Hot Topics: Server Transfers

With only two weeks to go, the Free Character Transfer Service is one of the hottest topics to be found. From questions to concerns to conspiracy theories, the "FCTS" is going to be the first major change in 2009 and could very well dictate the game through to 2010 and beyond.

Much like yesterday's Thought of the Day, there are calls for additional character slots: a third, fourth or even a pay-for-slot service similar to City of Heroes.

Without rehashing yesterday's "thought" entirely, I feel it's a poor idea - even worse then the second slot. Of course, it's too late to take that back. We have two and now we're stuck with it.

It's these "second generation" MMO mentalities that teach us that we should have multiple toons. These are the same mentalities that find the fastest, cheapest way to achieve any goal; the mentalities that want instant travel, no species bonuses, no penalties for death, and certainly no form of decay.

As much as SOE has conditioned the players to have a whine on deck, the players have conditioned SOE to know that if they make any significant change (even for the better) that pitchforks and torches are within arms length, and the cancellation button is even closer.

What a bunch of crock, especially considering that almost all other MMOs on the market feature even more restrictive systems. Rather then embrace the freedom that SWG offers, we handcuff ourselves to it so that neither we nor they may stray too far from the path that they settle upon with tiny tugs and outright shoves.

The Server Transfers will become an even hotter topic before it's all said and done. I feel for all involved. I feel it will get worse before it gets better.