Why do you prefer it that way?

I want to know who I'm up against when the game means something like a tourney. The point of the masters is you will play everyone in the tourney, so if you get to the big game, you'll have some history with the person you played with, know some tactics, some lies, etc...

Same with leagues... you play so many games, you can use the opponents tendencies against them, and it teaches you not to fall into tendencies.

Just my opinion, though.

I do as well, because your definition of meta-gaming infuriates me.

It's not my definition of meta-gaming, it's THE definition of meta gaming. The only way you can define meta-gaming is letting things outside the game influence things inside the game. If you want to say some meta-gaming is acceptable, that's fine. But you can't define meta-gaming to not be something that clearly is.

In FtF games, metagaming in the sense of "I'll let you win if you let me survive with 7SCs so we can both continue to the next round" is known and legit. It has happened in the tourneys and leagues on here, and will probably continue on. It is something that just happens in games like this.

Metagaming in the sense of "we're best buds and will never stab one another" on the other hand, is bad and discouraged.

In big games, the negative metagaming is too easily caught. You never really have new players in the game (so no worries about someone creating 3 accounts for the sole purpose of meta or multigaming), and it is so closely monitored, that it would be caught too easily.

I don't think that cheating would be prevented by making it anonymous in a tourney or league (in fact, it could make it easier)

however, there is only two opinions that matter in this discussion: TGM's opinion in the masters and leagues, and Llama's in the tourney.

Interesting question. I think the key is whether or not you want players to be able to consider league/tourney status when making decisions.

In the league games we were allowed to meta-game to the extent of considering the other players league standing. With an anonymous game that is no longer possible.

And as you say, fortknox, it is ultimately up to TGM and Llama.

"I think the key is whether or not you want players to be able to consider league/tourney status when making decisions."

QFT. That's ultimately the question.

rlumley the perscriptivistic arse is an idiot ^_^

In leagues, I will never make the games anonymous, because you could easily work out who's-who anyway, and the point is largely that you get to know the players well etc. which is defeated by having effective anonymity anyway.

In the Masters, the case is stronger, but I don't think I'd be making it anonymous, because you can't cross game anyway, and you could work out who was in your game with what country from the previous games if you understood how I was doing it.

Does that mean you now have the ability to assign countries manually? Or just that you expect to in the next 40 or so days...

I expect to be able to, yes.

On the Mod CP, that is.

Eliminate metagaming is great. I had a problem , because i like to play with my brother, but we don't let that influence the game meaning that we play fair. But I have a friend , that the first message he sent to everyone is anouncing that he is my brother and will be a future alliance. that is a big hit for us because there is nothing we can do about it. So Anonymous is great for my brother and my friend, as long as we don't tell each other which I won't .

Just announce back that yes he is your brother and that you are just as likely or even more like to stab him as anyone else. And then refer to your history showing the games you and your brother were both in which presumably will show you two fighting as much as anyone.

"If you want to say some meta-gaming is acceptable, that's fine."

Anyone who doesn't recognize this is a blithering idiot.