Site Merger?

[OzzyKP]

So I've seen it mentioned in several places and in several threads, people are concerned about Opticraft dying.  Obviously there are fewer people than before.  There is a feeling out there that the server is in a downward spiral. What can be done?

Some have suggested we vote more to get higher on rankings sites, others say we need to be more welcoming of new people, others want us to make more efforts to bring in our friends.  All good ideas, but if they haven't happened yet it seems unlikely that they will now.

Some say that new features or changes in the server could attract more people.  I don't really agree. Adding PvP didn't make any difference.

What do people think about seeking out other servers in our situation to merge with?

If we could cobble together 2-3 other sites about our size, combine our forums, preserve the maps for all the servers, it could provide a new burst of activity and double or triple the size of our community.  Seek out other servers that have similar settings to ours so a union would be smooth.  It could work.

It would allow us to keep our core community together instead if waiting for attrition to separate us into dozens of other servers. 

I know it is perhaps a radical suggestion, but I just wanted to put it on the table as a possible way forward. I don't like all the doom and gloom talk.  I'm not the most social guy on the server, but I'm not going anywhere.

[Wone]

This would mean associating the servers with one another. I'm afraid of the conflicts that may arise.

[Nick3306]

I can personally guarantee that this will never happen.

[360OLLIE]

This has many ups but many downs too, a great suggestion but it will never happen.

[iGenerator]

Do you know of any other server that would be okay with this? I don't think we are close enough with any other community that we as a server would get along with, both on a staff and player base.

[SalsaInABowl]

This will not happen for the reasons explained above. And plus, this is our community. Not anyone else's. I'm pretty sure if this server merged with another, a very large majority including me would leave.

[OzzyKP]

How would merging with another community differ from finding a way to welcome in a huge influx of new players?  I know a lot of people want to see lots of new people come to Opticraft.  How would 50 new people finding their way here independently be different from 50 new people who had played together previously?

[iGenerator]

When new people come here as guests they have to earn what rank they get, everyone who plays here worked for were they are now.  Converting ranks based on someone else's standards and creating new hybrid rules and staff teams isn't the same as new people joining on their own