I think I now understand Cohen

[archaeolept]

actually worse, given that you've previously threatened to "throw the game", first to storm, and now, for instance if you follow Lintman's horrible advice, maybe to someone else.

frankly, we all invest a lot of time in these games for some entertainment, and because the game is so fascinating. to have it end w/ someone, say, throwing the game or giving all their stuff to another player who is already a top contender or such like, would be horrible. i'd likely just quit and know whom not to play w/ in future games.

[Zapmeister]

archaeolept said:
actually worse, given that you've previously threatened to "throw the game", first to storm, and now, for instance if you follow Lintman's horrible advice, maybe to someone else.

You think the kingmaker threat is unethical? A lot of folks disagree but either way don't worry, you'll not find yourself in any more games with me.

[archaeolept]

yes. threatening to "throw a game" is piss poor sportsmanship. its like a child's temper tantrum.

being a "kingmaker" is a different thing entirely. in such a case you can perhaps parlay a minor position to one's own advantage by drawing the attention of numerous suitors for your support.

you instead said you would throw the game to storm if other players didn't agree to have things go your way. I find it very amusing that even so you were unable to strengthen your position.

[Zapmeister]

archaeolept said:
yes. threatening to "throw a game" is piss poor sportsmanship. its like a child's temper tantrum.

It's also a bog-standard tactic in boardgames and Online games alike - I'm surprised you haven't encountered it before (if you haven't).

But this thread wasn't supposed to be about the kingmaker tactic, it was about the extent of the obligation to play on when you're not having fun.

[archaeolept]

yes. threatening to throw a game is a common tactic amongst children and bad players everywhere

[Stormbinder]

archaeolept said:
yes. threatening to throw a game is a common tactic amongst children and bad players everywhere

I don't think calling names is very productive Archae.

Frankly I never used such tactic myself in any of my games, but I don't see it as being too unethical, especially when there are no other choices left to avoid disastorious 1 vs 4 war, including 2 major powers. As I said, it happend historicaly, and quite often. In particular in european history very often 3rd countires (large and small) played two major competing countries against each other to pursue their own goals, using similar "kingmaking" tactics and threats, often successefuly.

The fact that I din't want to take advantage of it and worked to avoid it doesn't mean that I consider it unethical.


Note that it is very different from current situation though. Threating to give your items or territory to your rival to avoid disastorious 4 vs 1 war is one thing. Going AI while being one of the largest nation, especailly in the game with specific "no quiters, everybody stick to the end, no matter sweet one or bitter one" rules to which you have agreed and which everybody honored, is totally different. Let's not confuse these two things together.

Regards,
Stormbinder

[archaeolept]

storm, there is no historical analogy for throwing a game: ie. vacating a front, sending national treasuries; all in order to make good the threat to do so. I don't even know where to begin in saying how wrongheaded the claim of historical validation is.

[The Panther]

archaeolept said:
yes. threatening to throw a game is a common tactic amongst children and bad players everywhere

Let he who is without sin cast the first stone.

I only flame those deemed worthy (with myself as the sole judge on this). At least I have never resorted to name calling like the above post, for I like to be far more subtle than that!

I do find it sad that arch's inflamatory Posts have driven off an excellent MP player. My counsel to Zapmeister is to ignore the ravings of arch. There are plenty of decent people in this game, you just have to find them and avoid the ones who aren't pleasant.

I am glad to see that arch's knee-jerk reaction did not drive LintMan away too. As for LintMan, I would suggest sticking your toe into the MP world on Mose Hansen. It is entertaining and not all that time consuming with most games being set at a turn every 1 or 2 days. And you should find a newbie game on there at some point in the very near future.

[archaeolept]

"At least I have never resorted to name calling like the above post"

Firstly, my statement as stands is correct. It does not itself call any names, but merely asserts the fact that "threatening to throw a game" is a common tactic amongst children and bad players. do you deny it is a common tactic, or that it is the sort of thing children or sore losers do?

Secondly, it is clear that you yourself have been resorting to insults. here are a few:

"Arch, do you understand English very well?"

Actually, there would be little doubt that I understand English rather better than you do, as far as that goes. It is not especially relevant, however. and:

"What exactly are you smoking anyway?"

which is a classic ad hominem.

"ravings" - another nice little bit of implicit name-calling on your part


As well,
"Tell me one single thing in the above post which is childish and immature."

[referring to lintman's post] - I never claimed that lintman's suggestions were themselves childish and immature - those adjectives were restricted to Zapmeister's threat to throw the game to his opponent. Obviously you seem fine w/ such tactics. My problem w/ lintman's suggestions as to going kamikaze were that these could reinforce Zap's already evident tendencies towards this.

Now, you may consider zap's propensity to quit from committments and immediate resort to threats of throwing a game as indicative of being an "excellent player." I would only suggest that this shows more about what you consider good than it shows about anything else...

" do find it sad that arch's inflamatory Posts have driven off an excellent MP player. "

lolz++ This is a classic bit of historical revisionism. In case you didn't notice, Zapmeister had already said he wanted to abandon the game, a la cohen, before any of my so-called "inflamatory" Posts. Cart before the horse?
Obviously, the original "inflamation" was Zapmeisters prediliction to threats of game-throwing. Then his whining about not being able to deal w/ Storm's handful of Van's and one Air Queen. Then his wanting to give up and go home because he was receiving the same sort of pummeling he had previously been dishing out to Arcos and Marignon.

[Zapmeister]

archaeolept said:
you instead said you would throw the game to storm if other players didn't agree to have things go your way.

Now this is quite untrue. When I threatened you, I was facing 4:1 nations against me. I was obviously history if I didn't succeed. This isn't the childish desire to have everything one's own way, it's the only tactic available to survive.