The housing wasn't the same. Who is gonna give up their Luna house? Noone. Apples vs oranges. Just because both games had houses doesn't make the situation the same. There is a finite number of prime locations and they are not going to find a solutions that will make everyone happy. Server consolidation will end UO.SWG pulled off server merges in a game with in-world housing. It's not impossible. And really, server merges are called for. Many games much younger than UO, stable and successful games even, have done so.Server consolidation will be the beginning of the end for UO. If it wasn't for housing this game would have sunk years ago. There are no solutions that will work.
Problem is every newb who does decide to try UO for the first time in 2011 lands on some empty shard and quits because "nobody plays that game".For those that want a more populated shard they can transfer to one within the current system. Those players have already said items are not important to them and housing shouldn't matter.
I remember when Ilshenar could only be accessed through the Third Dawn client. We didn't all switch to Third Dawn, we just stayed out of Ilshenar.As for the client wars, there is a simple solution to that. The devs just need to create an EC only FREE optional patch that allows them to go to a new dungeon with a couple new items. Nothing that is better than anything else in the game but something that people will want. A new system only capable in the new clients. The goal would be to create an experience that others would want to enjoy.
You mean all 4 newbs of UO might not continue to play a game that has bad service and 10+ year old graphics because there is not enough people to play with? I think the number of people who don't want a crowded shard will cancel the effect in subs the additional new players might create.
When Illshenar was created there were no artis. There was no item frenzy. You think for 1 second that if you created another Illshenar type addition that was only accessable to the EC and made something there drop crimson people wouldn't be flocking to the EC? You are wrong. All they need is the right carrot and they can make people switch.