Before this thread closes and / or has no further replies, thought I'd add this with respect to the retired rank. While I am not convinced that the retired rank (to put it in simpler terms, members who remove themselves from the clan) should be given additional forum access, or any added access in that case, apart from a regular forum member as the when you become a member of the CLAN you're (should be) given additional permissions and / or privileges that simply put, make you (them) want to become a member of the clan. Allowing for the same, or similar access, when a member LEAVES reverses that process.

While I am NOT making a reference to the "retired has access to chat box", and etc, this is more of a general statement that ideally there should be a difference between someone who is a member of the clan, to someone who left the clan.

And it's fairly under debate to say otherwise if you want an increase in the member count.

Which then brings me to the purpose of the member rank. Always had this in the back of my head when the member rank was created but never found an appropriate time to mention it. But from the time the new ranking system was introduced with the intent that member didn't have to wear tags, so we could perhaps increase our amount of members to those who weren't necessarily for wearing the EgN| tag yet wanted to be remain part of the community / clan. Which is where I find the MERMBER rank to be more of a community rank, rather than a clan rank. Does that make sense? That is, there should be a modest separation between the community and the clan without driving away community members.

To put it into simpler, and more general, terms

Community Members
Registered user > someone who registers to the forums, a guest of EGN
Member rank / community member > same expectations as a clan member yet they aren't apart of the clan. No tag requirement.

a.) different / simplified application process(?) possibly an immediate acceptance after they chat with a Staff+

- no need to go through recruit considering they already have no attachments to the clan
- partially resolves the "wears tags as a recruit while doesn't need to wear tags as a member"
b.) have full access to the website as equal to an Elite member of the clan

- i.e would include open chat box, and LOA access (maybe an addition to the new website could be two seperate chatboxes, first being a community chat box and secondly, a clan chatbox, consideration)
c.) cannot become an admin, neither join teams as they are now

Members already don't have a wide set of privileges when they become a member of the clan, which has practically made them as equal to the retired rank except they can post on LOA's, and are well, considered a clan member

Clan Members
Recruit rank > an application process to become a MEMBER of the CLAN beginning at the rank of Elite which requires a tag agreement

a.) make an application wearing the EgN-R| tag until accepted / denied

- pls just bring back the voting booth. Was one of the few ways members directly got to know the recruits. Now Staff+ make the FULL decision with members making slight comments on the side
b.) once accepted, goes to Elite and must continue to wear tags.

- now considered a member of the clan
- can join teams and / or become an admin
- continue to climb ranks

Elite+ ranks > needs no explanation, as written (still suggest something between Elder and Legend, large gap between the two ranks, little to nothing to work from)

Strictly speaking ranks, and not users of each rank, this is why I was FOR to remove the retired rank. Less of those a part of the rank. And more of how the current rank system should be readjusted.

Does this makes sense to most? Was quickly written, that is to say this isn't perfectly well adjusted, but rather a general basis of what I mean by the rank(s) which surround the retired rank and member rank.