Servers

[lethal mulch]

Server browser servers aren't invite only / whitelisted in any way for 99% of the servers.
The ones that are, might be set up for some kind of organized event such as a specific community event or tournament.

Normal, community-run servers are a great addition! If you can play within the same server, you're bound to make more long-lasting teammates, learning each others playstyles and how to synergize for better results overall.
On top of that, if we can judge by the PC servers or any other videogame which runs off a similar community-ran server scheme, it's that the community servers usually are more active in terms of events, as well as have better moderation in terms of getting rid of trolls, hackers and other types of malicious players.

[small igloo]

that's the thing. I just wanted to play with my friends I don't want to join some squad full of role playing idiots. I just wanted to hop into a game and play like it used to be. 99% of severs are " 101 airborne" or "so and so tank brigade etc. They have completely killed the game for causal players. I spent almsot a year level 10 every role and now I can't even play. Bring back official servers. Not allowing new or returning players to play the game is ridiculous. We want to play the vanilla game not that same map 24/7. Or on the off chance you get let into a single server there a 0 % chance you'll be allowed to play the role you want. more gatekeeping. I've probly got over 1000 hours in a tank but im not allowed Create or join a tank squad because I'm not butt buddies with the admin. Server browser took this from a great game to a private invite only gatekeeping experience. No wonder the game is dying sure glad I wasted my time reinstalling this

[lethal mulch]

1. Very few servers are "roleplay servers". Just because the name of a community is themed, it has nothing to do with the actual way the game is played. They don't have mandatory roleplay rules nor' do they ask you to climb some imaginary rank ladder before you can access classes, it literally doesn't change anything.
2. There's nothing stopping you from creating a locked squad and playing together with friends on one server. The only exception is, if you're doing something completely dumbfounded that the server has specific rules against, usually with good reason to back those very rules.
3. In the occasion that you really want to do X tactic and server rules prevent you from doing it, the T17 server's haven't gone anywhere, they're still in the server browser. You can just find one up, tell the name to your buddies and they join the same one.
4. If creating a server browser kills casual players, then how has the PC playerbase even managed to continue to exist? That makes 0 sense. On top of that, a server browser for console was like top 3 requests for console players.
5. There's no way in the world you have all roles to level 10 at lvl 250, not legit at least. To double up on that, if you have 1k hours in a tank, your normal roles would be even less so done.
6. As I mentioned earlier 90% or more of all servers in the server browser aren't locked or whitelisted in any way, so the statement of taking the game to "private invite only" is completely false.

@frank pine as a console player can shine some more info on the server browser and playing capabilities there, since I'm just a PC chad.

[uneven parcel]

I’m so confused by your perception of the server browser. Community servers have names because community members named them lol. Very few are password protected and some of them have rules but most are exactly like the pub games you used to play.

When you used to queue up for a server, did people not occupy roles you may have wanted? How is it any different now? Genuinely think you misunderstand what the browser is

[small igloo]

@lethal mulch role levels mean absolutely nothing now that they added cheater mode(BTB servers) on console. What we used to grind for months for can now be completed in minutes. @uneven parcel I'm well aware of how a server browser works. Huge difference between a role being occupied and being denied access to roles due to admin/owner, server rules, team stacking or simply not being in the clan. There are no longer public severs running the vanilla game with vanilla rules. New players have no chance to learn the game, returning players have no chance to play the way used to. Sorry but I'm not joining a bunch of losers role playing army where I have to play 100 hours a week to " rank up" in order to be allowed to play.

[lethal mulch]

Yeah, Bob servers are pathetic.
But in any case. There's no administrator configuration that can be edited to allow/deny access to specific roles. The closest might be the plugin that checks whether or not you're solo tanking, but very few servers use that.
And again, what you're stating about there being no pub servers running the base gamemode (which is all of them?) is just plain false unless you can back it up with some proper screenies showcasing multiple servers from the top of your browser list being all customized event servers or something.
And again... T17 servers haven't disappeared, they're still there just like they are on PC. Legit 0 has changed...