lately on several MODS there has been discussion of Rules that are simply designed to give one race an advantage or take away a races advantage.
For example, "Cloak Rule"
No player may cloak for more than 4 minutes.
This rule is completely designed to defeat Romulans. If they dont decloak when you tell them too, its accusation time.
As a Romulan Pilot, it is my perogative to cloak until there is an opportunity to fight in my advantage. Usually, no always, I am outnumbered on server and in battle, and my cloak is my main weapon.
The cloak rule began when Myself and another pilot name Tamalak defeated Kilogg and Watertiger. They were both 1/2 hull, and forced me out of the sector, but hadnt scratched the paint on Tamalak. They had an ai on thier team so they all sat in a corner and began complaining that Tamalak wasnt decloaking within range of all three ships. They didnt look around the map, or break formation to find him, and believed that they deserved to win. Eventually they began telling him in battlechat that it was illegal to cloak for more than 4 minutes. There was no such rule on the server, as I informed Tamalak. He remained patient and eventually ran both Dogs out of the yard by blasting one to submission and terrifying the other into retreat. Thus began the quest to have a "cloak rule."
The arguments for the cloak rule basically come down to, I dont want to have to wait for a cloaker to get on my tailpipe and blow a new hole in my rear and 4 minutes are long enough to cloak and recharge. It does not in any way address the fact that anticloak tactics have evolved to give cloakers a harder time getting a good shot.
Further on each server that is debating the cloak rule, my posts are deleted before anyone can see the other side of the story.
Well, if wasting time in a game is suddenly an issue, then we should consider a TIE UP rule as a community.
TIE UPS are when players attack with no intention of combat. It is completely dishonorable and frustrates players to the point that they quit playing the game. Somehow we have all accpeted this as PART OF THE GAME, but it is much more aggregious than a cloaker waiting to get a good shot.
Lets look at how TIE UPS ruin the game. :
First, players spend hours getting enough cash for a good ship and a base to place. Most servers require oa from a base to be able to scan or attack. TIE UPS are used to prevent players from defending thier bases, despite the HOURS of time and effort invested in them.
Second, players spend hours or days getting a good pvp ship and FINALLY finding a resonably even match to play. HOURS UPON HOURS are wasted by players who finally get a chance to fight, but are TIED UP by some little FF so that they cannot participate in a meaningful engagement.
Finally, TIE UPS are used to circumvent other rules. On some mods there are rules that say only 4 players may attack a base or planet. This is designed to allow 1 defender to defend his territory. Frankly, defenders should have first right as they would already be in position before any attack. TIE UPS are used to prevent any player from entering the defense and therefor circumvent the rules.
Lets start a real discussion about this tactic. We are losing players and as a community it is a problem for all of us. Many of you have spent alot of time developing mods and leagues and webpages. Maybe you could spend a few moments to consider why this game is losing long term dedicated players.