XP loss or no, we're all pretty terrible

[Faerie]

People are going to exploit the system regardless, so it's probably best to think of it in terms of which is the lesser of two evils. Considering the staff's point of view, I think I'd have gone the no xp loss route loss too.

At least this way people bother the GMs much less about needing help with the problems the community cause, and no one is demonizing them for addressing grief (massive experience loss) caused by the players themselves. Either system would work perfectly fine if the players didn't constantly look for ways to exploit it. That's just how things are with sandbox games; if the players don't police themselves and no one gives a fuck, the overall experience ends up being pretty blah. But if the devs stepped in and tweaked things just right to force the community to behave, then we would lose our freedom to be sadomasochistic assholes, and finally getting to the point where we can pvp respectfully would be kind of an empty victory.

There's a reason I always LnS, don't bindcamp and try not to engage people while they're dealing with NPCs. It's cost me my camps over and over again because people bindrush and don't follow the same rules I do, but if no one pushes for change there's not even a hope of it happening. True change comes from within; even if it never catches on without.