Sarlona PUGs dying?

[jwdaniels]

I've also noticed that when you end up in a competent PUG these days it tends to last longer - you're not getting people grouping for one quest and then leaving. Just last night, my friend and I picked up 3 solid PUGs (one who was solo and another duo) to run Irestone Inlet. A half dozen or so quests later, we finally disbanded.

If groups last longer once they form, it would stand to reason that there would be fewer lfms from the same number of people.

[AZgreentea]

I've also noticed that when you end up in a competent PUG these days it tends to last longer - you're not getting people grouping for one quest and then leaving. Just last night, my friend and I picked up 3 solid PUGs (one who was solo and another duo) to run Irestone Inlet. A half dozen or so quests later, we finally disbanded.

If groups last longer once they form, it would stand to reason that there would be fewer lfms from the same number of people.

Thats a good point, actually, and its also been my experience. I got into a PUG on my brand new FvS and we did so well on an elite quest we ended up running 5 more quests together before we broke up. Well ok, "did well" is a bit subjective. I would say we acomplished the quest fairly quickly and well, and we found each other entertaining. The runs were far from flawless, lol.

But the point is, with better players seeming to pug to fill hard/elite bravery bonus groups, the pugs I have been in have been sticking together longer. That means I (and the other 5 players) get recycled into the LFM panel less often.

[countfitz]

Not to speak for the OP, but I don't think this is a doom thread on DDO. The title "says it all," PUGs are dying. Not the game. Just a statement of fact.

Make of it what you will.

[k1ngp1n]

I left the game right after 11 hit and took a long break. I had no intentions of returning but I'm bored until D3 and Guild Wars 2 comes out.

There are fewer people playing than before, no doubt. Fewer instances of the public places, less public chat. Its a much emptier Sarlona.

[TheDearLeader]

This is the week of Finals for most people, yanno... and if not finals, I'm sure plenty of people working retail are putting in extra hours to get the holiday sucker-...buyers.

I put up a Shroud, it fills. It's slow up until about the 4th person, then it's normally quick to pick up the pace.

I think without the detailed statistics that Turbine, and only Turbine, has, all anyone is doing is speculating.

You want an empty server? Go check out Wayfinder. Me and MsE went favor farming over there the other day, and it was *dead*. Not even Korthos had that many people in it, Market and Harbor pretty quiet, 1 LFM at a time, and a practically empty AH.

Again, this is just speculation - but I think we're doing fine as a server. Thanks to our Chinese/Aussie/NZ population, I think we're one of the servers with the least amount of "dead time" during the day/night. I've seen multiple guilds hit 60-70-80 over the past few weeks, so that means we're seeing upward progress faster than we're seeing "people aren't playing" decay.

PUG scene dead? Eh, I'm not so sure 10-14 LFMs could be called "dead" or even "dying". I open a party up for people to come loot Weapons Shipment Elite/Devil Assault Elite, those fill up fast.

[HGM-Chi]

Again, this is just speculation - but I think we're doing fine as a server. Thanks to our Chinese/Aussie/NZ population, I think we're one of the servers with the least amount of "dead time" during the day/night. I've seen multiple guilds hit 60-70-80 over the past few weeks, so that means we're seeing upward progress faster than we're seeing "people aren't playing" decay.

PUG scene dead? Eh, I'm not so sure 10-14 LFMs could be called "dead" or even "dying". I open a party up for people to come loot Weapons Shipment Elite/Devil Assault Elite, those fill up fast.

I agree totally. I've no idea what the server population is, but I don't think we're much worse off than 6 months ago, if at all. The PUG scene is definitely slower though, and I'm not talking about levels 10-14. I always look across all levels, never filter them, and as I've said I've seen occasions with no LFMs up at all, and quite often only 3-6 up across all level ranges. During the same play times several months ago there would be a couple pages of LFMs up.

I notice this mostly because my normal habit when I first log on, or when I finish a raid/farm/quest chain and drop group, is to pop open the LFM panel to see if a shroud/ToD/epic is posted for me to run. Usually I have to scroll down to the 18-20 area, but now I regularly don't have to scroll at all. 3 or 4 lfms, I can view them all at once .

Again, I don't think this means server pop is down, just the LFMs. And I think they'll pick up again early to mid January when the crazy season settles down.

[04pugdog04]

I'm not dead yet why talk about me dying

[Alaunra2010]

Below is a limited snapshot of the user count on Sarlona for a few days this past week.

December 5: 950
December 6: 1020
December 7: 980
December 8: 970

Caveats:

1) The number under-represents concurrent users, as it cannot take anonymous users into account.

2) The count was taken between 9PM and 10PM Central Time. The methodology was:

• Open the Who panel
• Do a blank search
• Resize the box so that 10 names appear at a time
• Scroll down one pane to make sure that it scrolls exactly 10 names at a time
• Count the number of times I could scroll until you hit the bottom
• Multiply this number by 10 for the user count

3) This will not directly answer the OP. I will not use anecdotal evidence to support or refute the question, nor have I done sampling in the past to know the trend of users on Sarlona over time. Simply put, I had noticed a similar inquiry a week or so ago about DDO dying / server numbers going down, so I took the liberty of doing a rough count of players online on Sarlona for the past week.

4) I have no metrics on the LFM list, but will start gathering some as part of my research.

5) I will continue tracking the count and the time every day I play and will post occasionally when this issue comes up. Unless of course it's against the EULA. Is reporting this data against the EULA?

[Tobril]

I'm not dead yet why talk about me dying

I killed you ten minutes ago.

You really should check your drinks better.

Any last words?

[TheDearLeader]

I killed you ten minutes ago.

You really should check your drinks better.

Any last words?

If I had to guess...

"SHR PLZ WUT HOUSE IS THIS F2P?"

[04pugdog04]

I killed you ten minutes ago.

You really should check your drinks better.

Any last words?

I built up a tolerence to all the poisons you would have used why I spent time with the dread pirate wesley,

[Tobril]

I built up a tolerence to all the poisons you would have used why I spent time with the dread pirate wesley,

Who said anything about poison? I slipped a badger in your beer.

[04pugdog04]

Who said anything about poison? I slipped a badger in your beer.

Great before i was on the pirate ship I was a badger trainer.

[04pugdog04]

If I had to guess...

"SHR PLZ WUT HOUSE IS THIS F2P?"

But I am not a nooobs can you share the forum login please.

[moops]

Friday Dec 9 24 at 10:30 PM Pacific, 1:30 AM eastern.
24 10:45 (Dif end game ones)
20 11:07 (dif end game ones)
19 12:20---

* was waiting for a DC'd person in von 5, and then reaver, and then VOD, I had nothing better to do, so I did a couple while in, and one when we finished. Friday night prob doesnt really count tho.

Mid groups are prob hard right now, Im not even running my TR just trying to get the new raids done as well as older raids and epics for gear to get the new raids done on epic.

The people that I know running midbies don't pug out spots, it's not the death penalty, its that pugs want to run and get ship buffs all the time, and getting ship buffs is just a huge time eater.

I imagine alot of people are like this as I've been able to consistently pug end game content whatever time I log on, and fill my groups quickly for everything. . .a friend I run with has been putting up VOD elite LFMS about 11 PM or later pacific time, and they fill fast, with good players too.

[Postumus]

OP please be sure to keep relatively close time of day measurements when you do this as it will help with the validity of your measurements.

Yeah I'll try to keep it consistent. Or at least try to provide as consistent a snapshot as possible.

I realize this won't be the greatest data set, but it's at least something based on real numbers rather than feelings.

I really wish I'd started two months ago when I first noticed this happening.

[Postumus]

Below is a limited snapshot of the user count on Sarlona for a few days this past week.

December 5: 950
December 6: 1020
December 7: 980
December 8: 970

Caveats:

1) The number under-represents concurrent users, as it cannot take anonymous users into account.

2) The count was taken between 9PM and 10PM Central Time. The methodology was:

• Open the Who panel
• Do a blank search
• Resize the box so that 10 names appear at a time
• Scroll down one pane to make sure that it scrolls exactly 10 names at a time
• Count the number of times I could scroll until you hit the bottom
• Multiply this number by 10 for the user count

3) This will not directly answer the OP. I will not use anecdotal evidence to support or refute the question, nor have I done sampling in the past to know the trend of users on Sarlona over time. Simply put, I had noticed a similar inquiry a week or so ago about DDO dying / server numbers going down, so I took the liberty of doing a rough count of players online on Sarlona for the past week.

4) I have no metrics on the LFM list, but will start gathering some as part of my research.

5) I will continue tracking the count and the time every day I play and will post occasionally when this issue comes up. Unless of course it's against the EULA. Is reporting this data against the EULA?

great data. Thanks. I suspected the number of players was 1000 or less at that time.

Once work calms down, I'll take more snapshots and post them. I've played at the same times Mon-Sa fairly consistently over the last year on Sarlona - usually from 9pm to 1am EST, and I spend 50-75% of my time in PUGs.

I'm an altoholic and I like to TR so I spend the majority of my play time between levels 6-18. I don't run epics and I might run 2-3 raids a month unless my TR is in the Shroud range (then I'll run about 2-3 raids a week).

[dunsndras]

There are certainly less pugs for much of the content. Does that mean Sarlona is dying? Really don't think so. Many many people don't like to lead groups. Others who would lead fill groups via friends list, guild, channel etc.

Really numerous factors have affected pugging. It's just not very time effective to run one. I mean many players insist on Bravery Bonus even though they are ill-equipped/experienced to make it worth my time to join them during leveling. I have been leveling Komat, my now 16 barb (semi undergeared first lifer) and I find it easier to Solo with a hire (tempys FTW) than to pug most stuff.

But ya lvling LFM's have been dreadful for him. Its like the LFM panel has 8 LFM's from 1-6, 5 for 18-20 and 2-3 for all lvls between. I play 1 hour ahead of east time, varying times but rarely past 1 am east.

as to the idea that PUG's are the same as they were 6 months ago...the number of PUG's may very well be the same as then (don't know because I have no evidence for that) but the type of PUG has changed radically from then till now.

I agree with original poster. Coming from Cannith and Khyber... uh yeah Sarlona is weak in the groups department - does it really matter the reason? Denial ain't just a river in Sharn...

[SoulDustar]

talk about a necro post

[dredre9987]

Holy Necro BatMan!!!