We want bad guys....but we don't want them badder than the pd...and we don't want them to go back to doing crime after they're released from jail, and a million people want revenge. This isn't just Steph and Shade's current posts I'm referring to, this has been an ongoing issue ever since I first came to DE.

DE can only be realistic to a point and still be filled with the constant violence and darkness we crave...this is because there are a limited number of players playing bad guys. I feel I'm a very fair player... if anyone doesn't think so, I would honestly like to know. I take my beatings, I do jail time, and I do hospital time. Yes, Deus does go right back out as soon as he can walk again, and sometimes before he can, he's into into trouble again.

As far as being sneaky, not all criminals are "masterminds"...Deus is clearly not. I could definitely play a sneaky bastard if I wanted to, but that's not as fun for me as playing a hothead that can't control his temper and can't keep his mouth shut. I KNOW when I play this way that I'm going to get into trouble for it, and I'm fine with that...whatever IC beatings I take, whatever jail time/cops do to me...BUT...I don't think we really want our criminals to NOT go right back out and committing crime again do we? You're not only limiting their fun (because I really enjoy causing trouble, that's why I enjoy DE)...but limiting the chances for other's rp if I have to say "well I just got out of jail so let's postpone that scene for a month". I have good storylines and long lasting storylines...Deus has made a lot of enemies that he runs into, has grudges against, and he's a hothead.

While Shade's idea of having some kind of reprieve for bad guys is a good idea in theory, I don't see it ever happening. I had a scene just tonight, and I'm not complaining about it because I had fun with it...but it went something like this....Deus runs into Andi on the street...they have bad blood between them with ongoing child custody issues and a restraining order...they get into a fight....Deus has injuries from the fight...the PD shows up, inflicts more injuries... people in the crowd show up, start throwing things at him...then the paramedic and his own girlfriend kick him.....then he goes to jail where he can expect more. The fact is, everyone wants revenge, and to be honest, as a bad guy, I think we have to expect and accept that. You can't go out and be a "bully" or a "rapist" or a "woman beater" and not expect retaliation for it.

Where I think we DO have flexibility is healing times and jail times...the jail time is good...three days...that works. I think we should also set a time for "healing time"...if your player is injured, they are "healed" in three days (or something). Not everything in DE can be realistic and still have all the elements we want. If it were completely realistic, the PD would be mostly NOT corrupt, and all of us would be on death row before or after we were dead....

I think that all of us just accepting that yes, jail sentences are not realistic and yes, healing times are not realistic would allow for what we want.