Greetings!
This might not be the proper forum for this but I will give it a shot anyway...
I am the leader of a decent sized faction on Rubi-Ka1, The Honored Maidens, that has been around more or less since AO launched.
Currently there is a big concern among our members about the Shadowlands expansion and the possibility of us (Omni-Tek loyals) being visually represented as evil in the Shadowlands realm. FC claims Shadowlands will show each and everyones "true inner self" by making us into good or evil persons depending on which side of the conflict we belong.
If we have no say in how we will look in Shadowlands, if we will indeed be pegged as evil it will be the biggest gamekiller so far in AO's history.
Not one member in our faction RP's as a truly evil person, rather we try to be helpful and nice to anyone approaching us ingame and we strongly resent this incredibly ill thought out design decision. If this is how it will happen there is a strong possibility that it will kill off several factions on Rubi-Ka, I know that I will quit AO if this is indeed the case.
From an RP point of view it is about the worst thing that can happen, since we suddenly have no say in how we are, how we truly are. Even if I do my outmost to be good and kind I will still be evil in Shadowlands, how can anyone be expected to maintain a certain personality on those conditions, be it good or evil???
The conflict between Omni-Tek and the Clans goes beyond good vs evil, it is corporation vs rebels and therefore much more multifaceted. Both sides have done both good and evil deeds during their time on Rubi-Ka, no side is truly good or evil. Making it so is to grossly simplify things, you might as well pull the plug right now if you don't want your playerbase to do it for you, I'm sorry.
I have been in AO since it launched and I really want for it to succed, that is why I make this post in the first place.
If there is any information on this issue I would love to see a response from anyone in FC that can enlighten us as to how this "true inner self" thing will work.