I think that lineage 2 is not dead at all ,there are a lot of servers with more than 1-2k people (I think that l2 map isn't for more than 3k people max after that it became unplayable).
Players will leave every server they join in max 1-2 months even the server is great and no one knows the reason! There are a lot of times I liked a server and I couldn't play because big clans and cps left to join another server and make an other big "brand name"
Well ,I don't really care for all of those servers because most of them are home made and they never will get close to my ears, so I think that everyone can give a try but just only a few of them will make something good.
I think also a developer has nothing to do with a server.. They are just hearing the person who pay them ..