Below is an open letter sent to Fdev via opening a ticket...
Greetings Fdev,
This message is to address the currentCG in Sagevon system. I am a ranking member of the Empire's 13thLegion. Over the last 4+ days we had a mission to blockade the CGthat is clearly a Federation attempt to take control of the Meropeand surrounding systems. Unfortunately, you have created a game wherehuge player groups such as Mobius (being the biggest) can partake inthe CG in private or solo with virtually no resistance other than anoccasional weak NPC interdiction, which is a joke. As such, PowerPlay is broke, as there is no real way to properly defend against theFederation, who you seem to favor in just about any CG.
So this last 4 days, we used ourgranted access to Mobius private group to blockade ONLY theSagevon system in both Mobius groups andin Open play. Our intent was not to “club baby seals” but toappose the CG in a role play capacity. Despite what some may claim,we always declared our intentions as enforcing a blockade andallowing them to high wake. Most ignored us and were promptlydestroyed. After dealing with multiple combat logs by Mobius CMDRsand them declaring they would continue in Solo, and after giving verypublic notice in Redit, and further monitoring Mobius's forums (whichare open for all to see) we began to give them a little less time tocomply. Further with the starport being a very short 21LS from thesun it meant there just wasn't much time for us to wait for theircompliance. I assure you that had the station been further from thestar, we would have given them much more time and leaniancy, but wehad to make sure that the CG was effectively blockaded and many CMDRsin both open and Mobius were destroyed.
Now in contrast to other player groups,we actually don't find killing Mobius overly challenging, especiallywhen most of mobius was trading in Cutters and Condas with basicshields and nothing but mines for weapons. (Which just proves howpathetic the AI is at countering the CG or pirating). The solepurpose was to not allow the largest private group in the game toinfluence the CG without resistance. The orders were for our groupthat if you were kicked out of the group by Mobius, to NOT attempt togain access again, as that would breach your EULA. We simply wouldthen continue the blockade in Open play.
These actions simply go to protest howprivate play and solo can affect Power Play as a whole since there isno real way to counter it effectively. We do not care if othersprefer to play in private or solo, so long as their actions do notaffect the rest of the players. Which is why being in private or soloshould not be allowed to participate in a CG or Power Play. Itssimple common sense and logic here.
By Sunday (USA time) the CG went intolock down and you (Fdev) voted to remove the hard work that Empirealigned players put into the game. By doing so you have set aprecedent and basically told the community that there is no point inopposing a CG from now on as you will just eliminate that action witha keystroke. I don't know if you entirely understand the can ofworms you have opened with this action. Power play groups (especiallyEmpire aligned) are asking themselves why bother with the CG that isalso related to power play such as the current one since it isbasically a predetermined outcome by Fdev who will simplyalter/change any effect created by groups like ours.
Even outside the current CG as far asPower Play goes, by allowing CMDRs to participate in Power play inprivate and solo, you have created a situation where opposing them isimpossible. The entire premise is just flat out stupid frankly. Youknow, if you were to turn off CG's and PP in private and solo, thosepeople who played there would complain for about a few weeks. Thenthey would get over it and realize open isn't that bad. Especially ifopen got a huge influx of pacifists such as Mobius, as the ratiowould change dramatically. Everyone would still be able to play asthey wish, and simply understanding the dangers of going to a CGwhere you can bet there will be some opposition, can help them decideif they want to partake in it or not, AND if they do, simply readytheir ship defend itself a bit, or maybe wing up (strength innumbers) or even align with PvP groups to provide protection. Case inpoint at the last CG to build an imperial Cruiser, Several groupsincluding the Empire's 13th Legion provided protection forthe traders doing the CG. This adds so much more dimension to thegame, as well as posibilites.
I strongly recommend that you changethe way that Private and Solo play effect everyone. Mobius oftencomplains that they just want to play it their way withoutinterference from others in a strictly PvE mode. Unfortunately theway you have created the game makes it so that Mobius CMDRs influenceEVERYONE when the participate in CG's and Power play, which is unfairand wrong. Mobius fails to see that there are two sides to the coinhere because they simply seem to lack logic, or just can't see pastthemselves.
Regards,
CMDR BKRambo
Centurion of The Empire's 13thLegion
