I understand that the developers want to create the perfect game to appeal to every kind of player. It is a great and laudable goal, but is it achievable?
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time”. John Lydgate c 1370 -1451
Have they in fact created two totally different games sharing the same environment and game pieces?
Over the years the game has moved more and more in favour of free haulers. Don't get me wrong, some are very good and add to the game's tapestry, often actively helping the city builders. Some even join city building associations where they can be really helpful. Unfortunately this is not the case with a distressingly increasing subset of free haulers. There is an element, increasing rapidly, who are systematically destroying the game for the city builders by breaking majorities in the required goods industries over and over again but putting nothing back into game progression.
When taxed about it the response is along the lines of:- We do it to get the prestige so what. Why should we bother about your city building. Why don't you put more money into industries if you can't make the same money as we do you that is your problem. Something wrong with your association. We can get all the money we need, why can't you. (I have had all of these in replies and more, some too ripe to repeat when I have asked them to "Please Respect our Majorities. "
This type appears to have absolutely no concept of what goes into developing the city. They only know that the better developed cities give them the best prestige when they take the majority in the industries being used to deliver Required Goods. Frankly, the City Building associations do not need the Free hauling associations. The City Builder's game is to develop the most successful city if they can. The exclusively Prestige Hunting Free Haulers would have no game if there were no City builders working on the cities. They depend on the City Builders but treat the city Builders with utter, unmitigated contempt. The exclusively Prestige Hunting Free Hauler's game is entirely gaining prestige, sadly, in too many cases recently, at any price. Normal Free Haulers don't need them either as they know they need the developing cities and are symbiotic.
Today I received this from a player who has been playing the game for five or more years, I hope he also sent it to support. (I have replaced some letters with stars as the words used are unrepeatable.)
"***** *** ****** ****** bottom feeders have sucked the guts of game. Parasite *** attacking industries for prestige. I wont take it. Im done. Good luck."
(edited by CM)
It is inevitable, that, if RN do not do something quickly to redress the balance and make city building more attractive to prestige hunters then the city builders will either turn into prestige hunters or, far more likely, they will leave the game altogether. No city builders, no game or a very different game which appeals only to certain types of player. That cannot be what the developers want. It defeats their stated goal:- To appeal to every kind of player!