This was one of my top things I hated about DF, trying to get a new clan going was almost impossible. As soon as you got a few memebers you would get war dec'd by some dick clan (gps, etc). The real problem was trying to recruit new players into your clan, they just weren't ready for this type of harassment before they had a chance to level up their skills.
didnt you have to re-wardec every 7 days, with a cost involved, when the game ended? I know it doesnt stop this, but with dozens of small clans in a starter city id imagine its more hassle now. I do agree that a new player shouldnt be getting fucked over in a starter city just because he joined a clan. Joining a clan should be a reward, that can lead to pvp, but not right off the bat. An option to stay neutral if your clan doesnt have a holding? Or war status doesnt apply if you are inside a starter city. Either way, it would be nice if a new player doesnt get thrown into a constant fight inside starter cities just because he joined a clan.
War decs were not implemented correctly and were simply used used overcome the alignment system. Even allowing a gold cost can be abused as wealthy guilds will pay to harass others. We have lots planned regarding how to make Lawful zones work, which will mean changes for how ARAC and single/allied race clans relate to one another in these zones.
Just don't remove the actual sandbox element of Darkfall that you're never safe, anywhere. Safe-zones are stupid and pvp-killing. Maybe restrict them to inside NPC cities only, but not outside.
We'll never add safe zones, Darkfall is about freedom to kill whoever you want. We're simply going to tweak lawful zones to incentivize racial conflict by incentivising blue participation and rightly flagging unlawful actions with negative hits to a functional alignment system.
