Rackham - Why/Why Not ???

[Holbeks]

I have been lurking the Rackham forum for a bit now, also followed thier progress here: http://potbs.armeagle.nl/map-Rackham.php and here: http://potbs.armeagle.nl/servershistory.php

Now, I know its been up before and I myself are still not sure whatever its a good idea or not really, so that is the reasons I start this thread. To discuss (hopefully flame-less, one can allways hope) pro´s and con´s on a possible merge with Rackham (This is where the trolls will stop reading the thread and hit "reply", do try and read on tho).

It seems to me that Rackhams population peaks a few hours after our own primetime and continues on a few hours after the Roberts population settles. It also seems to me that Rackham is as such balanced, and combined I belive that with the Rackham/Roberts population could become the most balanced and fun server in the game.

This is the Pro and Con´s that I see on such a merge:

PRO´s:

* Higher population all around will mean more RvR, PvP and as such more high lvl content.

* Server primetime will be streched a few hours in each direction making the server populated and active at least 4 hours more each day.

* Will eliminate "ninjaflips" to a degree since most likely trying to flip a port will take that much more time with the increased amount of opponents and in case of EU players trying to flip, there is a good chance that the flip wont happend before the US primetime starts.

* Economic Players will increase thier customerbase

* We allready see a falling population on the Roberts server (those days its almost dead even at primetime .. prolly due to AoC beta playing), and a merge is likely to happend within the next 6 months anyway. If we act soon we could be able to hold on to some players who would otherwise leave due to less PvP/RvR play on the Roberts server.

* New faces = New friends (and in some cases mortal enemies )

* A more intense game due to much more activity will add alot more fun to most players.

* Rackhams players seems to be as competitive (sp?) and hardcore as the mainpart of the Roberts active RvR players. Giving all new challenges.

* War on a combined Rackham/Roberts population will be alot more intense and bloody I think.

* Seems like the pirates on Rackham is seen as nothing more than an annoying OS puppy. Lobotomy would be a nasty supprise for them, and I for one would be on first row throwing down popcorns when the forum drama would start

* Spain and French would benefit largly from such a merge as they would double thier playerbase, that in return would shrink the British population benefits.

CON´s:

* The British nation will get an even bigger population advangtes

* "Ninjaflips" could happend the other way around with US players frowning at EU players
making an even bigger polorasing (sp?) of the playerbase than we have seen on Roberts.

* Economic Players will get more competition

* Roberts is the home of many players and I for one would be sad to leave Roberts.

* Would leave those who has moved to Roberts behind unless there is a way to convince the Devs that a Rackham/Roberts merge could benefit the game.

* (By Arkenor) If Roberts and Rackham merged, we Europeans would be a minority, and even less of the server's goings on would happen at a reasonable time for us.

* (By Hovis) We'd break it. Our collective fire power brought to bear out-of-hours on another server would just wreck it. See on Roberts the odd-hours port flips were very often done by players who, for whatever reason, happened to be playing in odd hours. If we went to Rackham we'd have a force easily capable of doing two ports a night hitting them well before any kind of a viable counter could come into play, and we'd be doing that in our best time, so it would be no personal strain on our players at all.

* (By Hovis) Roberts has issues, but they are not too bad now. In fact, over the last little while Roberts has actually been made of win. The populations have evened out a little bit, Britain seems more content to attack ports in prime time, the Spanish are at war with France and vice versa so everything is in play, the Pirates are having it large and by and large we're dangerously close to having the sort of four nation free for all between balanced populations that the game was meant to be.

* (By Hovis) Rackham is a smaller server than us and is losing players at a faster rate. I'd rather take my chances on Roberts remaining sustainable than settling on Rackham, where the populations of French and Spanish are already much lower than here.


Disclaimer: This is in no way meant as a "recruitment" thread for Rackham, but is meant to open a debate on the subject.

[Stygiana]

And what about those poor souls who used up the transfer they got to come to Roberts? They would be left in a wasteland.

So not thank you

[Holbeks]

Originally Posted by Stygiana And what about those poor souls who used up the transfer they got to come to Roberts? They would be left in a wasteland. So not thank you

This is why I said: Try and read the entire thread before hitting the reply button.

Originally Posted by Holbeks CON´s: * Would leave those who has moved to Roberts behind unless there is a way to convince the Devs that a Rackham/Roberts merge would benefit the game.

As said, the thread is meant to start a valid debate of Pro´s and Con´s. Heck I am not even sure I want to merge myself, but the Spanish thread made just last week got me thinking whatever the idea had anything valid in it or not.

With a (flame-less) open debate I hope to settle my own and possible others mind about this matter once and for all.

[Arkenor]

If Roberts and Rackham merged, we Europeans would be a minority, and even less of the server's goings on would happen at a reasonable time for us. No thanks.

[Hovis]

The Spanish discussed heading to Rackham but decided against it for a few reasons.

1. We'd break it. Our collective fire power brought to bear out-of-hours on another server would just wreck it. See on Roberts the odd-hours port flips were very often done by players who, for whatever reason, happened to be playing in odd hours. If we went to Rackham we'd have a force easily capable of doing two ports a night hitting them well before any kind of a viable counter could come into play, and we'd be doing that in our best time, so it would be no personal strain on our players at all.

2. Roberts has issues, but they are not too bad now. In fact, over the last little while Roberts has actually been made of win. The populations have evened out a little bit, Britain seems more content to attack ports in prime time, the Spanish are at war with France and vice versa so everything is in play, the Pirates are having it large and we're dangerously close to having the sort of four nation free for all between balanced populations that the game was meant to be.

3. Rackham is a smaller server than us and is losing players at a faster rate. I'd rather take my chances on Roberts remaining sustainable than settling on Rackham, where the populations of French and Spanish are already much lower than here.

[Holbeks]

Arkenor and Hovis: Thanks for valid replies edited both into the Pro/Con list in the OP.

[kazamx]

Originally Posted by Hovis The Spanish discussed heading to Rackham but decided against it for a few reasons. 1. We'd break it. Our collective fire power brought to bear out-of-hours on another server would just wreck it. See on Roberts the odd-hours port flips were very often done by players who, for whatever reason, happened to be playing in odd hours. If we went to Rackham we'd have a force easily capable of doing two ports a night hitting them well before any kind of a viable counter could come into play, and we'd be doing that in our best time, so it would be no personal strain on our players at all.

While that was a problem if the Spanish alone moved over to Rackam, I don't think thats what Holbecks is talking about. I believe he wants all nations to move a lot of people over. I think his aim is to really create the first true 24/7 server. There would be no day/night flips as every flip would face a solid defense and every port battle see two full fleets turn up.

[Stygiana]

Originally Posted by Holbeks This is why I said: Try and read the entire thread before hitting the reply button.

I did read the whole thing and unlike your opinion that it is just a con it is a reason to vote against it for me. When you have an option to transfer them with us then feel free to bring it up again

[Pent uP Rage]

Why transfer? Just roll a new character. I transferred my Spaniard to Rack and rolled a Brit on Roberts.

I play all four main servers. I consider Roberts my "home" server because of my friends in Windward Squadron....though I did convince a few of them to roll Pirate with me on Antigua a few days ago when Roberts went down temporarily. lol.

Brit on Roberts, Spanish on Rack, French on BB, and Pirate on Antigua. I guess that's why I have no level 50's yet, but that's ok. I'm still enjoying myself and don't have TOO many gripes.

[Holbeks]

Originally Posted by Stygiana I did read the whole thing and unlike your opinion that it is just a con it is a reason to vote against it for me. When you have an option to transfer them with us then feel free to bring it up again

It might just be me but I used to think that:

Pro´s = Reasons to do it

Con´s = Reasons not to do it

Regardless tho it seems that we agree on that part.