Hey Everyone,
tl;dr - Some things bug me about Altis Life, is there anything that bugs you?
Before I start, I just want to state quickly, I'm not calling anyone out, questioning staff decisions or trying to cause conflict. I want an honest discussion about Altis Life and the way it seems to be heading.
I also want to state, (I was severely bored at work) so I read the draft rules and current rules from top to bottom and I am trying to follow as required.
I'll start off with my experience tonight, I was hanging around in Sydney and trying to think of something to do, and then it was declared, the sydney bank was being robbed. I snuck over, hid in a building and peaked over the window, hoping to watch a firefight. Instead the robbery was halted.. without any warning, the player was banned for 1 day for robbing before cooldown had finished. Of course, I do not know about the history prior or anything like that, maybe he was warned in-game directly and didn't stop, I'll never know. but it had me thinking, It seemed harsh to ban someone, for breaking a rule based on the passing of time when we have no way of knowing if cooldown is finished, unless we go annoy a staff member.
A little while after, SRT was called. I figured this way due to the two strider's I'd seen driving through Sydney, so I was going on my way finishing off raiding this players house, when I heard a series of explosions. I drove towards them out of curiosity, and I saw the tracers. Looking up, I saw a blackfoot in the sky, and then the tracers started moving towards me.. I hit the ground and went prone. A police officer went to run up to me, but he was hit by a round from the blackfoot. My tires were popped on my sports hatchback so I went to run and try to repair and leave the area. but a police officer approached from behind me. I stopped, assuming he would speak to me.. instead, more rounds rained down, hitting the police officer. I figured some scrub jumped in the gunner of the heli and was waiting for a ban message in chat, I looked up and scroll wheeled.. surprised to see it was a high ranking staff member flying, I saw another officer approaching me so I turned and looked at him, again.. rounds coming down on another police officer.. and a lot of rounds were hitting close to me. I decided to run and try to seek cover, but I managed to run in to a squad of three officers. They requested me to put my hands up, I did.. then they stood in a line and said 'Ready up firing squad'.. Luckily the server had restarted before they killed me, I was a fresh spawn with nothing on me.. so I wasn't even a threat. The part that I find the worst.. Is realizing that police have access to extremely powerful, armed vehicles. Which are only meant to be used to apprehend armored rebel vehicles, unless I'm mistaking the rules here.
I have also seen, extreme decisions being made without any investigation or, in my opinion.. decent review. It appears to be ban first, watch them appeal after. Where I can see a ban as being a way to protect other players.. it almost seems like bans are being handed out more then kicks. Let alone no-one speaking to the player before the ban is issued. (I'm speaking from direct experience, not on myself, but others I play with.) When I look at the decisions, if they seem excessive, I can usually assume and see 'Oh, He's a moderator, probably took the initiative to control the situation before someone else was affected, But when I see it come from a high ranking staff member. I'm left slightly surprised.. again, I'm not questioning decisions as a staff members decision is final.
I'm speaking from experience though, I used to be a staff member of Takistan Life: Uprising/TLU. They ran two 70 slot life servers at one point and it was chaotic... Imagine Altis life, but every civilian online as a terrorist with an AK74, Lee Enfield or Suicide Vest.. and you can imagine the issues you will need to siphon through, and when I look at Altis Life.. There isn't that much chaos. Of course, In TLU there was a similar rule for unarmed protection, except it was enforced to a great deal. You straight out couldn't kill someone unarmed, unless there was a legit reason (Trying to drive away). I see a fair bit of abuse on this server.. All it takes is a declaration, and you can kill.. Doesn't matter if the person actually complies, as long as you send that e-mail it's free reign. I see this way too much playing as civilian, and it's honestly frustrating, I swear I'm one of the very few who actually avoids having to kill someone, the moment you start actively enforcing the unarmed protection rule.. and not so much the intense investigation that goes into a police officer being killed, You will honestly siphon out the people who are there to kill players, not RDM.
Now I'm going to continue onto the police force for patrols etc, I've been playing for about a month now.. and in this entire time, I have not once seen a police officer go past police checkpoint 1, exit more then 2km from Melbourne except for Federal Reserve.. and The only time I saw police at Brisbane, was the server event.. and I think I've seen police checkpoint 1 manned.. once. Some people like it, because it's honestly easy to run drugs.. but I don't like it, Police just seem to sit in main towns unless SRT is called.. then it's like it's spotlighting civilians.. There was another time, I was in melbourne and I heard gunfire and an explosion at diamond processing.. I ran over and saw a mohawk in flames, and a police strider unlocked with money and cases everywhere. I thought nothing of it, looted it all, took the strider away and lockpicked it, to find it full of uncut diamonds. I'm not going to say who.. but this belonged to a staff member.. Is that even allowed as an officer? Seems like extortion gone wrong to me.
Anyway, I just wanted to speak of my opinions and see if anyone would be willing to share.