FLD is broken.

[Dachke]

1 hour ago, Late said:

Why are people in the PD getting offended and upset that we're asking for a different system?  No one is suggesting you don't put effort into processing the application, but you're defending a system that isn't fit for purpose rather than coming to the conclusion "hmm, this does suck, it does take a lot of time and effort, maybe we could have a better system that makes everyones lives easier."

 

Sure the exam isn't inherently hard, but it's cumbersome and time consuming for a game. I assume very few people ENJOY logging onto your FLD website, writing an application and trying to justify why their character should even own a gun, making up false scenarios and then stressing if it'll get accepted. Very few people enjoy doing this after a long hard day of work/school etc. Most people just want to log on and play the game, not jump through hoops for something so basic and let's be honest, i'm going to make an assumption here, i'm sure you guys in FLD would much prefer being IN GAME also! 

 

We shouldn't derail this and make this thread and make it about should civilians have guns. We live in a Republican run state with a crime level higher than Haiti and South Africa. Realistically, we'd be allowed to open carry our AR15's like in Texas or Montana... but this is a whole different argument. 


 

I have to say that this is an excellent reply. I see no reason to get offended, especially considering that OP is not trying to actively bash or insult anyone, but just share his thoughts, give some input and start a healthy discussion about the current system and how it can be improved. We are all adults/teens here(I hope) and should be mature enough to have a discussion without taking it personal.

I believe the second paragraph really hit the bullseye. Especially considering the fact that if you fail the exam multiple times, you end up getting banned from taking it for months. Why should anyone be forced to wait for one or two months just to have another go at an in-game exam? Yes, there are going to be people arguing "but, but it's a heavy RP server". Heavy RP or not, at the end of the day, it's still a bunch of pixels on our screens.

We would all rather hop in game and enjoy ourselves, instead of having to stress over something like that

Edited September 3, 2023 by Dachke

[nivopas]

5 hours ago, Dan Silverstone said:

Anyone with prior experience with FLD knows you'll just get kicked from the discord if you message more than once, so there's nothing else I can do on this front...

 

I have been in FLD Discord since December, I have never seen anyone get kicked, I usually answer questions and am always available in DMs as well. We all joke and meme on Discrd, I don't know what you are about.

 

Edited September 3, 2023 by nivopas

[Jeroen]

7 minutes ago, nivopas said:

I have been in FLD Discord since December,

Lies, you've been in the FLD Discord since Nov 20, 2022.

[Cedinero]

We're already overwhelmed with administrative processes in real life. People forget that this is a video game and it should be treated like it. Nobody wants to spend so much time and energy in virtual bureaucracy.

[Andrei1]

1 minute ago, Cedinero said:

We're already overwhelmed with administrative processes in real life. People forget that this is a video game and it should be treated like it. Nobody wants to spend so much time and energy in virtual bureaucracy.

This is the biggest reason why implementing some automatisation would be amazing. But even that would take someone's time. So it's a neverending loop.

[rainbowlarva]

I was in FLD for a long while, and it's a notoriously understaffed system. The people within it are rewarded with virtual points that eventually allow you to trade them in for a png image of a ribbon, there's no incentive to review applications. You have to enjoy doing endless paperwork to do anything in FLD, which is exactly why it has the same three people in it for eternity and new faces get cycled in every month.

 

No idea why it hasn't been made a multi-agency effort to review applications. They allowed civilians to sign up for the job, but obviously no civilian wants to go through and be a member of the PD faction just so they can review weapon license applications. It's been as dead as it is for years, and sure the systems on the website were streamlined (a tiny bit, it hasn't really changed much from when I was in it in 2021) it's ultimately still an outdated system that needs a serious restructuring.

 

If for whatever reason the human element has to stay, like I said above, it should just be made a multi-agency effort to review applications. The only people that willingly sign onto FLD are generally brand new cops that get scammed into it for a month or two then dip, so it might as well branch out and open that door to new Deputies and Rangers as well.

[Jeroen]

The FLD site is back online.

[Andrei1]

6 minutes ago, Jeroen said:

The FLD site is back online.

Perhaps but the system is still understaffed:(

[danistheman]

One suggestion that’ll speed up the process significantly, and lower the workload for FLD members is removing the “senior staff check”.
 

Currently all applications have to be a reviewing by 2 FLD staff, a normal one first, then a senior one has to approve. It takes a long time.

 

I think the “senior check” is quite unnecessary, especially for straight-forward PF applications.

 

Removing the stupid “senior check” could be one improvement to the system. If FLD wants to claim they don’t have enough staff, then stop making 2 staff review 1 application.

[Coni]

What is the reason that this process is not Ingame to begin with? 

Why not handle the licensing like the drivers license IG. What exactly is the point of the application to begin with? I can construct a fitting story for every single character I create in order to justify a firearm. It's Los Santos after all. Just being a resident qualifies in this town 😄.

 

So if roleplay quality is not a factor (which is not easily determined through an application anyhow) then what remains is the exam?

 

Never seen the point of these convoluted application processes for firearms except to deter players from doing it and avoid having every OG, Vato and Skinhead run around with a legal firearm despite having a long criminal record. 

 

But those things could be handled IG aswell. Have the license expire permanently after being imprisoned. Make 60 hours playtime on a character a requirement or something like this. 

 

All in all it sounds like something that should've been moved IG a long time ago - we got more niche features than this IG already.