Freelancer/Mercenary ID's

[Athenian]

You argue that these IDs give people the ability to ignore RP and have free PvP. However, limitations such as these would also limit and punish people for RPing. Many people choose weapons and ships to reflect their characters history, not their alignment. While I don't agree with that personally, I respect other peoples' RP. I don't believe changes should be made to the game to compensate for the actions of those who abuse the mechanics in a detramental way. Because it punishes the innocent people just as much.

Restrictions hurt RP more than freedom.

Who said anything about limitations? I never suggested any changes to the ID's.

There's a world of a difference between respecting other peoples' RP and using the game for PvP and damn all else. The issue is this: FL and merc id'd characters don't get a ninja to their rep when they mount the ID, but the choices a character makes should have an impact on the character in terms of the game mechanics. People mounting other id's get sanctioned for attacking others when the environment isn't hostile to them when it should be. That doesn't seem to apply to FL and merc characters.

Everyone else has to live with restrictions. Restrictions aren't a "punishment" - they draw clear lines on what can and can't be done. Having said that, if people don't see it fit to restrict themselves, then others will have to do it for them.

You don't just have to use ships and weapons as the means by which you reflect your character at all. All it does is show what your ship is and has. (I have yet to see a merc in a crappy ship or deliberately mounting crappy weapons.) Or, more correctly, who you "stole" your technology from. As it stands, you can easily fly a military VHF against the same people who made it. It stretches the bounds of believability a bit. Or to give more concrete examples - shooting up lawful people in Manhattan/outside New London/while parked on Westpoint orbit when the environment doesn't show as hostile to you.

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Former member of "the most paranoid group of people in the community"
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