What is the population of Gilrain like?

[Darkly_Dreaming]

Probably a fairly odd question considering it has just merged, but having just returned to LOTRO after leaving in 2007 im curious to see how the old server is doing.

Is Gilrain one of the most populated EU servers? Or should i try my luck with Snowbourn?

I don't have my original account anymore so its not like i have any advantage to playing on either, but Gilrain was the only server i played back in the day, so i thought id ask :P

[korat102]

Gilrain used to be a fairly low population server but it gained a lot of people when F2P launched. You could always create a character on each server and see which one you prefer - there are plenty to choose from now

[Cara_Gilrain]

Well, to be honest, it's hard to answer for many of us if we're only on the one server cos we can't compare! But I certainly have no hesitation in saying it's been a LOT busier since F2P hit. Indeed, for a while, we were showing as one the of "Not recommended" for new players - the list that tries to direct them to quieter servers to balance load. And there were once some pretty graphs ...*looks kind of hobbity vague* ....that someone posted on the Gilrain forum that suggested we were now one of the busiest English-speaking servers.

We are, naturally, still the BEST server with the coolest players. Apart from Jedy ofc....

Cara

[Darkly_Dreaming]

Haha sounds good to me!

I do remember Gilrain having a solid community, this was during the original Shadows of Angmar though, so it will be interesting to see how its changed now that F2P is active.

Im guessing Bree won't be a social hub now </3

[Bloin0]

Oh brees still a social hub, especially since f2p. Theres still a lot of VIPS and 65's that genneraly dont mind helping out.

[Darkly_Dreaming]

Its good to see that this game still has a good community!

[Whirling_Dervish]

To be honest if you want the most populated server then you want Snowbourn or Eldar, Gilrain's population went up when F2P lanuched, but it has since dropped.

[Bloin0]

But we are still awsome!

[SteeloTer]

Don't come here, there are smelly people and hobbits who eat new players! =O

[Barrynor]

There is a great community here at Gilrain, we have some really friendly folks. Unless you are a polar explorer and taste yummy with Ketchup.. I might be friendly, but I am also hungry.

[PashLeader]

The more quiet the server is, the more ore there is for me :P

Seriously though, I love Gilrain. its my LOTRO home. I spend nearly as much time here as I do in my actual home

[Whirling_Dervish]

To get a slightly better picture of the relative population of Gilrain I surveyed the population of Snowbourn (my guess as one of the most populated servers) & Gilrain today (11.45 am GMT), these were the results.

Gilrain / Snowbourn
Burg - 26 / 68
Hunter - 105 / 154
Champ - 82 / 128
Guard - 68 / 126
LM - 49 / 77
Mini - 39 / 97
Cap - 35 / 69
RK - 50 / 89
Warden - 50 /78

total - 504 / 886

Bree - 42 / 78
21st hall - 16 / 71

globallff - 117 / 407

Obviously these figures are not 100% accurate as it took 4 mins to get them + they don't include anon players.

[Ark-EU]

Perhaps not 100% mate, but still indicative of a very healthy server! Glad Gilrain has been my/our home from day one! Viva La Gilrain!

[Miridor_eu]

I'm now on Gilrain for 4 years... Never felt the need to switch servers. It might not be the busiest server out there but the population is generally very polite (and the F2P influx has not been bringing too many issues in that regard), it has good kins (including the one I'm proudly being a member of, of course) and it has good Ettenmoors action if you are there on peak hours (in the evening - for Europe). I'm not really into PUGging but from second hand information I know there are plenty instances run.

[Finda]

I'm now on Gilrain for 4 years...

Me too!

Never felt the need to switch servers.

Me too!

The rest though... F2P brought solo-levelling as a general option. Consequently PUGs have become somewhat problematic, as peeps just don't get to learn how their characters can use their skills effectively in a fellowship as they level, so they are just jumping in at the higher levels and running through all their solo tactics. (Generalisation here, I accept there are always exceptions).

Ettenmoors - I am SO glad I upgraded my graphics card! I can now actually run where there are 2 freep raids plus 2 creep raids plus extras - instead of running on the spot and waking up dead So yes, I think Ettenmoors has benefitted greatly from the increase in numbers!

Kins - Everyone who hits level 15 gets the tooltip advising them that they can now start a kin. So they do. A check on the population of Bree at peak times shows a HUGE number of kins. And it must be said that there are some AWFUL name choices! I know we're not a role-playing server, but there are a lot of kin names out there that are bizarre, amusing and unfortunately ridiculous. One consequence of the high number of baby kins is that Bree OOC is full of adverts at peak times. Another is the fact that I believe they don't really contribute a good experience to the new player. Some kins survive of course, but most don't, and so new players go through the initial excitement of joining a new kin - usually started by a level 15, unable to help them with either gear or quests, or even general information. So they leave and another kin falls apart, leaving all feeling they missed out on something that could've been amazing. It's possible that the whole experience leaves them somewhat leery of the whole kin experience. As you can solo the whole game anyway, why bother with a kin? And a quick look around areas with levels 40-65, I am seeing a lot more kinless peeps. That saddens me, as the game has lost a lot of the fellowship action while levelling and now peeps are denying themselves kinship experience too.

It might not be the busiest server out there....

LOL, there's no going back anyway, but personally I liked it when we knew almost every character on the server by name, it sure made it easy for us to deal with Abraxas (Long story if you weren't there, if you were..... gratz! We won!)

High population or not, I still find it possible to farm ore and wood in any area, and yes, I do think we've still got a good community of people, I made friends in this game 4 years ago and am still playing with them

Blessed Be

Finda

[Menelion]

ahhh yes...Abraxas....I remember him....someone with all the charm of someone trying to give you a terminal bout of the clap.....

NOT fun - but enjoyed the way he became nobby no-mates after his behaviour

[mithelenthor]

Gilrain / Snowbourn

RK - 50 / 89

Oh no!! More Rune Keepers on Snowbourn....
All the more reason to choose Gilrain

[Tylmerande]

Well been playing LOTRO on and off since Mirkwood came out. Bought the 3-in-1 package that was available back then. Started out on Snowbourn. And yeah, that's a busy server.

After a hiatus I'd decided to check out a different server. And as a blind guess choose Gilrain.
For me best choice ever Decided to transfer my RK from Snowbourn to Gilrain. And created a Captain and Loremaster as well.

Apart from my RK which hardly sees playtime anymore, both my Captain and Loremaster are in a real nice kinship. The Order Of Istari. Rank 10, always people playing. Both high and low levels. They and the server made me decide to cancel my WoW subscription for good.

Am I going to change servers again? No. Even though it's less crowded then Snowbourn, which isn't necessarily a bad thing. I've only met nice people so far. And that goes a very long way towards a lovely gaming experience.

Happy to call Gilrain my home

[Shirlzknight]

Well, to be honest, it's hard to answer for many of us if we're only on the one server cos we can't compare! But I certainly have no hesitation in saying it's been a LOT busier since F2P hit. Indeed, for a while, we were showing as one the of "Not recommended" for new players - the list that tries to direct them to quieter servers to balance load. And there were once some pretty graphs ...*looks kind of hobbity vague* ....that someone posted on the Gilrain forum that suggested we were now one of the busiest English-speaking servers.

We are, naturally, still the BEST server with the coolest players. Apart from Jedy ofc....

Cara

I Concur !! The Best server out there! Haldare Hildorein.

[zimble]

Is Gilrain one of the most populated EU servers?

To give an honest answer, no, the population went up for a while when f2p started, but has since dropped quite a lot (Bree is like a ghost town most of the time).

Or should i try my luck with Snowbourn?

If you want a highly populated server, Snowbourn is fine (as is Eldar), the population is often twice that of Gilrain, with another difference being use of globallff which often has 3 or 4 times as many logged on as Gilrain and a much highler level of activity with that.

[Flimmerty]

slightly off topic but is the kinship sticky list up to date? am looking to join a kin and followed a fwe of the website links and some are dead - from which I assume the kin is in retirement or website addresses have changed..?

[Haue]

Some of the kins on the list are currently inactive or doesn't exsist anymore. But there are still plenty kins on Gilrain, many isn't even on the list.