Realm Population Balancing – Possible Approach

[Sendraks]

Its fair to say, that I think some of us would rather the game was fun for everyone, with balanced fights on all sides, rather than the current realm imbalance heavily favouring Midgard and Albion over Hibernia. Unfortunately Mythic/Goa seem to have no well thought out approach to fixing this problem. They won’t cap realm populations and they offer no decent inducements for a player to switch realms.

Which is the primary problem at the moment I think.

Its not that players are vehemently opposed to playing Hibernia, but after 2 or so years invested in Alb/Mid toons, no one really wants to start the whole process all over again.

So what I suggest is an account transfer facility. Allowing players from the most populated realms on the server, to transfer their accounts to another realm on the server. There would be a limit to the number of transfers from each realm and the transfers would only be available to go to the least populated/underdog realm.

The process would be a pay for service, given the amount of work involved.

1) Characters would transfer across to the appropriate equivalent race and class (Mincer to Bard, Briton to Celt). Where no equivalent class/race combo is available, player gets to choose from a limited number of options.

2) Characters transfer at their level. So if you had a lvl 50 Briton/Paladin, you’d be able to create an equivalent lvl 50 Celt/Champion/Hero

3) Current completed Master Level encounters transfer across and you choose your new Master Level as per new character class.

4) Credit for artifact encounters transfers across. As would any activated and level artifacts currently in the character’s possession (not vaulted or on a CM).

5) All level 50 characters will have access to obtain a suit of their classes epic on transfer.

6) If current money the character has on their person, not CM, can be transferred, then it should be.

If I was given the possibility of doing that, though I suspect their might be a rush and the available transfer slots would go fast, I’d take it. You could bolster a low population realm’s numbers very quickly this way, which would mean more all round fun for everyone.

Offering a /level 50 simply sin't enough anymore. As it takes so damn long to get artis and MLs. Despite the faster levelling opportunities of Catacombs, thats not enough to make me want to switch realms either and until you can persuade new players not to roll an alb as their first toon, Mythic need to have a decent system for transfering players to beleaugered realms in place.

 

[Overpowered]

Its a good idea.
Mythic/GoA mite do something like that, but only when they get desperate. Not sure on how stuff work, but it mite prove quite abit work for the company involved..

 

[Lizz]

That is a good idea imo, and will be necessary to keep the servers alive eventualy.
Its just a matter of time of such thing i think.
Especialy since mythic spending 0.0000$ in comersial, and recruits 0.000 new players into game everyday.

 

[Jergiot]

good idea, shame mythic dont give a crap about what the players want

 

[Ronso]

IVE GOT A GREAT IDEA !!11 make the age limit of the game 18 so that would cut the albion population down by 75 placente !!11

j/k ..i saw an opening is all

 

[Garbannoch]

This wont work because such a process would most probably involve a lot of manual steps (ie work) from GoA side. Transferring artifacts might be the smallest problem but what about other (more valuable) items? Sometimes there is no 1:1 matching between the realms and thus an automated process becomes difficult (unless Mythic defines a complete mapping between items). Also money has to be transferred for the whole thing to work: I doubt anyone with 200p will just say 'ah well fuck it, I farm it again'.

Population control is not possible anymore in DAoC - the game is too old and radical changes are not possible without pissing off 50% of the customers.

 

[RaiztliN]

Its fair to say, that I think some of us would rather the game was fun for everyone, with balanced fights on all sides, rather than the current realm imbalance heavily favouring Midgard and Albion over Hibernia. Unfortunately Mythic/Goa seem to have no well thought out approach to fixing this problem. They won’t cap realm populations and they offer no decent inducements for a player to switch realms.

Which is the primary problem at the moment I think.

Its not that players are vehemently opposed to playing Hibernia, but after 2 or so years invested in Alb/Mid toons, no one really wants to start the whole process all over again.

So what I suggest is an account transfer facility. Allowing players from the most populated realms on the server, to transfer their accounts to another realm on the server. There would be a limit to the number of transfers from each realm and the transfers would only be available to go to the least populated/underdog realm.

The process would be a pay for service, given the amount of work involved.

1) Characters would transfer across to the appropriate equivalent race and class (Mincer to Bard, Briton to Celt). Where no equivalent class/race combo is available, player gets to choose from a limited number of options.

2) Characters transfer at their level. So if you had a lvl 50 Briton/Paladin, you’d be able to create an equivalent lvl 50 Celt/Champion/Hero

3) Current completed Master Level encounters transfer across and you choose your new Master Level as per new character class.

4) Credit for artifact encounters transfers across. As would any activated and level artifacts currently in the character’s possession (not vaulted or on a CM).

5) All level 50 characters will have access to obtain a suit of their classes epic on transfer.

6) If current money the character has on their person, not CM, can be transferred, then it should be.

If I was given the possibility of doing that, though I suspect their might be a rush and the available transfer slots would go fast, I’d take it. You could bolster a low population realm’s numbers very quickly this way, which would mean more all round fun for everyone.

Offering a /level 50 simply sin't enough anymore. As it takes so damn long to get artis and MLs. Despite the faster levelling opportunities of Catacombs, thats not enough to make me want to switch realms either and until you can persuade new players not to roll an alb as their first toon, Mythic need to have a decent system for transfering players to beleaugered realms in place.

The idea is great, though I don't believe many high RRs would change? And that's what hib need atm, more active RvRing ppl =)

 

[Sock Drawer]

It's a good idea, but just 1 tiny flaw in it - paying for the service. I'm happy in Albion, but if I WAS to consider moving and had the opportunity to effectively just "swap" to Hib for example, I'll be bolloxed if I'm gonna pay for this so called privelage. In effect I'm doing the game a favour by swapping, despite the fact I've spent like 2 years + on me char, I've also spent 200 quid or so on sub charges.

I do think it has a lot of potential though as an idea - and naturally it would be a one way move. They can give the ability for you to /level your char XP and RP on a test server - so I can imagine they could maybe do a similar thing in an "area" on a live server. For example, they give you your character on the server in the underpopulated realm, in an area where you can use gems to raise levels, coin and RP to a set level - you then pick up your free armour (epic or toa - whatever) and your free weapons including maybe 1 free artifact and also <x> free master levels. Then once you leave that area (port to main land) you're off - never able to return to that area but setup with 1 lvl 50 kitted out char albeit not amazingly, with an artifact or 2 and a couple of ML's.

A possibility?

 

[Sendraks]

As Garbannoch pointed out, it would involve a fair amount of work on the part of GOA/Mythic to transfer characters, hence I think making it a pay for service would be sound. However, if this approach was likely to result in longer retention of players, the cost benefits analysis would probably make it worthwhile to be free.

I don't think its possible to transfer all items sadly, which is why I restricted the options to artifacts and MLs. Whilst giving lvl 50 characters a suit of their class epic. This would minimise start up time in a new realm. Items from ToA quests are easy and quick enough to obtain and if you let characters keep their on person cash (as I originally suggested), a quick stroll round the CMs of the new realm will also help.

I don't think the high RR players would move either, but if you had enough RR1 to RR4 level 50 characters move from the most populated realms to the least populated, in NF that would make a big difference.

 

[Skilgannon]

If an ability like this was offered Mythic would then be faced with having to balance the Realms, and that is another story. Additionally, faced with being able to have high-powered classes most Albs would quit to reroll Hib/Mid leaving Alb underpopulated and the problem just gets switched.

Catacombs is meant to attract new customers to Hib/Mid, but it won't do much about the old population. Those who leave Alb to go play Banshee, Warlock etc will not /delete but rather most will put their Alb toons into hibernation (now we know what hibbies doing atm ).

Once realm levels even out Mythic then addresses Albion's utility issues, and all those peeps go back to their alb toons.

Can't see a way of doing a quick fix. It would have to be a long, steady process to attract the new players. Any quick fix isn't going to work.

 

[Dorin]

It would have to be a long, steady process to attract the new players. Any quick fix isn't going to work.

Yea well problem with NEW players is that they will go roleplaying in alb, thus new players wont help at all, just make things even worse

 

[Sendraks]

Skilgannon, I think you missed the point that the number of available realm transfers would be restricted, so that you couldn't enlarge the other realms population beyond that of the two larger realms.

This process would probably be best run on a 6monthly basis, so that the population of all the realms could be continually adjusted to reflect the changing player base, but not as to permit a mass exodus from one realm to another.

 

[Xplo]

rr7 druid and rr5 ranger? yes plz xD

 

[Overpowered]

The idea is great, though I don't believe many high RRs would change? And that's what hib need atm, more active RvRing ppl =)

Having a high RR 1337 char is fun, but it gets boring eventually. Too keep intrest up in game u gotta try out new things. I went from "overpowered" RR6 sorc (now 7) to "overpowered" /level 20 thane (now 50 RR4) and decided the thane was alot cooler and fun to play. New challenges is tempting aswell.
Edit; I changed between servers only though, something completely diffrent to /delete a char to go to an other realm. Thinking of deleting Alb/pryd chars and go Hib/pryd instead, though Id hate to think "damn, that was stupid of me" in a few months.

 

[Kinad]

Albions new strenght lies imo in the 7 facts

a) Sorcs very strong in zerg battles becuase of the strong mezz.
b) Alb classes got very good range compared to hib and mid.
c) Albion has lots of old scouts who has played rvr for years while hibs and
mids made chanters and savages. Basically there is very very few decent experienced hib or mid archers around, and archers makes a huge difference
in keepfights.
d) Population, altho i think numbers not allways an advantage.
e) Hibs and mids try to play rvr alb way, altho they are at a disadvantage.
Hint : Let albs rot in their keeps and kill em when they get borred and come out.
f) To win in rvr is to know your own limitations, and hibs and mids has sadly no clue about that.
g) Greed, every goddamn hib and mids has a desire to find as many possibel
alb rp as they can, then when it goes wrong its albs fault.

Basically hibs and mids play like mindless sheeps atm, their choice, i wont
complain since i have relics and steady supply of brehon rangers inc to
try to kill me.

If i hear a fg of sbs camping a bridge do i run there unstealthed with me
knife waving ? No i wait hidden with camo up and wait until they make a mistake, then i kill them. This is just as simple as tactics get and even
this mids and hibs cant manage.

Maybe NF more about thinking, than insta mezz fotm assisting savages.

 

[Kagato]

Problem is if they balance the population, equal numbers on all sides then they also need to balance the classes to be equally good on all sides too because in even number fights albions are always at a disadvantage.

And mythic have already proven how hopeless they are at balance.

 

[Overpowered]

After playing both Mid and Alb, Id say

Mid v Alb
When number Mids = Number Albs
Albs in keepdefence > Mids in keepdefence
Albs in open field < Mids in open field (with a good "charge")
Number of Alb melee < Number of Mid melee
Number of Alb ranged > Number of Mid ranged

seem to count for both english servers.

/exit work

 

[Ego]

imo it's quite balanced at the moment. sure albs have their overpowered tools, but so do hibs and mids.

Reason for my conclusion is merely based on RvR post-NF. I've had great fg vs. fg fights against vs. other good guildgroups from both hib and mid.


Good plan imo, the whole account switch thingy. I'd be up for it: getting a fully toa-d/ml-d char on hib

 

[Boni]

I completely agree with Sendraks here, thats a great idea.

I would be less restrictive in what classes people could chose to re-roll too, though not from a non stealther to a stealther class.

 

[Coldbeard]

I think its a great idea, but too ambisious and I cant imagine Mythic doing anything like this, it would involve things like "work" and "balancing" so no.

 

[Evasive]

I think it's a good idea too, was thinking about the same last week (never intended to post though). Think you forgot to mention to keep the current RR lvl and crafting skills. I don't want to go to the process again of making an lgm crafter. As for the items, most of the armor is crafted that is easily transferred only without the spellcrafting. That could be compensated with some money for the stones. Well items, just sell it all and take the money with you. As pointed out earlier check all the CM's.

But all this will take loads of time and need to be done in stages so you don't get the same problem again in a different realm. Not sure how long DaoC stays alive. Catacombs looks nice, but think DaoC will loose a lot of people to WoW when it is released. And Mythic probably knows this and wouldn't care to make all this happen. I hope they do though, I might switch realm too only need to convince friends to come along too, because that's another issue loosing a lot of good m8's in a particular realm.

 

[Dorin]

shame mythic doesnt give a fuck about good ideas, just like this. not sure if they care in any form

this would be excellent, but OFC wont happen anytime soon :| ( if ever)

 

[Ronso]

DONT WORRY fellas ..

come the new year a new game will take over and we will play that from beta days and onwards till they fuck it up and then mythic at that stage will have ditched daoc and released a new rpg for when we are spamming quit threads on the wow forums ..thats ure balance ..i know u dont like it but its reality ..

2 big a change for mythic - all the daoc europe players are waiting on a miracle and it hasnt kicked in yet that there isnt one in the post ..soz but...there u go ..

and im a glass is half full person .

 

[Sendraks]

I really wouldn't worry about WoW too much, the majority of feedback I'm getting from my friends in the US playing it is overwhelmingly negative.

Evasive - lo mate, enjoyed grouping with you last night on the Ml4 raid mate. You are right about keeping the RR and the crafting levels.

I'd be wary about giving transferring characters more than the most basic items and artifacts, rather than trying to transfer everything or equivalents. The reason for this is that the sudden influx of new players with new items could have rather drastic effects on the economy of a low population realm. You don't want to screw up a realm you're trying to fix.

 

[Asha]

Would be too much work.

What they should do instead is introduce some really over powered chars to Hib in another expansion!!! Oh wait...

 

[Ronso]

Would be too much work.

What they should do instead is introduce some really over powered chars to Hib in another expansion!!! Oh wait...

if he is about to tell us that hib is overpowered I think Ill stick to battlegrounds for the rest of my days

enjoying ure relics btw ?

 

[Sendraks]

Would be too much work.

These kind of responses baffle me.

You see, I was basically interested if people thought that this would be basically a good or bad idea for realm balancing purposes. It did occur to me that it might be a lot of work for Mythic, but thats not really relevant when coming up with a purely hypothetical realm balancing idea which might actually work, in so far as the players are concerned.

A workable realm balancing approach must do the following.

1) Retain existing players
2) Induce players to move to other servers - I believe it is agreed that the best way to do this is to minimise the start-up time to be ready for RvR
3) Not discourage new players. Indeed by helping maintain realm balance, it would probably encourage new players.

Comments that "it will take to long" would be helpful if they were made by Mythic staff, with some supporting statements as to why such a thing could never be implemented, or from people who have long experience on the admin side of running an MMORPG. Otherwise they fall into the bin marked "+1" and "unhelpful."

 

[Asha]

the word of the day is sarcasm
say it with me people
sarcasm

I haven't played since March, so no, I never enjoyed relics. I played the old fashioned (FUN) way!

 

[Danya]

Reroll hibernia Asha, you know you want to.

 

[Bigbadaboom]

f) To win in rvr is to know your own limitations, and hibs and mids has sadly no clue about that.


We mids dont have limitations,,we have godmode (for u who dont understand irony,,its a joke).