Why simply having both the Old ADS and New FSS would not have been a viable option.
Ok, I'm sure some people won't be happy with this, but here goes.
Disclaimers first. This is just about why the Old and New could not just simply have been had together. It is not:
- An argument for or against the FSS or ADS
- Saying that nothing can change
- Saying that a different approach to it all couldn't have been taken
Hopefully that will tackle the usual 'so you're saying x'.
Also, I realise that the conversation is already effectively advanced well past this for some, so it's not directed at all.
To the crux of the matter, the reasons are:
- The differences between the two mechanics in terms of the information revealed, and the awareness and accessibility of things which is provided
- Normal human behaviour
- Existing disparities between those who are in the right out-of-game places and those who aren't
To start with, the human behaviour. To cut this short, what this boils down to in the event of a different parallel mechanic being used, some will by default use the new thing and some will by default stick with what they know. Some will also give the new thing a bit of a try and then make a call (there'd be a lot of variance within this group though).
Working on the basis of an even split, then 1/3 of people will just keep doing what they're used to. (Actual amounts could be much higher or lower, obviously.)
What this means is that where there are substantive differences between the two things, a disparity between different sets of players will emerge en-masse.
The effects of that are reduced for those who are in the right out-of-game places, as information will flow between the different sets of players who are in those places. However, a lot of people are not going to be in the right places, and so again what this results in is a disparity between different sets of players.
In this case the disparity is in information, and awareness and accessibility of things. In particular this is with regard to all the things that the FSS brings to the fore and which people would never even know were there with the old ADS & DSS.
In other words, a not inconsiderable number of players would effectively be excluded from a whole load of stuff.
Again this isn't so bad for people who are in the right places out-of-game, but that's only so many, and there's already plenty of disparity in information, and awareness and accessibility of things, largely linked to being whether someone is in the right places out-of-game. (And personally I would say it's very palpable that a big theme of 3.3 has been reducing that disparity.)
And that's really the core of this particular matter. Asking for the same old ADS as well as the new FSS is unfortunately not asking for something which doesn't effect anyone else, it's asking for the aforementioned disparity to be put in place, and for other players to get excluded from things (though obviously this reduces as the time without the old ADS increases).
Personally I think it's pretty important to actually consider this when calls for changes are made, or there are demands for a compromise.
And talk of solutions all needs to take that stuff into account.
(Again, I'm not saying there are no viable options. This is just something which effects which options are viable at certain times and needs to be considered.)