FG: Gladiator VI - The Unbearable Lightness of Fighting

[Theben]

Anyways, you guys managed to get through 2 rounds and the sign-up in about 2 1/2 weeks, and this latest monkey wrench has stalled it for 9 days now. Hurry it up so I can return and put Spikie in his proper place, which is of course 2nd behind me.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Theben
IIRC everyone who fought against random orders last game lost each time. so I don't understand how you get 'an easy win' for future players.

Randomly chosen from past orders is fine if there are enough, as there was last time.

The talk here was of a randomly generated set of numbers as orders, which would be easy to beat.

[DrSpike]

Originally posted by Theben
Hurry it up so I can return and put Spikie in his proper place, which is of course 2nd behind me.

Spoken like a true person who dodges confrontation with proven champions such as myself.

[Kassiopeia]

I still need orders from Drogue. He's not dropping out, I refuse to end up in the mangle of a dropping out again, he promised me orders, but I've yet to receive any. A force majeure maybe? I don't know.

[Theben]

Originally posted by DrSpike

Spoken like a true person who dodges confrontation with proven champions such as myself.

I know you're thanking your lucky stars that you've escaped proper justice 2 tourneys in a row now.

[DrSpike]

All a champion can do is turn up to defend his honour. If his opponents are not as honourable, there is nothing he can do, alas.

[Theben]

/me looks at Drogue

Hmmm, been away for 3 days now. Hopefully he's returning soon. Anyone know anything of his whereabouts?

[Theben]

Re: FG: Gladiator VI - The Unbearable Lightness of Fighting

The fighting is getting too light.

[Theben]

This has gone on long enough

I may not be playing but I won't stand by and watch my favorite forum game die! Drogue posted on the 17th; he could have sent orders.

Kass, you need to take action.

[Drogue]

Originally posted by DrSpike
Please reconsider, because I don't think you initially understood my point.

Removing Sheep entirely is not a fair outcome, because the best the other players yet to play him could have done is beat him and get the same 3 points I did. Equally they might lose or draw.

By wiping out Sheep's results and replacing him with Sparrow you are handing the players that have played him a no-win card, because the best they can do it win again and get the 3 points back, but they may also lose.

Compare that to the other suggestion of letting Sparrow play Sheep's remaining games. It's not perfect, but unless you believe that Sparrow has a very different chance of winning or losing compared to Sheep had he played his remaining matches then the outcome is reasonably fair. I submit that Sparrow as a new player is a good and fair replacement for Sheep for the remaining matches.

I would tend to disagree. Sheep has shown to be pretty appauling at Gladiator, whereas many people aren't when they start. I would submit that there is a very different chance of winning vs. Sparrow than vs. Sheep, indeed, I would estimate that difference to be likely greater than the difference between the chance of beating Sheep and 100%, meaning giving wins to everyone yet to play him would be fairer. Since he can't go through, I'd have thought soemthing like random numbers might have been better.

Obviously this depends on how good Sparrow is, but given how badly Sheep's done, I would expect Sparrow, even being inexperienced, to be far better, thus changing it more unfair than giving everyone a win, in terms of expected result. Or the fairest way, since no-one but you knows what Sheep put, using sheep's old orders (but possibly rearranging in what hit things happen, just swapping 1st and 3rd for example) and letting us play him. That way we make it as fair as we can do.

I've put orders for whatever happens, but I believe changing Sheep for someone who is likely a far better player is grossly unfair in favour of those who've got easy wins so far. But then this is a game, so if you want to keep it like this, that's fine, and we get a newbie to spill some blood. I'm far more concerned with getting this played than with what's fair

[Drogue]

Sent. Sorry I couldn't send orders earlier, I've never seen this much work in my life, and I've got my first hour or so off in the last few days tonight, having finally finished one essay. I promised myself last weekend off for matriculation and various conferences I wanted to attend, now paying for it with work. However I've been told it'll calm down after Thursday, when the last of these 3 essays and 2 sheets of maths problems goes in (that's a weeks work here ). Plus they didn't connect my computer for over a week

[Kassiopeia]

Oops. Looks like I don't need to take action. Save for finally calculating the battles.

[Sparrowhawk]

Originally posted by Drogue
I would submit that there is a very different chance of winning vs. Sparrow than vs. Sheep, indeed, I would estimate that difference to be likely greater than the difference between the chance of beating Sheep and 100%, meaning giving wins to everyone yet to play him would be fairer.

/me crosses fingers that he doesn't embarrass himself by doing worse then Sheep (not sure how I would do worse then 0-4 in only 3 matches though )

Originally posted by Drogue
Obviously this depends on how good Sparrow is, but given how badly Sheep's done, I would expect Sparrow, even being inexperienced, to be far better, thus changing it more unfair than giving everyone a win, in terms of expected result.

/me starts to sweat, maybe even being better then Sheep's 0-4 wouldn't be such a good thing

Originally posted by Drogue
I've put orders for whatever happens, but I believe changing Sheep for someone who is likely a far better player is grossly unfair in favour of those who've got easy wins so far.

Huge assumption in that sentence....but thanks for the sentiment

Originally posted by Drogue I'm far more concerned with getting this played than with what's fair

My goal as well was to "get this played", in hindsight I should have signed up for this game from the start, I would have been the 9th player and never would have offered to replace Sheep when he resigned (and maybe even would have had a match against him )

Looking forward to seeing what happens in the remainder however...

/me

[DrSpike]

Sheep has lost a lot of games, be he didn't lose them spectacularly. He wasn't using stupid orders (and yes I can infer more than you as I played him). That's why Sparrow as a replacement is closer to 'fair' than giving players not to have played him free wins.

Anyway, the orders are in I think, so lets press on.

[Theben]

Originally posted by Drogue
Sent. Sorry I couldn't send orders earlier, I've never seen this much work in my life, and I've got my first hour or so off in the last few days tonight, having finally finished one essay.

Yeah, I noticed on L'Event you said you had a lot of work; just pop in and give us a head's up, eh?