I'm probably going to get flamed by just about everyone for saying what I'm about to say, since so many people have Temps, but I think there are two MAJOR issues that made all those people from years ago leave, and kept from new people from joining.
First of all, I think there is too much disparity and imbalance among certain classes. The most obvious would be Templar. They have long been pretty much unstoppable. I do realize that a new race was instilled in to the game to "counter" them, but I think the right way to do this would be to re-balance the attributes and abilities of all races/classes. In other words, step back and re-evaluate. I mean REALLY re-evaluate.
There is so much of a difference that it really does seem that no thought has gone in to the balancing of the characters. One clear example is how worthless the Ranger is compared to a Templar. Now, I'm not saying this from a biased point of view, since I, like many others here can just as easily scoop up the money to gear an overpowered Templar, but I simply do not choose to do so. I do not find "fun" in being able to 1-5 shot anything and everything that is not another Temp or a vit Dekan. Where's the challenge? It seems like the Templar has all the strengths and none of the weaknesses that should come with a well thought out game. Like 3 stuns + reflect + cure silence + OP hits? What the hell haha......the insanity.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that a class like a ranger should be able to beat a Templar in every scenario, since they are suited for different purposes, but it also shouldn't be able to be dropped like a 6'6" 260lb man back-handing a 80lb girl with one swipe. If both classes are at the same level and geared with maximum gears, there shouldn't be as much a disparity as there is. But there is. So much that it is ridiculous.
Seeing this situation, it makes me wonder why when a Ranger is already so feable, do you guys nerf the very few strengths and benefits that it DID have? The ability in question is Murder Shot. That ability along with Winged Foot, is a staple part of a Ranger, yet you weaken it to the point of there not even being a reason to have that shot anymore. Why castrate a class that is already so weak to begin with? If any class needs to be changed, it's the Templar. It is grossly overpowered, so much so that if anyone wants to own every other class without challenge, they can simply make a Templar. Even a decently geared Templar can take on most people that are of a higher level and better geared. Isn't that ridiculous?
Also, for the Ranger's case, if high mobility is an attribute that has been long regarded as one of it's few strengths, why eliminate that uniqueness by raising other class' mobility? Where does that leave the ranger? It cancels out that advantage! If you're going to do such things, wouldn't make sense to raise the pdef or hp of half elves or make their attack noticeably stronger? The scout being as squishy as it is, shouldn't be so slow or so weak. If half elves are so squishy, which I'm not arguing against, both scouts and rangers should have a clear advantage in mobility and attack strength. What else do they have? Range? Okay, but that range means nothing against the many classes that have abilities that are similarly ranged as a half elf's shot, that can easily disables them, stroll up, and kill us with one effortless smack. Should it really be that way? That's just insanity.
I'm sure as many of you people out there use Templars, you would really want to flame me, but even so, can you really disagree? Are these not valid points? Of course, I'm just using the half elf as an example since I don't know the strengths and weaknesses of other classes vs other classes, but one thing is clear. The Templar has such an unfair advantage, that it can take a small army to take one down - and many times, that's what it takes. The templar is leagues above just about every other class. Almost like a god. That is not a good balance, in my opinion. No class should be that much more powerful than the rest. If others disagree, and feel contrary to what I feel, please, I would like some insight.
The second thing is that this game is SO cash heavy. Sure it's a free-play, but pay-to-win game, but doesn't some things just seem ridiculous and way out of hand? It seems that 7 years ago, when the game wasn't so money dependent, that there were SO MANY MORE players. But as time went on, and as more and more the game focused on the benefit of the cash user, the gap widened to the point that it's almost pointless for the player that doesn't spend money to even play. They can play, but only play to lose. And most people would ask themselves, "why spend so much time playing a game only to lose in everything?"
I am not arguing this because I don't spend money on this game, because believe me, I spend a good amount. But I'd rather have a server filled with people like the way it used to be - to be able to walk in to a town and have it bustling with activity in all corners of the town - people running in every direction to the point it's almost chaotic -have it be common to come across random wars that occur at random points on the world map, and not only the 1-3 places that it does now. I remember that from 7 years ago, and that's when the game was truly fun. The world was packed and alive! I'd rather have that and have less advantage over others, than to be so overpowered compared to non-cash users and have a bleak, desolate, and deserted world to play in. But just like many things, the concept of money and the pursuit of profits have diluted the experience.
In changing this core concept, don't you think the company would make just as enough profit due to the exponential increase in people, but at the same time improve the user experience? As opposed to MUCH fewer people that spend a lot of money on so many ridiculous things that they must buy to compete? The Rohan world economy is like that of a country where there are the few "ruling elites" with power and money that rule over the "peasant" class of people until they eventually quit playing because they realize there is no point, so that in the end it's just a small game where the few people with money compete with each other on who can spend the most cash. Please don't tell me you don't see this.