...but I actually want to help CF.

As a consumer, the only way I can make my opinion heard is through my wallet. Thus, if the only way I feel I can influence CF in any way is by continuing to harp on the fact that I (and many others) no longer play, than you know what, that's what I am going to ####ing do. I won't apologize for that nor let you or anyone else bully me into shutting up.

I've offered many constructive ideas and solutions to a wide-range of problems. Most of the time, it's met with crickets.

Also, if it were me, I'd be asking my customers what they want more. And I love the pre-written response to this. "Sam, you're ####ing retarded, different players always want different things". Well, yes, but you need to look at the reason they want these things and seek to change the culture not the behavior.

I have a lot of great ideas (and some have been implemented so it's not just me who thinks this!) and some of them have even been considered OP!

Edited to add counter-points to some valid points you made:

1) Just because a bunch of mobs in the game do cool #### doesn't mean the players should be able to do it. It's been that way on every game in the history of ever.

2) CF had a majority of these cool skills/spells 10 years ago...WHERE WERE ALL THE QUEST #### THEN...oh right, there wasn't much, and yet there were 100 people and 10 active IMMs.

3) This ####ing SLAYS me: "because A) I don't try to win CF," RIGHT BEFORE "I don't get pissed when Jack Blaguar or some quest reward AP weapon kicks my ass. I just think to myself how I can overcome that, and that the next time I roll a shifter I should really try to run a well played character so that I can get the same."

You do realize, you just said something along the lines of "I don't try to win, but when I see someone who wins, I try to do the same thing as them".

...

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4) "But not everyone feels like pk ratios and being able to always win against everyone 1 v 1 are the end all/be all of a fun game."

You have me mistaken with someone else. I love that CF has gangs, and characters that can't be killed 1 v 1 depending on your class/race matchup. I played too many village berserkers not to feel this way.

I do however worry that a culture that creates a system of appeasement will eventually led to the annexation of Poland scenario (would it be AR in this analogy...how ####ing cool would that be? Strike that...I want CF to annex some other MUD!). And that's what we are on now.

5) "but "OP" rewards that have, generally, been given to well played characters since CF began?"

Not really. At times, rewards like Leader Weapons, titles, tattooes, long desc's were given to well played characters. Eventually we all got sick of Lightmage being so much better than the rest of us that we bitched and bitched to the IMMs about wanting rewards that now we are the ####ing ghost in the machine.

6) "Sam. I know you don't play anymore, you only mention it on about a weekly basis,"

I wish I could post on a weekly basis. Change that to monthly and you're closer to the truth.

7) "thanks for that, I know how much effort it must take for you, to make these posts when you don't play anymore and don't want to."

Actually, it would take a whole ####load less time and effort to just never visit this website again. But you know, I actually really care about this game (I have wasted at least 2000 hrs on it as well) and I want to see it succeed and thrive.

8) "It's also ridiculous to blame declining numbers on stuff like this."

I never said this is the reason we have 15 players on during certain peak hours. I did say this has driven me and at least 4 other players away though. And most of the 4 are WAAAAAAAAAAAY better than me at CF.