I am going out on a limb, but I am going to predict the next round of server merges will mix EU and US players.
If you follow developers and Bioware/Mythic staff comments, you know several statements have been made about how the playstyles of US and EU contrast, and even how they would love to see them collide. Foreshadowing? Who knows, but it makes for a neat prediction.
Combined with Carrie’s comment from the Dev Q/A that seems to imply that Iron Rock (and probably others) are looking at mergers at some point (soon I hope), I think this would make for an interesting way of doing it. It also seems like it would be a great way for the Bioware/Mythic staff to experiment with players like rats on a battlefield.
This is just a unsubstantiated prediction on my part. It may not even be possible to combine a US and EU server due to latency etc.. I am no network engineer.
Wasdstomp
August 2, 2010 at 6:52 pm
Your prediction is probably not to far off. It seems they are currently doing it in DAOC, or actively working on it. Not only will you be able to transfer/merge but you will be still able to play in your native language.
basically somehow you will have several different languages playing on the same server, but it will translate everything so players don’t even know if someone is german or french. At least that is how I understand it.
I pulled this from the producers letter for DAOC on camelotherald.com
When last I wrote, I alluded that we were working on implementing a solution that allowed players on the Kattraeth and Glamorgan clusters to play together while still letting them play in their own languages. This is still our long term goal, however in the interim, we have decided to open transfers from Kattraeth to Ywain. Please remember that if you plan on taking advantage of this free character transfer to Ywain, the English Language client is needed to play the game without issue. The English Language client can be found here. Be sure to select English when running the installer.
Tyanon
August 2, 2010 at 8:11 pm
I assumed the language stuff was all within the client(s), and communications with the server are all pretty much standardized. Assumption however.
Bootae
August 2, 2010 at 11:01 pm
I really, really hope not. It would lead to a lot of EU players quitting because of latency problems. Having to play on US based servers for a PvP game would put many of us at a huge disadvantage and I would consider it game breaking tbh. I think it would be a suicidal move by Mythic.
Also our servers are busy enough, if they were merged the cross over playtimes between our timezones would be a server crashing nightmare.
Folkvang
August 3, 2010 at 6:36 am
This would be the worst case scenario sine the EU servers are too full and not empty as some US servers.
Domorak
August 4, 2010 at 5:41 am
A Merger with any of the english eu servers is quite unlikely. Both of them are overcrowded already, I doubt they could handel the population increase a merger with another server would bring, even if its just from one of the empty servers.
Krosuss
August 4, 2010 at 5:55 am
If they can work out any possible performance issues, it would be fun. If not … they better stay away.
Iron Rock hasn’t been its usual hopping self. Many RR80 players have rerolled on Badlands to face new challenges. Many players are waiting to see what the future holds.
Merging US/Europe servers would be nice for scenarios and the potential for round the clock action. But I don’t think the game is at that point.
Tyanon
August 4, 2010 at 7:45 am
hmm, if EU is overcrowded and some US are undercrowded. Could be an option to offer them the choice of servers.
Rivs
August 5, 2010 at 12:11 pm
To share a battlefield with Kros, and Boot would be awesome…awesome enough to reupp.
As for you guys rolling badlands…hmmm maybe.
Pochi
August 24, 2010 at 5:38 pm
Would be nice to have a server that’s active 24/7.
But they must make sure to merge 2 low population servers with one the Destruction side outpopulate the Order side, and vice-versa.