This isn't about "But I won't be able to PK!".
This is about making a certain part of the game too safe. The last 12-15 months have given us approximately a half dozen or more features intended to make the game safer and more palatable for new players, and as usual that isn't enough. At some point, you cross a line where the game just doesn't have the same appeal, and there will be no challenge left for newer players.
I've come to the conclusion that many players don't want that challenge, they just want to not die, and hamster stuff. The easiest route to achieve that is to petition the Dev's to protect them, instead of developing the skills and habits necessary to protect themselves.
I honestly don't believe the game will be better for it. I don't want your shovel, flowers, junk, and 13/43% leather jacket anyway.
As far as the OP, he's not new. He should know better than to drop in on a flare trap, and then run to the forums and whine about it.
You are responsible, not the lack of "rules".
Actually it is about PK'ers just whining about not being able to PK. Especially when the mentality is no PK'ing around HUB. Plenty of previous posts have made it clear the whining is about not being able to spawn kill.
Art - Shady Sands shuffle (Steal BOOM)
Challenge - Minigun to face in town.
Sport - Hunting Newbies by patrolling looking for encounters.
The challenge of the game doesn't actually change. Because its not a challenge to die. Its not a challenge if a bluesuit loses to a APA Bozar and his 4 HPA Avenger/Gatling buddies(In game probs just CA + Avenger). The HUB offers practically no inherent resources aside from HUB patrols. Which newbs won't and can't kill. The only players that kill other players at the HUB do it for the sport of spawn killing a few newbs.
The only way to avoid being killed at the HUB as a newbie is either to get lucky, or to move elsewhere ASAP. If the newbie spawn is 20x times tougher than a place meant for higher level tanks there's something very wrong. I can solo 8 NCR Army soldiers, but if I find a well made PVP build I'm toast at...THE HUB. the HUB is a beacon of PK'ing and most of my PVP deaths come from the HUB area.
Spawn killing is not a challenge nor right of passage. I don't care that out there at San Fran a nub got roasted nor at the NCR. The HUB however is different. You can actually get killed before walking into the HUB by a PK'er. Walk a lil ---> Encounter ---> Minigun to face.
yes there are unspoken "rules" but they aren't "taught" because all you know is that you died at the one place you thought was safe. - Better now that Suicide bombings are a thing of the past.
If the dying had meaning 2 minutes into the game then tell me all about it. Its not about flares, its not about avoiding players already in encounters. The problem is that so many high level players will actively seek out to kill newbs around the HUB. The flares don't help the matter either.
What is the loss of challenge if the safe zone is in a place where you get practically no loot? EXP is gained faster by crafting. The only thing being lost in terms of challenge here is safe travel into some random raider encounter.
The HUB was never a challenge, it was a a frying pan, that's hotter than the fire used to heat it.
If you really think so highly of challenge then ban the WIKI, Ban all Player help guides. Ban Helping players.
Not everything can be learned from the wiki or guides, they're bound to leave some things out. However, the wiki and guides will take most of the "Challenge" Right outta the game. More so then a simple safe zone that should be for every patrol anyway.
And Most older players don't care about newbie loot. Its an obvious case of killing at spawn cause it takes no effort and they like trolling the newbies.
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-Newbs will be newbies. The changes won't stop a horrible build from being mauled by raiders. But it'll make an area that was supposed to be challenging to newbies challenging instead of impossible. Most newbies that die at spawn will think that other areas will be worse and quit thinking they'll just die again, also if they die without a tent they're stuck.
-Reloaded is getting more and more people to pop in, some forums consider reloaded to be a better experience then Fonline 2.
-Even if a safe zone won't make a world of difference it'll make PK'ers have to hunt their prey instead of just waiting at spawn. If anything this should enhance the experience as the wasteland as a whole becomes more dangerous as outside the HUB things will be more unexpected for a new player. As the Hunters are catching prey...
-The safe zone will make the Wasteland more likely to have the campers moving about to catch new players. This increase in the area where PK'ing happens will actually increase challenge in the game. As avoiding death isn't as simple as GET OUT OF NEWBIE SPAWN!!! APA ASSHOLE ON THE LOOSE!!!
Think I've been PK'ed 3 times at Junktown, once at NCR, twice at ~Boneyard, once at San Fran, 10 times at the HUB. Never at the Den, BH, ETC...the TC towns...where there are PVP gangs supposedly...
So where's the challenge if the "Hottest" Zones are cooler than Newbie spawn?