[DakaSha]

sorry but basically i find most of that mute simply because this is when it comes down to it supposed to be fun... and i think most players have fun when they play races they like and feel like playing and less fun when playing races they dont like (or simply dont want to play). your just forcing restrictions on decisions. if i think of an awesome pythium strategy then i want to use it. and not wait 18 games until i randomly get them

still:

again your just contradicting yourself. you use starcraft as an example (i seriously do not know why) but you ignore the fact that some players are ranked high due to their specialization with a single race.

whats wrong with being ranked high due to using a single race? i DONT WANT to play with MA ulm as i find them boring (for now). but my only way to be considered a good player is by exceling at them to the point of being able to pay them on the flip of a coin... no. that would just ruin the game for me because its no fun.

the chess analogy is uhm... yeah...

I can decide on play according to my player much better if i know his race then if i "know" his playing style (which is quite far fetched in a game this complex). decent players arnt going to go for a bless when the nation doesnt warrant it. unless they want to throw you off guard. again this would only be possible if both nations were known from the get go.

i also stated early in the thread that stats on players would be nice (how often a player wins with a specific race).. so if you think somebody sucks because they dont like a nation you can point the finger then (which i too would do.. but id respect their choice 100%).

If races were unknown until encountering them (as in wesnoth) id be somewhat more accepting of forced random nations... but only somewhat.

smallish maps are a must. hands down

i cant see whats wrong with letting the player decide if he goes random. (which you use as an example)

id even say whats the problem with two seperate ladders? im just not going to manage the random one as i would this one. you could do that and all would be well :P