| Playing in an online game with close relations... |
Mon, 03 June 2013 17:54  |
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 XAPBob |
 | Lt. Commander |
Messages: 957
Registered: August 2012 | |
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Serious question - which I absolutely don't want to degenerate into a Lowtek slinging match...
I posted a little while ago (in the Lowtek forum):
Quote:If I had a brother who also played the game I'd avoid them in (non team) games - simply to avoid the possibility of any suggestion of impropriety. I think I've mentioned it before, it would be a case of being "beyond reproach". I have no specific reason to suspect that you configured your races to work together, but if I had been doing that they wouldn't be a perfect match - that's too much of a give away to the host...
It's not simple, it's not clear cut - and it NEVER can be (unless you collaborate to make races which deliberately don't work well together, and why would you do that?)
This is after other players have raised concerns about having brothers playing in the same game - one of whom has has poor experience of similar before.
Quote:We couldn't avoid a game with brothers, because until 2401 we didn't know
Quote:In this particular game I don't remember reading someone state in the starting thread people from the same family (from what I know, you are brothers) would play the game. I found out on year one on the game screen. This fact hit me very hard since never a single time something good ever got out of this situation every single time I experienced it in game and it was even detrimental to the game... I did and still do seriously consider creating and using a personal policy not to enter such a game again.
Question:
Is it reasonable to expect significant relationships (i.e. familial ties/relationships outside of SAH) to be declared in the "new game" thread?
Or at least to the host and other players?
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| Re: Playing in an online game with close relations... |
Mon, 03 June 2013 20:25  |
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| skoormit |
 | Lieutenant |
Messages: 665
Registered: July 2008
Location: Alabama | |
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XAPBob wrote on Mon, 03 June 2013 16:54Question:
Is it reasonable to expect significant relationships (i.e. familial ties/relationships outside of SAH) to be declared in the "new game" thread?
Or at least to the host and other players?
I suppose "reasonable" is a subjective standard.
In any game I host in the future, I will probably explicitly ask in the advert that players disclose any IRL relationships with other players in the game.
[Updated on: Mon, 03 June 2013 20:26]
What we need's a few good taters.Report message to a moderator
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| Re: Playing in an online game with close relations... |
Mon, 03 June 2013 21:50 |
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| Eagle of Fire | 
| Lt. Commander |
Messages: 809
Registered: December 2008
Location: GMT -5 | |
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I feel obligated to answer since I'm directly quoted here.
Quote:Question:
Is it reasonable to expect significant relationships (i.e. familial ties/relationships outside of SAH) to be declared in the "new game" thread?
Or at least to the host and other players?
The answer is simple: no.
You can't ask someone to stand forward and declare to everybody else that they are playing with people they know. People inherently want to play with people they know for a reason or another and separating a group of people only because of a peculiar reason is still segregation and another form of racist. Why would they need to stand forward simply because of what they are?
It is also a very slippery ground. Everybody's better watch what they say else the Aerials and Karlathi might think they are not welcome playing on Autohost and nothing could be further from the truth as far as I am concerned.
What I've been saying on the Lowtek forum is that it actually happened to me in my last 3 games to meet people of the same family ending up fending for themselves and allying against the rest of the universe, usually alongside others. What I think is that relatives playing the same game, in a game of STARS!, start with an advantage which is detrimental to the rest of the universe. They can communicate instantly, they can plan their races ahead without possibility to make sure or check, they usually end up helping eachother simply because they already know eachother very well and you are always more prone to help people from your own family, etc. Know the saying "blood is thicker than water"? One usually end up doing things for a family member that he/she would not dream to do for someone else entirely. They are family, there is a bond between those two. It is always obvious.
So there. I've let the chance of the runner to run and show me what happen. I didn't like it one bit. This is why I'm seriously considering using a personal policy not to play such game in the future. Hopefully by noticing at the very start of the game like what happened in Lowtek when the names of the players were revealed at year 1. Regenning with one player less is not that much trouble if you do it in 2400.
I guess it would be the responsibility of the host to act on such a case. Either by preventing the situation to happen in the first place or taking preemptive actions to investigate if needed. As for myself, I'm going to ask that it is added to the rules of the next game I play. Whenever that would be. It will be refreshing not to end up in an universe in which I don't already start with a huge handicap versus two of the other starting players.
And in case some people find what I am saying confusing: there is a huge difference between blocking people to play a game rather than create special rules for specific, unique games. The former is a form of rejection, the later is a personal choice.
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| Re: Playing in an online game with close relations... |
Tue, 04 June 2013 11:04 |
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| leonidas |
 | Petty Officer 3rd Class |
Messages: 44
Registered: February 2013 | |
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XAPBob wrote on Mon, 03 June 2013 17:54Question:
Is it reasonable to expect significant relationships (i.e. familial ties/relationships outside of SAH) to be declared in the "new game" thread?
Or at least to the host and other players?
If they don't want you to know, you won't.
In many respects it is no different from playing in the same game with a good friend. But you're less likely to back stab a good friend!
Has anyone out there allied with someone in a game because they've done so before and have good relations? What about because you've become friendly with them.
Two issues seem to be causing a problem.
Pre-planning - it doesn't take two parties:
If I know CCMaster is going to be in a game where he is permitted to play his infamous HE race and I am so minded, I should build an IT race with left shifted rad to be the perfect partner.
Instant communication:
Unless you're living in the same house, then its much the same for everyone if you're prepared to make the effort.
Just stirring the pot a little.
leonidas.
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Re: Playing in an online game with close relations...
