[Kel]

Originally posted by Zapmeister:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Kel:
There is an advantage and a disadvantage to being cutthroat. I think that works out just fine, instead of trying to make everyone play the same way.

Kel, I think it's unfair to imply or state that I am trying to mold the playing community into playing the way I want.

---

It honestly wasn't aimed at anyone in particular, please don't take it personally. There are two sides to the question with people on both sides, no doubt.

That said, I think it *is* fair to say that people who want other people to NOT be able to make joint victories are trying to get them to play the game according to their 'vision' of how it should be played. That is, while they may feel they are trying to give themselves more options, regardless, they are clearly trying to take away options from the people who want to ally.

Originally posted by Zapmeister:
If you've been reading my Posts, you should be able see that IMHO it's the game-long alliance makers that are limiting the options of the sole victory players, not vice versa.

I understand that is your position. I just don't agree with your conclusion. Let's take it to an extreme and say that every single person in the game makes a permanent alliance with one other person, except you. You will be at a disadvantage and it will be a serious challenge but you can still play the game, and win, playing the game the way you want. If you say that noone can make alliances, than you are denying them the chance to win the way they want to, completely and explicitly, whatever your feelings towards them. You are clearly limiting their options more than they are yours.

In summary, alliances have an implicit impact on your strategies while banning alliances explicitly limits those who want them.

Dominions is a distinctive and interesting game in its own right, but if joint victories are the norm, then its individuality is lost and it becomes just another strategy game where biggest bloc wins.

Dominions uniqueness does not boil down to it's diplomatic/political system. I enjoy the game, whether I form an alliance or not in that particular game. If your enjoyment of the game really all comes down to whether or not two people can permanently ally, you always have the option of making house rules for new games. That might actually prove to be a good way to avoid artificially limiting the games options as only people who want to play that way, will join that game.

Anonymous games are another way, though you learn in the first 30 minutes you ever spent on the net that anonymity brings out the worst in people

- Kel

PS, on second thought, anonmyity will let you act without consequence but I suppose it won't stop people from making alliances before the game, which is the more heinous aspect of alliances I think you are most opposed to.