Bedwyr, yes you summarized the issue in more clear point, while other dev team members maybe offered a little wider explanations, so i was not aware that tom has firm opinion about that issue.
yes, anaris and indirik indeed mentioned that d-list archives contain that dicscussion already, but though i attend that least for about year and a half, i cannot compete them in such knowledge.
maybe one fixed post on this forum would help, reminder on things that are "carved in stone", that way new discussions which are not desired could be referred to such post.
yes, jens summarized what i was thinking about, but it seems i was not aware that buying rouge regions makes such large difference in terms of previous discussions.
i still did not see argumentation what should be difference, but do not want to drag discussion if it creates ill-thoughts.
once more, i would just mention - mnot more than week ago i witnessed one-man attempt of colony to, so it does happen, right now, it is not prevented by current mechanics more than this new eventual tweak would prevent it, and it has even less rp-ing background that simple buying regions would have, it simply leaves very bad taste within game world.
not to mention few colony to's i have seen at times that did not have absolutely any rp-ing background, artificial to the bones, apparently based solely on ooc agreement, and at least one of such realms still exist.
as somebody mentioned in this thread - the greatest value is gaining friends in-game, but currently there is less and less of that as many simply found easier way. in subtle relationship there are no easy ways to conduct "police-work" for player's fairness, but at least the most blatant cases should be dealt with, which is, very clearly, not the case.
imagine basketball game where all players mutual agree to carry have load on their backpack and play the game that way (such backpack would be what our rp binding is). how could it look if someone jump in without such backpack and enjoys using such large advantage and there is no way he could be penalized?
now and than i tried to conduct friendly conversation with ooc-gangers, trying to explain to them how unfair such behavior is, and that large advantage some gain that way does not force them to ever learn the game, but as a rule such guys are rather autistic, you cannot "breach" into their conversation for the moment.
this is extremely much worse for the game than any occasional single-man attempt by some i-c player, but that is probably another subject.
why i am mentioning at all within this thread? beacuse i am rather frustrated how much heated discussion is developed about one tweak, while some rather extreme in-game processes are not dealt with at all.
with all respect, i think some reality check is missing here.
