Thought I would start an open discussion regarding how current CL's rank their men. Is it by a process of needs/demand or more just if a member is ready to be ranked go ahead and do it.

I ask because after just finding a cool little part of the website under News & Info > Stats - Game that I didn't pay too much attention to till now, it seems there may be somewhat of an imbalance.

The graphs speak for themselves. So just wondering if any CL's (beside Achilles) are going to a more traditional way of ranking based on 'opening the books', so when there is a need for a certain rank (due to deaths/suicides/retirements) then men are promoted?

And due to the imbalance in ranks, I would like to know if CL's are willing to step forward and give an idea on why there are so many higher ranked members, when there realistically speaking, isn't a need?

It might just be me here yet I thought this was suppose to be a some what realistic portrayal of how the mafia in the 1930's was run. Even if it were to be todays mafia world, there still wouldn't be a need for so many Don's, Capo's and consigs.

It just seems like people are ranked for the fuck of it, which kills the realism.

I appreciate people earn their rank due to the time and effort they put into the game, yet why would there be so many Don's etc. when there isn't a realistic demand for them?

It just looks so unbalanced and doesn't make for ranks meaning much at all other than click about and log in here as much as possible and when you hit the right spot on the game engine we'll promote you. 

Now, maybe there is 'another reason' to this craziness which I figure is a game engine reason so let's see what those that have had the hand in creating things the way they are have to say about it.

Maybe some don't know the concept of 'opening and closing the books' for promotion which is basically promoting members when/if there is a need. If that's the case, how does this current way of doing things add to the game in a valuable way?

Maybe I am missing something here, and if so please enlighten me.

Cheers :)

Well this is something we've discussed in the streets quite a bit.. Aside from your New & Info mention, this would've been acceptable there since it's been a somewhat popular topic. 

Well IMO half of what's in the streets is actually OOC, and should be posted here instead, since role-play has a certain meaning to it, and this isn't in character, rather out of character. I'm talking about the game engine and the ranking systems and CL's etc, which is all OOC and should be posted here instead.

Anyone care to comment on the topic itself?

Well where to start, i may not be a CL at current, tho i have been one a few times here and there.

As much as we like to deem and keep this game in the roleplay aspect, when it comes to ranking and having a fmaily structure that fits the RP world sounds like a dream would love that, in reality this is a game we play to achive goals one of them being rank, if you put your heart and soul into your Charcter you want to be rewarded for that, rightfully so to.

Its nice in thory to have a cl as a DON then RH as a consig LH a Boss then3-4 capos with 10 men dived into there ranks, it cant happen, who wants to be a 40day old wise guy with 45 units held back only for a made man needs to die for you to take his spot in Real world yea that be fine, but this is a game, as player we dont want that to happen to us, it shouldnt you put the effort in you get the rank, in my book, plus some people have goals as knocking of the acivments which require rank that is a family effort in its self

personaly in hine sight you earn it you get it just a game at the end of the day

From a gamers perspective it does make sense, yet a somewhat realistic portrayal would be nice I think.

I mean at the end of the day it's those at the top who are shaping it this way. I'd just like to know if there are any other CL's who are gearing towards a more realistic approach, or is it a small minority, so I can stop trying to play this game in a certain way and get with the program.

Play it how wish to play it, free will in this game is emense do waht you want when you want, there are rules around everything, end of the day you can break them probaly die, but yea, do what you want

some CLs will try to keep it to a realistic appeal, tho if somone has earned that rank it is a game its unfair to hold them back just because you want a realistic appeal, were here to have fun being held back for that is not fun, delays your goals in my book

Not me that want's a realistic appeal, it's how the game is portrayed and put across. We'll, how it's portrayed when you first sign up and get going anyway. Beyond that the userbase creates the game and how it flows moving forward. I can play it a certain way all I want yet if the current is moving in another direction and is too strong, I may as well stop going in that direction and find a way to work with the energy as it is.

I'm happy to rank and do less realistic role-play and stop trying to promote that side of things because it may just be MR isn't that way inclined. It's easier for me to rank and click about and be less realistic. Which is maybe why it is the way it is, no?

Compared to many years a go RP therads in the streets were in abunance, now few far between, this could be a rut or a sign of games pace, give it 3 months pace will shift another way. may become more realistic to what is protrayed it may not, all we can do is wait and see, its us that depeict the games pace

I have long, long campaigned for the rank of Made and above to mean something substantial.

If a person is Made, his death should be treated as extremely serious - particularly if he is unsponsored following a war.  

The lives of all of those below Made should be treated as basically economic assets.  If they are shot or have their BGs shot, an automatic death sentence should not follow - a sit-down should.  A Made Man shooting a WiseGuy from another crew should not be treated as an act or war or as grounds for a death sentance. 

Yeah I agree with the sit-down and not automatic death if a wise guy or below is shot or killed, as they are only associates. This is how it is portrayed IRL anyways. In MR things are a little different around here lol Which is pretty much why this thread exists.

I'm hoping the OOC forum hasn't deterred some from posting here due to no XP points! *nudge nudge* :)

Still awaiting a response from a higher up on how they run their crew and their opinion on ranks. So we can gain some insight and vision behind how the current MR hierarchy is thinking, to get an idea if there will be a swing anytime soon to a more traditional way of things, or keep with the casual unrealistic rack up points and achievements type situation.

Come on CL's, this isn't the streets. You wont get shot at if you're out in the open. It's a safe environment around in these parts. Here, have some nachos and beer on me!

Adz, I agree that the fact that the game is so "top-heavy" results in this game not being as close to reality as most players might hope. Nonetheless, I think that the effort required to reach a high rank is substantial and people that put in this amount of effort should be rewarded (subject to their crew leaders deciding to promote them). 

I'm going to give a solution - but I have no idea how to go about achieving this. I think the makeup of crew structures can become more bottom-heavy (i.e. more low rankers than high rankers) if the typical account cycle becomes smaller. I've been alive for about 6 months and have hardly had to dodge a bullet. Don't get me wrong, I'm very grateful for this. However, I acknowledge that if site wide wars were more prevalent, it would be far more difficult to reach higher ranks simply due to the fact that people wouldn't live as long. 

While I like the realism of your idea to "open the books", I think that considering this is a game, people would like to be in control of their own destiny and know that hard work and loyalty will be rewarded with a promotion. A far more practical solution would be to kill each other more regularly, meaning very few people can actually make it to be top dog. 

Utopia ;) Not trying to push any ideas here, just stating how the real mafia works and asking CL's why it is currently the way it is, and if some of them are actually looking toward more traditional way's of things (i.e. realistic mafia role-play).

I like the fact I'm not dead yet too lol I don't think more wars would even make it more realistic in terms of ranking as CL's still have to manually promote men at made and above.

More wars would in a round about way have less people 'top heavy' in ranks yet that would be just an indirect method, whereas there can still be the same births/deaths frequency and character turnover and yet have a realistic way of portraying the different mafia ranks to population percentages.

Ok, i personally promote my people based on work rate, donations and other things they do for me and my family.  Some people wait longer for their promotions then others depending on their contributions and loyalty and some may never get a promotion till they realise what family means as time passes.

I will not take the real life approach for two reasons, one previously stated that people should rank to keep the game user friendly rewards, etc, secondly  as when is a policy that could leave you behind other families to a degree in rank and strength you have to find a right balance.  From past incidences in my characters bloodline i have seen so many people leave as can't get promoted, can't get what they want whether is made, don, crewleader, godfather depending on the regime and where they are going wrong.

Awesome :) I can now see how the game mechanics and the playing styles make it harder to keep it realistic. Makes complete sense. Cheers for sharing mate.

Yeah unfortunately the game to a degree has some situations where people want everything at once, there can be a lack of patience whether is for war, ranking or leadership.   We often see complaints of the same people being leaders yet at present one of the problems is it seems players i find are broke in to categories of activity where is extremes of activity, whether high, average or low, but even some of the low end, may expect what the high end does.   It removes the working for something, the same way we sometimes get with people wanting made just for achieving the units.

My thing is though, what are people even working towards? If the upper structures don't have anything good to work toward besides ranking for units, then wtf is there once you move up a little? More units to hold drugs?

I asked to know from CL's where they were taking this thing, either realistic or not, and you're the only one who cared to respond. The silence speaks louder than words. And in this case to me it speaks volumes.

Would I have gotten better results posting like others in the streets? Do I need to offer a reward to CL's to step forward and show us where they intend to take this thing, so those that are willing aren't wasting there time and efforts in making this a more realistic environment for others?

Remember this is a OOC forum, meaning what is discussed here doesn't/shouldn't impact the game itself and the characters so I'm not sure why there's a lack of upper hierarchy showing wtf they are about.

i think is a combination of things people are working for catching up, domination, strengthening themselves personally, just the joy of that first opportunity of leadership.  Sometimes takes longer then others to see.

We talked briefly about this in our personal mails, but i honestly think at stages there is such a level of apathy at stages i don't think many are bothered or maybe unsure if is just a case of going through the motions.

I think that is have something to do with few reasons,first almoust all players here are played before and some of them are well known in this game,so CLs know about they possiblitys at game,but my first time here is very hard I think that my Made man rank I earn after 100+ days at game,but I earned it later my contributions to family like money or favours made me a higher rank,and affter few years here I know what you need to do to became a Don at game,so its all about you everyone who deserve will be promoted...