I have been listening to monologues about the dying Discovery Freelancer for years. I see 30-40 players (in my timezone) trading, the usual people doing crossRP amongst themselves, and blathering on the forums about the "good old days" when there were plenty of players. Now an event happens, everyone gets active, the community moves, the silent ones make their voices heard, new ships are made. I don't know if it was conscious, but finally SOMETHING happened to shake up all the stillness. It was a shame to spoil the ending in such an amateurish way.
Why couldn't there have been an outcome where Planet Erie temporarily becomes a separate Freeport, and a No-Fire Zone develops under Zoner authority, generating ongoing conflict between the Liberty Navy and Zoner? I get that the Liberty Navy is strong, but so is the Zoner, they're just scattered all over Sirius. The Navy will have to walk on eggshells to avoid Zoner battleships appearing from deep space (I hope that will come at some point) when word of the genocide reaches them. In my opinion it would have boosted player activity. But this is just ONE example of many. I refuse to believe that "the part of the story we didn't develop is where the Zoners might win". I get that we respect the ideas of our great predecessors, but what doesn't change, doesn't evolve, will inevitably wither and die.
Before anyone misunderstands, this is not meant to be a simple whine, but a constructive criticism. I'd also like to see a lot more people come back to play. We have done that now. We need to look at the reasons and reject the stuck up formulas that drive players away.
