The consolidation of IDs is both a good idea and a bad idea. Before there were a bunch of different IDs that more or less said the same thing... IE Freelancer and Mercenary. Granted each of them had their own tiny differences, the Freelancer one was more inclined towards trade and the Mercenary one more towards combat, even by mere definition of what a mercenary is. Now with that said, freelancers fight, trade, explore, but we also have IDs that cover that, both the independent trader ID and the smuggler id...as well as a researcher ID for exploration and science.
Some things can be successfully consolidated in my mind, perhaps the Freelancer ID can cover Mercenary and Independent Trader IDs... maybe even the independent pirate ID and the slaver ID could be merged...
But again, there are IDs that simply are too...different to actually be merged into other IDs. The Smuggler ID provides and obvious unlawful affiliation for the trader, and even allows pirates to ignore you. The Slaver ID can be put into that same folder, but with even more inclination for the law to be hostile against them because of their bad reputations. Finally the Researcher ID and the Vigilante ID are so different from anything that has to do with Freelancer IDs that they simply cannot be merged successfully... The Researcher ID for one allows cruisers, and RP considered should not be inclined to look for fights. We even have an entire unofficial group based on the Researcher ID, Cambridge Stellar Research who's RP stuff is rather badly damaged by it from what I hear. Lastly the Vigilante ID simply is like...not sure what to even say, but the ability to actively hunt down criminals like that is not something that everyone with a Freelancer ID should be able to do... at least without bounties. This is an engage regardless of intent or bounty ID, who can kill pirates for them being pirates, not to protect a trader or for cash, so it is not something that translates well.
Some IDs can be mixed, like I said, combined, all that jazz. But there are some that simply cannot. Perhaps if there were more lawful/unlawful variations of Traders and Mercs or something, I do not know...
For what it may be worth, I on the whole agree, researcher and vigilante (and possibly slaver) were niche ids that flagged quite specific things to other players.
Being separate IDs they also required additional attention. For example Slaver ID and Smuggler ID were not unlawful, so it was not possible for other ships to engage them except when both ship IDs allowed it, which was almost never. So the were special IDs that required special attention to maintain balance, which was not done very well. What is the point? You can Role-Play these characters with the existing IDs just fine. You do not need special smuggler ID anymore than you need special Assassin ID, use one of the other IDs and role-play.
Freelancer / Mercenary / Independent Trader / Smuggler / Slaver IDs I can understand being merged. Though the Smuggler and Slaver IDs had something "special" to them, you have to ask yourself if it was worth having more IDs (and rules) just for that?
On the other hand I think the Researcher ID should not have been merged in there as well. It was quite different and allowed / didn't allow a lot of stuff.
Vigilante ID is very different as well, allowing a very special kind of RP, which now isn't possible anymore.
I would have only merged the FL and Merc ID. Then have a "Trader ID" and some kind of "unlawful Trader ID" maybe. But still...that's still meh. Well, let's see how it works out. RP should be defined by RP, not by ID. I hope the new ID allows that though.
To many were abusing the IDs. That is why the merge, to make it harder for abuse. As usual the few bad apples kill it for the rest. As for the "non" Official factions being hurt? The admins never care for "non" Official factions. The Officials get what they want, the indies got to live with it. Same ole for years now.
It will be interesting to see how the fools abuse the new IDs. They always find a way. Never understand why people just do not get miner ID to mine, trader ID to trade, Pirate ID to pirate and so on. All want to do it all in 1 ID, and have no penalty's for it.
I think the freelancer ID covers the Merc (exactly the same) trader, and smuggler IDs fine, If you want to be a trader, trade, smuggler, smuggle, you dont need an ID to tell you that
As for the researcher ID, if you're a researcher for a specific company, e.g. researching new drugs for Cryer, use that faction's ID. If you're a freelance researcher, use the *gasp* Freelance ID! Again, let yr RP dictate who you are. The only problem I've seen is that people are unhappy about not being able to use the corvo anymore, however there are other research ships, like the KuEx, or the X-Shuttle.
Now as for the slaver, pirate, and vigilante ID, which the problems with merging them into the freelancer ID has been that FR5ing them when they attack their targets is too long a process; I'm a known proponent for merging them anyway, and giving factions the power to FR5 people themselves. So thats already been said.
User was banned for: Griefing others
Time left: (Permanent)
' Wrote:You can Role-Play these characters with the existing IDs just fine.
No you cant....Vigi ID allowed you to hunt Pirates and traders arrying illegal cargo (Slaves cardamine) it was something like "Hero ID" the other side of Pirate ID. Now...you cant do that anymore. You can hunt pirates and smugglers only if you are payed by some people (corporation etc)...to do so...and only in their ZOI. So 90% of characters RP was "deleted", lost, unable to be used....call it as you want.
Same with Smugglers, Slavers, Researchers....
no more independet IDs anymore.......
no more freedom....
I preffered more IDs...
One ID cant replace theml all not even for 25%...
![[Image: smuggler-threat-0-1.jpg]](http://i183.photobucket.com/albums/x57/UrsusMorologus/Freelancer%20Discovery/smuggler-threat-0-1.jpg)
![[Image: 7tAtSZe.png]](http://i.imgur.com/7tAtSZe.png)
![[Image: overdrivetruckgoblin_zps191b1277.jpg]](http://i187.photobucket.com/albums/x238/ryoken12/overdrivetruckgoblin_zps191b1277.jpg)
