Kables

Not at all! I have no intentions of "stopping" the war with this post. I actually haven't logged on a lot these past few months, and even now during my "return" I can't log on a lot due to my job becoming very busy during the holidays. So I'm often staying past my hours, and by the time I get home it's late, and I have to do other RL things to get ready for the next day. Like I've stated above, I've been part of more than one war, and it's the same every time. So the timing of this post is in fact due to the current war, but it's also to address what I've been thinking about for awhile, but haven't posted since, like I said, I've been pretty inactive lately. These are merely ideas to make gang wars more interesting, and if you have any ideas, share em!

I've been part of a few wars during my time roleplaying a criminal on ECRP. Only one of those wars, I felt was justified with its reasoning, the other times I felt the reasoning was weak and its obvious that war was declared only because the opposing faction has nothing better to do. Then the war goes as follows; you get robbed relentlessly, baited into shoot outs, harassed/hounded if you are alone or are in small numbers, and you can't roleplay with your friends unless you are in doors or are in a secluded area. The demands to end the war is usually either “give us money” or “strip your colors and disband.” Which, I personally feel a “rich” faction asking for money doesn't make much sense to me, and telling someone to disband something you've worked hard to build up isn't fair on an OOC level. It's basically robbing you of your current roleplay, and that's what we're all here to do. Yes, I realize ECRP tries to simulate a real life experience as much as possible, but even then there are rules that attempt to make things fun and fair for everyone, and I believe war should come with rules as well. I only have a few ideas so far. I'd love to see more on this matter, so please feel free to contribute! First off, I believe that wars can be declared way too easily. I think it would be a good idea if a faction leader has put in some sort of forum request in order to declare war against another faction. They must provide a reason, along with proof if applicable. Once approved, the war can begin but can only last for thirty days, and if the thirty days arrives with no compromise made, the war must end. Alternatively, a war could be more of a “last person standing” thing. If you die a war related death, you must strip your gangs current colors and wear civilian clothing until either the thirty days are up, OR there is one faction still standing wearing their colors. After the war is over, you'll be allowed to put your colors back on. There could even be war threads that faction members can post on, similar to faction threads, stating how their character has died or if they are still alive, or just to write out their story so far. I think if there are rules applied to gang wars, it would bring further roleplay to the table, rather then just the constant barrage of robbing and shoot outs. People would be forced to be more strategic, and clever. Keep in mind, I realize my ideas aren't the very flushed out, and they have some flaws to them, but I'm not intending this to be a +1/-1 thread per se, (but you can still, by all means!) it's more that I'm curious if anybody else has any ideas as to how we can make gang war roleplay better, and more interesting. Please share your thoughts and your ideas! I'd love to hear them!

While The Wanted continues to thrive and grow with the guidance of the Street King’s and Captains, Brandy Falcon, former Street Queen, has remained hidden away in her home, her money dwindling away with each passing day. As the sun rises over Los Santos, the birds begin to sing their morning song on the window sill of Brandy’s home, as if beckoning to her. Slowly, her eyes open, bloodshot and crusty, staring up at the ceiling. A frown instantly slides down her lips, realizing she has, yet again, survived another night of heavy drinking. In silence, she sits up and holds her head in her palm, feeling it pounding from the hangover. With the birds’ morning song ringing in her ears like an alarm, Brandy slowly slides to the edge of her bed, taking a moment to look at the empty spot next to her, touching it longingly, then standing up with a drawn out sigh through her nose. She stumbles out of her room to begin another day of self abuse. Shuffling through her home, she kicks aside dirty clothes and clutter. Her home in complete disarray, looking as though it hasn’t been maintained in months. Making her way to the kitchen, she grabs the fridge handle and opens it, reaching her hand inside in search of her morning alcohol. Her hands find nothing to grasp. In disbelief, she bends down and peers inside the dark fridge, the light bulb having burnt out weeks ago, and finds it completely empty. She opens drawers inside the fridge, but they yield the same, nothing. Panic begins to grow in her chest. Slamming the fridge door, she begins running from cabinet to cabinet, ripping them open, knocking things down, and throwing things on the ground as she continues to search. With each passing second, Brandy’s anxiety rises, her chest moving up and down quickly as she begins to hyperventilate, her heart pounding, and her head spinning. After tearing the kitchen apart, she quickly stumbles into the living room, checking all the liquor bottles that have piled up. “No, no, no, no... No! It can’t all be gone!” Several more desperate moments pass, rummaging through the empty bottles, the realization finally set in. Tears spilled from her eyes, her arms falling limp beside her while slowly dropping to her knees In a pile of clutter and bottles, her head tilted back, staring up at the ceiling, she sobbed silently, her shoulders bouncing up and down with each sob until she had no more air in her lungs. Taking in a deep breath, her silent sobs become pathetic wails, hot tears continuing to fall down her cheeks and chin. With nothing to numb her pain, Brandy was now forced to face it, something she has been avoiding for close to two months. “Why?! You said you would never leave me! YOU PROMISED ME!!!” Out of money and alcohol, Brandy’s sobs continued through out the morning. As the hours passed, she found herself waking up on the ground, with no recollection as to when she passed out during her break down. While laying on the ground in silence, her eyes fixated on a pile of clutter in the corner of the room, something catching her eye. With a grunt, she slowly begins to crawl towards it, her shaky hands reaching for it, grasping it carefully as she picks it up. It was a framed picture of the former Street King, Johnny Falcon. An older photo, when he was younger and in the military. Holding his firearm within a group of other soldiers, he was the only one smiling, his grin beaming with pride. Although he was proud to serve his country, it came at a cost, in more ways than one. But the most lingering, and troublesome cost was post traumatic stress disorder, with his most recent episode resulting in his arrest. His trial is set several years down the road, but it’s inevitable that he is likely going to receive either life in prison, or the death sentence. The worst part? Since Johnny was considered very dangerous, he is not permitted to have any visitors. Ever. Even if Johnny is spared the death penalty, Brandy knew she was never going to see him again. As Brandy stares down at the picture in her hands, her bottom lip quivers, her eyes becoming misty, finding herself crying all over again. “I’m so lost without you, Johnny... What do I do? I’m... so alone.” She stares down at the smiling Johnny Falcon in the picture frame, as if she was expecting an answer, but of course, it never came. An uneasy sigh escapes her lips, slowly picking herself off of the floor and setting the framed picture down on the coffee table. For the first time in quite a long time, Brandy opened the front door of her home, light from the setting sun flooding the dark, and broken home. Looking over her shoulder, Brandy sees her home in a new perspective... There was a lot of work that needed to be done. With a deep breath, and clenched fists, she steps out of her home and looks up towards the sky. She didn't know if she was even ready to face the world again, let alone face The Wanted...

The sun began to rise, shining light down on the city of Los Santos. The sounds of sirens and gunshots echoed through the streets. In short, it was looking to be a day just like any other. Perfect for throwing a party on O'block, to celebrate the birth of the Street King, Johnny Falcon. Radio calls, text messages, and word of mouth traveled quickly, with the primary being Zetas and Wanted. Drinks and 'party enhancers' were passed around, while others danced around to music. No cops, no guns, no threats. It was nice, but... it also came with a false sense of security. What seemed like hours of drinking, drugs, and fun, Johnny climbed up on the roof of his home and looked down at the crowd of people who came. With a smile, he spoke words of gratitude, thanking them all... BANG BANG BANG And just like that, Johnnys life would change forever. Out of the three shots, a single bullet lodged itself into his lower spine. He collapsed on the roof, and fell unconscious immediately. The people on O'block scrambled, trying to find where the shot came from. Although they found no shooter, they did find something else... A uniquely colored elegy, with the plate “Shadow.” Older members of The Wanted knew immediately who the vehicle belonged to. Micheal Hazel. An ex member of The Wanted, who vanished for seemingly no reason. With Micheal nowhere to be seen, The Wanted rushed to the hospital, where a Zeta had rushed Johnny to the ER. There, his wife Brandy, and adopted son Mojo, stayed for several days while Johnny recovered, doctors and nurses coming in and out of the hospital room to preform various tests. Finally, on a day when Johnny was coherent, a doctor entered the room with a look of hopelessness. He spoke in a tired rasp, and matter-of-factly told the Falcons that Johnny would likely never be able to use his legs ever again. They were crushed by the news, but Johnny knew he had to stay strong not only for his family, but for The Wanted. He called all Wanted members to the hospital to tell them the news, and to speak up on why Michael Hazel would do such a thing. “The Wanted was created by Bobby, Brandy, Natalie, and myself where outcasts could come and feel accepted, and at home. But we've strayed from that, and somewhere along the line, we've become just like any other gang. But.... I'm as guilty as anybody else. During a heated argument, I turned a brother away because he was unwanted, and it cost me my legs...” The visitation lasted for a few hours, with people coming in and out until there was nobody left but Brandy and Johnny. In the middle of the night, the Doctor came in to discharge Johnny, and gave Brandy some information on proper care for Johnny. Wheeling Johnny out in a wheelchair, they got a ride home and she helped Johnny into bed with a smile and a few reassuring words. When she was sure he was asleep, she retreated outside and looked up towards the night sky, her worries and fears falling from her eyes. And just then... her phone buzzed in her pocket.

Great idea! +1

+1

+1

Say you have a gun you really love. Right click it, the menu drop will appear with an option to "rename item" and you can name it "Ankle Biter" or whatever tickles your fancy. Now when you hover your mouse over your weapon in your inventory, it'll display that name. I think this would be SUPER useful for clothes, since clothes can be in your inventory, and we have so many to choose from now! Having the option to name clothes would make it so much easier to change into your favorite outfits without having to try on everything to find it. "Brown shirt with graphic" or "Clubs leather jacket" or "Sweater boyfriend gave me" just to name a few examples.

1+ This, please. I'd love to see npc pedestrians walking around. It would definitely add a better immersive experience.