I am very displeased with this news. While I understand that the game wasn't intended for more than 6 players, I am still a little surprised and upset by this update. Farming for perks are always going to happen, it is the nature of games with advancements. Be it special maps, which there appear to be tons of just judging by the server browser. Or playing single player. Where it easier to gain headshots, damage, and kill those blasted stalkers? When there are no players trying to steal your kills. I played this game quite a bit, and have drudged through leveling up my perks, I can honestly say playing on smaller servers means I get more kills. If I get more kills, that means I increase my perks. Of course you can't stop people from leveling up in single player, as there probably are some people that enjoy playing single player.
What doesn't make sense is the "scaling health" the critters has, creates for a perk farming goldmine. What you are not taking into consideration is the fact that a 50k HP flesh pounder can't be taken down easily by one person. It takes a group, or lots of ammo and patience. A group of a few guys/gals working together, taking the HP down.
The only perk that I personally believe benefits greatly from a larger server is the medic. If you have 20 idiots running around taking damage, it is much easier to heal constantly, increasing healing very quick. Not that I have done this, but I have thought about it. I actually have only spawned as the medic a handful of times, and never play with intentions of keeping my teammate's health up by telling them to "Stand still you clown." I keep them alive by shooting the crawlers that may be around them.
And honestly, so what if people level up quicker. There are quite a few high level players out there. How many are legitimate idk, but I still see quite a few lvl 4 - 5 players on servers. I feel if they want to level up on a game that isn't player versus player then why stop them? It isn't like players are in competition with each other, it is a team based game. This is coming from a competitive person by nature. If I am not winning, I get slightly upset in some other games. But in KF, I have no problem sitting at the bottom of the scoreboard, if I am doing an important job for my team. Welding a door, while my team shoots a different location or even being bait for a fleshpound.
You have stopped the players from farming damage on large servers, now they all are going to go and farm on some server that is set up just for that purpose. There seems to be a lot of them, and quite a few populated. I went into one server playing "KF-leveling" once not knowing what it was. A room that does damage, with 2 medics healing each other. While 2 other guys were using various guns shooting at fleshpounders behind an invisible wall. So, the people that want to farm their perks will find their ways. You haven't stopped them. You have even slowed them down. If big servers die, you probably gotten rid of a few players in the process.
I really see no big downside that players can score more damage here and there. Maybe leveling their perks up a bit faster than the players playing in 6 player servers. It isn't like the game is competitive. There isn't a ranking scheme going on, I can't fight my teammates, as much as I often would love to do. This game is player versus cpu, not PVP.
I am thankful that the game is being updated often, fixing most problems (although the scrake still stands there, allowing people to farm damage off of him since he is no threat). I just would hate for this to be the end of the big servers, as that will probably kill the enjoyment of the game for me quicker. Although it will still be $15 dollars well spent.
Sorry for the rant.