Just a thought. Not a suggestion.
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Have we considered moving our players to another server? The idea of us merging with another server seems practical to me. Arelith had 43 people IG last night. We had 1.
Pros? Cons? Maybe?
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I don't want to learn anything new.
I don't want to loose friendly DMs to such a change.
A portal between the two servers could work, I wouldn't be confortable with anything else.There would be a lot of issues though. Balance issues, ect.
The only solution I could imagine in the far future for dvindling player numbers is an agreement with another server with roughly the same numbers to alternately switch off, let's say we'd work every two months and encourage our players to go there in the downtime.
But that's never gonna happen. -
For various reasons, probably will not happen.
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@SpiffyHas what reasons, spiffy?
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If you don't want to learn anything new, surely you are against the new version then? I'm not sure what the other timezones are like,but there are times when I'm on with zero other players. As for friendly DMs, why would we have to lose them? The practicality of it all seems overwhelming against the options.
We see small spikes in players IG, but the dips feel lower to me. I could be overacting. But I like to think I pay some attention to our server.
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Biggest reason against this is that all servers have different styles. DMs/Admins would need to discuss what stays and goes and then balance both servers around it.
Most other servers wouldn't want to go through all of that when we've got far fewer numbers to them and if they did they'd probably try to use that fact to force more changes on CoA than their own.
I'm sure there's more reasons, but that's my immediate thought.
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If it were a portal to another server, you'd have people from a server that caps at 10 going into a server where the cap is much higher, the chances of dying are much lower and the understanding of game mechanics are even lower, it'd be bad news for both servers.
Every server has a different mentality behind it playerwise, If efu connected to Arelith for example you'd have bans being tossed around as quickly as a soccer player fakes injury.
Every server has a different item/gear balance, on efu +1 shields are easy to find, they're hard to find on coa. +1 fullplates are mythical on efu and relatively doable on coa, etc.
Merging with another server is pretty much the same as just making a new server and expecting the playerbase's loyalty to strictly be to the dm team (and not to the feel/history/lore of the server they've played in all those years)
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@people said in Just a thought. Not a suggestion.:
Arelith
I am -NOT- necessarily recommending connecting with another server or doing a crossover (other people who know more should analyze whether that is a good idea or not).
BUT - I could imagine a way of doing a crossover, where maybe a limited duration storyline on one server, crosses over to the other server via the game hook of a 'portal' - it could be planned times, with planned dm's and player escorts for a plot that is also connected on COA, for instance. And the crossover could go both ways a bit. Something on Arelith. There could be an 'in game' reason why the 'character remakes' for one server are different there, ie a little bit weaker/less items, or going the other way, a little bit more powerful/get some better items, etc.
So it could almost be like a 'taste test challenge', just to introduce people to this server, and maybe something that could be offered in return, is kind of being tutorialed in some of the cool features on COA, which might intimidate noobs, but if they are not on Arelith, letting people learn about it on COA, and maybe some DM's from COA giving a little tutiledge to dm's on arelith (if they are less eksperienced and don't know some of cool features that coa has).
This could be kind of a test case, and folks could try more of these, if they want, to see if this kind of thing could work out, or if merger or transfer of some ideas or players could work out, etc.
I'm not saying this is the best idea, just brainstorming and throwing this out there.
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I am really only bringing this up because of their high population. Our DMs work their asses off for free. I appreciate them and our players. I also know that our numbers go up and down, but they have been steadily decreasing. Why not encourage an exodus where we can all learn together? "because reasons" is an answer I suppose, but it sheds no light on the matter. Like when I tell my son "Because I said so". Well, I am not a sixteen year-old boy. I would genuinely like to know why it wouldn't happen and what our plans are?
This sounds bitchy, I know. I'm not trying to bitch. I just want to know why we would even consider a portal? Just...make new characters on a new server. we would all enter knowing one another, and we would all learn together.
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We are hoping that a complete makeover of the haks and the module, with new areas/quests/gear/monsters, will help bring new interest to the server. This is not planned to be just shoving new haks into the server but a complete remodeling of everything. Quests, while we will keep some of the old one, will be new and interesting; not just the same old grinds with a new look.
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The reason for me is that I wouldn't want to abandon CoA.
But really, if you got the player base to move, there's nothing anyone could do about it.
Also, if everyone moved to another server, that'd be that, the Dm team would disperse, there's a zero percent chance another server would just bring in an entire DM team from another server, for what I would think are obvious reasons.
But yep, I'd hate it, but if everyone did it, we'll that'd be all folks.
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Hells no. For me it is coa or nothing. I do not play any other games and I do not intend to migrate. We need a new story arch, and the player base Will return. And teleport spells.
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Currently, I think its a mix of low dm presence, a new version announced, the back to school times, and probably a few folks going on vacation too.
Also, there is the mentality of, hey no one Ig, or just 1 or 2 so meh, wont bother. Well. BOTHER. Log in. Roll an alt to help the lowbies, or take initiative and do something creative.
As for moving or merging... It wouldn't be CoA anymore now would it? I hope this server lasts for 10 more years, but that will not happen if you guys do not log in or contribute or hells, let the DMs know what is wrong with the place. At times, what I think is missing on CoA, is communication. Not just from the dms, but the players as well.
While we wait for the new version, get in here and lets play together. The new version is not ready, so no reason to stop playing your PC and plotting, RP or just hang out.
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I would be dming more if I wasn't working 60+ a week in hours :(
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@Zool I'm not trying to.move everyone by myself. I'm also not sure why the DMs would just quit. You could be players? Like I said just a thought. I won't press the issue.
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This discussion happens every year when numbers hit a lull.
Its temporary, folks. No need to panic mode.
CoA or bust.
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@SpiffyHas
That's a completely separate discussion. I wish we could give a regular pay to our DMs. But it seems hard enough to maintain server costs, as it seems from here.Not like I ever donated... I would, if I had a not less than moderately payed job. I have none at the moment so.... I better shut up, right?
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@Khamal said in Just a thought. Not a suggestion.:
This discussion happens every year when numbers hit a lull.
Its temporary, folks. No need to panic mode.
CoA or bust.
PREACH IT!!!! π
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@Khamal said in Just a thought. Not a suggestion.:
This discussion happens every year when numbers hit a lull.
Its temporary, folks. No need to panic mode.
CoA or bust.
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@Khamal said in Just a thought. Not a suggestion.:
This discussion happens every year when numbers hit a lull.
Its temporary, folks. No need to panic mode.
CoA or bust.
Preach it, sister.