You know, As long as Olvia servers exist at all, they might as well just make them permanently available and not just for newbies and returners.  

I mean apparently you already have players who currently either are not playing the game at all, or are just playing every other month so they can stay in olvia. So what if those kinds of players just remain logged in instead of taking a break every other month? How many of them actually are there?   

I'd propose the following changes:

1 - remove limitations on who can enter Olvia channels (anyone can enter)

2  - Slight "anti-arsha" Olvia debuffs - slightly penalize combat droprate and lifeskill XP on Olvia servers. Do not make it overly punitive; just make it just enough that people who already feel comfortable on the normal servers will still be inclined to remain on the normal servers.

3 - with the new "guild home server" changes coming soon, make it so that Olvia cannot be a guild's home server. 

The main reason I personally fear pve-only servers, is that I worry I'd never see the afk fishers & trainers & boats in the normal servers anymore. Seeing them walking around, even tho I know they are just AFK and on a loop, is a big part of what breathes life into the cities and roads of BDO. So hopefully many people continue to play exclusively on the normal servers anyway.   

Additionally, a lot of good memories of mine in BDO are from guild wars that started when some evil player in another guild killed somebody in lifeskill gear, and we wanted to avenge that injustice, so a war would start, and it'd get heated, and become dynamic and fun. I'd worry that PvE-only servers would mean this never happens again. And removing drama from the game sort of removes a lot of the "spice" from a game that keeps things dynamic and unexpected each night. This exact kind of drama is what makes BDO so different than a game like WoW or FFXIV for me. I never know what crazy stuff will happen in BDO each night, and if BDO lost that magic that'd be really upsetting because it is currently a niche game that provides this very well, but if it didn't, then where do I go to get it?   

Despite my fears, I do not believe that PvE-only servers (aka just make the existing Olvia servers open for everyone year-round) would be THAT bad. 

Agreed.  Also, Retto's comment is a strawman.  Here's his quote that you are replying to:

"People like PeaceInChaos will admit a lot of unnecessary toxic behavior happens due to the OWPVP environment.  Toxic behavior that could be eliminated by PVE servers.  While PVE servers may still have issues like overcrowding.............ALL servers are prone to those issues."

I mean, yeah, bullies exist.  Bullying can come in more forms than simple PK, though.  It can come in the form of verbal assault or in the form of PvE griefing, as well.  For example, what would stop a player from doing this:

a) Be end-game geared and levelled.

b) Arrive at a low level spot where new players are grinding, like Polly's.

c) Actively search for players grinding and kill the mobs before they can.  Follow the new player around and do this on every mob pack they are trying to kill.

"Toxic behavior" will not be eliminated with a PvE server.  It will only introduce new ways for players to grief each other, if they're a toxic perosn in the first place, they will find a way to do so.  This means, that devs would need to sacrifice even more time on these things than spending that time and money on giving us new content, or improving more pressing matters like class balance.  Again, PvE Only server will not eliminate toxicity, I am not even convinced it would minimize it either -- especially when players can still affect other's gameplay in a negative way, except in a PVE Only setting, there's absolutely NOTHING you, as a player, can do about it and will be forced to swap rotations / servers to a stronger player anyway.  Least in a normal BDO server, players stand a chance against bullies in the form of PvP, by either fighting for oneself, or grouping with allies to take on the enemies.  And like the commentor above me stated, OWPvP breathes life into this game and is a catalyst for GvG, a really fun part of the game many enjoy.  This will be non-existant on a PvE only server.

Well for players willing to keep all that "drama" they will stick with "with forced pvp channels" tho, so i dont see any real issue ( unless that's players lying to themself pretending they want the "BDO pvpve drama" but they perfectly know they will go into pve channels. )

Yet indeed its more likely that a lot of afk life skiller would just move on to pve channels ( unless i assume for those not just sticking with afk life skill in city )

there is no valid reasons to disminish any rate because of forced pvp absence.

forced pvp is an annoyance for all players not liking / willing it ( whatever the reasons ) yet its not and never was a obstable to any "progression" The only real progression obstacle is : not p2w-ing.

Maybe somes rate reduction for afk life skill in "combat zone", but that to be fair, and not just a "look, we apply -50% to force your hand and stick with "with forced pvp channel and afk life skill in city again"  It should be calculated based on the real loss that pk create

=> like get data on the amount of  afk life skiller killed in combat zone during the past year / average amount of time spent death => get the average wealth creation loss that way. Compare with the total combat zone life skiller wealth creation. And then apply a global %reduction for that in pve channel if that's really that relevant ( thing i personaly really doubt tho )

You're a lost cause, I thought you're were smart enough to lick your wound and hide to avoid another bullet after the last time. Well, I was wrong.

1) you're still asking for your own little world. As I said, it does not fit BDO. What you see as a harmless is in fact a game design choice, and a commercial choice. 

By doing unrestricted pure pve, they would take the risk of losing both players and their successful niche market, for a possibility of gaining some others players and a part of the juicy mainstream MMO market? 

Whatever you think, Devs know better than you. On both aspects. And there's still no unrestricted pure pve channel. Make your own conclusion. 

2) restricted pure pve is not a problem for a tutorial. First time you see that in a game? You want to throw players in the middle of seasoned players right from the start?

3) Arsha is a channel with specific rules, and it does not work. What makes you think another kind of specific channels would work better? (and I said "better". Keyword.)

4) Hadum. Pvpve endgame grind spots, unavailable from season and Olvia. 

Do you even play the game, seriously? 

5) Your opinion only. Your reasoning could be applied to grind, enhancement, even quests ? And many more forced things. Now, your own obsession makes you think that owpvp is a special case and the cause of every problem, but not everyone will think like you. 

"Proven benefit", what part did you not understand? Unlike you, I'm looking for a proven benefit for BDO, not for my own little comfort. If it was about my personal comfort only, you may dislike it even more, but that's another story. 

6) "We" as "we anti-pure pve channels". 

It was obvious, try to follow. 

Now, Andaro simply mentioned the pure pve setting and that's enough for a superficial guy like you ; now I see further and already hear all the following requests you'll make for your own confort, and the tweaks devs will have to do anyway to make a pure pve setting at least bearable. 

But you don't care about that, right? As long as you have your personal version and take benefit from the biggest flaw that would come with an untweaked pure pve version of BDO. You know it and you want it, that's why you're so desperate. 

Oh, oh! Wait! Look who's here! Woots. Woots? Have you stepped on someone's tail again? :D Let me guess. Someone disagrees yet again on your views for... Reasons. I'll give you a cookie, if you stop your flaming. I promise!

1-Not related to my point as you are just doing supposition ( for losing or not players ) without any backup or data :

Yet, as pve side in mmo always was very popular and always attracting far more players than the pvp side ( i.e : see how GW1 switched focus onto pve with the various expansion and like nearly all mmo in the world have far more pve than pvp )

a pure pve will certainly attract a lot of players, so, if ever there is somes unhappy "pvpver" that left it will certainly be unnoticed.

Now, as you liked to claim that BDO "pvpve" is BDO heart, you should then have no worry, as if its really what you claim to be, you will always have enough players to play with you, your so deep "pvpve BDO life"

( Now, you dont seem that sure about that considering how you seems so scared to see pve channel ( so a part of the players base leave forced pvp channels )

2- Yet it contradict totaly your supposition where pvpve is so important.

"Tutorial" meaning is self explanatory, when you dont include an element ( you yet claim to be so important ) in a tutorial & totaly disable it  there is not a various understanding possibilities.

Otherwise like for nearly every part of the games they have reworked the introduction to ( like for gear casino with naru ) they would have provided some smoother introduction to that forced pk.

But instead, no, nothing ! Strange right to have a tutorial that "teach" everything BUT the part you claim to be that important for the game ?

So 1 & 2 doesnt change the point : Pve setting is there, so apparently it fit BDO, otherwise you wouldnt have no forced pvp setting.

3- You are the one saying "Devs know better than you, Make your own conclusion " 

Arsha is still there after all thoses years, it never was changed, nor deleted. Seems like "devs know better than you" and its not the failure you claim it is. So according to you own logic., you proove yourself wrong.

Or else, maybe instead of beeing in your corner and fighting topic you are not concerned about, you should have been proactive over the years and fight for Arsha changement to be "good" ( whatever what it can mean for you ). That is your fault for not doing that.

4- where is the "vp" in that pve grind spot powercreep-ing ?

5- its not an opinion, its a simple reality. Something forced you dislike becoming a real option can only be a benefit. Unless you have a dictator syndrom, its not a difficult concept grasp  ( and it always was my premise so point regarding pve channel ).

"not for my own little comfort" What's the most confortable ? be forced to play under one regim "because someone said so" ? or having a choice to choose what your prefer ? 

( like you certainly dislike to play a pure pve seasonal, it would be more confortable for everyone to also have "with classic forced pvp" seasonal channel. )

The only ones here "fighting for their own little confort" are the one looking to prevent others to have a choice because they dont like that choice. ( i know its seem over hard to understand for you. But because i'am in favor of pve channel and consider BDO "pk" just sh#t. I dont look to prevent you to have fun with it. as on the others hand, you indeed look to prevent every players in favor of "without forced pk" to have fun like that by fighting that idea.. )

I always explained correctly my point, unlike someone like you totaly unable to argument & demonstrate your own premise : "pve channel would be bad for BDO"

"Your reasoning could be applied to grind, enhancement, even quests ?"

Well, you dont need to grind, you can afk life skill / dont play the game, to get money. You have training book for XP / SP

Enhancement same thing, just buy off the market with your "afk lifeskill life" ( or p2w hard for infinite cron, just spam & done. easy )

Why questing ? you neither need that once you already have done it once, its neither that necessary to level up a character.

See, all that already is pretty much "optional / you have others way", unlike forced pvp, for now, no others way to not be bothered by it, if someone decide so.

6- you mean the same 3-4 guys ? I see.

I see you are trying to play the smart ass condescending to hide your anger, but lets be real for a second.

What's more realistic to request :

- a full and deep pve rework ( i remind you that five year later you still have no piece of the bounty system you seem to dream about all days long, or that's the same guys that choose to waste their time on a whatever forgetten tower defence instead of improoving the actual open world , and the same guys that seem to spend time to work on player personal & certainly customizable player mansion stuff )

- first disable forced pvp ( that request nearly no work ) to solve the problem raised by that request : Not liking to play under the "forced pvp" regim and willing to be free from it if so desired.

I said the same thing to your other buddy that have hard time to also grasp simple concept, but lets be real, when you see how thoses guys worked & work on their "game" the request scope necessary need to be "adjusted".

So yup, for now i choose to push for something i'am definitely sure its feasable.

But hey ! if you have ideas to improove pve in general, i will be all for it, create another topic about, start all that, you have all my support.

ké ? do you have anything relevant to say on the topic ? or are you a random that try to make things personal ? ( yet i have no idea who you are, so please, get in the line with the unknown i will certainly never really care about, i will ring you if ever )

Thank you for pointing this out so nicely and concisely. 

I have been playing BDO for a very long time and have never been even remotely interested in playing PvP. 

Since a few months I got back to playing because I heard about the season servers, a place without open world PvP, which was to me a dream come true. 

I love this game, I love the fighting style and game mechanics, especially in a world where most MMO's still default to tab targeting. This has a wonderfully free feel like Wildstar of some years ago. 

Now, I left BDO for months and even years at a time because of open world PvP. 

I want to see the story, I want to play the game, I want to kill a few mobs for the story and move on, and I am definitely NOT trying to karma bomb anyone. I don't CARE about karma, I don't care about PvP. 

I have had some people kill me over and over again, even after explaining I'd be out of their face in no time, if they'd only let me kill these 30 to 50 mobs for the story, and telling them sorry for ruining their rotation...

Those instances were also the times I said 'I'm leaving, *f* this game'.  If I'm not playing the game, I'm not making the game any money, I can't see how that is beneficial in any way to BDO as a whole. I'm sure I'm not the only one having the exact same experience. 

The one thing I see pop up over and over again in these discussions is: "you can't fight for grind spots, and this is a serious problem"

Is it though? What I have observed in the game since I've been back is a live and let live attitude on grind spots in the season servers. I know my thinking is as follows: 'Oh? There's someone here, lets move to a different spot and let them have theirs'

I've seen the season servers overflowing with people, and have had no one even grumble in game to eachother. On the contrary, I've had multiple encounters with players on nice terms, asking to group up to grind a place together and having fun doing so. 

I'm sure there could be exploits with these different playing styles/different servers that I'm not aware of. Especially since I only talk from a PvE point of view. ANd I'm sure there will be many people here in the forums thinking 'what a whiner, just leave if you don't like it'. But that's the thing though, I DO like the game...I just don't like a certain aspect of it. Why would that have to mean I have to stop playing? 

In short, I would love PvE servers. I can't oversee the ramifications properly, so if they ever do get implemented, I wish the devs a lot of wisdom in how to do that. 

Whatever I had to say on the topic, I already did in previous posts. Guess no one reads these days. Also I was typing in a more friendly and humorous manner to you. Chill. I am not sure, why you believe I have something personal. But in the forums of Kakao you were not different. I am not trying to have anything personal, just to extinguish a fire here between some people. But if you don't believe me... You know your stuff.

P.S. I decided to read the previous posts between a few pages. "The wolf can change its fur, but it's nature-not".

The die hard pvpve contingent will never accept that anyone should have a choice that differs from their own narrow viewpoint. Lucky for the pve only players we do not have to convince them as it is up to pearl abyss to decide.