I believe the deadlines are there for players to use them, if they want... If you want finalize earlier then choose shorter deadlines.

Sometimes I don't finalize because the next dealine will be at a better time than if I finalize before, so that i can have diplomacy time durring the day and not during the night, for example...

Don't think it is comparable to CD...

I think some players don't finalize 24 hour (or 48 or 72) phases so they can keep the game scheduled to their real life, so they know a phase ends at the same time every day.

I rarely finalize unless I know that doing so won't screw up my schedule for getting back on to diplomacize and put in my moves.

It depends on the game for me. If I'm in negotiations with someone overseas and want to make certain they have time to see my post and response, I won't. If it's a 24 hour game, I won't in the first 12 hours unless the timing is right and I'm the last one/only one (retreats on occassion).

I -hate- finalizing unless everyone else has. There is communication to be had, so while you finalized after 2 hours of communication with the grand scheme to take me down, I spent the next 18 hours convincing your allies to turn against you. So keep that in mind next time you want to play the game quickly...

fortknox +1

I love finalizing. But I understand when people don't - EXCEPT in a game that was Specifically set up as "Hey, everyone, this game has 36-our turns to allow for Real Life, but don't join unless you like to finalize".

I've got people in games that were started that way who rarely, if ever, finalize. Why join if you're not going to bother?

I'm with Fortknox. People are under no obligation to finalize early.

Sorry, my message sounds harsh, and it was meant more to be humorous... what I've learned very early on, and maybe this is just my paranoia... when there is a checkmark next to my name, and no one else... and hours go by... and people log in and out and don't finalize? That was a key to me that others are talking, so my best laid plans may not be what's carried out.

Remember, unless you are playing a gunboat game this is not as much of a game of tactics and strategy as much as a game of communication and diplomacy (so it's not just a clever name!). Communication is the key to the game, so skipping over it? I understand in late game when you are trying to prevent someone from winning, but finalizing in the first two years is what I'd consider a newbie move.

Believe me, I'm well aware that this is a game of communication. I'm the chattiest bastard in the game, usually, and I'll leave things unfinalized to the last minute when I'm waiting for a reply... But when turn after turn everybody else has finalized 12 or 15 hours early, it doesn't seem very likely there is a lot of conversation going on with just this one guy, every time. Particularly since nobody else trusts him as far as they could throw him. In this case it just strikes me as more of an "F-U" than anything else (which fits with the tone and nature of his communications).

I prefer not to finalize unless I'm in a live game or am the last to finalize (or unless I have only one reasonable option to enter, as is the case in some retreats or builds). It keeps the game synchronized, and it allows me more time to trade press with other Powers in each phase.

Plus I don't live on the Internet at all times and I would like to know when future phases are likely to end.

I also have found that finalizing orders sends a particularly strong message to other players, especially to those who have yet to communicate with the Power that's finalized the orders (and even more true in the case of Powers who ask something of you and then finalize their orders before receiving a reply).

If nothing else, it can serve as a "bluffing" card when you leave orders unfinalized. You can continue to bargain with other Powers and have them believe that you might actually go through with the ideas they're feeding you even if you've decided beyond any doubt what your orders will ultimately be.

Yeah, this was more of a special-case rant. This guy is on everybody's list, etc. ... also I'm still un-learning 10+ years of face-to-face 5-minute turns. This waiting-three-days thing kills me.