Do you really think that you're fooling anyone?

thejeff · #1 August 16th, 2007, 03:57 PM

Sometimes ignoring the message is the answer, sometimes its "I'm really busy and can barely play my turns and forgot about the message."
I generally try to make at least the first few messages in character, so I'll usually follow up an unanswered message with some kind of IC response to being ignored and a warning that I'll have no choice but to consider you hostile.

As for initial response, I'll sometimes stall by negotiating terms without actually agreeing to anything. Borders, length of treaty, even bring up cooperation against others.
Of course, I like to do some of this when I do want the treaty. Or I may be waiting for other negotiations. If I've got 2 potential targets, I may prefer to attack one, but if he offers a treaty, I don't want to reject it until I've got a deal with the other.

tromper · #2 August 16th, 2007, 04:18 PM

I know I'm a bit new and all, but most people I've had NAPs with break them. So I don't really get the point. Not anymore.

Ubercat · #3 August 16th, 2007, 04:33 PM

I'm glad that a majority seems to be selecting option 2 as I did. Maybe I'm thin skinned, but ignoring a friendly message like that just seems to be unnecessarily rude most of the time.

Lazy_Perfectionist · #4 August 16th, 2007, 04:46 PM

If R'lyeh asks Atlantis for a NAP, and controls the only body of water? Nah...
I couldn't think of a dignified response. The choice of letting them get stronger and dieing next...

Ubercat · #5 August 16th, 2007, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Lazy_Perfectionist said:
If R'lyeh asks Atlantis for a NAP, and controls the only body of water? Nah...
I couldn't think of a dignified response. The choice of letting them get stronger and dieing next...

I can see how a NAP offer could be insulting from someone who is in the act of strangling your expansion options. It makes me wonder how much MP experience they have. Perhaps they haven't caught on that human players are smarter than AI ones?

Lazy_Perfectionist · #6 August 16th, 2007, 05:07 PM

Well... its quite possible I would have taken it - I was penned in on all sides, and had already signed NAP pacts with two neighbors. I wasn't insulted, but a dignified response would have been troublesome. However, my other opponent had been taken out, and I had only a few options. Attack one of the two neighboring cold resistant nations. My only neighbor who wasn't cold resistant or R'lyeh was already being invaded by them.

atul · #7 August 16th, 2007, 04:29 PM

Asking a NAP from a neighbour is a bit like asking some girl to a date in one regard:

No answer is an answer, and also it tells you that the one not giving you any answer is either just impolite, plain jerk or doesn't care enough to answer.

You can stall with other ways, or give very polite denial. You know, actually communicate.

Of course, cultural variations exist. I've run into some with foreign (to me) dominions players, with people preferring not to give a "no, I won't" answer in any situation, claiming they actually can't. And afterwards proving with actions they actually could have, just didn't want to. Which, to me, is the way you treat a child, not another adult. But apparently is "polite norm" in some places. Had a quite long conversation about these cultural differences a while back.