Well, I mean, sure, it's not something I can point to specific data or evidence for. But if you're saying experience and familiarity count for nothing...would you rather be operated on by the doctor with 15 years of experience, or the one who started yesterday, but who can show a dozen charts and graphs explaining how he knows what to do?
As a matter of fact if a doctor has been working for 15 years and thinks that somehow means he can forgo running any tests I would run as fast as I can to the first year resident who is willing to actually apply scientific and evidence based medicine to my treatment. I've actually had some treatments severely delayed because a lazy orthopedist, dismissed my persistent wrist pains off hand.
Of course the analogy isn't applicable anyway. I'm no newcomer. I've been playing for 12 years. I hope you wont try to argue that an extra three years makes a significant difference. As I've made clear I vehemently oppose this change and contest every argument you've offered in support of it. So if our own limited personal experiences can lead to wildly different conclusions some objectivity would be warranted.
The dev team has access to all information in the game don't they? So couldn't you, if you wanted to, see which realms have the best new player retention and see how that correlates with things like number of nobles, realm size and message traffic?
What rigorous statistical and repeatable method did use to determine that 8 would be "reasonable".
The difference is I'm not implementing sweeping changes. If I were and I had access to this information I most certainly would conduct at least a basic analysis to reenforce my assertions.
