Researcher ID - It's coming back!

[Omi]

The Researcher ID is a hardcore RP ID.

What on earth is this supposed to mean? You mean a text-based ID, right? I didn't realise the admin team was heading backwards now, where your RP scales with quantity (somehow quality has never been an issue on Disco) of words produced and willingness to stump up 250m so that an arbitrary team can voice their approval - or lack thereof - of whatever you scrabbled together. Clearly, the lack of engagement ability for this ID makes perfect sense now - we wouldn't want people associating PvP with RP, now, would we?

I wonder when this attitude started creeping up into the green team?

I mean, I don't want to point fingers like Haste did - but at the same time, he kinda pointed them for me.

Other than that, Haste pretty much summed up everything I wanted to say but couldn't be bothered to waste my time treading out last night. Adding new gameplay elements just to gate them behind a quarter of a billion credits and the 'approval of the admins' (whatever that's meant to count for, anyway) is moronic. I'm sure Finn especially, given his line of work, is more than familiar with the concept of 'pay-to-win'. While this isn't quite the same thing (given that nobody - probably including you lot - has any idea what these 'anomaly' things might actually do), I'm sure you can see similarities peeking in. I certainly can. I'd elaborate, but I hardly have the patience for overly lengthy rants any more.

Also, in the same vein as many others - why is this even necessary? If I wanted to be 'a researcher', why wouldn't I just get a regular SpecOps ID and tailor it to my needs, like every other SRP request has done? Hell, what if I want to be, say, a 'researcher' who flies a Nephilim, or a Gallic military 'researcher' in a state-of-the-art Obstinate? Why wouldn't I just do it with Spec Ops ID instead? On that note, why are there any restrictions on the ID at all if it's SRP only? Surely the very idea of passing the SRP is that you're now bound to stick to it or else you'll have it removed, without needing any 'blanket' ID rules that somehow apply to each and every 'hardcore RPer' who wants to be a researcher? Why is the guff about 'being able to use any size transport' even relevant? Why would a researcher need 5,000 units of cargo space? Are there even any transports not permitted by the FL ID that anyone has a burning, burning desire to use as a researcher - so much so that they'd splash out 250m for a Spec O- sorry, 'Researcher ID'?

Oops, sorry - I meant to say "splash out 250m for a chance at getting a 'Researcher ID'. Obviously, entry into the club of Hardcore Roleplayers™ is strictly governed. Only then may you scan anomalies with your Corvo cruiser, gaining access to whatever New and Exciting Gameplay™ lies within, while printing reams and reams of Hardcore Roleplay™ for everyone's delight.

Yes, I could be less caustic about this, but something about the idea of 'hardcore roleplay' just sets me off. I mean - really? I didn't realise we were doing that sort of thing now. I guess I'd better pack my bags as far as being 'a roleplayer' goes, because it looks like I've done far too much of it in 'softcore mode'. Better go grind up those billions.

---