Like Jouaram already said sortof, the recent changes to building restrictions were to help raiders stand a better chance and also to keep things more fair/not overwhelming to newer players who aren't going to have strong movement sweps/breaching sweps/etc. I 100% agree with you that defenders have the advantage to begin with and that more can, and should be done, to even the playing field. However, some of your suggestions would not only help the raider, but also the defender, which would again uneven the playing field further than it already is. I think speed boosts are purely an annoyance when raiding, especially for a game like Garry's Mod where hit registration is already really questionable. It just becomes a game of them dancing around at the speed of sound while you're praying your shots land, there's really no fun in that. I understand if raiders were allowed this that it'd be a decent advantage, but with our current sweps some of them are just way too OP. The idea is worth playing around with, maybe something people have to buy to get a slight movement increase, and for raiders only, but I definitely disagree with allowing sweps/consumables as they are currently. This honestly was just a mess when it was allowed. It was constantly called into question and it required the raider to have a certain understanding of the base they were raiding to utilize the one-way without it being considered fail raid due to things like splash damage (as most people were utilizing RPGs to shoot through these one-ways). This is something I'm a bit sad myself to see no longer allowed, but yet again it's also something that, when it was allowed, it greatly favoured defenders, as most lingering entities (banana peel, lego, subspace mine) wouldn't really help a raider anyway, but correct me if I'm wrong on that. Part of why this was limited (to my understanding) to within roof boundaries was because it's obnoxious, usually a bit of a mess to look at, and most of all, very overwhelming to see, especially for newer players. I think there's still tons that can be done within the confines of most rooftops and still have very strong base defences. There's no argument that it does stifle creativity, though. This was talked about pretty seriously, while I personally believe disallowing one-ways/peeping would be the easiest way to even the playing field of raiders/defenders, it's also the most controversial; I could see a lot of people quit over such a drastic change. Overall, I'm pretty satisfied with the current basing rules. As a base builder myself, it's 100% frustrating that a lot of bases became invalidated, but I think it was a necessary, and long needed, change to give raiders more of a fair chance; frankly, some of what used to be allowed was way too OP. Like I mentioned, I absolutely agree that more should be done to even the playing field of raiders/defenders, but I don't think that needs to be done with rule changes, and could be done with providing raiders more utilities/sweps/consumables/etc. For example, I understand one-ways are a very strong base defense, but they can definitely be countered/made less OP by having something the raider can use, like a form of ESP, which can already be sortof done with the Ghost swep that you can craft as the miner/lumberjack job.  

I think this is a very well written suggestion, but like Jouaram said, it's a conundrum to balance raiding and basing so that everyone is having fair fun. The most valuable opinions are from the players though, so hopefully many people will engage with this topic so that it can be made clearer how to go about balancing basing and raiding. Good suggestion, I'm definitely going to stay engaged with this topic because I do agree with some of your points.

The rules recently got reworked due to community votes and were largely decided as a group on what to change, basers got restricted way more than they were to allow raiders to have a better chance at raiding; you are requesting we removed 3 of those rules being speed boosts, lingering weps, mega bases (rooftops that go across fountain) whilst also saying you want raiding to be more raider sided, I am a little lost on how both of those things can be achieved side by side

Hello, I have a few changes that I think would make the server more enjoyable,   Suggestion: So, my suggested topics are : Rework Basing and Raiding Rules for Better Balance and More Enjoyable Raids How will this improve the quality of Aether?:  I would like to suggest that the current basing and raiding rules be reviewed and adjusted. I understand that the rules are meant to stop unfair bases, prevent abuse, and keep raids organized, but at the moment, I feel that the rules are too restrictive toward raiders and make raiding less fun than it should be. Right now, defenders already have a natural advantage because they are inside their own base, know the layout, control the angles, and can prepare defenses in advance. On top of that, raiders are restricted by several rules that make raids feel very limited. For example, speed/jump/movement boosts cannot be used during raids, one-way props cannot be shot through, and special weapons with lingering entities are not allowed during raids or base defenses. While I understand why these rules exist, together they make many raids feel one-sided and frustrating for raiders. In my opinion, raiding should not be easy, but it should feel possible and enjoyable. A good raid should reward planning, teamwork, aim, and decision-making. Currently, it can feel like raiders are forced into a very limited playstyle while defenders still benefit from pre-built angles, base knowledge, and defensive positioning. I also want to bring up the rooftop basing rule. Currently, basing on roofs is allowed, but all props must stay within the roof boundaries, with the only exception being a visible ramp leading to the entrance. This prevents players from creating sky bases or more creative rooftop bases. I think this rule limits creativity and removes a fun part of base building. Instead of completely banning rooftop extensions or sky-style bases, I think the rules should allow players to build off rooftops as long as the base is still fair and raidable. For example, rooftop bases could be allowed if they still have a clear entrance, a visible and accessible path, proper width and height, no impossible jumps, no forced crouching or falling, no abuse of map boundaries, and all raidables remain reachable by normal raiding tools. I am not suggesting that defenders should be weakened to the point where bases are useless. I suggest adjusting the rules so that both sides have a fair and fun experience. Defenders should still be allowed to build strong, creative bases, but raiders should also have enough tools and freedom to make raids exciting rather than overly restricted. Some possible changes could include: Allowing rooftop bases to extend beyond the exact roof boundary if they remain fair, visible, accessible, and raid-friendly. Reviewing the movement boost rule so it does not overly limit raiders, or creating more specific restrictions instead of a full ban. Reviewing the one-way prop shooting rule, especially in cases where defenders are using one-way props to hold strong angles. Reviewing the special/AOE weapon restrictions so only truly abusive weapons are banned, rather than limiting raiders too heavily. Rebalancing the rules to make raids challenging, but not frustrating or one-sided. Overall, I believe the current basing and raiding rules could be improved to create better gameplay for both raiders and defenders. The goal should be balance: bases should be strong but not impossible, and raids should be difficult but still fun and realistic to complete. Thank you for reading my suggestion. I hope the staff team can consider reviewing these rules and possibly updating them to make basing and raiding more enjoyable for the server.

not a huge fan of this one. Hissed at me when I picked her up. Her name is Penelope.