That's because banned does not really mean banned.

We need another name for it.

How about, "born again pariahs"?

Look at Agent K. No doubt, he is a decent player now. But was he back then? Did getting banned after he got better allow him to dump a ton of old defeats and survives?

Whilst GR shouldn't be effected, as it updates to reflect current form anyway, I do agree with you there in principal Draugnar. Sure would be nice to drop some of those old losses.

The big question is: how could we improve the system?

maybe recent finishes could be weighted higher?

@fig - GR is most certainly affected. If someone has a GR below 100 becaus ethey lost and lost and lost, then got better and stopped losing but hadn't returned to above 100, then they get a "refill" to 100 upon restarting. And honestly, my win/draw/survive/defeat percentage is most important to me.

How about, if a mod determines a new player is actually an old banned player and they alolow them back in, then their old ID gets replaced with the new one in all their old games so their stats are returned. It won't affect their points, but it will affect the rest.

I disagree with the opening premise.

First off points, when you start you have 100 . Unless you go CD, you'll never have less than 100 . And if you do go CD, you just have to finish a game to get back to 100 , so joint a live game and get yourself killed off quick.

Secondly GR. Yes, if you started out bad, you'd be down from where you started. But if since then you've had success, you'd be beyond the starting point and starting over would set you back. So having the GR slate cleaned is only beneficial if everything to date has put you below the starting point.

Third, the real thing that gets wiped clean is the win/draw/survive/eliminated/resigned stats. But you didn't complain about that, the one thing that does get wiped clean in a beneficial manner.

Fourth, the other thing that gets wiped clean is a reputation among other players as long as they don't connect the new you with the old you. Two. The two things that get wiped clean in a beneficial manner.

But really, do you really want your old losses eliminated? You want your stats to look all shiny so that when opponents check you out they see you as even more dangerous than they currently would?

Agreed that my opening premise did not cover the stats or the rep, but I did cover the stats in a later post. Rep gets self corrected when the connection is eventually made as has happened with Agent K and The_Master_Diplofool.

I see where you're coming from, but I actually like my record as it is. For me, this site documents almost every single game I've played. I wouldn't want to lose that.

"@fig - GR is most certainly affected. If someone has a GR below 100 becaus ethey lost and lost and lost, then got better and stopped losing but hadn't returned to above 100, then they get a "refill" to 100 upon restarting. And honestly, my win/draw/survive/defeat percentage is most important to me.
"

But the effect diminishes with time, to the point of becoming irrelevant at some point not too far in the future.

@abgemacht - I was making an outrageous suggestion to make a point. I like my stats and how they show I've improved and wouldn't change them for anything. I just think that banned players need to suffer more than a name change when they return.

Also, who was Agent K?

He hasn't admitted to who that I saw, just that he was part of the massive bannings back in the Bearnstein and whatever school that was that all got banned aroudn the same time. He claims innocence. I don't even know if he is telling the truth about being banned, but whatever.

I think banned and returned players should be marked, like put "this player was banned X times, also known as: diplofool etc." in their profile, and to clean their record they have to donate $200 to Kestas

I think you are getting at AgentK a little here. I have studied his games somewhat, in the hope of learning something - he is a very good player IMHO. He builds alliances very well, he rarely stabs and trys to give his allies a share of the spoils and in fairness takes a share of the spoils when maybe he wouldn't be entitled to. (but surely this is good diplomacy)

In particular here are some of his results and how he acheived them.


AgentK (Germany) Dillinger (France) formed a good alliance and took part in a four way draw, stopping turkey on 17SCs.

AgentK (Italy) Dillinger (Turkey) formed a strong alliance and took part in a three way draw. Dillinger was on 17SCs and could have won easily but drew instead. 5 min game.

AgentK (Russia) Dillinger (Turkey) formed an alliance, turkey got defeated despite russia’s assistance and Agent K then resigned.

AgentK (Austria) Dillinger (Italy) formed solid alliance, Austria won, but didn’t stab his ally.

AgentK (Russia) Dillinger (England) Dillinger two way draw after another successful alliance.

AgentK (England) Dillinger (Italy) both attack france from the getgo in this anonymous gunboat game. Both survive (just)

AgentK (Austria) Dillinger (france) a case study in how anonymous gunboat should be played. They draw 17/17 – Dillinger could have won easily but (rightly) rewarded his telepathic partner with a well earned draw.

AgentK (Russia) Dillinger (Austria) another case study in alliance building resulting in both players sharing in a 3 way draw.

I think this guy's play has been exceptional, rather than take little digs at him, we should study his approach. Maybe we could all learn something. I know that if I had a hate, I'd take it off to him. Well played sir.

I'm with Maniac on this one. Everyone should get a second chance (at the discretion of the mods). This is only a game after all. Even if Agent K did do something bad in the past, he has been a stellar player now. If the mods allowed him back, who are we to give him a hard time?

Diplomat, who continues to skirt on the edge of stupidity, is another story, of coarse.

I do see Draug's point about records, but I honestly have no idea how we could solve such a problem. IMHO, it affects so few people, I don't think it's a big issue.

Wait, after reading Maniac's post closer, maybe me aren't in agreement : ) My point still stands, though, maybe just not for Agent K...

In the future, Maniac, I'd appreciate it if you didn't make such subtle posts; it's hard for the rest of us to follow : )

Wait, so Agent K and TMW are two different examples of people who have returned after getting banned right? I read an earlir post and thought that someone meant they were the same person, which based on their stats is ridiculous. And who was Agent K previously? I read Thucy's thread on TMW so I know that one.

Another thing, about those mass bannings, could someone give me a little detail on them? I was on the site for bearnstein but I wasn't on the forum yet so I missed it. The school one I'm completely in the dark about.

Also, Maniac, Jonathan Swift would be proud of your use if satire.

I'm not sure I follow you abgemacht, please try to be less subtle.

Nice post Maniac ;)

What is it like to be banned? When you enter your username and password does it have a notice or something?

hahahahaha, fantastic Maniac. Absolutely fantastic. ;)

@Draugnar: if you felt that strongly about it, you could just close out your current account and open a new one.

There is no mechanism for closing an accounting, pastoralan. and opening a new one would be multiaccounting. So no, I can't do as you suggest as one part can't be done and the other part, without the first, is cheating.

And again, it was extremism said to get a response.

So AgentK is a fucking cheat! Oops... Did I just post a cheating accusation on the forum?

dude I hate it when people who get high and mighty about posting accusations and then do it themselves, you need consistency!

@maniac--If I had that many draws with the same person (Agent K/Dillinger), wouldn't that raise a red flag. It may be good diplomacy (I'd have to check the games) but always allying with the same person....I know if I'm in a game with the two my first strategy will be to point to this post and get the other 4 to help me kill off those two.