Any ideas to bring back players?

[Everdin]

1vs1 matters immensely - it is these encounters that form a players perception of the strength or lack thereof of their character. Constantly being thumped by whatever you run into leads to a "this class is so weak" conclusion. In the larger context of the campaign it is irrelevant but in the mind of the player it creates an assessment of their character sufficient to make them reroll or just quit. Its no use parroting the standard mantra that the game isnt balanced around 1v1 to these players - they will just reply "thats because it isnt balanced at all". 1vs1 is unavoidable - there are so many situations where you will find yourself alone,even if for a short period and should you meet an enemy player who just smashes you the experience will do more to influence your opinions on balance etc than any wb play will. I will go out on a limb and hazard that players 1v1 experiences have been responsible for more player loss than any other single factor.

But that is something that is completly wrong in most peoples mind:

"This guy killed me, my class underperforms" while most of the time it should be "Maybe there are some slightly differences in the 1v1 capabilitys of my class, but the other player is simply just better"

[GorkaBorka]

1vs1 matters immensely - it is these encounters that form a players perception of the strength or lack thereof of their character. Constantly being thumped by whatever you run into leads to a "this class is so weak" conclusion. In the larger context of the campaign it is irrelevant but in the mind of the player it creates an assessment of their character sufficient to make them reroll or just quit. Its no use parroting the standard mantra that the game isnt balanced around 1v1 to these players - they will just reply "thats because it isnt balanced at all". 1vs1 is unavoidable - there are so many situations where you will find yourself alone,even if for a short period and should you meet an enemy player who just smashes you the experience will do more to influence your opinions on balance etc than any wb play will. I will go out on a limb and hazard that players 1v1 experiences have been responsible for more player loss than any other single factor.

But that is something that is completly wrong in most peoples mind:

"This guy killed me, my class underperforms" while most of the time it should be "Maybe there are some slightly differences in the 1v1 capabilitys of my class, but the other player is simply just better"

It should be, but unfortunately it's not. It may be said 1000 times, that this game is balanced around wb vs wb (is it, though?), but people will seek a way to prove themselves, to prove their strength or a absence of it. And when one, that grinded for nobody knows how many hours, will die Y times to a shaman kiting X people, he may quit (just an example, not a balance rant, I play destro myself). Some do not.
Speaking of the reasons to quit or not, the main reason for me to not quit is as dead as AoR: Warhammer FB universe. Also some friends I've made here along the way.

[Tesq]

1) no t1 rewamp:

all zones should had been rewamped into a trash t2-t4 of sort with "barrak style keep" (check some orkied dwarf structure) so that ppl can train for t2-t4 tier since now that is the training ground and there isnt anymore mid tiers

2) not making all classes viable in both field aoe / st. The approach has been different, make em viable in wb / small scale which is a different approach. Relegate tank to play 2h or being useless for small scale instead offer pro /contr

3) not pushing for have all those useless mastery/morales/tactics fixed, with scaling introduction etc. The s+b BG for example still being total sub par unless pve

4) still refusing to tone down iconic OP skill and successive class rebalance because they make class unique... when no one asking for skill removal but a tone down....

5) aoe cap increased to 24 killed the chance of 1 wb soak dmg on its 8 + 1 tank from multiple source. Same thing of the hold the line change, ugly and not needed....made hold the line ppl on keep walls harder or impossible depending on under the keep pressure and pop gap.

6) choosing to bring the game towards a close instance pvp style when the game is RvR not 24 man vs 24 man.

7) 1 steap ahead making ranked, 2 steap back giving bis gear instead of cosmetic only, tombstone by makign it a MOBA to remove balance faction & pop problems.....

8) another closed instance approach regarding lotd, cant stress on how much the closed instance approach make this game unfriendly....

9) decide to introduced new capitals (altough i enjoyed em) instead rework maps that due geography encourage zerg snowball or even force it (KV, TM, BC, DW). Tunnels/portals dont make in generals the zones less zergy they make it easier leave the spawn which is another usefull thing i'd say but it dosent fix the zergy problem.

10) meta reling heavily on dmg instead of controll in wb vs x, unless it's op controll with no limiter such CD increase or aoe interrupt spam (note limiter, not counter) ...should had just nerfed dmg and heal and not limited form of cc altogheter....

11) still refusing the make skill that need to be realiable like chosen oppression or bg nsp just that reliable.... (make undefeatable the first, change to buff the second...) etc the list could go on, simply put skill that should do a job do it only on paper because the reality is different and no one wanna qol these stuff...

12) trying to fix the zerg problem with in game meccanics rather than give wbs the option to do so with builds etc.

[jbrutal]

e-sports in mmos are a mistake

[rejndjer]

They are most popular, but loosing more players every month then RoR can allow in one year. And beside of that, I'm sure (but can't prove it), that they are not popular because of the fact you can say what you want in the chat.

Not making "a little political joke" ios the problem, but what a little political joke is for one, triggers another and this one starts a fight and five minutes later there are a bunch of people flaming and insulting each other.

We have discussions regarding all topics in our guild, we insult us every day on a friendly base, I have no problem with this, I have problems with the toxicity growing of this if it hits the wrong person.

a wise man once said that "there are multiple layers of reality". i guess you and i live in completely different realities. obviously if dota/lol enforced fascistic no speech policies it would have even more players. just as it's obvious that biggest problem of this game is when that toxicity "hits the wrong person". that's why this is dead game. you deserve this.

[Eathisword]

1vs1 matters immensely - it is these encounters that form a players perception of the strength or lack thereof of their character. Constantly being thumped by whatever you run into leads to a "this class is so weak" conclusion. In the larger context of the campaign it is irrelevant but in the mind of the player it creates an assessment of their character sufficient to make them reroll or just quit. Its no use parroting the standard mantra that the game isnt balanced around 1v1 to these players - they will just reply "thats because it isnt balanced at all". 1vs1 is unavoidable - there are so many situations where you will find yourself alone,even if for a short period and should you meet an enemy player who just smashes you the experience will do more to influence your opinions on balance etc than any wb play will. I will go out on a limb and hazard that players 1v1 experiences have been responsible for more player loss than any other single factor.

I am 100% with you that 1v1 matters, and 6v6 roaming, etc. BUT, and it is a big but... You cannot out-balance 15 years of experience... Give an experienced player any class, against a new player 1v1 and he will crush him into oblivion. In the same way the hardcore 6 man can fight entire WB of noobs.

This is somewhat the crux of PvP centric game. Some of us have been playing so long, I feel there is no balance change you can make that could make a difference. Its part of the reason PvP focused MMO arent really popular either.

That said, I have just been back a couple of weeks after 3 years off, and the lakes feel dead even when there are 300-400 people in them. There used to be a more general spread of players all across the zones. Now it feels more linear. I didnt keep up with the changes so much, so i cant pinpoint why, but the fighting in the lakes changed a lot from 3 years ago, and in a bad way imo.

[elykz]

That said, I have just been back a couple of weeks after 3 years off, and the lakes feel dead even when there are 300-400 people in them. There used to be a more general spread of players all across the zones. Now it feels more linear. I didnt keep up with the changes so much, so i cant pinpoint why, but the fighting in the lakes changed a lot from 3 years ago, and in a bad way imo.

Returning player as well for a couple weeks, and i share your feeling about the lakes. Either walking in non-empty zones that feel empty or getting zerged. Everyone is so stacked/blobbed. Alternate zones are even more empty (sometimes wh/we stealth-roaming, but that's about it..). Looks like opportunities to get smallscale fights is getting everyday thiner. That + GCD changes.. can't say it's an appealing iteration of the game.
I'm not sure what's the answer to the current state of thing, but i really hope something will be done to address that..

[Bozzax]

Well obviously the rvr campaign would be less of a blob fest if the old domination system was used.

Ie the larger side defend the all 6 objectives of the map 60min instead of the smaller side defending a keep.

I don’t think it matters anymore tbh rip

[Garamore]

Ping your buddies on discord. Set up a warband time and head out into the lakes. Surprising how many people will come back when there’s something to do.

[Dackjanielz]

i would agree with making SC's pug only tbh.
Ranked mode is where competitive premades should be going isn't it?