Spite and Malice....

[DAVOUT]

At least half of the posters will desagree, but I want to declare that I am bored to hear * it is only a game*, in so many different contexts. This sentence a no meaning whatsoever for a real gamer. What is a real gamer? Somebody who, whatever is the game and whoever is the opponent, plays for the win. He cant prevent himself from totally and naturally concentrating on the game he is playing, and at this very moment the game IS the life. He will not be distracted by anything except one : accusation of cheating. That explains that real gamers will normally not be very interested in collateral activities such as trash talking that they considered as not part of the game. But when the trash talking comes to subjects like honor and fairness, the breaching of which could be seen as a licit cheating, they can not see the humour, and react accordingly.

In real life, the aristocratic behaviour was to look like being serious on frivole matters, and being frivole on serious matters. Are not the Strategy Guys the artistocrats of Apolyton ?

[ManicStarSeed]

mmm nice turn of conversation... I will chime in.
For me this is not "just a game"

What is PTWDG for me?

It is an experience centered around my favorate game.
Breaking it down..

• It is a game, Win or loose, it is just a game. I want to win.
• It is my free time. I haven't played my own games for months and am not participating because I have absolutly no free time. I am writing this at work to escape some boredom. I want my free time to be enjoyable
• It is expedature of energy. The energy I send out reflects back from all the other participants (on and off my team). I personally am aware of the quality of energy I send out and recieve. I seek to send out good energy and only want good energy coming back at me.
• It is an experience. RL supplies a plenthora of confrontational and negative experiences that we must transform to positive. I am not seeking this in my recreation. I seek only enlightening and pleasurable experiences while shunning negative ones (as a general rule).
• It is an education. I seek to learn how the game works (including diplomacy for MP) and I am all too aware of the seedy underbelly of human relationships, so I seek a constructive enviornment to learn my CIV 3 MP lessons.
• It is networking. We connect and make contact with each other. I seek to connect with people who I feel are worthwhile
  knowing. I have my criteria, we all do. I seek level headed, mature, positive (but cynical) good humored, REAL people. Roleplay clouds this for me in an online enviornment, so it is not easy for me to see behind the roleplay
• Lastly, summing it up, there is a law of reality to be aware of
  ..."You get out at least what you put in." By putting in all our hearts and souls, we get a tremendous gaming experience full of heart and soul. We become very vested in the outcomes of the game, both short and long term. We all will reap what we all sow, communally and individually.

So no it is not just a game, it is an ongoing social experiment based on a game. The experiment polarizes people into teams and the teams objectives (in game win) and pits teams against each other. In game success requres a coherent team effort exerted over time. People + Contact + Time = Relationships and Memories (fond, or not ...dont forget reputations... all memories).
Time also shapes each one us individually. So while winning is all about the game, playing is all about the people and the quality of the experience. Lets make it fun and positive.

Just my 2 cents

Mss

[notyoueither]

Originally posted by DAVOUT
At least half of the posters will desagree, but I want to declare that I am bored to hear * it is only a game*, in so many different contexts. This sentence a no meaning whatsoever for a real gamer. What is a real gamer? Somebody who, whatever is the game and whoever is the opponent, plays for the win. He cant prevent himself from totally and naturally concentrating on the game he is playing, and at this very moment the game IS the life. He will not be distracted by anything except one : accusation of cheating. That explains that real gamers will normally not be very interested in collateral activities such as trash talking that they considered as not part of the game. But when the trash talking comes to subjects like honor and fairness, the breaching of which could be seen as a licit cheating, they can not see the humour, and react accordingly.

Wow. Someone gets it. *dance*

In real life, the aristocratic behaviour was to look like being serious on frivole matters, and being frivole on serious matters. Are not the Strategy Guys the artistocrats of Apolyton ?

I wouldn't say that the 'Strategy Guys' hold any distinction other than being hard core gamers as you mentioned above. The fact is that some of GS have been turned off by the antics in the public forum to the point of quitting. Some of GS have continued with reduced participation. It boils down to the fact that many of us find distasteful, in a game that we took seriously, that which some others enjoy.

[Beta]

Originally posted by ManicStarSeed

Just my 2 cents

Mss

But a very worthwhile 2 cents it was!

[Theseus]

/me applauds.

H_E, I respect your response as well... I think others have answered for me.

[GodKing]

Interesting. Just got around to reading a lot of this thread. very interesting. Many goodpoints made by many people. So, who wants a beer?

[Master Zen]

[SIZE=1]
So no it is not just a game, it is an ongoing social experiment based on a game. The experiment polarizes people into teams and the teams objectives (in game win) and pits teams against each other. In game success requres a coherent team effort exerted over time. People + Contact + Time = Relationships and Memories (fond, or not ...dont forget reputations... all memories).
Time also shapes each one us individually. So while winning is all about the game, playing is all about the people and the quality of the experience. Lets make it fun and positive.

Just my 2 cents

Mss

that is probably the best overall description I've heard so far of what the PTWDG and other demo games really are.

[Beta]

Originally posted by GodKing
Interesting. Just got around to reading a lot of this thread. very interesting. Many goodpoints made by many people. So, who wants a beer?

I believe I am the first.

Smithwicks, Keiths IPA, or a Warthog from Big Rock Brewery, please.

ps - I concur with your take on this thread.

[Master Zen]

One more thing, I don't think the whole leaving the game thing has got to do with any issues of cheating. I don't think GS or any other team has given even remotely any evidence of cheating. From what I've seen every team has acted in the most proper and chivalrious way as possible.

The issue here wasn't cheating, it was honor. And honor is a touchy thing to some apparently. Honestly I don't see what the big deal about it is since most countries in RL act in self-interested ways and frequently do less-than-honorable things for their own sake. Look at it this way, teams will do all in their power to win, be it betrayal, backstabbing and lying. Period. It is a natural part of diplomatic behavior which has gone on since the beginning of time.

Those being the victims of the dishonor will of course scream bloody murder. What no-one of course will admit is they would probably do the same if the fate of their team depended on it. Is GoW an opportunist machiavellian team? Yes. Is RP? Yes. Is GS? Of course. Ultimately, what's wrong with it? I doubt people would look and frown on GS just because they did everything in their power to win, short of cheating. If you don't play opportunistically, well then, you really aren't truly playing to win.

Finally it all comes down to what part of this game you like the most. For some it might be getting the perfect WF allocation, the perfect queue, the perfect city placement. For others it is to make the perfect negotiation, the perfect treaty, the perfect alliance. I love the psychological aspects of this game, especially during negotiations. I like to see what people say, what made them say it, and try and guess what they're thinking and what their intentions really are. It is that social part of this game which I find most appealing and has kept me active here when sometimes I really should be doing other stuff. All I can say, if you can't take the heat, stay out of the kitchen. If you don't like the heated and emotional aspects of the public forum, then stick with the in-game stuff, if you don't like the number crunching and spread-sheet making, then do the chatting and the negotiation. The ultimate beauty of this game is that there is something for everyone to participate in, no matter what team you are in.

[Theseus]

I stand by GS' honor, notwithstanding the rocks with which we have been pelted.

(hang on, hang on )

I know that's a possible invitation to further flames, but there you have it. I think this thread has evolved into a very mature discussion, which I appreciate tremendously... I think we all understand each other.

And I'll have a Stella Artois, please.

AND, in the opposite direction of the thread title, I'd like to compliment ND and GoW... well played, my friends, well played.

Thus far.

[Master Zen]

Originally posted by Theseus
I stand by GS' honor, notwithstanding the rocks with which we have been pelted.

(hang on, hang on )

I know that's a possible invitation to further flames, but there you have it. I think this thread has evolved into a very mature discussion, which I appreciate tremendously... I think we all understand each other.

Of course you should stand by your team's honor. I don't think anyone would say otherwise despite what other people think. You cuan ultimately fool everyone but the last person you can fool is yourself. Furthermore, if someone would feel flamed by such a comment then that's truly the utmost in being over-sensitive. Same if someone respectfully disagrees with your statement. Sadly some people did feel flamed because of silly things like these. People simply can't be forced to agree on things always. Human nature, simple as that.

You wanna see flames, trolls and provocations? Go to the OTF. This is nothing I can assure you.

AND, in the opposite direction of the thread title, I'd like to compliment ND and GoW... well played, my friends, well played.

Thus far.

I'd of course return the compliment to GS. You guys ain't in first place for no reason.

Thus far.

[Harovan]

Originally posted by GodKing
Interesting. Just got around to reading a lot of this thread. very interesting. Many goodpoints made by many people. So, who wants a beer?

Beer is always good, if you drink it with people you like and respect.

Btw, Paul Hanson is abusing your avatar.

[Master Zen]

Tequila is on sale all month down here (independence month)

anybody want some?

[Harovan]

No, Tequila makes me shudder. My mother loves it, though, she's a Mexico fan. She once brought me a bottle from Mexico (as if we had none in our stores) and it stood for a while untouched in my house bar. I don't drink much hard drinks, except the occasional vodka or scotch. So my (then still underage) son drank it gulp by gulp. It took him about three months to empty the bottle. I pretended nothing to see.

[Master Zen]

I actually am not that big a tequila fan myself (and neither am I of Mexican food... traitor!) I used to drink it alot during my first year or two of college, but for some reason find it way too strong now. I'm more of a rum and vodka (tonic, not juice) fan. I'm mixed on beer though, I like one two but not a beer drink-a-thon like some of my friends have.

My landlady is 80 years old and drinks about 3 shots of tequila a day. I'm starting to think that perhaps that's the secret to living to old age in good shape (she's amazingly active for someone so old).