[zenith]

I think we can all agree that people get attached to things they have worked hard at to achieve. The people posting in this thread have worked very hard for quite some time to get where they are now.

Not everyone can pour hundreds of hours into something and just say "well that's just how it is" when something happens they do not like. Believe me, I've spent countless hours trying to make Awakened Lands fun for as many people as possible, but it's still causing me stress when issues like this come up.

I'm not sure how this happened, but we have the most civil criminals on the internet here. When someone attacks someone while they are online, there is a complaint. If someone gets surpassed by a younger account in the Pantheon, questions of cheating are sent to me.

This game is about competition. It's about attacking others and waging gang wars. It's about commiting crimes to better yourself. It's all the chaotic and immoral things we all know and love (did I just type that??).

But it's also about fun and being a community.

I don't know how many times I am going to have to deal with "the elders are too strong I quit" complaints, but it has definitely cost the community several good people. I have on several occasions asked them to curb their attacks for the betterment of the game, and they have always obliged with a few grumbles added in. But asking them to stop over and over again will just lead to them quitting, and another strong gang taking their place... and I don't think this new top-dog will be as respectful to the game as The Elders are.

Yes, The Elders might upset people, but they have also helped out as well (remember the gang tournament they held... that was their own personal donations at work).

I am not sure how to solve this problem, since there will always be a stronger gang beating on a weaker gang. Adding hitmen to help anyone beat a stronger opponent will just make donations even more important I feel, and lead to complaints about how people can't compete with someone else's wallet.

Perhaps gang wars should be completely changed, making it more of a group-type gang crime selection instead of the "beat them till they are deleted" affair. I know when things are given to players there is praise, but when things are taken away people threaten to quit... and deleting a gang is just another reason to get upset.

Contructive criticism is appreciated in response to this, but let's try to keep the "hey I just one-upped you" retorts out please. I am looking for solutions.