Server Merge FAQ

[Tarib]

This FAQ should answer most of the questions on the topic of the planned server merges. As soon as additional information will be available, we will add it to this FAQ.


When will the server merges happen?

We will start merging the servers in the second half of January 2010.

Will all servers be merged at the same time?

Yes. We plan to have the servers merged within one day (24 hours). There might be different downtimes for EU servers and US servers though.

Which servers will be merged?

The final list of servers is available here.

What happens if several characters with the same name end up on the same server?

This depends on the following aspects and rules:

• Is the character on a still active account?
• If several characters of the same name are all from active accounts, the one with the higher level will keep his name.
• If merged characters have the same level, the one from an account which is registered on a longer time base will keep the name (so 3 month recurring over 1 month recurring).
• If characters are from accounts with the same subscription recurring time, the last login will decide which one keeps the name.
• The other(s) will be prompted a message at the first attempt to log in with that character stating that a new name must be given to this character.

What happens if two guilds with the same name end up on the same server?

The server of origin will be added to the guild name so all guilds will keep their name but with the name of the server they originated from. A guild has of course the possibility to get their guild name changed again by sending an in-game petition.

What is happening with guild cities when guilds are moved to another server?

Guild cities will be moved to the same playfield and spot they have been before. When necessary a new instance will be created. So every merged guild will have access to the same guild city on the new server.

And what will happen with guild battlekeeps?

Since build spots for battlekeeps are limited on each server, all build spots will be cleared and guilds will be reimbursed the resources for their battlekeep. This is to make sure that the guild get the needed resources again and every guild gets the same chance. Detailed information about how guild leaders need to request the resource reimbursement will follow soon.
This information has now been posted below (see 3rd post in this thread).

Will there be a possibility to transfer single characters to another server for free?

Yes. The one-time free option to transfer characters to another server will be available after all server merges have been completed. Every character from a merged server will be eligible for one free transfer and this offer will be valid for one month after the final server merges have been completed (also see rules below). This transfer will be free of charge and can be used once per character and will be available from your billing pages.

The following rules apply to this free transfer offer:

• Characters from servers that were merged will be eligible for one free transfer to another server in the same territory (EU). A transfer to Fury is also possible. This offer for a free transfer is valid until 30 days after the EU server merge has happened.
• Existing characters on Russian and Polish servers can transfer to another Russian/Polish server but not to another server in the EU territory.
• Characters from any EU server can not transfer to a Russian/Polish server.
• Characters from servers that were not merged (Crom, Fury, Mitra and Ishtar) are not eligible for a free transfer.
• The option to transfer a character to the server Fury with the payed character transfer option will be made available during or shortly after the free transfer offer mentioned above. Depending on the actual transfers and numbers of players, transfers to certain servers could again be restricted though if we see the need to do so.

Can a character be transferred from one server ruleset to another (e.g. from a PvE server to a PvP server)?

Yes, that will be possible.

Can a character be transferred from one language server to another (e.g. from a German server to an English server)?

Yes, this will also be possible.

Can a character be transferred from an US server to an EU server or vice versa?

No, characters will only be able to be transferred to another server in the same territory (US or EU).

Will it be possible for whole guilds to be transferred to another server after the merge including taking with them their guild city and/or guild battlekeep?

No. Every member of a guild will have to be moved to a new server with the single character transfer option described above. Guild cities and battlekeeps will only be moved or reimbursed with the server merges.

Will all the items and messages stored in the bank also be moved automatically to the new server?

Yes, all items and messages (including items attached to messages) will be moved.

Will also all characters of currently inactive accounts be moved with the merges?

Prior to the above mentioned server merges, we will delete characters of levels 1 to 20 on accounts that were inactive (without subscription) for 7 months or more. This will happen during a maintenance downtime on the 19th of January (the official downtime announcement will follow soon). In detail that means:

• NO characters will be deleted from an account that has a valid, running subscription.
• If an account's subscription ran out 7 or more months ago, and the account is not reactivated until the character deletion process starts, characters below level 21 will be deleted. Characters of level 21 and up remain untouched and are NOT deleted.

All characters that were not deleted during this character deletion process will be moved.

How will I know if one of my friends had to rename his character after the merge?

If one of your friends had to rename his character, his name in your friendslist will automatically be updated to the new name. But you will have to talk to your friend to find out what his new name is as you won't see his old name in your friendslist.

Please note: after the merge, better check with your friends if they had to rename any of their chars before you start to send /tell information or in-game mails to them. Otherwise it might turn out that you talk to or send in-game mails to another person than you actually intend to.

[Tarib]

(Additional information added about character transfer options. Please read above).

[Tarib]

How to get the resources reimbursed for a Battlekeep after the merges

After the merges have been done, guildleaders (and only guildleaders) can send an in-game petition to request reimbursement of the needed resources to rebuild the same battlekeep their guild had before the merge. One of our GMs will then contact the guildleader and transfer those resources to the character in-game.

Please note: during the merges, all battlekeep spots will be cleared to give everyone a fair chance to compete for a build spot. So while the resources for the removed battlekeeps will be reimbursed, the actual build spot will be open for any guild to conquer.

Servers that are not merged with another one (namely, Crom, Fury, Mitra and Isthar on EU and Tyranny on US) will NOT get their Battlekeep spots cleared and Battlekeeps will NOT be removed. So there is no need for any resource reimbursement on these servers after the merge.