We are undertaking a new Project code named Main City Network.
I'll try not to make this thread too big, and will attempt to explain things as simply as possible.

EcoCityCraft's Problem:

Throughout the month of June we have been advertising quite a lot, and we have unfortunately hit Minecraft's limitations for our server's specific setup. Minecraft 1.13.2's performance sucks, plain and simple. As soon as we hit just over 100 players on our Main server, our performance absolutely tanks. Once our performance and game play quality goes down the drain, we see dozens of new builders logging out and losing interest, and as such our growth has basically hit a limit.

We have already nerfed several aspects of gameplay, and optimized quite frankly every single thing possible. Several experts in Minecraft performance have looked over extremely detailed reports of what our Server is doing and how it's operating, and we have basically hit the limit with our setup.

Unfortunately, being on 1.13.2, we are only realistically able to smoothly host just over 100 players per Main server specific instance.

Here's an image to quickly explain our current setup to everyone:
(I tried to make this overview as simple to understand as possible)

Spoiler

Now before you get the impression that more machines will absolutely change things, they will not. It is the actual Main server instance causing the problems. (I'm not going to go into more detail here as it would be pages of tech stuff, which is boring.) Our game machine is in no way overloaded, other than our current max memory of course, which we will be increasing with more machines during this project.

Now, when it comes to big networks and their huge player counts, almost none of them are running 1.13.2 & 1.14.2 as their actual server software. And if they are, they have split their players up via several small instances, mini-games, etc. Most of the huge faction servers you see online with 400-500+ on a single server instance are running 1.8, not just for PvP, but specifically for performance. Oh, and don't even get me started on 1.14.2, updating to that trash would limit us to 50 players.

Anyways, enough babble, so, what's the plan?

City Network:

The plan is to turn EcoCityCraft into an actual Main server based network. Now let's be real, for ages we've been planning mini-games, and other small additions in the form of servers to the network, and it has never got us very far. EcoCityCraft is about the Main server. We're all 100% aware of that.

We launched VMR, it's constantly under 10 players trying to prestige, that's it.
We launched SkyBlock, it's nuts during the first month, then constantly under 50 players due to people prestiging.
EcoCityCraft is about the Main server, and that is my 100% focus going forward.

So, the goal is this:

• We are going to be launch more Main servers as they become necessary.
• The current Main server is known as Main City (The player cap will be 100, and as always supporters can join above the limit.)
• Another Main server will be opened known as Main North. (The player cap will be 100, and again, supporters can join above the limit.)
• Should both City and North servers ever be filled (Would be nice, but I'm not sure we'll see that happening. If we do, means we're doing quite good, imagine!) we will then open East, South, West as they become required.

Where will new players login upon joining:

• When joining EcoCityCraft, our proxy checks the following servers in order to see if they are online. If they are, and the server is not full, you join the first one in priority. If the server is offline or full (and you are not a supporter) you join the next one in prority.
• Priority will be as such:
  • Main City
  • Main North
  • (other mains here only if needed.)
  • SkyBlock
  • VMR
  • Lobby
  • Archive

Here's an image to quickly explain our future setup to everyone:
(I tried to make this overview as simple to understand as possible)

Spoiler

And now, what you've all probably been wondering.
Some short points as to what the other Main servers will be:

• 100% copies of Main City in terms of plugins, setup, maps, and more.
• Maps will be called rising_n, mining_n, nether_n, end_n, etc.
• Maps will be just as big as Main City. This means you get that much more space to explore, mine, and more.
• All maps will have different seeds than other Main servers. Again, more new stuff to explore!
• Everything in terms of ranks, features, "donations", etc, will be 100% linked. WE ARE USING THE EXACT SAME PERMISSIONS DATABASE ON ALL MAIN SERVERS.
  • If you're a builder on City, you're a builder on North.
  • If you're a Mayor on City, you're a Mayor on North.
  • If you're a Mayor on City, and want a town on North, you apply for President, and specify in which Main server you are setting up your town in, via your application.
  • If you have WaterPlus, PyroPlus, FlyingPlus, etc, on Main City, you have them on every Main server.
  • Basically, everything will be 100% linked up permissions wise.
• EcoDollar transfers will be functional via the forum bank, for which we will lower the minimum transfer amount! You simply /bank deposit <amount> from Main City onto the forum, hop on Main North, and /bank withdraw <amount>. Vice-versa. Easy! Thank god for our wonderful central banking system!
• Chat will be 100% linked up. Prefixes will be:
  • [M] Main City
  • [MN] Main North
  • etc.
• The only thing that does not carry from one server to the other is your inventory. This is something that is basically impossible. There are several database based inventory systems available, however we are not even remotely going to entertain the idea of those, as they will nearly always have duplication issues. However, hey, now you can strive to have great stuff in more than one Main server. As well, this opens up more trade & job possibilities across the network!

TL;DR IF YOU'RE LAZY TO READ ABOVE:
We are basically opening up a new "world/s", except this time, it's not just a map, it's a whole server. Everything is exactly the same as it always was in the past 10 years of our lifetime with the previous "legacy world setup", other than, you cannot bring your inventories over to the new "world/s".

Conclusive points:

• EcoCityCraft is all about the Main Economy Server experience. Always was, always will be.
• We have hit a cap as to how many players can optimally play on Main City. There is NOTHING we can do around it, unless of course you guys want me to smash down the already tiny view distance, ruin your game play experience, and on top of that, downgrade us to the ancient 1.8 version. Obviously NO WAY right!
• New players are leaving when we are at capacity due to terrible performance and experience. (We have noticed this first hand.) As such we are losing big amounts of money on advertising.
• We will buy new machines, open up new Main servers as they become required, and give everyone an economy experience that is looking for one.
• Main City will always be connection priority #1! Once at capacity, non-supporters who are joining will be routed down the list as shown above, starting with Main North.
• Yes, I know there are lots of questions about the new Spawn on North, who gets the Spawn towns, how many there will be, what the ETAs are, etc. All of your questions will slowly be answered within time.

IMPORTANT:

• When it comes to currently unanswered questions, do not go off any information you hear anywhere. Unless it came from me officially, it is rumour/speculation. Doesn't matter if they are your friend, a former staff, or even a current staff. When it comes to BIG projects like this, unless your source can literally quote me answering a question/concern and prove it, take it as pure rumour/speculation.
• Discussion & questions: https://ecocitycraft.com/forum/threads/main-city-network-discussion-thread.185140