I was having a conversation with Praetyre on this subject, and before he became bored with my unintelligible mumblings and feeble sputters of indignation I had the following two cents to shed:
I understand where he's coming from. I do believe that official house factions should be the ones to dictate the terms and laws of the land. They've worked to establish that right for themselves by representing a unified player base with the means to acquire it and maintain it. The SA, for example, may declare that capital class warships of any faction are not tolerated in Manhattan orbit and will be shot down.
No independent could make such a proclamation, it's not within his authority.
However, while we're on the subject of wishing to have one's cake and eat it too, I would say that the game provides me with the tools to login, acquire an ID and equipment which is fitting with that ID and then perform the role associated with it.
The idea that the SA could then point at Liberty Navy ID Guardian decked out with proper kit and flyin about doing my Navy thing, declare it an impostor and open fire simply because I'm lacking a faction tag is preposterous and smacks of that same fascism that has been so readily applied those who reckon on a somewhat more casual style of play.
There is the idea of roleplay and there is the idea of suspension of disbelief. But if your belief is suspended so lightly that it crumbles to pieces afor your very eyes at the idea of a player wishing to man up a fighter and enjoy his evening shooting at some baddens sans a specific faction affiliation, I would say that you're wrong.
To conclude, there are two sides to this argument and both have valid points. The error is in proclaiming that one side or the other is the absolute truth. The you -cannot- play a naval character without being in that faction is not good form. Likewise that the official faction shave -no- ability to sway what happens in their home is also absurd.
Balancing that out is what allows people to explore the game, grow in it and keep the various cogs and wheels 'o RP spinning.
-Fin
P.S. Comments such as "The SA has no such rights because it is the -SA-" and other such nitpickings whilst ignoring the spirit of the post will be met with floggings with bags of flax.
