The animations plugin is awesome. I have loved them ever since I was a wee droog visiting Bree and Moria. However, now that people are adding a lot more of them, I want to share my concern about their overuse.

Specifically, I am concerned about gates, drawbridges, and portcullises. In times of peace, which I would argue most of Middle-Earth is in during 3001, cities kept their gates open -- if not always, then at least during the day until a certain curfew. If you're not satisfied with the historical precedent, consider that any of these structures worth having for defensive purposes would be heavy and sturdy, and probably take a fair amount of time and effort to move. With people entering and exiting cities all the time, be they merchants or travelers or what have you, it seems terribly inconvenient (and unfriendly/unwelcoming) for the guards to have to open them every time someone comes up.

I would suggest that city gate animations be removed -- Bree could perhaps stay animated since that is a more suspicious, less peaceful region. Or, at the very least, switch them from proximity triggered to a toggle like the bucklebury ferry so they could default to open unless someone wants to change it. (Seems like those might be a little buggy though?) Also, while I'm expressing displeasure with animations, the not-yet-implemented drawbridge connecting the castle halves of Minas Aduial (on plotworld) is very impractical and inefficient to raise and lower outside of a siege

In conclusion, this is yet another iteration of the realistic vs aesthetic debate which pops up often on this server. Thank you for reading.

For the sake of clarity let me state explicitly, military structures and castles should remain animated. E.g. Helm's Deep, Osgiliath, DA Palace, the outer gate of Minas Aduial Castle, the currently-unanimated top level of MT (unsubtle suggestion), ...