Baalz' good player pledge

[Executor]

True, true...
But that doesn't chance the fact that what I said is also true.

I just don't see how taking a "pledge" or making it a requirement for a game, which I just find silly, is going to improve game quality.

Don't get me wrong, I respect what you tried to do here, raise the awareness of other players, but I just don't see this pledge as having any real power or impact on any game what-so-ever.
If you want a game without stales or quitters, etc, you need superb admining and a really competitive bunch, eg. the YARG game, btw, my congratulation to WL for creating such a game.

so I guess my question was, what's the point of making it a requirement?

[TwoBits]

Well, the problem is, while this pledge is nice in principle, it means absolutely nothing. Heck, I'm in a game right now where someone who had given the "pledge" has bailed from the game, no excuse given. The "pledge" is a nice idea, but ultimately worthless. Just ask Nevil Chamberlin what 'pledges' are ultimately worth

At this point, I won't join a game unless I have a reasonable certainty that folks wont punk out. At the moment, that means only joining games advertised at the 'other' forum, figuring anyone who bails on one of those games can expect to be crucified unmercifully.

But I'm sure punks and bailers will eventually find a way to join there (just create a new ID, etc.), and muck up things up there too.

[Baalz]

As I posted originally the pledge has no teeth at all other than whatever conscience you bring yourself, the only point is to make sure that people realize the impact of what they're doing. Dicks are gonna be dicks and you're never gonna have 100% compliance, but that doesn't mean asking people to think twice doesn't prevent some people from dropping. I've seen too many times where people join a game and don't even read the mods, house rules, etc. for the game, so the idea was to put one little hurdle of going to another thread to acknowledge it so at least people have to actively be dicks rather than not thinking about it.

[GrudgeBringer]

I agree with all the above...

Regardless if you are playing Dom or going out of town on a Rugby Tournament, there is always a guy or two that said they will Play (or go) and you always wonder in the back of your mind if they will show up at the airport or have their turn in EVERY turn.

All you can do is make sure they know the impact that it can create for the rest of us that count on their word to play and either not play with them agian or Cut them.

When I fist saw the pledge I didn't take it for a while as I felt MY word was good enough and was offended that someone would ask me to actually put it in writing.

But the more I thought about it, the more I started to understand it wasn't about ME taking the pledge....it was about the pack mentality. If EVERYONE has signed it and you want out, it MAY be just a little harder to pull the trigger. That is all it is and I think in some instances it REALLY does work.

Of coursr if your a 'bailer' you could put a deposit down and you would still bail.

We have a guy (that is pretty well known) that loves to expand wily nilly until he is the biggest, with NO thought of what the Hell he is doing or why. He then just doesn't show up anymore and skews the game until we get a sub. It is twice it has happened now and I see him starting in another game. I won't play with him agian and the pledge wouldn't mean anything to him....but it MIGHT get a new guy thinking that he doesn't want to be known like that and hang in there.

Sorry so long, just my opinion.

[earcaraxe]

who is he?

[GrudgeBringer]

Sorry, but to smear a guy because I noticed something would not benefit the site and may start a Flame war which I don't want to be involved in.

I know you are a serious player and don't want to spend your time if that person is in a game with you, but in this case I would prefer not making a big case of it.

He has been around enough to be noticeable but isn't a MAJOR threat like Executor (hi buddy), Psycho, squirrelloid, and many more. Trust me, there are more and more people starting to notice it and his name will surface soon.

[TwoBits]

You know, there is a place where airing such grievances is more or less (pretty much more) acceptable

[Jorus]

I think the pledge is a good idea because it communicates a major concern of many players to ALL players. I'm happy to abide by the pledge, but have a few questions;

1. What about a game administrator pledge? I have been in games where I have invested countless hours - but needed a short extension for RL concerns. I communicate the request in a timely manner, but it is ignored and I have a stale (or two) in a tightly contested game! Sheez.

2. Ethical Question: What if a player is part of a team (and is the weaker link - by far - of the team) and he advises his ally that the best thing to do would be for the stronger player to take over the provinces of the weaker player? In this way resources (gems, money, research, etc.) would be better utilized - for the team. On the other hand, it could be argued that the weaker player is not "fighting to the death".

[Lingchih]

What value is such a pledge, when it's own owner does not abide by it?

Not much value, methinks.

[Ragnars Wolves]

As A new player I feel like that EXACTLY!!!

However, if people do pledge and break it and I can see it, then I am prepared if I see them in a game and it is nobody's fault but my own if they do bail and I have known about it.

As a previous post said "You could make some players put down a deposit and they would still break it". Whether it is a good tool to judge the charecter of a player or not I have no opinion. BUT, as a tool to see if I want to spend 3 months playing and they have a record of 'exiting early and often' them I might pass on that game.

I am just a new guy on here, but saw the same things in MOO2 (shows my age), Civil War Generals 2, and a number of other games that I invested time in just to be dissapointed.

Thank you.