Actually that looks like Gludio... Dion and Gludin are probably the only mainland towns where there aren't so many RMT shops/spammers, and there are a lot less AFK Toons(why do ppl leave so many AFK Toons Swarmed around important NPCs?)[type /target Bella then use attack button to talk to Gatekeeper in Gludio, Trisha in Dion, Clarissa in Giran, Valentina in Oren, Elisa in Aden etc.]
Chat restrictions really make you feel welcome too, don't they(NCsoft wanted to make it more difficult for RMT spammers, they need to level to 41 now to spam general/PMs and Level to 77 to spam shouts) so until level 41 you can't say boo to anyone unless they PM you first.
Oh and don't go PK that guy who is KSing you... since you can't threaten him or even ask nicely for him to stop(if you PK even once before level 61 it can seem unrecoverable... level 61 is Sineater quest) The way they reworked level 1-40 actually nurtures KSers, first time they have to attack a Mob is in the Underground Training on Talking Island, every Mob is already engaged with an NPC(so they must KS from the guards) and all through the ruins NPCs are fighting Mobs(they KS the NPCs and visa versa when NPCs kill something they move to next target regardless if someone is already attacking it)
At least first Class Change is solo instance so you don't have to deal with PC KSers(NPC assists... KS you but you get XP/SP/Drop/Quest items) now the Grind to level 38 can be testing your patience with KSers, finding some spot where you can do each quest. The second Class Change Quest is Open world... and if it is not some KSer taking your Quest Monster after you took it down to 20%, then it might be some High level killing it just to get you to PvP.
But if you make it past all that then at least after level 41 you can speak in general and PM other ppl without them PMing you first.
...(why do ppl leave so many AFK Toons Swarmed around important NPCs?)...
IMO, there should be a range restriction near those NPCs, like Gk, store sellers, quest givers or whatever, making it unable to someone start a shop or just sit practically over the NPC's head, as we have today.
If private servers have this feature, I bet its not too hard for official developers implement it.
A repulser field effect that triggers when somebody is standing near or on top of NPCs for 30 seconds, they get pushed away a couple feet(at least), like a passive knock down/push back... which would disrupt the Toons with shops(shop is still open but Toon is standing so the sign is gone)
The no-shop zones weren't very effective that i had seen(zone prevented opening shop window... but you could enter zone with window already open and then start shop) that was C4 - Interlude so maybe they improved. I think the next time I played was Gracia Final/High-Five but none of the servers I tried had no-shop zones(or was worth playing more than a month or so)
I really am not sure if i should just log out and bail from a sinking ship
The servers (at least Chronos and Naia) are overcrowded and recenly even started to be more alive political - and pvp - wise. You must decide by yourself, if you stay or quit, but if you quit, it will just mean less lag for everyone else.