103589-so-what-happened

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I recently returned from a two week vacation with the family, and today is the first time I've been able to play. Why does Illium feel dead? Before I left I remember the auction house being covered with people, and now I'm seeing only one or two. The lag I use to get when there were tons of people on one map is now completely gone. So did I miss a major event? Did a huge group of people just decide to transfer or quit? I've also noticed that some of my friends who are hardcore fans of the game who have logged in everyday haven't been on in about a week or so.
 
(I'm on Widow)	
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			I've noticed less people playing too. I've made a few friends and only one of them keep playing regularly still.	
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Impatience and improbably high expectations, coupled with the end of the "free month" and a tragic case of self-entitlement.
 
Pretty much.	
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Impatience and improbably high expectations, coupled with the end of the "free month" and a tragic case of self-entitlement.
 
Pretty much.
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			Population has contracted somewhat. That's what you're seeing. Still enough to enjoy the game, but not as many as before.	
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Translated: massive over use of time gating everywhere, turns out lots of people don't enjoy that.
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A lot of coach developers and designers chiming in on "what works" while not actually having experience to say such things.
 
.....also probably Chuas.	
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I dunno im never in town anymore, most of people i play with aren't between housing, all the zones being instances. Dungeons/adventures etc etc.
 
I only see people in my guild standing around town waiting on raid nights.	
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Problem is, all us that were truly there a decade ago have grown up yet MMOs other than that other one have not and most these newer MMOs have not learned a single thing from past mistakes.
 
The bar has been raised and if you don't attempt to even match it: you are in for one heck of a bad time.
 
WS is salvageable but it's up to the devs to listen.	
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.....also probably Chuas.
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			Not to mention it's the middle of the day on a Wednesday.... People who took time off for launch (lolz) are back to work by now.	
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I recently returned from a two week vacation with the family, and today is the first time I've been able to play. Why does Illium feel dead? Before I left I remember the auction house being covered with people, and now I'm seeing only one or two. The lag I use to get when there were tons of people on one map is now completely gone. So did I miss a major event? Did a huge group of people just decide to transfer or quit? I've also noticed that some of my friends who are hardcore fans of the game who have logged in everyday haven't been on in about a week or so.
 
(I'm on Widow)
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Chua pluralized is Chua....
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They pretty much destroyed the loot system for PvE people that chase gear. And from what I understand PvP is completely broken. 
 
So unless you are raiding/not done your house the game is pointless atm.	
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I will agree that server populations have dipped but Illium is not the best measure of population because it's very spread out and it's hard to immediately judge how many people are actually around. Especially if it's not during primetime it can feel pretty empty.
 
People split between the auction houses at Legion's Way and Spaceport Alpha, the people crafting will be on the other side of the gardens, and there are all kinds of places inbetween. 
 
Outside of that, one issue is that PVP's screwed up so most of the PVP players are out until the drop this week that fixes it. Drop 3 is likely going to be something that addresses the PVE issues, which seem to be the other main problem as people have mentioned.	
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			there's no reason to stay on the city no more, just housing or other instances is more normal.	
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WS is salvageable but it's up to the devs to listen.
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We can hope.
 
Sadly, there are people on the Dev Team to whom the very idea of "catering to a less than hardcore crowd" is just pure anathema.
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This PvP drop will not fix the core issues, it's just a bunch of band aid solutions. To truly fix PvP, more work will have to be done however with WoD on the horizon...many will migrate back there (if they haven't already) b/c I think many us are tired of paying to wait it out. Imo, nothing short of a redesign of the PvP system and major class changes will address the real issues in PvP. The latter really won't happen b/c this will upset the PvEers since in Carbines infinite wisdom they decided to have a combined system instead of using two separate ones that has been proven (ie. GW2) to work. But no, they dun messed that up.
 
edit. I face palm every time I look at the launcher where they say "Have you seen WARPLOTS?". Actually, no I have not...I been in the que for upwards of 4 hours and never seen it pop. Do they even exist?	
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This is very true. One of the producers (Jeremy Gaffney) has posted stuff like this http://wildstar-central.com/threads/balance.2952/page-7#post-64164
 
This was a couple months back and may have just been ideological grandstanding, but it does underscore the point that there ARE members of the dev team who, at least at a vocal level, have advocated for catering to tiny player demographics.
 
However, with how some of their ideas have simply blown up in their faces (Have you SEEN Warplots yada yada) I will be very surprised if they don't change their tune at least a little.
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edit. I face palm every time I look at the launcher where they say "Have you seen WARPLOTS?". Actually, no I have not...I been in the que for upwards of 4 hours and never seen it pop. Do they even exist?
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Why do people solo queue for Warplots, these seem like Guild only events.
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One of the producers (Jeremy Gaffney) has posted stuff like this http://wildstar-central.com/threads/balance.2952/page-7#post-64164
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Translated: massive over use of time gating everywhere, turns out lots of people don't enjoy that.
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This is very true. One of the producers (Jeremy Gaffney) has posted stuff like this http://wildstar-central.com/threads/balance.2952/page-7#post-64164
 
This was a couple months back and may have just been ideological grandstanding, but it does underscore the point that there ARE members of the dev team who, at least at a vocal level, have advocated for catering to tiny player demographics.
 
However, with how some of their ideas have simply blown up in their faces (Have you SEEN Warplots yada yada) I will be very surprised if they don't change their tune at least a little.
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Because we have the OPTION to solo queue?
 
Because no one has said "Don't?"
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Wow. Everyone should read the link you posted. This is the mentality of someone who is stuck in 1999 wearing EverQuest-styled nostalgia tinted glasses.
 
To summarize: "The 1% should lead by example because their goals will be the ones aspired by your average Johnny Casual."
 
This is the most flawed logic I've ever read on how to cater to today's MMO market.
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It's like me complaining I can't queue in for Raids and I'm not apart of a big PvE guild.
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Can you Solo Queue for Raids? Does that option even exist?
 
No.
 
Sorry amigo, your point is not valid.
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They stated that pugs can merc into these from the get go so I don't buy that 'it's for guilds only' argument.
 
Warplots were proclaimed as a major feature for all but that is not currently the case...not even major guilds are putting these up!
 
One main reasons why that other game is still most subbed: they have made it 'accessible' to a wider audience rather than that 5%.	
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Yep. Could not have expressed it better myself ... without resorting to profanity. :lol:
 
Oh well. Either someone higher up will finally click to how messed up that mentality is and hopefully take steps to correct it ... or we're going to continue to bleed subs until *every* server is a ghost town.
 
I do find it vaguely ironic (and kind of funny) that my little "casual RP guild" continues to gain more people every damn day  - and the "hardcore PVP and Raiding guilds" are all giving the game the finger.
 
Seems to me the Dev Team really *IS* catering to the wrong crowd.
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They stated that pugs can merc into these from the get go so I don't buy that 'it's for guilds only' argument.
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They stated that pugs can merc into these from the get go so I don't buy that 'it's for guilds only' argument.
 
Warplots were proclaimed as a major feature for all but that is not currently the case.
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Now you just arguing for arguments sake. I am done, clearly you are 100% right and I am wrong. THE END.
 
Adios, off to play some AV...you know a 40v40 bg that actually works. Toodles.	
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Still valid, if the remove the solo queue option people will still be complaining about warplots because they're not in a big PvP guild. My point still stands.
Raiding is for PvE guilds
Warplots for PvP guilds.
Honestly don't know why they had a solo queue option for Warplots, everything about it's design is for big guilds.
 
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Population has contracted somewhat. That's what you're seeing. Still enough to enjoy the game, but not as many as before.
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From the looks of it W* will keep bleeding out its side since the Devs don't actually listen.
 
At this point I hope NC Soft steps in soon, fires the devs, and gets people who actually understand MMOs in 2014.
 
It's sad I have to say that but W* has turned into the biggest pile of crap yet. It WAS a good game, for a bit.	
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 ... this game's MO is driven by the fantasy of a hardcore gamer entering his late 30s feeling nostalgic about his EQ days.
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There are a number of logistical problems with Warplots even for large PVP guilds. 
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I can only speak for some people I know...
 
A few medics and warriors(mostly tanks) I talk to are leaving because of how they're being handled...
 
Others are folks taking vacations and such, getting it  in before their semesters and normal work hours start up again.	
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Still valid, if the remove the solo queue option people will still be complaining about warplots because they're not in a big PvP guild. My point still stands.
Raiding is for PvE guilds
Warplots for PvP guilds.
Honestly don't know why they had a solo queue option for Warplots, everything about it's design is for big guilds.
 
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How hard would it be to have non-rated practice warplots with NPC ownership which would populate with 40v40 pugs. You know, Like AV.
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Then remove solo queue option for Warplots and leave that to the PvP guilds.
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1.) I have no idea what AV is. I'm just going to assume it's some code word for crack for MMORPGers.
 
2.) Warplots are more than just some battleground once it requires someone sinking money into it. Now that new battlegrounds is a better fitting for what you probably want. Take that sabotage bg and make a 20v20 version and maybe a 40v40 version.. That would probably be better for most people than Warplots. Then remove solo queue option for Warplots and leave that to the PvP guilds.
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That would probably be better for most people than Warplots. Then remove solo queue option for Warplots and leave that to the PvP guilds.
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So ... all that work and no one to play?
 
That just screams "terrible game design and totally wasted development dollars" to me.
 
Basically, you're saying that only two fully-prepared PVP "Raid Teams" should ever be allowed to play Warplots?
 
Yeaaaaaah. Have fun with that.
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Pre-Built warplots owned by NPC's with no rating would allow random people the chance to SEE >.> warplots without the tedium of finding and organizing 80 people.
 
You click the button, you play warplot.
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			Nothing happened. Everything is fine. You are just having a bad dream.....	
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They have a solo queue button, and as you can see not enough people are queue for it. They could also just down size it to 20v20 instead of 40v40.
 
How in my mind it should work is Guild A and Guild B both enter the queue, they get matched and fight.  Now I haven't looked at Warplots much until I find a PvP guild, so have no idea if it's cross realm or not(if not, it should be).
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800 people can solo queue into warplot and if there are not 2 warparties with owned warplots queued, it will never pop.
 
It's a bad design.
 
 
Good on you to champion on for Carbine claiming design is great and fine, without having even attempted to explore the feature.
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I never said the design is great and fine, I said the design looks like it would only work for PvP guilds. Do people read these days :rolleyes:
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I never said the design is great and fine, I said the design looks like it would only work for PvP guilds. Do people read these days :rolleyes:
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 If I miss anything it was AV and WSG
 
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If you havn't tried it then don't opinionate all over the place for it.
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They have a solo queue button, and as you can see not enough people are queue for it. They could also just down size it to 20v20 instead of 40v40.
 
How in my mind it should work is Guild A and Guild B both enter the queue, they get matched and fight.  Now I haven't looked at Warplots much until I find a PvP guild, so have no idea if it's cross realm or not(if not, it should be).
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WSG was terrible(Why yes I did play Alliance. What gave me away? lol)
 
I wasn't a huge PVPer in WoW I loved the old AV though. The one where you could (seriously) go to work and return home to the same match lol. The old NPCs!
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I recently returned from a two week vacation with the family, and today is the first time I've been able to play. Why does Illium feel dead? Before I left I remember the auction house being covered with people, and now I'm seeing only one or two. The lag I use to get when there were tons of people on one map is now completely gone. So did I miss a major event? Did a huge group of people just decide to transfer or quit? I've also noticed that some of my friends who are hardcore fans of the game who have logged in everyday haven't been on in about a week or so.
 
(I'm on Widow)
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AV is Alterac Valley in World of Warcraft.
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From the looks of it W* will keep bleeding out its side since the Devs don't actually listen.
 
At this point I hope NC Soft steps in soon, fires the devs, and gets people who actually understand MMOs in 2014.
 
It's sad I have to say that but W* has turned into the biggest pile of crap yet. It WAS a good game, for a bit.
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Because we have the OPTION to solo queue?
 
Because no one has said "Don't?"
 
Because some of us aren't part of PVP Guilds and shouldn't be expected to be part of a PVP Guild in order to see this massive selling point?
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This is very true. One of the producers (Jeremy Gaffney) has posted stuff like this http://wildstar-central.com/threads/balance.2952/page-7#post-64164
 
This was a couple months back and may have just been ideological grandstanding, but it does underscore the point that there ARE members of the dev team who, at least at a vocal level, have advocated for catering to tiny player demographics.
 
However, with how some of their ideas have simply blown up in their faces (Have you SEEN Warplots yada yada) I will be very surprised if they don't change their tune at least a little.
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Yep.
 
I don't want an EASY Wildstar. I want an ACCESSIBLE Wildstar.
 
Hell, I just want to play Warplots. That's it. That's the ONLY reason I bought into this entire game - but I just don't have 500 minutes ( ! ) to spend in a queue to see one.
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500 minute Queue? That's EZ mode.
 
Back in my day we played 4-5 day Alterac Valley matches, one fight over 5 days.
 
#hardcore
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Yeah. Me, too.
 
The trick there, however, is I WAS PLAYING!
 
Unlike here, where apparently NO ONE is playing.
 
Man, if I was the guy who designed warplots, I'd be pissed right now. Years of hard work so maybe 200 out of 500,000 people could see it. That's got to be a great feeling. By great, I mean terrible.
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			Unfortunately the lvl 25-45 zones are dead now! I remember levelling in June and seeing people regular - it's July and i'm levelling - for 6hrs in Farside there was only 3-4 people! That's really going to put people off staying  	
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Well then. You're right on that.
 
All the "Have you SEEN warplots?" stuff got me excited. I've been 50 for a while, most I've seen is my warplot bank area.
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Unfortunately the lvl 25-45 zones are dead now! I remember levelling in June and seeing people regular - it's July and i'm levelling - for 6hrs in Farside there was only 3-4 people! That's really going to put people off staying  
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Hey all,
 
Since we've already got a thread on population and server merges going on here, I'm going to close this one up and ask that the discussion be moved over there.	
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