[SelfishGene]

I would only betray you during a treaty if you broke a treaty during a previous turn or previous game. Basically the treaty holds little value knowing a blitzing ambush could arrive at anytime.

I was going to argue for some reason, but checked myself, since i don't disagree with you. Still won't stop me however .

You are thinking short term... not long term. It's much more valuable to have earned a long term trust with players for many future games even for games outside of dominions. Acquiring this long term trust can be priceless because the two allies can blindly trust each other knowing betrayal will not happen.

While true insofar as it goes, i'd rather pay you thursday for a hamburger today! Besides all that socializing to get into some inner circle rubs me the wrong way and turns it all into some metagame. I just see this game as M.A.D.-fantasy-chess. I don't care if someone beats me at chess (i mean you can't both win); and i wouldn't hold it against someone if they attacked me at a good moment, since that's exactly what i would do. I play way too many different game genres to care much about my reputation in any particular one.

Players will more readily seek treaties with those who stick true with their word. If player_A, player_B and player_C are the same strength/skill... then who is player_B more likely to make a treaty with?? Will it be player_A who has backstabbed him the Last two games or player_C who has always remained honorable to his treaties?

Maybe i'm just to inhumanely (or disainfully) logical to think that way, and i guess expect everyone else to be just as heartless. For me its a question of position. Is player A becoming stronger than me, or stronger faster? Is player B weak and easy to attack? Should i ally with B and C to beat A? ect. This doesn't mean i can or hae actually played in so detached a manner, and there are lots of practical problems there, but thats my ideal.

So if i'm weak and your weak, it doesn't matter what you think about me, we should be allies irregardless of trust if we can assail a mutual neighbor and profit from his loss.

This has led people to view me as paranoid. It's not paranoia when they really are out to get you. You're probably better off not trying to backstab me. I'm on to you. The Last person to try this found that I was all over him like napalm on a baby.

You see, i'm so subtle that im out to get you even if im not actually playing you. I pretend that my opponent is you and so practice baststabbing you by proxy, as it were.

[ July 03, 2004, 05:59: Message edited by: SelfishGene ]