So ive wanted to be more and more vocal about this as time goes on, especially lately as ive seen reactions for and against the idea of a possible change to TDP’s and the mindset of training. Reading what gets spoken about in the main discord channel and hearing people's opinions. Watching as the CvC culture is growing again (specifically saying CvC as opposed to PvP here). And as a result of this watching and listening to how people react to death and their idea of “ganked v’s “death” plus ideals around being open. Also the arguments that fly around policy playing with a focus on combat logging.

Firstly and not so much about policy but more peoples reaction and opinions on some proposed changes. That somehow a helping hand to bring them more in line with people who are a higher LvL, or to attain that faster. Something that could come at the expense of the people who have grinded out years and years of training to attain that in the first place. I find this ‘want or desire’ to be rather selfish and entitled. To call for or support work to be done on something that could only foreseeably help out those that have not grinded away for years, will only further delay bugs and issues that have laid dormant for years.

And this will also further distract from the main focus of this game, and that is RP. Something that is virtually lacking within the game as it stands. Something that is getting lost more and more as time goes on.

We do not need a fix on how our skills/stats are used.
We need a fix on a reason to use our ranks/stats.

Maybe then people will stop putting themselves against each other in such a selfish way as why they are playing this game, and get back to focusing on how they are involved in the game.


Anyway enough on that…..

The policy crap.

I recently had a debate with someone, when i saw that they took exception to being “open killed” by a player. I challenged them on the POV that, how is the killers action of pitting their skill of combat any different to them (“victim of the death”) when he himself steals from players. IE he puts his skill of stealing against his own victim. This person likes to steal, he talks about it on discord and it's his RP. He loves the challenge of it and it excites him and it's a big reason he plays the game. (that's great i encourage that)

I know of one very newcomer to the game, who someone asked me to help, new to DR and how DR is played. (he thought finding a mortar from a goblin was doing pretty well ... yeah! that new.)

The newcomer had his coins stolen, he felt a sense of loss, a bit of shame that he was taken advantage of, a little upset that he was bound by his skill at not really being able to do anything about the situation, questioned himself whether or not he was ever going to be at a point where he wasn't taken advantage of. And most importantly lost coins that took him days/weeks to gather (F2P maxed bank account and had a few plat stolen).

I challenged the guy doing the stealing, ‘isn't that just what happened to him with being killed’, the same as ‘he taking a victim through theft’? He replied that being killed he had no recourse, something I saw as the same situation to his victims (even more so, because when your killed, you know who did it).

But he can put money in the bank, ect, if he doesn't want it stolen, don't have it on you.
>>If you don't want to be open killed, don't set yourself as “open stanced or stop stealing from players”.

But a death is more damaging than coin loss,
>>Again, subjective to the player… in this case no, the time it will take this player to gain back the coin, is days. EXP takes what? At best 10-15 mins to start maximum gain rate over 3/34, and an hour to get 34/34

My point here, is the double standard of belief within the game, and the stereotype that exists around being killed. Especially when it comes to being open and you find that your the victim at the hands of someone else's actions.

About 2 weeks ago, a player who inserts himself constantly in the CvC and PvP environment was seen to be “open” and a mate took a swipe at him, i could be wrong that he combat logged, but i believe he did, then he logged back on, went to a safe room, and waited out the 4 hours to go back to guarded. When I asked him 'why go back guarded'?, his reply of “i'm not going open just to be killed all the time” was his reply. Something I felt was an extreme overreaction. Was a mech abuse in my opinion with the open to guarded mechanic via a safe room, and also the logging.

And most recently, receiving this part of a discord log, regarding myself...

XXXXXToday at 10:34 PM
Only Rifkinn has been ganking while hunting so far. Reapirs shop is low blow, but I mean fair game I guess. To clairify.

Not sure what they post on the forums is about but it sure sounds like Rifkinn wants to take it to hunting grounds.

I was on my way out tonight and Uthgaar showed up just as I left, not sure if he just hunts there. But right after Rifkinn gweth'd about sweeping the hunting grounds.

YYYYYToday at 10:35 PM
That is so lame
Serious?

ZZZZZToday at 10:39 PM
If he's ganking PvP Closed/Guarded Necros, I hope someone reports him


The amount of reporting that goes on in game is off the scale. The ability of players not being able to approach other players and speak with them. Once again seeing CvC or PvP for that matter when your not winning as a reason to call foul and have it spoil your game experience.

I have held the belief for a long while that there should be consequences in game for false or wrong reports. If your going to report someone for policy violation you should know the policy, you choose to play the game. (yes obviously you would get a warning first).
This i see as something the GM’s have entertained for to long and has played a big part in the reporting culture that exist in the game. Something that ties up resources and GM’s time, as they have stated repeatedly. Reporters have been given way to much leverage and wrapped in cotton wool.

Way to much effort is given to someone who is the perceived victim in this game, hence the reluctance by so many to ask a question of someone who is killed or ganked “did you play a part in this happening”. And people just jump straight on the bandwagon of “that person is a ganker, they are bad wrong horrible people. (yes there are, very, very few, but yes some in the game).


Or this...

Reaction to being killed… “I was killed with no RP”.
>>Did you try to RP after the fact? Or did you just cry foul? Did you jump straight to anger?


God forbid anyone in this game would ever RP outright losing and concede that by going to the person and admitting defeat” EGOS! And there are many other RP options (I know, yes sometimes this may not work, my bet is 98% of the time it would, i know 98% of the players who PvP/CvC in this game)


Someone used an expression on discord which I think absolutely sums up the use of the report button by people, and that's the “weaponization” of reporting. People don't want the action to stop, they want the person punished, harshly, and they get upset when this does not happen! They feel that that is justice. All for a death? 20 mins of loss of EXP.

I'm not sure if this will stir any kind of reaction from people, if it will give rise to debate, or if i'm the only one who sees the amount of hypocrisy that exists. Peoples selfish views when it comes to seeing possible change on the horizon for the game, Or that people who like to PvP/CvC are not always the perpetrators, that they can be just playing the game within the bounds of policy.

Policy that after spending some time reading lately for something im doing and coming to the conclusion that. Policy is not that grey as is commonly stated. I found it black and white.



Where I'm seeing the grey area is peoples reactions depending on if they see they are either winning or losing. Both with policy and said with the game itself.









Rifkinn