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(06-19-2013, 12:11 PM)Trickery Wrote: Unfortunately, every single one of my friends that I've made throughout the Beta period is completely deadset against a Legacy server. They're all RPers, they just have zero interest in joining a server with already established characters.
I completely understand this perspective, especially since in most cases being the new character on an established server puts the screws to you economically (as all higher level characters are focusing on the established and profitable high level market or overpricing gear at the low end to catch twinked alts). In an RP server, it can be even worse due to the inevitable closing of RP communities into established cliques over time (for a dramatic object lesson, see Moon Guard in WoW).
However, both of these problems have been historically observed when a small influx of new players meets a large, established community. FFXIV is... blessed, I suppose, in a way, since version 1.x essentially ensured that the established community would be very small. I anticipate seeing the opposite situation, wherein a large influx of new players meets a small, established community. Cliques will have to open up, or they'll be marginalized. The economy will be "fresher" since there'll simply be too much supply and demand for the old characters to dominate.
One thing that also occurred to me when I read your post and others is that the Legacy tag may also act as a barrier to entry for non-RPers, which I think should help strengthen the RP community on the server. Non-RPers will, in general, gravitate to the servers that best serve their goals -- easy grouping, fast XP, simple access to end-game content -- and any barrier to that should help keep them away. (In other games, I've advocated official RP servers having a flat 5% XP penalty to achieve this result.) If people perceive the Legacy tag as meaning a dead economy and a surfeit of max level characters, they'll likely go elsewhere. Then, you'll only get those on those server for whom RP is enough of a benefit to outweigh that perceived cost. The end result is a higher concentration of committed RPers and fewer griefers. The historical example of this is the Firiona Vie server in EQ1, which remained a thriving RP site even after most of its onerous restrictions were lifted (and largely only had RPers when it had those restrictions).
So, it's a pity that your friends are so set against a Legacy server, but I think there's good arguments for RPers congregating on one if so many people view the tag negatively.
The Freelance Wizard
Quality RP at low, low prices!
((about me | about L'yhta Mahre | L'yhta's desk | about Mysterium, the Ivory Tower: a heavy RP society of mages))
Quality RP at low, low prices!
((about me | about L'yhta Mahre | L'yhta's desk | about Mysterium, the Ivory Tower: a heavy RP society of mages))