waiting for these 1x servers to merge

[monkeyblood]

Just random thoughts about how it would be awesome if these 1x servers would merge. I definitely would love that experience but as it sits right now I lack the time and the confidence to commit to one of these servers currently available. Just the thought of one of these servers taking over the other and potentially losing it all on a 1x server is soul crushing. Why can't we just have 1 mega 1x server and all grind in harmony?

[sheik92]

The population of Low Rate servers is always the same one, which goes back and forth between servers everytime drama or hype occurs, that's what I've noticed.

However, those servers really differ from each other. If we take retRO vs OathRO for example, the latter basically rewrote entire skills, while the other one tries to keep the game as you always knew it - with episodic changes. Honestly I don't know where their source is, I kinda remember some changes (Summon Flora summoning Parasites before ep 9 for example), but other than that the game is still the same. That's the RO we all love. The server feels empty though, especially on european time. Most of the players now are americans, parties go on most of the time though, either magma or niff. There's always someone in Louyang. Prontera is not as busy as a few months ago, but shops are there and the occasional chats between players in south kafra make the server look alive - barely.

As much as I would love for the servers to merge, when it comes to low rates it simply is not possible. This game is a grindfest in which you have to sink hundreds if not thousands of hours to build your characters. I play in retRO, and I'm not quitting after the work I've done, even if that means playing with just a handful of players or during woe time. I spent too much and I'm attached to what I have. Me personally, I don't see myself simply quitting and start over on Oath, Origins, Travels, Koko etc.

I like what the staff is doing in retRO (even though they REALLY should advertise it more). There were some hiccups to be fair. Exp x2 event way too early March last year when the server was 3 months old and never to be seen again; majoruros exploit and a few guilds in WoE smashing the competition; were just a few of the things that made people leave this server in favor of trying another. I play mostly solo, I enjoy WoE on this server and whenever there's a party I try to attend. Community is tightknit, because the server is small. I am enjoying the episodical content and the game is how I remember it. I simply wish more people could come and try. It was fun when the server had an average of 100 players not counting autotraders.

But I know it's the same for other servers, too. Once you start a low rate, it's difficult for you to simply quit and restart. Regarding your topic, you can't simply merge low rate servers, because the developers of these servers rightfully have different visions.

I think we should learn that servers now (low rates, at least) will never have the population of officials with official mechanics. You have to choose one of those things, and decide where to stay accordingly. This is just my 0.02

[Sairek Ceareste]

Some people want different things, even if it's 1x rate.

For OathRO, we want to modernize Ragnarok Online, give the game quality of life improvements, like making wolves not be the meta option of leveling from level 20 to 55~60 for some classes, increasing natural HP/SP regen to mitigate the reliance of consumables on leveling (sitting for 2+ minutes waiting for bars to fill isn't engaging), as well as make our own quest story lines, a PvM end game for non-trans classes and improve NPC importance. In that sense, it is not a true 1x, since mobs have been rebalanced and levelling is a little bit faster than a normal 1x server due to the rebalance of mobs, skills and additional small changes. Some people may like that and some don't and want a pure vanilla experience. Our players have been having fun with things shifted just enough where they are able to rediscover and experiment with builds again and even make brand new ones like they did when the game itself was brand new, and that's kind of the point of OathRO.
I also in general dislike servers that keep incentives of logging in everyday (calender rewards), or staying logged on (hourly points). I believe that creates unhealthy playing habits. Players should - for their own physical and mental health, be allowed to take breaks and not be "punished" for doing so, or be rewarded for following such unhealthy behaviors.

Also, while having multiple servers can seem like it splits the community, it at the same time also creates an environment where servers ideally must strive to do their best to increase population to win players over. Competition can be healthy and encourage innovation. If there's only one clear choice, then that one server could create a monopoly, and be at risk of becoming complacent, which can dampen the experience for all the players. Imagine if private servers didn't exist and we all had to play on official servers, with that horrible VIP system and cash shop.

[Neffletics]

It's impossible because server owners have different goals and visions in mind.

[InsomniacTV]

I think it's as simple as what Neffletics says

[ac195]

Some people won't leave because of the investments already - hard to ask anyone to leave to another server after so much work. I feel like a lot of people are also similar as you said, waiting for a server to prove its longevity. However, wait long enough and you'll be very behind.
The 1xs are all very different, they'll never merge. Oath has many many changes to original formula, RetRO just had some bumps I guess that kind of took it down to lower numbers, and Travels is realistically a 1.5x. Approaches are entirely different.

Make sure you invest in adults running your servers! hahaha

[Naruto]

maybe but 1000 players trying to farm the map is kinda nuts when the drop rate was low enough to begin with

we had the RE:START server... or was it Transcendence?

I played from day 1 and still payon forest spores were pretty much 1 merchant in every corner maybe 2-3 people every corner

[lungo]

Just random thoughts about how it would be awesome if these 1x servers would merge. I definitely would love that experience but as it sits right now I lack the time and the confidence to commit to one of these servers currently available. Just the thought of one of these servers taking over the other and potentially losing it all on a 1x server is soul crushing. Why can't we just have 1 mega 1x server and all grind in harmony?

I know what it feels to start over on x1 and definitely won't do it again. Depends on what you want to play, if you are set on classic and you don't want any customization your best bet is Travels, I wouldn't recommend any other. If you want a custom experience then there is Oath with their tons of customizations. For example it would be impossible for Oath to merge with any of the other classic servers due to the cusomizations alone.

A merge will never happen so your best option is to go through all the servers features and see what you like about them and just play.