fusangite said:
I'm stunned that "killing people and taking their stuff" is doing so badly.
Here's a vote for "killing people and taking their stuff". I like all the other stuff, but in the end, it all comes down to the ends of taking people's stuff. Part of the reason you're seeing "killing people and taking their stuff" doing so badly is that with so many other inclusive choices that also can lead to "kill people and take their stuff", and the ability to vote for only ONE option, to actually come out and say "killing people and taking their stuff" may seem kind of crass. For instance, being in a war as the leader....is about killing people and taking their stuff on a large scale. Crime? More about killing people and taking their stuff. Conspiracy? Intrigue? Somebody eventually dies and loses his stuff. The entire conspiracy and intrigue thing is to make sure that the person who dies isn't you, and the stuff winds up in your hands.
Me, I like crass. Sign me up for "kill people and take their stuff". "Meet other people from all around the world, then kill them" is pretty good, too. Actually, I'm not quite sure what I like more: Killing people, or taking their stuff. The two aren't even mutually exclusive: You can kill people, and they might not have any stuff, or you might not want to take it....or you can take people's stuff, and not necessarily have to kill them. But, of course, it's most fun to do both: KILL PEOPLE and TAKE THEIR STUFF. The entire "crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and hear the lamentations of their women" angle appeals to me.
Remember: Always pillage BEFORE you burn.