work with tech so I don't know.
The main things I find fault with is this "MMORPG" aspect and your personal experiences with the economy. This game being what it is shouldn't force people to interact, and it doesn't (for the most part). People should be able to play however they want, and if they want to be in an unpopulated server and it's a viable option like it is here, then people should be able to choose to do so. And with your experience with the economy...it's just that. Your experience. It affects you and you alone; if you're feeling like the economy isn't a fit for you, then you would be better off in a bigger server. Things are expensive right now in some servers, but that isn't a reason to merge everyone. The reasons against a huge merge are not childish and selfish at all, because they are just as legitimate as the arguments for a large merge.
Polls can be easily manipulated unless you're able to identify/have control over almost every aspect of the participants of said poll. It's an honest effort but wouldn't work in a thread like this, just as I've seen suggestions for features in other games have meaningless polls.
And as I said to someone else in this thread, if you want people to take you seriously, then don't make accusations in the middle of a discussion. I don't know about you, but I've seen a lot of people with new accounts advocating for merges as well. There's literally no point of finger pointing in this situation since your reason for suspecting people can be pointed right back at you.
As for prices dropping with a merge, there are far less producers than there are consumers, so prices wont fall. For common goods like nodes and scrolls: bots are the producers they set the prices.
Merge worlds, don't merge worlds, I don't care anymore.
I'm just trying to save the game I love and so we'd have a big world with a lot of ppl because we all understand that popular games that make a lot of money usually (all the time actually) are games with as many people as possible, because nobody (the majority of maplers) like to play in a dead server just for "free maps" or just so people won't "spam smega me" and all those minor problems... (I'd not even call it a problem to be honest...).
Look at the biggest games in the world, League, Fortnite, etc, no one have them has such a thing as "the small place with just a few players".
Most of people tend to love being around with other people, that's just nature and I have no doubt that the majority of maplers would definitely agree with me.
But to those who actually want a dead server so bad and fighting for it as if their life depends on it, I want you to know one thing, slowly more and more people are leaving those dead servers because they got nobody to talk with, economy is really really bad, me, as a Scania player, I can no longer find a reason to log on... the only people I can find are just a bunch of bottres who spam 24/7 every single day, well maybe sometiems I do find a person or two, but they're all 24/7 afk.... I'm 100% alone and I'm not the only one, a lot of people are feeling like me and if that's in my world Scania so... I can't even imagine what's going on in GRAZED and all those other dead servers... this is just horrible!
So I want you to keep in mind that you're killing this game with your own hands because you want a dead server right? okay but what about the majority in your server who wanna go to Bera? what about them? and as I said above, slowly people will feel just like me, just no reason to log on... I'm tired of being alone... so you're killing this game with your own hands I hope you're happy about that.
I will not come back to this thread anymore as I said above, I give up, just do whatever you want, I'm done. oh, and GL, you'll need it.
As I pointed out much earlier - the biggest issue is not only population, but the lack of party related things to do. Many people like to just solo bosses, etc. The PQ's aren't worth their rewards so many stopped playing them. Yes it's nice to find people, but even when I do find people for bossing, many leave the group to solo it.
How do you [any that are shouting for merge] plan on having that issue fixed? How do you plan on having the botters/etc that cause latency for those that don't have a "gamer cpu"? As many also pointed out - there's the issue for the "market" in that the means of getting things are based off those who are the elite and solo. To fix this, Nexon tried limiting bossing to 1 per day for each boss. Why? Because upping the count of players would mean no one would be able to boss but those who have multiple CPU's and accounts.
I know a lot of people despite being able to solo bosses easily, regularly do them in parties. Also, PQs lacking incentives to do, would lack any incentive to do regardless of being in a populated server or not. But if someone wanted to pq, they most certanily not even bother trying cause they wouldn't even find anyone. In a populated world you could make friends and at least try to convince them, so that at the early least its an option.
As for the economy, I doubt anyone could be to sure if it will have benefits from merges or not. Right now in Khaini, I cant find the stuff I want or, the items are just to expensive, I can't say certainly if prices would change favorably
If, as you said, nobody likes to play in dead servers for free maps and to avoid smega spam, then why do you think we like playing there then? Because we do like these benefits, among other things. There would not be this difference in opinions if there was actually a solid reason to interact with different people in game and if Nexon kept better tabs on the situations in different servers. If PQs weren't trash, and if training/bossing in parties wasn't so backwards, then maybe people would want to play with each other.
For myself and from what I've seen from a lot of the people here advocating against merging everything, it's just that: advocacy against blindly merging everything without looking at the drawbacks. I'm sure people would be fine if, say, several smaller servers merged. Personal experiences aren't really telling in a discussion involving as many people as this one is, but I currently am fine in GRAZED training my characters and bossing occasionally. If I need to interact with other people, I can do that within the guilds and alliances my characters are in. People against completely merging everything aren't "killing the game with their own hands" because they actually can't do anything but state their opinion on the matter and wait for Nexon's decision, nor are they forcing this "majority" (again, where are the concrete, non-biased numbers for this statement) to stay within a lower populated server because, again, they can't make anything happen.
After reading all the pages of this thread, I felt that I had to come and say that I am part of the theoretical minority that doesn't want a merge.
I have played MapleStory since the beginning of 2006 (with pauses here and there, like everyone), and I've seen it change and grow and go up and down all these years. Through all those years, I've been a faithful member of Windia, because it was the world it saw me start my journey with this game and it has kept my characters and given them their space to live. Sure, Windia now is a ghost town compared to how it was back in the golden days of MapleStory, and now you rarely see other people around, there are no friends or guildies to chat and whatnot. That's all true. But I don't think it's only due to the fact that people have moved to Bera (which I didn't even know happened, because I was traveling and not playing the game at that time). I think it has more to do with the fact that many of the old players have grown up and quit the game due to circumstances in real life or personal interests, have moved to other types of games and simply have lost interest in the game, and there aren't as many new players and some would want, because younger people may be more interested in playing 3D games or other types of games, instead of coming to a game with an "old school feeling" like MapleStory.
While I see how the fact that there are less people playing is a problem and that now you can play all day long by yourself without running into another real player (because you CAN run into a whole lot of hackers botting away to their hearts' content ¬_¬) is a problem too, because now there are many things that kinda need you to be in a party of more than 1 (PQs and bosses that you can't really solo and, so, you can't really fight them unless you have some friends in the game willing to do that with you), I also appreciate the fact that nowadays you CAN train and do stuff at your own pace, without having the added stress of having to fight for channels or get ks'ed by some idiot who didn't have any respect for the fact that you were training at some map first.
Like I said, I've played this game almost since its birth and I remember how it was like when every single soul had to fight over the Dead Forest Trees IV map (with coolie zombies) because that was THE spot where you could get from 50 to 70, if you were patient enough and had a support system to help you fight the ks'ers and keep the map even if you had to literally RUN to the bathroom or to get a drink. I DO NOT MISS THOSE DAYS, AT ALL. I do not miss the times when you had to fight to get into a PQ because there were so many people trying to get it (and so many auto-clickers) that it required a very good leader with a good mouse, a good internet connection and some damn good clicking talents to get you in. Yeah, it was kinda cute to have to find good leaders that were legit and all, but all the time you wasted waiting for PQs that never came or trying to best the auto-clickers wasn't fun at all. And yeah, now you can say that there are many more options than before to train and level up, but the fact is that, in spite of all the many options, there are only so many places that are actually GOOD when it comes to grinding (specially at higher levels). And considering that now we all must make like 30 high level characters for the Legion and Link Skills and whatnot, there are many of us who appreciate the fact that, if I'm leveling up one of the many mules I need, I know I can go to X map and fight there in peace, without fear of getting ks'ed by some idiot or having to spend hours trying to find an empty channel. Plus, now that everything is damage-oriented and that people who spend thousands of dollars are the ones who have damage enough to fight bosses or grind at the best places, I know it would be the end of me if my world were to be full of people again. I don't have money to invest in getting the godly damages that people pursue nowadays, I'm a totally unfunded player (by nowadays' standards) and, if I used to have problems defending a map back in the old days when Assassins were the master ks'ers because they were the strongest (and I was simply a Cleric without Flash Jump or high damage or Haste or anything), now I simply could not do anything. I can't boss or do what most people do as it is, because I don't have the ranges needed to solo X or Y bosses, I don't have guildies or friends to make a party with and I don't particularly like bossing anyways (too much stress), so I just grind (and that's already hard for me as a Bishop. I keep dying all the time with the Arcane River monsters, for instance :P) and I could not fight for a map with all these damage-obsessed people that are the majority of MapleStory players these days.
I understand that this is an online game and that's not supposed to work as a "solo game", I do. I, too, miss my friends and the times when my guild was actually alive and we could do stuff together or at least chat while grinding. I do wish those friends would come back and that I could have some people to talk to or to do fun stuff with me. But the fact of the matter is that it's not only that there are less people playing, but the game mechanics have changed and now, even if you meet someone nice and who could become your friend, you leave the game for half an hour to go eat and they are already 20 or 30 levels ahead of you and can't train with you anymore. Most people nowadays (at least, the people I've met and let go) are so focused on getting to 200+ as quickly as possible, on getting to the highest possible damage as quickly as possible and all, that they don't care all that much about chatting or finding good maps to train together or even sharing a map with someone... And I myself have gotten used to training by myself and not having to worry about sharing a map with people and dealing with their stuff.
So, in all honesty, I, too, do not want a merge, and, if the worlds ended up all becoming one and Windia stopped being Windia, the "in-game country" I chose so many years ago and that I like, even if now it's emptier than before; if that were to happen, I think that would be the reason that would make me quit this game for good, in spite of all the emotional attachment I have towards my characters and my world and the game in general, that has kept me going despite everything that's happened and so many changes I haven't liked. :P Losing the identity of the world I've been a part of for almost 13 years, to be merged into a massive amoeba of worlds, to be dealing with laggy channels full of people during events (where you can barely walk, let alone train or do anything useful), to have to deal with ks'ers or having to settle for the "lesser" maps because I don't have the damage or personality to be stealing maps or fighting for them all over again... No. I didn't like that about the old Maple, I don't like that about Reboot and I wouldn't want to see all the worlds turn into one huge mess. I don't know anything about the technical requirements that such a feat would demand, what would Nexon need to make all non-Reboot worlds into one, but... I hope they realize that not "everyone" wants that and that are some of us who would definitely go if that were to happen.
By definition, a MMORPG (Massive-Multiplayer-Online-Role-Playing-Game) requires a large community hence massive. Maplestory is a MMORPG and by its standards should provide an environment for a MMORPG player base. People should play however they want to play, but only within the game's design, which maple is designed as a MMORPG and a social one at that.
I did not mean community size was the main argument for me, it seems to be the main argument the opposition uses. It is my weakest understanding so I addressed it last. There will be negatives to a bigger server, but there will also be positives. Bots will have a harder time. More people in a server means more people the bots have to avoid to not get banned. In addition, it will be easier to quueee for Lotus and even the new boss that is coming out.
Also, the things I meant as childish are the rankings, not being able to ignore "drama smegas" and who has a bigger E-peen.
Okay. you want a small community to play with. Sure, you can have it, but Nexon shouldn't provide equal resources to your server compared to the larger server. A lot of the resources should be allocated to the server merger. Instead of a multiple server community like GRAZED, there should just be one small server with channels proportional to the small population. It isn't fair to demand a small server and the resources of a large server community too.
maybe MYBKCN can be merged with another smaller populated world, same with GRAZED?
I do miss having some socializing in the game, but I miss doing things in groups of players too. Sadly the two biggest guilds in MYBKCN I've come across require you to be active - as in a minimum contribution per day/week - to stay in them. I get the idea of trying to keep a guild active etc, but when the leaders don't really organize any thing like bossing raids, etc then there's no real incentive for me to stay in such a guild anyway. The guilds I've been in the past sadly went quiet as people stopped playing the game.
It'd be nice if the pq area was changed up to have better rewards, might get people playing them again....
Wrong of me to say you are advocating for a small server and rather I should say advocating against a full merger. Rather you wish to have a merger for the ones that want it, and for you guys, who want a small community, keep one server for you? If that is indeed your argument, then I say it is a fair one. However, the only issue I would have with that is where and how Nexon would distribute the resources.
A lot of the resources should be allocated to the merged server. Instead of a multiple server community like GRAZED, there should just be one small server with channels proportional to the small population. It isn't fair to demand a small community server and the resources of a large server community too.
They failed at making Maple a social game a long time ago, and they had more than enough time to fix it. Various systems made soloing more lucrative than partying and that problem has not changed. As for bots, there isn't much we as players can do besides report them...and that is an inherent problem with bots. We report them, Nexon bans them, and they come back. We have to rely on Nexon to find ways to autoban them without setting off a ton of other problems, and with their record, the chances of them stumbling upon a successful formula are doubtful. Also I've seen some gutsy bots in my days...some'll come and bot whether you're training in a map or not. For your point about rankings and drama, I misunderstood that part and thought you were referring to the "don't merge" point of view as childish, but that's been cleared up.
As for allocating server resources, I don't see why they would shrink a server because the population isn't high. They certainly haven't shrunken GRAZED or MYBCKN because of low populations. I can certainly see them expanding the number of channels on servers with higher populations, but not in reverse; shrinking servers is literally the opposite of what people want, and it has little benefits (that I can see, at least) based on their current position server-wise.