What we all want, is to have head to head matches, right? Where every server can win, and no one is left behind, just because they lack the numbers, or don’t have night coverage. There may be a simple solution to this, that does not require drastic server population changes, sleepless nights, nothing of this sort, it’s all in the code.
So, you ask, how can a small server possibly win against a giant WvW oriented server? The answer lies in the points and how they are awarded. Currently it’s equal for everyone, and here is the source of the current problem, if a larger force gets the exactly same number of points for holding a keep, as a small team, then you can never have even matches. One side will always dominate, over time.
The solution is so simple, it can easily escape notice. There should be a scaling factor applied to the amount of points received for holding a keep, and that factor should be dependant on the amount of people currently online. The side with the large zergs may hold 95% of the map, but the small team can easily match up if they take a few keeps, due to their large scaling factor. If the big server gets say 50 points for holding a keep, the small server may get 250 points for holding the same keep. Why? Because it is harder for a small team to take and hold anything, than it is for a huge zerg. This is why they deserve more points. And that is where the scaling factor comes into play.
Now think about it. As long as each server is active and is taking keeps, they will always have a chance to win, even if the match lasts a month. Because even if one server takes all the maps in the night and gathers a large advantage in points, in the morning the small servers will catch up really fast so it will be even again.
Now, you should notice that a scaling factor based on the number of people alone is not enough here. It should also be dependant on the difference between the points on each side. So, the more points you have, the lower the scaling factor will be. The less points you have, the faster you will gain them. It may sound complicated but is really, really simple, just one or two variables, can solve most of the current issues. It’s all in the coding, and finding the correct numbers for the scaling factors.
This solves the issue of night-capping, without removing it. It solves the problems of uneven populations, the issue of different time zones, of WvW focused servers matching with casual ones. Everyone has the potential to win, if they only try. Of course if no one bothers to do anything, the server will fail, regardless of how high the scaling factor is.
If you log out with your “coordinated group” and “an uncoordinated group of newbies” will take your spot, and you’ll loose hard for hours. Would you really play that gamble?