CarthianRaver

I get comics have addressed social/political issues (at least Marvel does), but they use metaphor, allegory and such. What they are doing here is not that, it is straight up taking a real world political issue and changing a name and slapping it into lore regardless of ramifications to lore or if it fits. It isn't allegory or metaphor. It's shoving it in people's faces. It's why so many modern shows that do this fail, while older shows did it in a way peole didn't instantly recoil at the preachiness. This is is being preachy, which does not go over well with most people regardless of their political affiliation. Compare the newer vs original shows "Charmed". Both addressed feminist and other social issues, but the poor writing of the new one made the series fall short and end after far fewer seasons. Or even original series of Doctor Who vs the last couple of The Doctor's regenerations, where the policitcal issues are being shoved blatantly at people and so they are getting kick back. The old show did it via parralels and allegory. Using comic books, if Marvel had made all the X-Men black and showed the segregaton of white vs colored it wouldnt have gone over so well. You can say it's because of the times they had too, but when things do it now it doesn't work either. So it's less about the mindset of the time and more of the methods used for the message. Not only that this isnt even being done in a good way, it's just retconning history and expecting everyone to just accept it as it's always been this way or that the reasons are there or that they are just vague snippets without any real build up, and we just need to believe it. As for BWI I think most people have already figured they are up to something, most likely they will end up being Malta. But the way they're being shoehorned in doesn't help them get a positive view. Hence my suggesting a build up to why/when they get there instead of "They've been here 5+ years after replacing the PPD." IF the zone was just now released then it would have worked better, but it isnt just being released. A build up with a preexisting zone also lets the story be more naturally growing. Think of it like with Galaxy City, would it have made sense for them to say "Oh galaxy was destroyed 5 years ago!."? No it wouldnt have made sense, and the impact of a zone being destroyed would have been muted by such action. The same type of story situation is here now with KW. Building up to it creates far more suspense, mystery and intrigue.

No one is saying the PPD are pristine or flawless, I even stated there are a few missions that deal with it, but by lore the corruption is an exception, not the norm, while this makes it seem like it is the norm. As it was enough to incite a protest and then a riot to burn down the city. Replacing the PPD even in 1 zone with a paramilitary group is a huge jump and obviously paralells to real world issues/politics. But look at how badly that has worked in the past to use these outside groups. Longbow being a perfect example of how badly it goes. Most of us dont play this game to deal with those social/political issues here, it is an escape. This just shoves it back in people's faces whether it was your intention or not. And even if it is "just KW" players know that how? Because between the plaque and badge it doesn't sound like it. But I also think this zone's incorporation of enemies is taking the easy way. When they could come up with something current to make it happen instead of handwaving it. Have there be invasions like zombie, rikti, etc. as the initiation of why this is happening. Write it as a normally peaceful zone is all of a sudden being attacked by hordes and as such there would be reason why the PPD is unable to respond adequately. Have Blackwing come in to help when it happens (as well as players of course), as a way they get their foot in the door. It makes much more sense then the way it appears to be being done by simply retconning history. Last I checked this is supposed to be a discussion about issues with the beta, not to be insulting and confrontational about people's issues and concerns.

The demonization of the PPD in making Kallisti come to life seems less like it fits with the setting and more akin to the pushing of real world anti-cop rhetoric into the game. The lore does not support that the PPD are corrupt. There are what? 1 maybe 2 instances/missions in the entire game where the PPD are shown as such and the missions are you taking them down, given by PPD (iirc both are radio missions). For the most part it is cops being brutalized (ie KR), you dont see them beating on gang members or others. The Psi - cops also make the likelyhood of police corruption not very likely as they'd detect it before it happened. You also list in the plaque that the reason the cops became cold & authoritive was they dont live there? Guess what, in real life cops dont usually live in the suburbs/ districts / boroughs / etc they see over, either for their safety or deparment policy. So this reason falls flat and makes no sense. You also with the badge/plaque below make it sound like the PPD has been corrupt for a while, which lore does not support that. So if you are going to replace the PPD use a reason that makes sense and fits the lore & setting, not just shoehorning it in and trying to force us to believe this is how it's been. It would make much more sense to have the new enemies in the zone be too much for the PPD, or not enough funding and for BWI to come in to assist where they use the Citizen Crime Fighting Act as a reason they do so. And as BWI are against metas/supers it would make more sense to highlight the corruption of capes (not following the proper procedures for law enforcement that the CCFA states is to be used). Also if you make the enemies just now swarming the zone, instead of trying to retcon they'd always been there would make more sense and make the story more "living" and dynamic. Doing the retcon will screw with lore and peoples backgrounds/RP history. I get the game doesnt revolve around RPers but the way this seems to be happening feels like bad writing trying to force their story the way they want without proper build up. The whole down 46% in the last 5 years also breaks suspension of disbelief when the zone was unpopulated since it's release. Also when did the killing of Kieran Holt happen? 2008 or 2018? You have a typo between badge & plaque.