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Rift: Server Changes Confirmed & Clarified
SBFord
Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
Yesterday, we reported that Trion Worlds was merging Rift servers based on a server-wide message players were receiving when logging in to affected servers. Trion has reached out to MMORPG.com to clarify what is actually happening.
Bottom line is that we’re not merging any servers. The 11 shards in question are being turned into trial servers for a future large-scale trial promotion.
We think the confusion is due to server wide notifications that recommended players transfer their characters before the 1/18, which is when the reconfiguration will happen.
Thanks to Trion for the clarification (and for haunting our forums!).
Comments
Why do I get this strange feeling a free to play announcement up to x level is incoming?
+1 for creative spin
My brand new bloggity blog.
I don't think that F2P is imminent. Rift has a healthy server population and a good subscriber base. That's very good news for Trion. (Ed note: took out a number since that was pure speculation on my part. I don't have any idea the number of subscribers Rift has but my server is always packed!)
Given that the game is coming up on its first anniversary, it's pretty much a given that Trion will be making a big promotional push. Having the servers ready to roll is smart.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I mean copying that free up to lvl 20 thing WoW does.
I think a F2P in some form is incoming. It's hard to overlook multiple games increasing players by doing it. Whether or not they are temporary or permanent players, it looks good for PR to say your numbers are going up, not down. It's the in flavor of MMO development.
Avatars are people too
I think Rift was offering that free trial to level 15 before WoW, since the only reason why I got into Rift was because of their initial free trials back in May.
I'm confused what happened to the other 50+ trial servers? they had 99 at launch and are now down to 47 and those other servers were supposed to be trial servers as well as these new 11 ones. I'm getting the feeling trial means something else in the world of Trion. I'd like Trion to "clarify" that if they can.
This doom and gloom thread was brought to you by Chin Up the new ultra high caffeine soft drink for gamers who just need that boost of happiness after a long forum session.
Uhohhhh.
Basically "Trial servers" is Trion's PR way to handle server mergers, which is kind of ingenius. Means that Trion doesn't have to go through the stigma of having to announce server merges.
This whole trial server PR spin is starting to get annoying.
"Bottom line is that we’re not merging any servers" -bottom line is your game is down from almost 1mio to about 150-200k within like 4 month.
Bottom line is that "we're not in Azeroth anymore" is now "there's not anyone in Telara anymore".
I still like the game, but Trion is getting on my nerves with their false pretends.
Here is Trions logic I think and why you can't call it mergers:
Mergers to mean = free transfers to shards with higher pops
What happens when the transfers have been free for months? Like their suggestion message is to goto Milrush I think, but alot of people said screw that and came to Deepwood.
'Bottom line is that we’re not merging any servers. The 11 shards in question are being turned into trial servers for a future large-scale trial promotion.'
They already have 33 trial shards for NA. So they are planning something that needs 44 trial shards.
Yes, I completely believe Trion. 100% truth.
Seriously, are there people that actually believe the "trial server" garbage that Trion tries to sell them?
I understand that perfectly my post was being disingenuous. But I do love Trion, do they have a school for PR spin because they really should, might help fund Defiance.
This doom and gloom thread was brought to you by Chin Up the new ultra high caffeine soft drink for gamers who just need that boost of happiness after a long forum session.
I think its amazing that while Trion has never published sub/pop numbers everyone seems to have the ability to quote sub/pop losses in the hundreds of thousands.
All Murlocs must die horrible, painful, bloody deaths!
Bottom line is the game with 200k subs puts out content faster then th game with 10million subs. {mod edit}
Trion can not control the mmo community being retarded and choosing games with less features or more cash shops then content updates. I assume they do what I do an browse the forums of WoW and TOR and just laugh their ass's off.
{mod edit}
Really though, Trion is being extremely dshonest here and treatng people like they are idiots and your defense is 'WoW doesnt put out a lot of content'.
It's not dishonest it's a PR spin. Dishonesty is removing a feature that was in a game and renaming a medium setting to high and not telling your paying customers. You know what I'm talking about.....
High Five FTW!
It is indeed dishonest.
They are saying they need these 11 servers for a trial promotion. If they run a trial promotion with 44 NA servers I will eat my words, but they have 33 perfectly good trial servers so its pretty ludicrous to assume they need more.
Here is a way to spin it while being honest:
In order to create a better experience for players we are aanicng the population across the servers.
Doesnt use words 'merge' or 'close', but still contains truth.
If you look at WoWs server list almost half of the servers are on Low in both EU and NA.
They have players crying for merges yet they wont do it because that would show everyone that WoW truly is bleeding subs more than they let on.
Playing: Nothing
Looking forward to: Nothing
This sums up this thread
@Puremallace
PURE WIN on that one!
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
And once again the irony in your posts Pure is pure delight for onlookers. There is only one person panicking in this thread but I think being backed up by a Mod feels go doesn't it? We have a legitimate question.. "what sort of promotion requires 44 trial servers" get back to us when you have that answer, I bet my dark beard will be long and grey by that time.
This doom and gloom thread was brought to you by Chin Up the new ultra high caffeine soft drink for gamers who just need that boost of happiness after a long forum session.
I hope they get a player base of 200k subs, because it impressed me what they did in 2011.
Yeah, I am getting this impression as well.
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