I used to play CS on a Romanian server with 150-200 chars online (Rere4Fun), without any special CS system or rewards (the old last 5 mins register crown) and where MS from SM was 85% so almost no chars dying at CS except support chars.
And guess what, there were constantly 3-4 alliances coming at CS to have fun (alliances with 2-4 guilds each) and endless fights.
The 80% of servers where I played there were only 2 classes for PvP & PvM (BK and DL or BK and RF), the rest being useless (AE), support classes (SM/SUM) and "just for fun" classes (MG). And people playing (including me) were just having fun, without endless complaints.
Years ago I was incredibly excited just to participate at a GM Event, with trash rewards, just to have fun and see my name on the screen if winning/qualifying, and share some good talks with the GM and rest of participants.
Current playerbase doesn't enjoy anymore this game, either full AFK and casual and complaining that active players are ahead (even with our boosts for them), either full competitive and drama queens, never satisfied, that thinks having big virtual balls still matters in almost 2020, for such game.
I used to work with passion and enjoy watching what our ppl do, gameplay, strategies, etc. Now I work for the already invested almost 4 years and for the sacrifices I made during them, but with close to 0 passion (except loving to improve the weakest game I ever played), at least in the current circumstances, that I pray to change on 2020/2021 when S14 will be released with a new playerbase.
Gud luck.