Scripts was, and never will be. The main reason why the SA:MP Argonath community imploded upon itself.
RS5 was just the last straw, but this has been a long time coming.
And it's been coming ever since the server opened in the first place.
Really, between lax administration and a "happy go lucky" attitude. Combined with a huge lack of a plan to account for far more players than
the community could handle in a cultural way (that is, lack of role models, lack of enforcement of the rules, not to mention the "continue" button mentality for banned players).
Recount every major shitstorm that has hit this community. From corrupted admins, to controversial statements.
Along with a complete disregard of the Argonath Vision. And there was a recipe for disaster.
The only question of when it would happen. And all it took was a spark. RS5 was that spark.
But let's get real. We asked several times of when RS5 would come. Adding pressure. Pressure means mistakes happens.
I agree with other people that RS5 was released far to early. But we ultimately asked for it.
No, take a break a second. I'm not wholeheartedly defending the team. I have plenty of reasons to be disappointed.
It's just not so much about the script. It's about the mentality.
The HQ has for far to long, been content with taking things less seriously than it should have.
Problems were never nipped in the bud when they should have. And for most, far to late when the damage had already been done.
People learn what they see others doing. If you portray a community where it's okay to be a selfish dick, where it's okay
to get banned several times and have nothing serious done about it. And where it's okay to backstab eachother and sow
conspiracies in a quest for power and status. Then that is what people are gonna do.
And that problem will feed itself. Over and over again until what remains is a complete disregard for the rules of the server, lack of respect.
And a lack of trust with each other.
This should have been dealt with years ago. Specifically back when the server started.
As people have mentioned to me before. There's a huge difference between 32 players, playing at the same time. And 100's.
It was a given really that a different culture would arise from this.
With so many people bringing ideas, opinions (and with it. Attitudes that crashed head first with the original culture).
Things were bound to end up in a heap.
This "mixed" culture was never really kept an eye on. The Argonath Vision appeared as a response, and then nothing was done about it. Resulting in two entirely different opinions/cultures head butting each other until today.
Now, we see the aftermath of unchecked community chaos.
The question is can something new be built from this? With a clearer plan, a better mentality and a stronger vision?
It would be good to remember that in the end, the scripts should be seen as a enchantment, a tool to improve the roleplay.
Not as a excuse to get lazy. RP are what this entire community is about in the end.
Heck, if players where 100% honest with each other. You would not even need the scripts at all. Just a paper to keep track of the money on hand. And to write down transactions in. And a dice for gambling or to make things random if you like that kind of thing.
And one heck of a creative mind to abuse the engine to it's fullest to create RP's without custom animations and all that jazz.
But eye candy is cool. And why not abuse the technology to create something cool. But could we do it for the right reasons and not because of "MAH ASSETS" or "MAH STATUS?!".
As for the problems that needed fixing, could never be fixed without the leaders permission, or only partially.
Over-reliance on Aragorn and Gandalf that is.
I'm going to repeat a line that I wrote, from an by now, half year old unfinished document (which will never be finished by the way. Kudos for that btw, and you know who you are) I was working on together with two other people here, in a effort to outline what exactly needs fixing, with suggestions on how it could be done. In the end a effort to try to get things moving again.
"You can't have a community run itself if they themselves are not allowed to fix the broken things. It’s simply impossible to do this".
Sorry, but the dictatorship model does not, and will not suffice anymore.
And yes, I'm aware that there is currently a bit more democratic plan being worked on to get the community involved a bit better.
But that too should have happened much much earlier.
As for why? Activity of course. Gandalf can't really be here all the time. And he can't deal with everything by himself.
And he cannot also be there to approve every little single thing that needs to be fixed.
Even less so with Aragorn never being around.
It worked in the past because there was so much more time to do so.
And because two guys who perfectly complemented each others strengths and covered each others weaknesses made it like dream.
Truly a ying and yang. Not so much anymore with one of them having a family that needs the priority way more.
Way way more.
To end my entirely pointless post, what matters in the end is the RP and the willingness to stick together as a community.
Me rambling on, or a vote. Will not change this in one bit. What we really should be doing is taking care of the community first, outlining
a good strategy to deal with various problems. Be they taking a closer look at the vision. Dealing with rulebreakers better and stomping that foot down. Outlining a strategy to better welcome new players.
Or coming up with ways to entice co-operation in such a way that people can contribute better, and

maybe in a fun way.
I mean, we have quite alot of brains here. If people put those brains together towards one goal. Surely some decent ideas could pop up on how to do this?
I've tried, many others have tried over the years. It does not hurt to speak ones mind.
But there needs to be action to complement said statements. Actions that clearly speaks of co-operation and not utter circlejerk and bullshit.