Accept it is complicated, sometimes a simple solution is best just go with:
Anyone below bronze command AND not in a primary unit can play rebel whenever:
Anyone above bronze command or in primary unit can only play at off peak hours e.g 12pm-12am
Anyone silver command or in more than 1 unit cannot play rebel
Police command are being over dramatic about the effect allowing people to play rebel will have, it isn't going to kill the faction. Poseidon have a similar implementation to what I stated above and you still see early morning patrols, you still see the slot limit being full at peak times, it didn't kill Poseidon and it wont kill police.
The current implementation was not what was voted for 2 months ago, and the current implementation seems like police command got together and made being a special constable as unattractive as possible so that they can say that they technically followed the vote while at the same time not much changes.
I'm not going to get into an extended discussion regarding this, as Management and Gold Command have come to this agreement based on a multitude of factors. I will however respond to your suggestions and discuss your opinions regarding how the decision was made on our behalf.
---- Your proposal
The solution you have proposed is already much more complicated already than the current system, stating it is "a simple solution" is simply wrong, as shown below:
The current requirements:
To play Rebel in the Police you must be an SC
Your, new "simple" requirements:
Dependent on whether you meet the defined set of specifications below or not, depends on whether or not you can play as a rebel in the Police.
- Anyone below bronze command AND not in a primary unit can play rebel whenever:
- Anyone above bronze command or in primary unit can only play at off peak hours e.g 12pm-12am
- Anyone silver command or in more than 1 unit cannot play rebel
Q: How would we track who is playing rebel at what times, would we be able to do this out of RP? Or must we still catch corrupt cops outside of these defined times in a degree of RP?
Q: What happens when somebody gets promoted? Do we ask them before they get promoted past INS if they want to stop playing rebel to become and INS? Or do we just promote them and they just lose that right due to somebody elses decision?
Q: If the above is true, and we ask people if they want to be promoted to INS, how do you manage the vast number of players who will simply be stuck at the rank of SGT holding up slots in constabularies?
---- Gold Command being dramatic
We're not being over dramatic about anything. We're simply in a unique position. We work alongside management to see almost all the factors affected by these changes, and therefore are able to make balanced decisions based on these factors. One of the factors we considered when introducing the SC rank, was exactly this situation. I predicted along with other members of Police Command exactly who would, and wouldn't take advantage of the new position when it was introduced, we were pretty much bang on with our predictions.
Although you may think we just bang our heads together once in a blue moon and something we want you all to hate comes out of the other end, that's not true. Collectively we've got upwards of 20 years experience in the Police on RPUK, so we're well versed in our own areas respectively, and trying to make the right decisions for both the server and the Police.
Poseidon are on the same side of the law as the gangs, therefore it's not at all comparable to the police, if you learn something as a cop it's very easily used against cops when you're playing rebel, or even against other gangs, thus affecting the balance of the server completely.
it didn't kill Poseidon and it wont kill police.
I'm quite confident in saying the current system, now tested for a month, is not and will not kill our faction, therefore based on your above statement, our current policy is on an equal level
---- Suggestion != Outcome?
In terms of the final outcome, in relation to the initial suggestion, it was always understood, and pretty much expected to be common knowledge that compimisies would need to be made, to ensure balance remains for everyone on the server, rebels police poseidon etc alike. If you expected the outcome of the vote to simply be "everybody can play rebel" then - as I mentioned previously - you really have not considered all the options or factors involved in these changes at all.