What do you think the population will be like after full release?

Hey everyone,

I was just looking for an mmorpg to play on my low end laptop and all of a sudden I got this daoc nostalgia flash, checked out offical version of the game and it has no trial.. too bad for them. I wanted to test broadswords vision of daoc bit they didnt let me. Then I found Uthgard, around 300 players among 3 realms... not too bad, but then I read the forums and everyone was very negative about the devs, nothing being fixed etc. Some people also mentioned that a good chunk of population got taken by another freeshard and I found out about phoenix. Everything here sounds better.. det for hybrid tanks, stealth changes etc. Concept sounds really good, but now I see that during i50 Beta was 30 vs 300 on Uth. I already made my decision to play phoenix until the release and check out what classes I like in RvR and then decide on what to level after phoenix goes live.

I assume most people are on a break right now or what is the reason for low pop? How was the population during earlier beta stages when there was no i50 and char wipe wasnt this close?

Would love to play classic daoc with a healthy population

Fri 21 Dec 2018 1:20 PM by Naturedruid

Glad you've found Phoenix.

The population during early beta was around 1k players, which is actually around the same numbers Uthgard beta had before they relaunched.

The reason why it is so low now is kind of simple, really: It's because it's the last few days of the beta and everything gets wiped clean before launch. There are so many people, too, who did not even bother playing the beta at all, because it was clear from the start that there's gonna be a wipe.

Uthgard had a peak of 4k+ population playing during it's prime days. The problem was, that the Staff there was very stuck up and didn't listen to the player base at ALL. All those quality of life changes they have done in the last few months have been only done because of Phoenix showing that you can actually combine classic DAoC and a modern approach very well. Uth devs got scared and started copying Phoenix. Of course way too late, luckily most people realized it was just a lame, non-honest attempt to "save" their server.

Anyway, there are a lot of people waiting to play Phoenix. The hype is there. I don't think the server will have quite as many players as Uthgard had, but I do believe it will be around 2k+, simply because the Server doesn't quite have the name Uthgard has (or had), however, I believe the drop-off in player numbers won't be as bad as on Uthgard.

Fri 21 Dec 2018 1:59 PM by Seigmoraig

You didn't look very hard to get into Live DAoC my friend because there is a 2 week free trial of the game available

https://accounts.eamythic.com/

Fri 21 Dec 2018 3:48 PM by Jafeeio

Seigmoraig wrote: ↑
Fri 21 Dec 2018 1:59 PM
You didn't look very hard to get into Live DAoC my friend because there is a 2 week free trial of the game available

https://accounts.eamythic.com/

Not correct, as of December 12th:

In preparation for development of the Endless Conquest update, newly created accounts will no longer receive the14-days free trial as of this posting.

from https://darkageofcamelot.com/article/1125b-live-hot-fix

Fri 21 Dec 2018 6:20 PM by Seigmoraig

well i'll be, they didn't update the account page

too bad lol I loved rolling buffbots on free accounts :p

Been reading the FAQ on that EC F2P system, looks kinda shit ?
"Experience, bounty point, coin, and realm point gain will be significantly reduced and/or throttled compared to normal accounts."
"Concentration buffs can only be cast on EC-enabled characters within the buffers' group and will be restricted in range."

The throttled XP is so-so but the no buffs thing seems retarded to me. How will any EC buffer EVER get a group in rvr ?
Good thing I will be playing on Phoenix

Sat 22 Dec 2018 3:05 PM by phixion

The entire EC idea is a joke, there's no way anyone wanting to play for real will accept all of those restrictions.

Sun 23 Dec 2018 1:47 AM by chryso

phixion wrote: ↑
Sat 22 Dec 2018 3:05 PM
The entire EC idea is a joke, there's no way anyone wanting to play for real will accept all of those restrictions.

Of course they won't. They want you to get hooked then subscribe.

Sun 23 Dec 2018 3:02 PM by phixion

chryso wrote: ↑
Sun 23 Dec 2018 1:47 AM
Of course they won't. They want you to get hooked then subscribe.

Who exactly?

Old players know this model is too restrictive, those that used to be tempted back by free playtime will laugh at this offer.

New players... Well we all know how that goes. This game is not made for new players in the year 2018/2019, I've tried to get friends in to the game and they all end up quitting. The new generation does not like this sort of game.

So it's a lose/lose for Broadsword, I'm not sure who they think their playerbase are, but they are mistaken if they think they will get more players from this offer.

Sun 23 Dec 2018 3:36 PM by relvinian

Broadsword just needs to launch a classic server and a classic pvp server, both for 10 bucks a month.

Then they would have something.

Their monthly charge is too high, their game too evolved.

Launch here? I'm predicting 3k.

Sure hope the spawn is dynamic and able to keep up with that number of players.

Mon 24 Dec 2018 1:03 AM by Frigzy

relvinian wrote: ↑
Sun 23 Dec 2018 3:36 PM
Sure hope the spawn is dynamic and able to keep up with that number of players.

I predict a TON of griefing over killtask item spots if this isn't looked into. Even in beta with around 6-700 people playing, these were already overbooked.

Mon 24 Dec 2018 2:58 AM by vadox

No one can predict population better than abydork. He predicted other server ups and down from day one up to today's population. People still trying to figure out the complex algorithm aby is using in her calculations. Hopefully it can stop by and answer the question OP raised.

Mon 24 Dec 2018 4:56 AM by Gnarrg

I really think the way devs handle the server and how responsive they are to the player base bodes well for the future. I sure look forward to playing for many years, sometimes more sometimes less... I also think it'll have a strong player base in the early months, and then taper off somewhat. But it's impossible to do worse than Uthgard, they really messed up big time with community engagement.

Tue 25 Dec 2018 10:58 AM by relvinian

Gnarrg wrote: ↑
Mon 24 Dec 2018 4:56 AM
I really think the way devs handle the server and how responsive they are to the player base bodes well for the future. I sure look forward to playing for many years, sometimes more sometimes less... I also think it'll have a strong player base in the early months, and then taper off somewhat. But it's impossible to do worse than Uthgard, they really messed up big time with community engagement.

uthgard squandered the goodwill of their players.

Sun 30 Dec 2018 7:07 AM by Jond

Uthgard simply wasted their launch hype and population by not listening, or being willing to make custom changes to things that were clearly shitty even back in 2003. Here's to hoping the population stays strong hear. Looking forward to launch.

Sun 30 Dec 2018 8:47 PM by jg777

I just recently heard about this upcoming server launch. I had no previous idea about it. I quit Live long ago and would love to get on and play this again- albeit at a much less play rate than years ago. I can't justify returning to the Live servers again now and paying- I am not even sure I could dedicate more than 4-5 hours a week on this frankly. From what I read the Live server has changed dramatically, and probably not for the better. My hope is that there is enough players here to support a healthy DAOC experience- and if the server has 2k players online at any given time, if not more, then that seems likely. What is attractive to me is that the developers here could change some aspects of the game that never made sense and/or add something just for the sake of a better player experience- that is wonderful. And for free, well, so what if I can only play a few hours on the weekends, no pressure to get time in to justify a cost!

I imagine there will be the big initial spike in players for the first few weeks and if the technical issues aren't major and everyone is having fun, it'll retain a large lot of the initial launch population. I mean its DAOC for free, I'd think people will be more forgiving of some technical issues upfront when they aren't even being charged to play on the server. However, I am not sure how advertising is working- I literally happened upon this from a random game forum that mentioned this new server for this game. I hope they are actively advertising this game on various game forums and what not.

See you on the battlefield in a couple weeks!

Mon 31 Dec 2018 9:41 AM by Mac

Gnarrg wrote: ↑
Mon 24 Dec 2018 4:56 AM
I really think the way devs handle the server and how responsive they are to the player base bodes well for the future. I sure look forward to playing for many years, sometimes more sometimes less... I also think it'll have a strong player base in the early months, and then taper off somewhat. But it's impossible to do worse than Uthgard, they really messed up big time with community engagement.

A dev team can damage the server population by not listening enough to what the players want, no question about that (See Uthgard 2.0). However, the devs can also damage the game by listening too much to player requests! Players often focus on what is good for them in the short term even if it's bad for the game long term. A wise dev team will listen carefully to player requests and then explain why some requests aren't going to be implemented for the good of the game. Here's hoping that the Phoenix devs get the balance about right.

Mon 31 Dec 2018 4:57 PM by Beardocalypse

I think seeing how many log in for the stress test Jan 4th weekend will be indicative of the player base who've been following closely (or just happen to stumble upon this project at just the right time) to get guilds and characters created/reserved for actual launch.

I suspect some players may have the launch date of January 12th on their radar (perhaps not a good choice of words here) and may not be aware of this weekend's pre-launch stress test.

All in all, I hope to see somewhere between 2-3k on launch day!

Mon 31 Dec 2018 8:55 PM by Hector

Launch day will be capped with a queue. Stress test/naming weekend will still be significantly less than real launch day. It's player psychology, people don't play til its for real

Tue 1 Jan 2019 4:18 PM by Tyton

I don't expect the numbers will be as high as the initial Uth 2.0 spike (just because of their longevity/name and people are still finding out about Phoenix). But I do think we can get a solid 2-3k the first week or so. The pop drop will be much less than Uth as well since the Phoenix team is really good about listening to their players. I will second Mac's thoughts however, listening "too much" can also be a problem. But I believe the team here knows what to do.

PS - I haven't been this excited for a server launch in years, or any game/MMO launch for that matter. There's only so much Mount & Blade I can play before I starting losing it--need me some DAoC!

Tue 1 Jan 2019 4:21 PM by Hector

On January 19th, 1 week after Phoenix launch, the population here will be 4 thousand and the population of Uthgard will be 10.
Book it.

In the meantime, spread the word on Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, etc., that Phoenix is coming

Tue 1 Jan 2019 9:35 PM by Mac

Hector wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 4:21 PM
On January 19th, 1 week after Phoenix launch, the population here will be 4 thousand and the population of Uthgard will be 10.
Book it.

In the meantime, spread the word on Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, etc., that Phoenix is coming

I'm pretty sure you're way wrong on both numbers.

Wed 2 Jan 2019 1:43 AM by Hector

Mac wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 9:35 PM
Hector wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 4:21 PM
On January 19th, 1 week after Phoenix launch, the population here will be 4 thousand and the population of Uthgard will be 10.
Book it.

In the meantime, spread the word on Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, etc., that Phoenix is coming

I'm pretty sure you're way wrong on both numbers.

There are over 10 thousand forum accounts registered here. Even if 50% of that is bots/people who wont play, you're looking at 5k on the high end just like Uth had.

Wed 2 Jan 2019 2:10 AM by Gohanssj

Uthgard undoubtedly suffered due to its dev team, however the numbers still would have dropped and will here. Regardless of the server settings you will get loads of people come for a nostalgia kick then drop off. If there are 1k players after 3 months then it's doing well. Obviously it's great if there's more, but to expect it I unrealistic. Might see 2 to 3k at launch but most will drop off in a month then it will slowly trickle. That said, was less than 1k during the early stages of beta and the server definately didn't feel empty

Wed 2 Jan 2019 3:45 AM by relvinian

Because nobody will play a free game worldwide if you advertise it.

Wed 2 Jan 2019 7:59 AM by Mac

Hector wrote: ↑
Wed 2 Jan 2019 1:43 AM
Mac wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 9:35 PM
Hector wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 4:21 PM
On January 19th, 1 week after Phoenix launch, the population here will be 4 thousand and the population of Uthgard will be 10.
Book it.

In the meantime, spread the word on Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, etc., that Phoenix is coming

I'm pretty sure you're way wrong on both numbers.

There are over 10 thousand forum accounts registered here. Even if 50% of that is bots/people who wont play, you're looking at 5k on the high end just like Uth had.

And you think all 5K of those people live in the same time zone and will be online at the same time? Uthgard had 50K accounts when 4K were trying to log in at the same time.

Wed 2 Jan 2019 11:46 AM by Hector

Mac wrote: ↑
Wed 2 Jan 2019 7:59 AM
Hector wrote: ↑
Wed 2 Jan 2019 1:43 AM
Mac wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 9:35 PM
I'm pretty sure you're way wrong on both numbers.

There are over 10 thousand forum accounts registered here. Even if 50% of that is bots/people who wont play, you're looking at 5k on the high end just like Uth had.
And you think all 5K of those people live in the same time zone and will be online at the same time? Uthgard had 50K accounts when 4K were trying to log in at the same time.

Mac we get it, you're an Uthgard fanboy. If you want to talk about something constructive the forum is here for you. Otherwise, have fun roleplaying vs. water beetles over on Uthgard

Wed 2 Jan 2019 11:55 AM by Mac

Hector wrote: ↑
Wed 2 Jan 2019 11:46 AM
Mac wrote: ↑
Wed 2 Jan 2019 7:59 AM
Hector wrote: ↑
Wed 2 Jan 2019 1:43 AM
There are over 10 thousand forum accounts registered here. Even if 50% of that is bots/people who wont play, you're looking at 5k on the high end just like Uth had.
And you think all 5K of those people live in the same time zone and will be online at the same time? Uthgard had 50K accounts when 4K were trying to log in at the same time.

Mac we get it, you're an Uthgard fanboy. If you want to talk about something constructive the forum is here for you. Otherwise, have fun roleplaying vs. water beetles over on Uthgard

I enjoy playing on both Uthgard and Phoenix and see no reason to make up lies about either server.

Wed 2 Jan 2019 2:53 PM by Tyton

Drop-offs happen in every game/server. It's just the nature of gaming. We can definitely limit that a bit more here though, as compared to what happened on Genesis and Uth 2.0. Honestly if--months after the opening rush--we can see about 1k at North America peak hours, things will be going quite well.

Thu 3 Jan 2019 11:41 PM by BaldEagle

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QsDDXSmGJZA

https://i.kym-cdn.com/entries/icons/original/000/000/056/itsover1000.jpg

Mon 21 Jan 2019 7:45 PM by Hector

Mac wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 9:35 PM
Hector wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 4:21 PM
On January 19th, 1 week after Phoenix launch, the population here will be 4 thousand and the population of Uthgard will be 10.
Book it.

In the meantime, spread the word on Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, etc., that Phoenix is coming

I'm pretty sure you're way wrong on both numbers.

Jan 21st - Phoenix 3880 primetime, Uthgard 90. I was close bro.

Mon 21 Jan 2019 8:08 PM by SpoonyBard

Hah, nice guess!

Did you see the stats released by Uthred?

Peak of 3573 concurrent players (3805 connected clients)
Around 3K concurrent players during the week at 9 pm CET

He estimates around 5K to be the current player cap.

Mon 21 Jan 2019 9:01 PM by Mac

Hector wrote: ↑
Mon 21 Jan 2019 7:45 PM
Mac wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 9:35 PM
Hector wrote: ↑
Tue 1 Jan 2019 4:21 PM
On January 19th, 1 week after Phoenix launch, the population here will be 4 thousand and the population of Uthgard will be 10.
Book it.

In the meantime, spread the word on Reddit, YouTube, Twitch, etc., that Phoenix is coming

I'm pretty sure you're way wrong on both numbers.

Jan 21st - Phoenix 3880 primetime, Uthgard 90. I was close bro.

Uthgard is NINE times the number you perdicted and you think thats close? You were pretty close on Phoenix numbers. Gratz.

Tue 22 Jan 2019 9:08 AM by Sepplord

are there any numbers on accounts that actively played since release?

are the 3k concurrent players a healthy base, that plays in different times or is it 75% hardcore gamers that took a week off but will only play a few hours soon?

Tue 22 Jan 2019 9:42 AM by Druth

Anyone knows if the pop is going up, or down currently?

Tue 22 Jan 2019 9:50 AM by Galahad

https://unixgeek.com/phoenix.html