heh.. heh heh. Ha Ha Ha BuWahahahah Guffaw-Guffaw. *sniffle*
okay. im better. seriously tho, i dont think thats entirely accurate. I usually try to hit up the first few people I meet for peace or partnership. If they look like they would make lousey partners, I leave them be, dont make a treaty, and plot their eventual demise.
I try to make friends with people that I think wont screw me over half way thru the game, and stick with them while we railroad everyone else. that usually works for PBW and PBEM. roleplaying is great, because who the heck determines who is the aggressor and who is the defender. you might be innocently protecting your assets, and then someone paints it in a light that makes you look like an inhuman monster. I know, I did that to Timorth. And its been done to me.
people usually take the side that serves them best. if it looks like they are siding with the defender, you just need to get a better propoganda machine. they are not the defender, they pushed you against the wall! they were colonizing systems in your space, and prepairing a war fleet against you! you only acted to save your skin! Look at what they were about to do to you, and if they were able to get away with ruining your empire, just think what they would have done to the other races! setup treaties with a few other races, and show them how taking your side will benefit them in the long run, and you will be sure to get a few allies.
of course, if your just looking for reasons to stab people in the back, you might have a harder time. multiplayer games are over when people say they are, not always when victory conditions are met. even if a game does not have a peace after x years condition, i will stick with an ally and not turn on them. if someone is going arround breaking treaties and stabbing people in the back, im going to plan on fighting him, because if i help out then he will do the same to me.
also, when picking who to support if i am neutral in a war, i try and look at the long term. maybe the person i help will help me later against another enemy. I will try to help out the race that has the best potential for comming out of the war stronger.
maybe i have nothing to gain from either of them, so then i will help the weaker race hoping to prolong their war and wear them both down, so that if the weaker race does come out on top, they wont be on top by much and i can come in and take over more planets. i would not betray them, just pick up some scraps, or take advantage of other sections of space while they are busy. if the race i am helping looses, hopefully their enemy is then weakened enough that i can move in, wipe them out, and take it all for myself
its not that people like peace and dislike aggressors, its that they are self serving, and you are probably not playing to their greed.
honor is important too. i might help someone in one game, hurt them in another. but if you are a backstabber in every game, that will follow you arround and no one will ally with you.
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"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)
PBW is very peacefull
Hybrid Mode
