Okay, first. I'm changing the thread's title and this post's as well, having created it with "light" instead of "like" ashames me. XD
I was very tired when I posted it... >:(
Now, given I'm here to do that I'll take the chance to give a few more replies.
What happens to a bank in real life? Someone comes and threatens everyone and robs it.
It happens once. You can rob the pharmacy today and rob the bakery tomorrow. Try to rob the pharmacy two days in a row and the second day you'll find a 2 meters gorilla waiting to give your pretty butt a couple of smacks, a security system with cams and probably those being connected to the police, and probably the owner having a shotgun hidden behind the counter. We only have a tavern (and obiviously many less means than nowadays in RL). I sure can't expect players to never get back in with a character that has been protagonist of a conflict there. But ten minutes later? An hour later? Two hours? Hmm, nope.
I had more stuff from your post to comment Duraza, but I think Velh addressed most of my points in the post right next to yours, so I'll leave it at that. :P
Just to add a little perspective to the number of GM's needed for 24/7 Guard Roleplay if everyone could give 4 hours a day 7 days a week we'd need at least 20 GM's, to cover illness rl issues etc and the fact that every GM is unlikely to be able to cover 7 days a week that'd push the number required to 30+, we currently have 15.
Of course, I didn't mean to have guards constantly patrolling the town but more like eventually that clamod menki Aazxh... er name, did. Or did other guards when the properly meant to be the Guards' events were finished. We've had a pretty long RP (considering GM's usual lack of time) with the guards after one of those when our chars had their place burglared and I must say that it was great to add to the feel (you can read about it in the first chapter of the story we are posting these days). That and other small apparitions of the guards helped keep the feeling there is a patrol around the town, there is no need to have it 24 hours strolling around or even 12 or 6 or 3. Simply to make players realise and acknowledge. Most of them would be feeling odd enough just to have to talk to certain people with an extra dose of respect.
Now the tavern is where everybody goes to hang out, so that's where all the fights start.
Even the levelers/duelers who are usually accused of ignoring the setting (not all of course) may -start- a fight at the tavern and take it outside the city walls to do the duel. Now what happens with the ones that claim to play properly, namely called RPers? Beaten by a noob hm? ;)
Ah, just to point out, this comment isn't meant to refer to an issue about you John80sk, you know I love playing with you... if I could find Jang nowadays I still would! XDI also remember when the tavern in Oja was populated... hurmph. There's one in the Kran village too. Maybe people not looking for a fight should try less dangerous taverns :)
I'll head to the Gugrontid tavern... with a couple of books under my arm! And perhaps three days later somebody (who still didn't figure out there is a platinum mine right next to it) enters it. :P
Same happens, as you pointed out, with the Broken Doors these days.
If a char would kill another one right at the counter, clearly obvious to Allelia, and even if its by only one single blow, this char had to go and hide and not come back any soon - and thats why I am not sure presence of GM guards alone could solve it all.
GM presence wouldn't solve "it all" but it would make a big deal to keep people aware that they may pop up any time. Or at least that it seemed to do when it was happening.
Given though that Xillix himself recommended asking for a GM intervention if such things should happen, I encourage people witnessing such "RP"s to certainly do so.
And just to point out, none of the three characters I play most often are lawful -at all-. But you know what? If they have to kill/rob/kidnap somebody they drag the target out of the guard's sight. Sounds simple enough.