i like to get to know the people i'm playing against, it's about building a relationship with your opponents and learning to play their strengths and weaknesses against them. This is not considered meta-gaming, though it does involve your knowledge of them - that is your knowledge and their reputation, which they bring into the game with them...

Holding grudges is rather pointless, if you are beaten by someone better than you then you should strive to learn from your mistakes and get better. I would say that holding a grudge makes for worse play.

Non-anon was the original style of play on this site, and in the boardgame which this is based on. So i don't see why you would want to remove the option - even if you choose to only play anon games. (and I know the likes of MadMarx prefers anon games to prevent everyone ganging up on him, just because he is a top ten player...)

As far as not changing usernames... What we do in life echoes in eternity. Likewise, what we do on the Diplomacy board echoes in our future reputations.

Ogion - you only carry a grudge from game to game if you are so immature that you carry a grudge from game to game...

On the contrary, I may make the argument that being stabbed by a fellow player will make me jut as likely to ally with him the next time in hopes he uses his same stabbing skills on someone else to further our alliance.

But more to the point, being stabbed by someone - regardless of who it is - is a lesson that I should always be on guard for a stab. Therefore, instead of holding a grudge, I thank the player for teaching me a lesson, and hopefully I become a better player moving forward.

Being the consummate asshole that I am in the forums, if I feared metagaming I would play no games, for the majority here probably have "cause" to take vengeance on me.

But, this is a fantastic community, and most of those I have played with take their gaming seriously, and take each game uniquely.

Get a few games under your belt before you cast aspersions on this awesome, high-caliber gaming community, my friend.

That seems pretty slim logic. If you are judging based on past play (eg is this oerson trustworthy, etc,) that is a form of meta gaming really. It seems strange to put such stock in a fairly minor benefit that actually encourages a fairly major negative.

Krellin. You reading comprehension is woefully lacking. I cast no aspersions whatsoever (unlike you). I said nothing about carrying grudges, etc. I only asked about the value of non anonymous games.

But krell's keeps forgetting to thank me in the Dirty So-n-So games... He either tries to stab me and costs both of us the game, tries to stab me and fails miserably costing himself the game while I am part of the draw, or opens himself up to a stab that results in my solo victory. Right, krells? :-)

But seriously, getting to know players in game can lead to outside the game friendships and wash over a lot of what happens on these forums. Krellin and I respect each other much more and understand each other in large part because of our in game communications and a PM here or there.

"All it does is allow people to carry grudges or othe stuff from past games rather than playing the game at hand. "

Moron. You don't even know what you posted, apparently. Go away, fucktard.

@Ogion - LIAR!

From your OP - "All it does is allow people to carry grudges "
Your recent reply - " I said nothing about carrying grudges"

I'm changing your name to Janus henceforth.

'most of those I have played with take their gaming seriously' - unlike the forum posts :p

"That seems pretty slim logic. If you are judging based on past play (eg is this oerson trustworthy, etc,) that is a form of meta gaming really."

As i claimed, you take your reputation and attitudes into the game with you, so it is not meta-gaming.

The major benefit comes from community building, i don't want to play diplomacy with random internet strangers (like say chat roulette) i'd rather play with friends (like say gmail chat) even if they are just internet friends.

But, like i said, if you prefer only playing anon games, you are free to do just that.

@Draug, really? Janus, the god of doors!?

'He is usually depicted as having two faces, since he looks to the future and to the past.'

i'm not sure if Ogion really deserve such high praise...

When I think of Janus, I think of the cover for 006/Alec Trevalyan in GoldenEye.

Oh boy, I should have realized that sensible logical considered conversation was unlikely. Yes, ok, so I mentioned grudges (largely following on the comments from the profs in the SoW study game) and other stuff, but that's a far cry from casting aspersions.

Far more likely is actually hiding folks like you three ganging up on newcomers. Insiders will always trust each other more than outsiders.

After a taste of your "community" I'll be sure to stick with anonymous games, indeed. I think you all gave a strong boost to some of my concerns

Fair enough. High quality spies shit might not be as impressive as a GOD, but it's still above the questions raised in this thread...

Gotta hand it to you Orthaic, you guys are great at welcoming people into this place

How about this for the Janus reference...

http://www.zengardner.com/janus-illuminati-god-of-chaos-and-deception/

Games are meant to be played with friends. I can't make friends with someone who is wearing a mask, so to speak. I consider many people on this site to be my eFriends and I find playing with them to be much more enjoyable, even if they may not technically be as good at the game as some anon players.

@Ogion, are you new? Well welcome! I hope i have answered your question honestly and clearly, if you have any more please feel free to ask.

You might also find the forum to be a hostile place of aggression and shouting, but do not fear because despite our worst rants, we're all hear to play a game, so nobody really takes the forum posters seriously anyway.

@Ogi - You come in and start questioning every aspect of the game, a game *much* older than you, I guarantee from your 'tude, and expect us to all be polite and civil to the young upstart? Nope. As Freddy Mercury would've have said, "somebody better put you back into your place."

"so nobody really takes the forum posters seriously anyway. "

Unless it is abgemacht giving out warnings about posting cheating accusations or what not... :-D

Thanks, Orthaic. I appreciate it. I am in fact new here, and have been playing for about two weeks.

And yes, I think you and Abgemacht did give me a new view on the topic. It was an honest question and it was silly of me to let folks get under my skin. To tell the truth upon reflection I am enjoying my non-anomymous game and will look forward to crossing paths with folks long after I've forgotten any particular game.

And yeah, I noticed that about the forum. Let's just say I've made hefty use of the mute function! I mostly only keep threads about the game on my page.

Many thanks!

I take it from the comments of our American friends that Janus isn't associated with adult spanking magazines in the US?

So, I gave you an honest answer right off the top. :-(

Woah! Slow down, Oct! Not one I am familiar with.

ooh. Now THAT really is the bonus "learn something ever day"!

:)

Wow....I think the child is offended not because out answers are correct, but that we didn't swarm about him and lavish him with praise because <smack my forehead> we've all been so stupid for so long, if only we would have had his brilliance <furiously starts to recode website> it will all be so much better soon enough...oh thank you thank you thank you...

...and beware, fellow players, because Ogion is clearly of the immature ilk that will hold a grudge, and is incapable of dealing with emotional issues on the forum, and there is no doubt will shed a tear or two and kick a cat when you stab him.

A very much *less* than impressive display, NOOB...

Ogion, like most NORMAL people, has difficulty understanding how a board game adopted predominantly by the intellectually advanced has inspired a web version containing a Forum frequented by the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR.

maple - aren't you supposed to be with Putin in the rape closet?

Maple is looking in the mirror again and realizing he is a member of the LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR.

Perhaps it goes to show that you never can tell about people.