I like the idea.

I have to add to this.  There's a big roleplay component of this game that is missing.  Thinka bout this - the logistics of finding someone and killing them - let alone even knowing them.

I'd say it's safe to say 70% if not more of the characters in this game have not even been formally introduced to each other through roleplay.  So suddenly, a citizen appears in a city of Chicago, with a population of more than 2 million people.  But suddenly that person is found?  The lone button pushing is really getting old.  Especially if some newby doesn't join and isn't active more than 2 days.

@HarryStraus

Valid points.  I like the idea - imagine newer members in a territory formed their own street gang?  Do they actually control turf?  Not really, but the gang itself could pose as an independent group or minor-league team for mafia recruitment into their groups.  They could observe the good talent vs bad.  Plus it adds a touch of creativity to the game.

I'd say it's safe to say 70% if not more of the characters in this game have not even been formally introduced to each other through roleplay.  So suddenly, a citizen appears in a city of Chicago, with a population of more than 2 million people.  But suddenly that person is found? 

This is the purpose of the Job boards. For introduction  of the associate. Not too far fetched to do a job  then get noticed.  

 There's a big roleplay component of this game that is missing.  

 That roleplay component is up  to the Crew leaders and the players to incorporate you can not make rules forcing people to roleplay. Some people just do not like it. 

Especially if some newby doesn't join and isn't active more than 2 days.

Considering many people have families and jobs or school outside the game it is not unacceptable that some would be absent for 2 days.   This idea that people need to  put in the hours on a game that  are expected  on a job outside the game is outrageous. Yes, you want active members, but this is a game. Have some realistic expectations with other people. 

But if they do hang around, change the tutorial from something that can be completed in around 10 minutes (or turned off entirely) into a thing that takes a few days to complete, into an extended kind of “boot camp” where they learn the basics of the game in enough detail to function as a full fledged member of the community, with enough knowledge to not fuck it up within their first week with a gun. (include an option to opt out for experienced members returning where the experienced member starts at the cap points. 15 units, thug, 75 petties to get a gun.)

So basically take away the social aspect of the game where the higher ranked or older players communicate with the new members. The way it is set yup now it  is a mentor program which encourages people to interact and communicate. In my opinion this would take that social aspect away from the game.

Assign volunteer sponsors to be their first point of call if they have answers. (Give them the ability to rate and switch out sponsors as they choose, seen by admins so they can replace sponsors who aren’t engaging or aren’t very helpful.)
 

The Crew leaders should be assigning sponsorship to the players who will be perceptive and engage their associates.  See the problem is most the people don't give sponsorship to people who actively sponsor or even actively engage their associates, instead they give it to their friends.  This is commonly not given by merit but by a nepotistic ideology, which is  very common , not necessarily right across most societies.

You all  have some good ideas, but I can  not get behind anything that diminishes the players social interaction with each other, that is the base of a text based game.  

You all  have some good ideas, but I can  not get behind anything that diminishes the players social interaction with each other, that is the base of a text based game.  

 

So in other words, you like nepotism and hate change, so you can't get behind it.  Sounds like the story of this game.

It's not even just the rules.  Rules can be put into place, but they have to be taught correctly.  No one teaches it the right way.

However, I joined several years ago - very briefly - and was accused of being some character they knew in the past and was killed.  I wasn't even an actual character then.  And I was infuriated because I did nothing wrong.