<-- The game is short of new players, coming, and more importantly, staying in the game.
<-- New players to the game are directed to New grounds, and receive a *ng account in main
<-- *Ng accounts are treated with suspicion and distrust. They're barred from most alliances, due to the secruity risk of them being established player accounts, rather than new players. And they are randomly massed, far more than normal, for being unallianced ng accounts.
<--- In short, they're bullied because of the * on their account name and the ability to prove them new, or existing players.
Solution.
<-- Provide a permanent link between the main account of a player, and his/her ng* account. This provides culpability to the player, over the attack logs of their multi, and provides a clear differentiation between actual New Players to the game, and existing players.
Implementation.
In account details, provide a field to enter an 'Associated Account' ID. Provide a warning that entering this ID is permanent, and cannot be undone. On submission, a request is sent to the provided ID, which needs to be logged in, and accepted. In terms of looks, think of it like an alliance request. A player receives the im, and a join/reject.
Upon acceptance, the ID becomes a permanent 'ally' of the requester. This ally would appear below the officer listings on someones account page (see crappy paint job illustration), but receive no income/provide no UP. It's merely a visibility label. This relationship is permanent, and cannot be changed, edited or removed by players.
[spoiler]
Sorry for using my own account :/ Was gonna use Iflux's but I thought it might put people off I would suggest that in the information by the Associated/Allied Account field, there's a forum page listing, where all this can be explained.
Realism.
Everybody lies. And I do expect some players to continue lying, by entering a false id in their allied field. Some will make deals with their friends, and associate each others accounts. But, they will have to accept all consequences of that ng accounts actions upon themselves, and their alliance. They're responsible for it's actions, and should their 'friend' decide to go drunken massing on their allies.. it'll be their responsibility
But those people are likely already trolling with their *ng accounts, and little would change that.
Benefits.
People that start on *ng accounts, are encouraged to make 'main' server accounts alongside their *accounts. This is true in the newbie faq sections of forum, and by the players messaging them advice. The market turns alone, make it worth it. If they are new to the game, they should have no problems with associating an account with their *ng, or creating a main ID to do so. An exisiting player wanting to be a **Filtered** however, is likely to refuse.
We have an active admin on main now, and players with 2 main accounts, or 2 ng accounts active, are banned as multi's every week. People creating a new main account to tie to their ng account, should be easy enough for the admins to find and ban.
To alliances, and their leaders, it would mean being able to trust people's word again. You could make it part of your application requirement, that any *ng account looking to join needs to associate a main with it, even if it will be their 'supply' account, as it were. Watch their accounts for a week, get them to show activity/messaging on both accounts... get them checked out by admin if necessary.. but I hope you can see how this might work.
Effects.
Associating with your *ng account, would be a choice. We could offer a 1% bonus to stats, or such as an incentive, but it may perhaps not be necessary.
Consider the advantage, of having your entire alliance with visible multi's, and being to prove, not just say, that the ng* account massing your allies, is not one of you.
Consider the advantage to new players, to be able to join alliances, commanders, and become a part of the community.
Every person that chooses to associate a ng* account, is one less possible identity for those that choose to continue trolling.
Drawbacks.
It's not a system without loopholes, but it is I hope, an idea with potential. I do not see any other idea's on the table.
People creating ng* accounts to trade, could sell them as 'unallied', ready for the new owner to bond them to their main.
People wishing to sell, or trade accounts, would either need to sell the complete package (ng* + allied main) or request an association change from the admins. Whether associations should be permitted to change would have to be a point of decision to the Admins.
Please be gentle
















