How does the map rotation work?

[Mekk]

Haven't played planetside for a while now, just wondering how the map rotation work? Used to be after the map event ended everyone switched to the new map.

[Kappatalism]

A certain number of continents are unlocked at a given time. Most servers have the population for 2, leaving the 2 most recently captured continents locked. Players are free to choose which continent to spawn on, but may have population capacity/balance queues to wait on. Also you are only forced off a locked continent when you die or redeploy. If you are determined you can wait out the entire lock without leaving, not that there will be much to do in the meantime.

Actually sounds like you might be unfamiliar with the Victory Points system. Alerts used to be the only thing that won a continent, now they just contribute to it. Owning territory, holding certain combinations of facilities, linking to enemy warpgates, and maintaining HIVEs also earn victory points. First faction to 20 locks the continent.