Server transfer yes/no, payed/free, restrictions?

Recently got a new job, I'm going to be working 3pm-11pm NA Est or something like that so I'm going to be on a odd schedule compared to my time zone. If the game released right now I would have to find a server that fit my playable time zone or miss out on a large portion of the game. So I'm hoping I will be able to find a good English server that fits my needs. Now its possible my shift could be changed at any point, I'd prefer first shift "normal hours". Do you think we will be able to transfer servers at any point. Should we have to restart. Should it be a Payed service/Free if in the game at all. This could have bad consequences on server population and economies. IMO entire guilds shouldn't be allowed to switch servers whenever they want. It should be a charged service and on a player to player bases. Meaning you would request a server transfer, explain your reasons and AoC would approve or deny you. Certain servers would be restricted like recently fresh ones. Certain items wouldn't be transferable like the one of a kind legendary sword couldn't be brought to a diff server. If you owned a house at a node you would have to sell it since it might not even exist on a diff server. Crafting mats shouldn't be transferable, so ethior make gear or put the mats back into your current server before you transfer. This might be to much effort on the developers and they might just do a hard no. I've been considering/wanting to invest in the game for cosmetics and to support it. But not sure if I should. Do you think there will be a server that fits my needs? Also what are your thoughts on "Server transfer yes/no, payed/free, restrictions"?

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AidanKD

I think there are good IRL reasons to allow server transfers such as the ones you have implied. And it would be difficult to prevent all scenarios of potential abuse, but I think that suggestions of restricting what can come across with you is reasonable. I would actually be perfectly fine with being "reborn" into the new server almost anew - with your knowledge (i.e. skill levels) of your past life, but limiting transferrable items. I'd prevent/cap gold to be taken over, perhaps replace gear with some "level-appropriate" gear which isn't top tier.

Is it too punishing or is this the measures that would need to be taken to prevent people from mass hopping when a world isn't going quite the way they like?

Noaani

The issue with server transfers is not just an economic one.

If there is a way to transfer servers, players can act like a dick on one server, only to escape the consequences of their actions by transferring to another server.

If it is viable to transfer servers and start playing basically immediately on your new server, reputation in Ashes means significantly less than it should. If it isn't viable to do that, then transfers are of no value to those that have legitimate reasons to want them.

So, it is a hard no from me.

Nerror

I do sympathize. However, I also lean towards a no to server transfers. Gotta hit the reroll button.

My guess is the number of people in your situation aren't very common, and once you open the door a little, even with restrictions, a lot more will follow through, and just make up BS reasons if a reason is required.

If they end up doing it anyway, and want to put in restrictions like having to make a ticket to apply for it, it'll just cost more time and resources for the community team, which could be offset by charging for the server transfer. But if the price is set very high to discourage transfers, it'll also be an unfair barrier to entry for the players who can afford the sub fee, but who can't justify spending much more on the game.

Honestly, the only way I can see a transfer work is by charging a fee to move the entire account, leaving every single item and gold behind (aka destroyed if not given away). All the characters would show up with on the new server is level-appropriate white gear and 100g to their name. And at least a 1 year cool-down before another server transfer can take place. I don't even like this system, but any more lenient and it would have to be a hard no for me.

Sylvanar

Its a good suggestion but would need some restrictions. Of the top of my mind:
- Charged service for sure. To address what @Noaani mentioned. I dunno how high it has to be but at least worth 2 months subscription fee. As this decision shouldn't be made lightly. This addresses @AidanKD concerns as well.
- The player will carry over only a portion of his/her gold from one server to next to further enforce the above mentioned concern.
- Loss of Node related achievements among others. I am assuming achievements would be categorized here.
- Both the servers need to have similar level of progression in the game to address the economic concerns.
- Items, goods, etc. of highest level as well as unique ones would not be transferable because the two servers would probably have different paths of progression node-wise. This is mainly to prevent server hoping so that players can claim to have unique items and some forms of possible abuse I cant think of.
- Some sort of probation, like server can be changed only once a year. This too addresses Noaani's concern.

These are all I can think of at the moment. I am sure I have missed some other side-effects of server hoping.

Like the OP, some people genuinely need to change server and shouldn't be punished for having a real life situations. As such, I would want this option to be available.

PS: Costing real money and involving loss of gold, achievements, items to various degrees would discourage any probable abuse. Wouldn't it? @Nerror

Ironhope

No server transfer.

It makes people behave horrible because there is no consequence since you can just transfer and reset your reputation.

It ruins the moral and economic value of items since people can just use move gear around.

It's just a bad idea from start to finish.

Dygz

I don't see how server transfer can be a thing.
Your character could have completed quests/achievements and acquired gear that have never been opened on another server.

Voidwalkers

Kinda torn on this one. As others have said there're plenty of RL reasons for server transfer, mostly to play with friends / family etc., but transfer can also be abused in various ways, and may just hurt some servers in some cases, e.g. players may desert one server for another with better developed nodes, or with metropolis in more convenient locations etc., or to escape a server entirely for whatever reason instead of putting in the effort to face the challenge or migrate to & develop a more remote region of the server etc.

Really not sure what's the right way to address this. May be allow transfers but with a high barrier? e.g. relatively expensive cost ($30? 45?) plus an account-bound long~~ cooldown (3-6 months?) before another transfer is allowed?

tautau

If you cannot transfer then you have added incentive to make the game world how you want it to be - to resist the bad guilds, to grow the nodes, to make friends and treat people well. Those motivations diminish if you can just give up and transfer, potentially again and again. I think our game worlds will be better if we all have to be deeply invested in our servers and make them work.

A solid 'No Transfers' is my strong preference.

CROW3

Nope, reroll. One server is going to be very different from another. If you bring that silver bow of slaying from World A to B, you threaten the integrity of the space time continuum.

Stop threatening space and time, man.

Ironhope

Make leveling fun and enjoyable so people won't have a hard time at all leveling alts on other servers/rerolling on another server.

Sure, after you leveled like 8 chars to max level lvling won't be that much fun/enjoyable but if its well designed it won't be painful either.

daveywavey

I'll need to be on different servers anyway, so I can hunt down CROW3's dwarf.

mcstackerson

I think server transfers should be a thing but you can't take anything. All items, excluding cosmetics, stay on the server. You probably should also lose your social organizations and religion progression. Basically, you can't take anything that was unlocked because of the servers state. Probably just taking your artisan, adventuring, and weapon progression. There also needs to be a decent cooldown (1+ month(s)).

Ironhope

1. Go to a server where materials are super super cheap or plentiful.

2. Level your profession to max super easy peasy.

3. Transfer to another sever where leveling profession is super hard.

P2W AOC

daveywavey

And, if they happen to open up brand new servers at some point, you're not going to want 3-yr-old max level characters running around the new server. New servers should be new characters.

CROW3

daveywavey wrote: »

I'll need to be on different servers anyway, so I can hunt down CROW3's dwarf.

Haha! 😂

AidanKD

daveywavey wrote: »

And, if they happen to open up brand new servers at some point, you're not going to want 3-yr-old max level characters running around the new server. New servers should be new characters.

I think that any server transfers that would be approved would not be applicable for new servers. Likelihood is that new servers will be fresh reboots and will be locked out of transfers for much time.

I won't have an issue is server transfers aren't included but i'm not the target audience anyway. I was about to write up about how I really wouldn't mind server transfers if they were ultra punishing i.e. basically go in bare bones with your skill levels, but I try and justify why to myself and truthfully, you ought to have started with your friends/guildies and if you hadn't, then I guess having an alt isn't the worst thing in the world.

Sunboy

Sure why not not but only if as a lvl one slime and if they die, permanently deleted account.

Nerror

Sylvanar wrote: »

PS: Costing real money and involving loss of gold, achievements, items to various degrees would discourage any probable abuse. Wouldn't it? @Nerror

It would probably stop a lot of it yes.

CROW3

The thing I’ve never liked about server transfers is that it disconnects you the player from the environment that wrought your character.

There is something of value in that organic process, and conversely there is something lost when you just appear as a fully formed character disconnected from the environment in which you’ve been deposited.

McShave

I would be ok with server transfers if you can't bring any items, gold, or gear, and you start at level 1.

Wait, thats just rerolling /shrug

First of all, server transfering won't work since every server will be built differently. Also, as seen in WoW and New World, being able to transfer servers means that servers get very lopsided. If your server doesn't have the population or skill that you are looking for, many people would leave to a better server, making a few mega servers and many dead servers.

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