>I think it's terribly obvious that a lot of people are only
>roleplaying what they have to so that they can continue,
>pkilling.

I'd agree with this. Though, often that level of role-play is sufficient. Some of the people who operate under this premise turn out to be some of the best-loved characters. Others obviously don't.

>For instance, I've yet to meet a thief or assassin in range
>who didn't take a shot at me.

While this statement might be technically true, i.e. you've really never met such a person, I'm almost sure they exist. One reason I say that is because I've -played- such thieves and assassins, but also because I've met them with other characters I've played.

>I think that this
>has a lot to do with the fact that they can lag good and
>hide.. so a lot of lowbie pkillers like that.

To the extent that it happens, yes, it's probably motivated in part by some of the really "no-brainer" situations that thieves/assassins can stumble across at low levels. You're just wandering around Galadon, hidden, and see this guy word back to his pit. You go over to check him out and he's convulsing. To trip or not to trip? In some cases (opposite alignments) this is a no-brainer. For others it becomes more of a conundrum. Do I want to make an enemy out of this person? Do they even have anything I might want? Is there any benefit to -not- killing this person? Etc.

>I also feel that there's a disproportionate lot of rat
>bastards
>on CF.

Carrion Fields has its fair share, like any game, but I'm not convinced they're disproportionately prevalent. I used to play Hearts on Yahoo alot. It always amazed me how many immature, vindictive cheaters I would come across.

>Group backstabbers, folks who covet gear, the neutral
>flip-floppers who act chaotic evil, and of course the people
>who
>attack you when you're decent enough to return gear to them.

I'm not sure I'd lump all these categories of person together. Double-crossers always struck me as particularly lame, along with the "I'm neutral so I can avoid wrath, protection from evil and templar's vigilance" crowd, but I generally don't mind gear-coveters and people who attack you when you return their gear.

If someone is dumb enough to expect that, after having killed me, I will refrain from attacking when they make themselves vulnerable in order to return my gear...then they deserve whatever they get.