I made my point clear long ago that the server has always been fragmented in terms of player groups, or the overrused term “clique”. These arent inherent problems, as when these groups collide, some of the best conflicts in the server are provided solely by players. However, time has passed, and our “for anyone and everyone” gimmick has run dry. Each of these cliques have been bled dry, each group has trickled down to the loyal, diehard lovers of Hollowworld. Each want the place to “be like the old days” where each group had more players to be self sustaining. Now it is is not like that. Now, we have fewer people and an even stronger desire to have the server reformed into their own image. Forcing everyone together would have worked when you had the playerbase, but not anymore. It would be the same: colliding interests and a stalemate between the groups. To identify the groups: those who enjoy conflict, and those who do not. The latter is inherently self sustaining while the other relies on another group. This is why the former group is always called out for being violent and grabbing at straws in terms of trying to cause fights. This is not pointing fingers, it is fact. As people will search for conflict, the other group creates alts and player relationships in attempt to keep it fresh. Were on the same boat here, whether or not we know it.
My point here is the format you have does not work, and will not work by building on. Minecraft isnt as alive, and other things contributing to activity. We heard it before. I understand that this post isnt about fundamental decisionmaking, but I am afraid you’re not going to fix the issues youre seeking to fix. You don’t polish out dents, you hammer them out. I said it then and say it now: pick one. Don’t call it a “side”, call it your type of server. Every time I brought it up, I am met with “well we dont want to” or “it isnt the right way”. But then these things happen and people argue that it doesn’t work (it probably will not). Then you ask, “how, then?”. That is how! You cannot ride on the popularity of minecraft any longer. You need innovation. Having a “do what you want how you want” format worked when everyone was playing minecraft itself for that satisfaction. Your server needs a niche, and you don’t have it right now.