Is The Fatman Saving SWTOR?

[Talon_strikes]

Is it just me, or is The Fatman server the only server saving this game from dying?

 

In the server, it's actually not that hard to group for any mission and players even ask to do any kinds of Operations on the Fleet. Socialization is pretty easy and can be quite fun—especially if you have a nice, tight-knit guild to socialize with. You find the Fleet, Capital and Starting Planets as the most populated within the server, with the other planets having a decent-to-high population.

 

Being in a highly populated server doesn't mean it comes without its cons, because the general chat is usually full of trolls and spam of guild recruitment posts (ones that are posted every 20 secs or so), and there will be players who really just make the experience of the game not-so-enjoyable.

 

Despite all the bugs, the lack of content you reach during endgame and its other cons (mentioned above), is The Fatman keeping most of the game alive? It's population, activity and communities within the server might be what's keeping players to stay (and making more players re-roll each day).

 

Apparently SWTOR has had a decline of nearly 25% of players, but that—and the end of the Rakghoul Plague Event—just seemed to affect The Fatman server population just minimally.

 

I've created this thread for a mature discussion intended for a Podcast that I'll be appearing on Monday the 14th.

 

So could The Fatman's factors in not just population, but the experience of the game and activity of the communities, be saving SWTOR? /Discuss!

 

Edit #1: You are free to extend this discussion off The Fatman, but please don't go overboard.

Edited May 9, 2012 by HomicidalWhales

[Northarrow]

Fatman's not the only server like that, but they do really need to merge servers and make more just like it

[HeavensAgent]

Considering approximately 2/3 of the game's servers boast stable and sustainable communities no, the Fatman is not the only thing keeping the game going.

[SaintForHire]

I think what's keeping the game going are the people who play it. Doesn't matter what server their on. As long as they're playing, the game is alive.

[Bugattiboy]

No, The Fathman isn't the only thing keeping SWTOR going, but it is doing way more than it's fair share. Carrying pretty much every single permanent light server. Edited May 8, 2012 by Bugattiboy

[biRdyxLoCo]

If there were more servers like The Fatman, this game would be fine.

This is no opinion but fact.

[HeavensAgent]

If there were more servers like The Fatman, this game would be fine.

This is no opinion but fact.

No it's not fact, the Fatman's overpopulated. The activity rate has settled for now, but it'll surge again and result in queues every time there's a substantial addition to the game.

[QuiQuaeQuod]

No it's not fact, the Fatman's overpopulated. The activity rate has settled for now, but it'll surge again and result in queues every time there's a substantial addition to the game.

 

Overpopulation is preferable to the graveyard of perpetually 'light' population servers (basically all European servers) that often struggle to boast more than 100 people online in all instances even at good times... Feels more likely Minimally Multiplayer as opposed to Massively Multiplayer!

[Talon_strikes]

No it's not fact, the Fatman's overpopulated. The activity rate has settled for now, but it'll surge again and result in queues every time there's a substantial addition to the game.

In my opinion I don't mind queues as long as I get to play the game in the end. If I have to wait through a queue I always make myself something to eat, text someone, or go on another computer and do whatever until the queue is gone.

 

I remember players QQ'd here on the forums about the extreme queues so BioWare gave everyone tons of servers. Now the outcry is to make sever merges and/or character transfers—and BioWare has stated that those won't be available till early summer.

 

To me the queues should have just been dealt with. Players could have just sucked it up and done something else through the queue, but hey, what can you do?

Edited May 8, 2012 by HomicidalWhales

[Michaelphoenix]

the harbinger is the PVE equivalent of Fatman...dont forget about Harbinger for PVE

 

sometimes i think all people care about are PvP servers

[HeavensAgent]

In my opinion I don't mind queues as long as I get to play the game in the end. If I have to wait through a queue I always make myself something to eat, text someone, or go on another computer and do whatever until the queue is gone.

 

I remember players QQ'd here on the forums about the extreme queues so BioWare gave everyone tons of servers. Now the outcry is to make sever merges and/or character transfers—and BioWare has stated that those won't be available till early summer.

 

To me the queues should have just been dealt with. Players could have just sucked it up and done something else through the queue, but hey, what can you do?

I don't mind queues, either, but a server doesn't need to have them in order to boast a successful population. Queues are a sign of, some would say the result of, over-population. Edited May 8, 2012 by HeavensAgent

[Saltydogg]

Considering approximately 2/3 of the game's servers boast stable and sustainable communities no, the Fatman is not the only thing keeping the game going.

 

LOL NO! Fatman is one of 4 servers that actually have the feel of a MMO. High population, good economy, pug groups doing flashpoints and world bosses. Where do you get the 2/3rds theory. You must be blind the the 60% of servers that remain light during peak play times.

[Talon_strikes]

the harbinger is the PVE equivalent of Fatman...dont forget about Harbinger for PVE

 

sometimes i think all people care about are PvP servers

Yes, I try not to ignore other servers. But I've seen statistics that say The Fatman is the highest-populated PvP server—and may be the highest out of all other ones. However, I do realize that other players want to stick with a PvE server and an RP server.

 

I've heard the Harbinger is similar to The Fatman in terms of population, but I wonder what the "official" RP server is for highest pop.

[Icysunx]

LOL NO! Fatman is one of 4 servers that actually have the feel of a MMO. High population, good economy, pug groups doing flashpoints and world bosses. Where do you get the 2/3rds theory. You must be blind the the 60% of servers that remain light during peak play times.

 

Hes one of those that has a six month subscription......

[HeavensAgent]

LOL NO! Fatman is one of 4 servers that actually have the feel of a MMO. High population, good economy, pug groups doing flashpoints and world bosses. Where do you get the 2/3rds theory. You must be blind the the 60% of servers that remain light during peak play times.

A server boasting "Light" status can boast a sustainable and thriving community as well. Not all of them do, with approximately a third supporting very little activity at all. As such 2/3 are doing alright. Additionally, your "feel of a MMO" statement is entirely subjective and holds no bearing as fact.

[HeavensAgent]

Hes one of those that has a six month subscription......

What does this even mean?

[Darkhosis]

You provoke me to jealousy!

 

I remember when my server was like that in the beginning. Sad now

[QuiQuaeQuod]

A server boasting "Light" status can boast a sustainable and thriving community as well. Not all of them do, with approximately a third supporting very little activity at all. As such 2/3 are doing alright. Additionally, your "feel of a MMO" statement is entirely subjective and holds no bearing as fact.

 

Barely, and rarely will this happen. The point of light is that it's light, which isn't conducive to having fun in what is meant to be an MMO.

[contacts]

whatever the ratio of dead to vibrant servers is, my server is dead.

 

and thats the only one that really matters to me. i get to play for maybe a half hour to an hour after work, then warzones queues SHUT DOWN and you get the same 8 people on fleet joking about how dead the game is.

 

this past saturday, there were ZERO warzones going at both 430pm eastern and 1030 pm eastern. zero. on a saturaday.

 

 

so whatever. i cancelled my sub and will play out the rest of my free time. most of that time will prolly be spent on these boards crying for help because i do like the game and want to play it, but its literally unplayable atm and cross server queues and transfers are late already.

Edited May 8, 2012 by contacts

[LeonBraun]

Considering approximately 2/3 of the game's servers boast stable and sustainable communities no, the Fatman is not the only thing keeping the game going.

 

This ^^

 

My Normal server enjoys a great community. I've heard of those on Krath who experimented with rolling on a Heavy+ pop server, only to come back to Krath, because of our great community.

[Xterminatz]

During peak hours Master Dar'Nala has around 260-320 people on fleet, outside of peak hours we still have about 150 odd people on fleet.

 

Australians are keeping part of this MMO going since we have such low pings in any MMO for the longest I could ever count, however Bioware needs to start providing more content or making it harder so things aren't so easily completed.

 

I'm waiting for diablo3 to come out haven't touched GW2 and TERA is too korean for me.

 

I really hope this game lasts as I've been playing since beta.

[juteboxjr]

Bioware made wayyy too many servers on the start and the endgame isn't that great. Thats y it feels like a ghost town in most servers. Fatman is helping pull some of the weight to keep this great game alive. Bioware will need to make crucial decisions in the coming weeks and months to get this game back on track. Frankly theres soo little population on some servers that im wondering if it is still an mmo lol

[Saltydogg]

A server boasting "Light" status can boast a sustainable and thriving community as well. Not all of them do, with approximately a third supporting very little activity at all. As such 2/3 are doing alright. Additionally, your "feel of a MMO" statement is entirely subjective and holds no bearing as fact.

 

A server boasting light status means there is no sustainable or thriving community. I was on a full server at the launch of this game. In 5 months its down to a light population. There is no economy, pvp only exists in WZ's, you fly out to a planet to maybe start some trouble but there are only 3 people leveling per planet, and to top it all off you fight the same people in WZ's over and over. Light servers have nothing to offer other than a FPS type of atmosphere. Even a standard server, which i rolled a few months ago, has just a slightly better population maybe 70 people on fleet compared to 40, the economy still sucks, no flashpoints and still very little pvp. So to actually enjoy the game and do stuff to progress. seeing that my guild of 48 people pretty much all quit the game, i rerolled fatman and created a sith. I love it, hell dude i even sold level 2 and 3 gear, it lasted 8 minutes on the GTN. MMO's need to have a good community but they also need a community that is not stagnent like most of the light and standard servers.

[Talon_strikes]

During peak hours Master Dar'Nala has around 260-320 people on fleet, outside of peak hours we still have about 150 odd people on fleet.

 

Australians are keeping part of this MMO going since we have such low pings in any MMO for the longest I could ever count, however Bioware needs to start providing more content or making it harder so things aren't so easily completed.

 

I'm waiting for diablo3 to come out haven't touched GW2 and TERA is too korean for me.

 

I really hope this game lasts as I've been playing since beta.

Really? To be honest, I've never noticed! I usually just see many of the servers as "LIGHT" and very few as "STANDARD".

 

I'll go look into more of the population statistics of any other servers and see what I come up with. It is nice to hear a few other servers feeling like The Fatman server.

[HeavensAgent]

MMO's need to have a good community but they also need a community that is not stagnent like most of the light and standard servers.

I would agree, but population size does not necessarily equate to a level of stagnation. This true for Light servers, and especially for Standard servers.