I’m going to jump in here because, as the publisher on PC, one of my concerns in the build-up to release was that when we invited media and content creators into the game to play, we needed there to be something for those people to help them understand the depth of the game.
I’m pretty sure most would agree with me that if somebody takes a cursory look at the game, they see “Minecraft copy” or something, maybe mixed with some No Man’s Sky. But when you get into it, it’s completely different - not because it doesn’t have blocks, and mining, and crafting, etc… of course there are similarities on that level - but because everything that happens does so in the context of the whole player base.
If I was coming into the game as a reviewer and spent 2 hours in the game once it was live, post-wipe, how much depth will I see? I’ll go through the first few objectives, start to build a base - but am I really going to understand much more beyond that? Same for streamers, and YouTubers.
So the decision was taken - and I was a big proponent of this - to try to ensure that access to multiple worlds could be available to see and experience, that fledgling towns and cities would be there - to show the breadth and the depth of what Boundless has to offer.
In addition, and I’m not a fan of the whole ‘elitist’ tag (although, let’s be honest, I have the ‘publisher’ tag which is an entire universe worse…) but I’d concede that may well how it comes across - however, let’s be clear. Those people that took a risk on the game before it was anything like it is today, they deserve some credit. Some people backed this game to the tune of over $1000 - and they also spent an awful lot of time and effort in EA playing, feeding back, arguing, sometimes making up… but helping to build what Boundless is at launch.
So I do think that some pre-release, post-wipe time of even two weeks to say thankyou to those that took a risk on the game before they needed to, and to try to help show the game off as effectively as possible to those people who will help to make it a success - I think it was the right decision, and I’d argue for it again.
However, I do agree that any kind of headstart in a game like this isn’t meaningless; although I would probably argue back a bit that this isn’t like WoW, where there’s a race for world first. I can guarantee that empires will come and go; they always do. There will always be opportunities for new players to make a difference - even if it’s not immediately getting the Viceroy achievement.
Anyway - the point about the timing of the wipe is moot. Some feel it was correct, others don’t - and that’s fair. So let’s all move on from that, since there won’t be another wipe and it makes no difference to talk further about it.
Instead, let’s focus on the creditable idea that could plant some seeds of improvement in the game as-is, which is the part about bonuses.
For what it’s worth, I think there’s a lot of exciting gameplay additions that can come to wardens (and viceroy) roles in future, and while I’m not sure I necessarily agree about the portal idea, I agree with the concept of making it more interesting for players to join together and build multiple cities on a world.
). And If you take the Besrvona from, I’ll have more incentive to tear that crappy building down to ground and take my plots back 
So actually WIN-WIN for both of us… so what do you say? Deal?
if ya dont life would be boring