at least eliminate all alliance that are not active (there are a lot of them just standing..because the owner of the alliance doesn't play the game anymore)
Maybe if the leader isn't active anymore a new leader can be elected from among the members that are still playing?
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Maybe inactive members can be moved to "The Deserted Plains", and should they re-renter the game they have to make their way back to their old settlement and "rebuild" it? In the meantime their old homestead reverts to what it was before they joined?
Or maybe they would be reassigned to a different spot?
It's hard to know which accounts people have abandoned and which ones they'll come back to. I have accounts on some websites that I use fairly infrequently, but value none the less. And then there are times I don't have access to the 'net for an extended time, but still want the accounts when I get back. Of course, there are a few that I don't even know exist anymore.
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Maybe their can be a list of icons to choose from for the alliances? Or you could combine predefined icons, lines, patterns, etc. to make a standard-sized flag?