Nesterus, I agree that the easy buck is being made off the new sheep.
Kempion, the "end-game" is more being able to PLAY after you reach the end of development, not just retire.
Wildor, I agree that there are players out there who don't want to be involved in large building, large skirmishes, and usually, a game that wants to cater to that crowd institutes limits on what level can attack another level. Right now, if you are a lower level player around a player of higher level, you certainly are not having at a few barbs, building your own little corner of the world, having friends. You are instead their farm.
I honestly don't understand what is so hard to see about the need for high level players to be able to attack each other? Certainly, as big cities go at each other, it makes it BETTER for the newcomers.
#1 Kills off armies for both sides.
#2 Keeps their attention on each other, and not on farming the lower levels.
#3 Keeps higher level players from quitting, and making alliances more meaningful, so new, lower level players can get real protection.
Sure, you can put up small arguments to one detail here or there, but certainly I haven't heard an argument as to why make the game such that high levels can't attack each other?
I'd laugh if someone were to attack me right now.

