1 As a clan, SoE has gone into general inactiveness over the past year. Why do you think this is and do you think it will ever become as active as it used to be? How tempting has it been to switch to a more active clan?
SoE is inactive much longer, even since 1.1 RD Tournament 2010, when we did not move out from our group and people started to leave clan. I just woke up few old most loyal members to play 1.0 VIP Tournament 2011. Many people moved to other clans, when SoE started losing matches vs 1.1. You can find some ex.SoE`s in WM and ND. Many people just stopped playing SWAT 4 and now they play some more `fresh` titles. We are now a totally not attractive SWAT 4 team to join in, with empty server and inactive leaders in game. People that made most of work for SoE have not much time to spend on it now. Some more ambitious players moved to more ambitious teams, even I was leaving SoE several times, because I was angry for lack of discipline and will of change in SoE, but old love never gets rusty :) also only Maverick and Viper had most patience for my frills, some leaders like Olsen or tony_montana had not so much patience as they had :) anyway SoE is now pack of mates to laugh at forum or our shoutbox :) for me it is totally fine :)
About the future, we are going to become a community, we have some BF players (Battlefield, not Boyfriends :D), also some people are playing GTA online, so the plan is to expand to another games. Just stay tuned at www.sonsofearth.eu :P
2 Apart from ViP, which other game mode do you prefer if any (and why)?
Before 1.1 RD Tournament SoE had still strong 1.0 RD team, even after leaving some core RD players to other clans. VIP server was empty most of the time then, so I started to play RD with my lovely SoE`s more and more often and I started to like it. RD is not only about sitting 10 minutes in one spot, as I used to think before. It is also game where you have to move your brain a lot. I also learned over there a lot about using various equipment. IMO if you want to become a good shooter in SWAT 4, you should try to cover some bombs at first hehehe. Even now I like to play RD at some good server (mostly Fox one), when I'm tired with VIP kills or crying babies about camp.
Only BS server I visit is House of Pain (PISTOLS ONLY), even if it is laggy because of MarkMod, but damn, you have to see how someone configurated it :) it is fun for me to play over there. I can mention also about S&G on TSS but you can find most of the time only 1-2 full servers.
3 The never-ending debate about which version is better - 1.0 or 1.1; what is your view on this?
Which version better... till now I have no idea why 1.0 is still so popular. I play over there only because you can find some filled servers. 1.1 is fixed some bugs and cheating on it. Another thing is that 1.1 have more skilled players. When SoE reached a lot on 1.0, me and some other SoE`s were pushing clan to move to 1.1. SoE, ND and Fox were the first 1.0 teams that decided to make this step. It was hard experience for us, but till now I like to sit behind the corner of enemies spawn area and to rape them heheheheh. Another thing is that I like to improve myself and 1.1 had many players that I could learn a lot from them. Even it have many better players till now.
Another more important things are that 1.1 was and is playing much much more wars then 1.0, they are more disciplined, more ambitious and better organized. 1.0 is good only because of filled servers.
4 How would you advise avoiding recruiting clan-jumpers who have the sole aim to obtain a high rank and admin power?
Last visitors of SoE are the most popular clan jumpers on 1.0 :) so I am not any authority about that now :) anyway in a better times of SoE was very hard to get in, only skilled players could do that and that was the reason that people were not leaving the tag. Lets call it awareness of self value of player and group. As a community we are now not oriented so strong for skills so we have to expect high fluctuation inside.
5 If one of your friends was caught on UAC, would you do what most seem to do and give them a second chance (with a clean second account)?
For me person like that is burned out. Anyway I have to confess, if you remember UAC2 and MAC connection of accounts, I was testing UAC undercover with my test account. Point of doing this was to prepare 2008 1.0 Tournament against cheaters. There were only rumors on 1.0 about UAC, only {13} team (with {13}tony_montana) was using this on 1.0, so I wanted to know that it's possible to protect the Tournament against cheating. It ended up on 2 referees per each tournament match and MAC connection of my official and test UAC2 accounts :D I was burned out in Olsen`s eyes :) but my clan trusted me and didn't take any action. My excuse was a higher purpose. There were some cheaters in SoE, removed quietly from a clan. Anyway we had enough experienced players to find out that recruit or a fresh member is cheating or not, so we had not any occasion to remove any old mates.
6 What is your opinion of SoH vip clan, and do you feel sorry for their junior members who do not have a clue as to the activities of the guys above them (clan control)?
I never respected SoH tag, server rules and players, and I just never carried what is going on over there so I can not tell you to much. They just never wanted to prove that they are worth of any interest.
7 Have you been following the ViP Premier League? If so, who do you think will be the champions?*
Yes, for me the winners from the begin are KL`s and WM`s :P and they will deserve for this. One thing is that 1.1 players can play with 1.0 rules and win, another thing is that it will increase arrogance of 1.1 community and also 1.0 community won't take any lesson at all.
At the end I have to notice that I am not any leader of SoE and all words are only my words, not SoE`s.
*Q7 answer was written before yesterday's match results.