US: What can we do?

[bwdaWAR]

To be honest, that's still not an answer.
Apart from this

Spoiler:

Not really any difference per se', but I believe that int he US, the attention span is so short, and the gamer mindset is so "shiny object" that old games don't or can't compete with FPS or easy-play console or PC games.

, it's again serverwide issues. Regardless if Destruction or Order dominates, (and aside from such a wipe likely affecting both equally), the lower population of NA timezones evening-night has been around since I joined in the autumn of '15; people were constantly complaining about it then as they are now. So it most certainly can't be related to whatever happened a few months ago.

The server is in the EU, as I understand. It's a networking thing among people. In the US, even the "old skool" gamers I know who played have many a bad taste from the end-of-game bomb groups and balance issues. They won't trust it and therefore, won't play it. IMO if Destruction could get organized again, participate in ORvR as it is designed to be played and won, it would bolster the rewards, the action and eventually the player base.

Sad truth is that, until the developers can form a lockout on switching factions though, we will still have the xrealming issues that kill ORvR.

The server is in the EU, that is true. But, uh... how does that make this whole "networking" work exactly? Do European people have some sort of official advertisement for this that isn't available in the NA, that I'm unaware of? If not, then why do players of NA not do the same level of recruiting/advertising that people of Europe apparently do? The end-game of WAR live, crossrealming on RoR and so on are also things that were/are likely similar for players of Europe and NA both.
The only problem that I can think of can be connection speed, but I sort of doubt that is very harsh for most players from the NA, to make the game unplayable or unenjoyable, at least plenty of people seem to manage fine during the off hours. Or is this the reason? How bad is the connection to the server for the high RR players from NA timezones?
So once again: what is it that makes a lot of Europeans know about the exact same private server game and interested in playing it but not a lot of players from NA? Things that are reasonably different, not things that affect both.

[Gachimuchi]

Some of the posts here don't answer what I think is an important question: what is the difference between the European players and the American players that creates this difference in numbers?
Because the game is exactly as unfinished for players from Europe as for players from NA, or any other part of the world. I also sort of wonder if the situation regarding the grouping is that much different... I recall a time, not long ago (3-4 months or so), when various complaints were about that Order was entirely disorganised while Destruction wasn't. Also, how do players of Europe know about the project but players of America don't?

Simple. The game was more popular in EU than it was in NA.

And the whine posts about "order/destru always win, destru/order is always zerging and being dumb" are akin to what direction the wind is blowing today.

[CegeePegee]

Well, with the server being located in the EU, a lot of NA players experience sub-optimal ping and while I fully realize that there is far worse ping for players in Australia, Asia, eastern Europe, etc the fact is that we (well, Americans anyway) are so used to having decent ping because "live" NA servers are typically hosted here that we're a bit spoiled and some ppl just wont play a game that is choppy no matter how fancy their computer is. I know that's lame but it is a factor. I don't think its a main contributor though.

For some reason that I have yet to identify, the word just hasn't gotten out as quickly in NA. All the time I'm meeting NAers in-game that are all "oh man I just found out this existed!!11!1!!" so we clearly need so step up our word-of-mouth game.

[CegeePegee]

Simple. The game was more popular in EU than it was in NA.

Is that true? I'm probably wrong but I swear there were more NA servers than EU for most of the life of the live game. Does anyone know the actual metrics?

[Dabbart]

It's a general downward spiral. Nothing is going on, so people don't queue/roam. So even less happens, and more people choose to not play/fight. For instance, last night I counted 27 people in Alt and 22 people in IC. All 40's and known players(for me). And yet, no SCs for over 30min. I was checking the search function, no SCs were going on. A 6man roaming in DW, and Avo's WB and a few PUGs there as well. In other words, Nothin. But we had over 90 players in T4 online...

The timezones are just real rough for NA, especially PST. I don't get home till 6pm, shop, clean, dinner, and all of a sudden it's 10pm EST and everyone is starting to get ready to log off. Eu/RU wont start logging in again till almost 1am my time, so between then it's such a tiny fraction of the world that is even awake to be online...

Honestly, when there is more to accomplish/unlock we will see a bunch of returning players(if their toons haven't all been deleted...), same as we have every single time the Rank cap was increased, RR cap increased, or New zones/gear was released. People will flood the server, gain what they want, then slowly find something else to fill their time.

The best idea I have seen is to try like hell to orchestrate a weekly or Bi-weekly NA fight night. And just soldier through the hard times, if there is somewhat regular battles, people will login and STAY logged in.

As for Realm Captains and such... We are such an intimate playerbase, that unless you are newish to the server, you will tend to know most of those that actively participate in /T4. But you can't force others to follow the directions of those not in their WB/Grp/whatever. It's nice when they work together, but it can't be 100% expected. We all have our own goals for Fun around here.

Finally. I happen to prefer NA timed ORvR fights. I love the small scale stuff, and when there are more than 3 WBs on 1 side, it just gets ridiculous imo for a whole host of reasons. I love the 1WB or so on either side, ganking around BOs/keeps with a 6man or smaller. Roaming for fights that you don't need to have 23 other people around you to have a chance. EU ORvR mega fights bore the piss out of me...

TLDR: Just keep fighting. Offer help and advice to players, instead of ridicule and insults. Maybe PL someone when you are bored and make a friend/give that player incentive to stay and keep playing. Hand out some G to a player you see still stuck on that 25% Mule, or rockin +11 tali's. But always keep fighting! W/o the Fights, people will log and find something else.

[CzarRedwall]

Maybe we just don't have that much of a NA community?

My fellow Americans, it is therefore our patriotic duty to spread the Word across our beloved nation. From east to west, through plains and through mountains, we must make manifest the promise of RoR to all and every American throughout this great land.

Thank you, and God Bless America!

*queue anthem*

[CegeePegee]

TLDR: Just keep fighting. Offer help and advice to players, instead of ridicule and insults. Maybe PL someone when you are bored and make a friend/give that player incentive to stay and keep playing. Hand out some G to a player you see still stuck on that 25% Mule, or rockin +11 tali's. But always keep fighting! W/o the Fights, people will log and find something else.

^ This.

On Destro side, my guild is always bringing in new people from t2/t3 and we play our alts to help them level up and lo and behold those players tend to stick around and become regulars that we can count on when its time to form groups and such. Its such an easy thing to reach out to new players, or players who are tired of going it alone, and working together. Sometimes I wonder if NA people are simply less outgoing in general With so fewer of us playing than our EU peers, we need to make even more of an effort to help each other out and band together.

If anyone (on Destro side) reading this happens to be one of those players that are new/shy/tired of pugging alone, hit me up in game (or really anyone from Who's Savvy Now) and we will gladly roll with you. The more the merrier amirite?

Final thought - I wonder how many players DO want to join in groups but are worried that they are too "noob" or simply don't feel they have a good enough grasp of the game and their class and therefore sideline themselves? I used to be that person and it made games less fun.Perhaps our population could benefit from making sure we're being as new-player friendly as possible.

[CegeePegee]

Maybe we just don't have that much of a NA community?

My fellow Americans, it is therefore our patriotic duty to spread the Word across our beloved nation. From east to west, through plains and through mountains, we must make manifest the promise of RoR to all and every American throughout this great land.

Thank you, and God Bless America!

*queue anthem*

and Canada*

They're NA too, donchaknow

[CzarRedwall]

Ah yes, Canada, the younger brother of USA. You know, our offer still stands. Join us and reap all the benefits of being 'merican.

Don't you wonder what freedom tastes like?

[Renork]

The server is not quite finished, thus people will come and go. I'm sure once they release more armor sets, city siege, etc... things will slowly pick-up again for NA. I'm playing on Uthgard right now and NA time is fantastic :^)