PBW ethics, opinions please.

CNCRaymond · #1 January 10th, 2003, 08:55 PM

EB is an ackernim for an exploit. Many of us have been asked not to spread it around. So I will not go into detail about it. Lets just say that it has been around for a long while, and if used would allow a player an unfair advantage.

Most players do not use it, and when they do, you'll know about it. Trust me.

gravey101 · #2 January 10th, 2003, 09:06 PM

I agree with Geo that allowing tech trades is a bore. I wont play in games which allow it any more since they just produce a mad rush to the endgame with everyone having the same techs. The one game I play in also dissallows trading of pop so that you actually have to capture some enemy to get different breathers. I like this too.

The trouble with the ethics proponants is that they dont seem to realize that what may be unethical to them is just a game exploit to others. Then someone gets called a cheat becuase they don't conform to the ethics proponants view of what is wrong and right, then everyone gets mad or upset, then the game is spolied. This has happened to me on numerous occasions. I only now play with a known group of guys. It is intense and cutthroat but there is no name calling and character sluring. I have found that the easiest resolution is for the game host to clearly state which features/expolits/whatever of the game are not allowed, and that everything is fair game.

Fyron · #3 January 10th, 2003, 09:31 PM

Quote:

This form of "diplomacy" is badly looked upon, and debates morals and ethics of the game, and the players, who engage in such activities.

Some games ban it outright, either by convention, or by banning all tech trading through the use of the ?game options panel.

This needs to be removed/editted ASAP. Only some people look badly upon sharing technologies. Most people I have played with have not been opposed to it.

Arkcon · #4 January 10th, 2003, 10:15 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Imperator Fyron:

quote:
This form of "diplomacy" is badly looked upon, and debates morals and ethics of the game, and the players, who engage in such activities.

Some games ban it outright, either by convention, or by banning all tech trading through the use of the ?game options panel.

This needs to be removed/editted ASAP. Only some people look badly upon sharing technologies. Most people I have played with have not been opposed to it.

That was written by someone else, Skulky I believe. He called it Tech trading. I wanted the tech trading entry to have more useful information, like how you can't trade tech without the theoretical tech,etc. So I made up the term Tech sharing and copied his text over.

I really have to agree with Geo, all it does is make the inevitable happen sooner.

Yeesh, what a can of worms I opened. And I only mentioned it because it's a topic that comes up on this board from time to time.

Oh, thanks for the EB explanation Rautha, I had heard of it before.

[ January 10, 2003, 20:17: Message edited by: Arkcon ]

rextorres · #5 January 10th, 2003, 10:18 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Ruatha:
[QB]I didn't know "turtling" was anything common.
[QB]

Hmm . . . Why is turtling "gamey" - that's the whole point of having warp closers and system shields otherwise spending all those resources in research and building would be pointless.

I think that tactics that are used that aren't taking advantage of bugs are perfectly valid unless there is a rule in the specific game against them.

I've been backstabbed, been turtled against, and had people gang up against me by trading techs, etc. and I may have been pissed off about it, but I never thought it was cheating. It sounds like sour grapes to me when players want rules patched out because they get beat using their pet playing style when playing against humans.

BTW: What's this mysterious EB bug?

Phoenix-D · #6 January 10th, 2003, 10:20 PM

The EB thing seems to to bothersome, trading planets.. I mean, my population wouldn't think fondly of me if I gave them away every now and then! And to keep track of which planet to trade and when. That exploit I consider a bug"

It has been reported, right? I'm pretty sure I know what you're talking about, and such a thing can't be fixed if not reported..

Phoenix-D

Arkcon · #7 January 10th, 2003, 10:49 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by rextorres:

quote:
Originally posted by Ruatha:
[QB]I didn't know "turtling" was anything common.
[QB]

Hmm . . . Why is turtling "gamey" - that's the whole point of having warp closers and system shields otherwise spending all those resources in research and building would be pointless.

I think that tactics that are used that aren't taking advantage of bugs are perfectly valid unless there is a rule in the specific game against them.

I've been backstabbed, been turtled against, and had people gang up against me by trading techs, etc. and I may have been pissed off about it, but I never thought it was cheating. It sounds like sour grapes to me when players want rules patched out because they get beat using their pet playing style when playing against humans.

BTW: What's this mysterious EB bug?

Turtling is probably just annoying, once every 2 days you log on to PBW, download a game file, fire up SE4, enter your password and ... anything today? ...No?...oh well, fill the carriers with some more fighters and hit F12...someday...someday

A little defenciveness is no problem. You can use the warp point closers to make choke points, you can use openers to bypass natural or synthetic choke points.

I can relate to suddenly finding a favorite tactic of yours is an exploit -- I liked opening warp points in the same or next system. I was sort of building a hyperspace bypass system for my 8 movement baseships. Can't do that anymore.

EB bug, don't know why everyone is being secretive. It was posted here. See the Encyclopedia Malfadorica *Click* for a little hint.