Round 37 - Contactability Debate

[Zaheen]

I have decided, unless player mentality takes a change for the better, after this round I'm never coming back. I'm not asking for players to be sympathetic, or care, this isn't a cry for attention, so please do not see it that way, pay great attention in reading this. Instead of getting angry and trying to find reasons to argue with me, read it properly and TRY and understand why I'm saying such awful things.

Do you want to play for:

• Fun (And enjoy the game, seriously have lots of fun)
• Win (And kill the player base)

Make your choice.

I think it's time for me to stop insulting players for using mobile phones, IRC highlights, pagers, beepers, phone calls, texts...

I will just accept that it's part of the game now. I understand that it's much quicker to pull out your phone and load Bushtarion on that, than it is to load up a PC/laptop. So there you go, the end. But, I'm pretty sure that after so many rounds players can see a decrease in the player base. And people are blaming this, that and the other for this decrease. Nobody wants to admit that it is smart phones, because it would make them a hypocrite, and because they have no brain. I would like everybody who uses a mobile phone, to politely and kindly tell me, in your own words why giving your phone number in Bushtarion is so important.

I want anybody who has the GUTS, to reply here in an appropriate and mature fashion without flaming, or trolling or insulting...and it can be debated by everybody who agrees and disagrees with me and others.

What is it you are afraid of?

• Losing some troops?
• Losing some land?
• Scared of losing to somebody with less skill than you?
• Scared to being killed by somebody who plays less than you?
• Scared of being killed in your sleep?

I mean, it really is just an online web based text game. What is it about this game that makes you feel the need to spend 10-15 hours a day online, and then go to bed with your phones just in case you get incoming? You have to realise that you are not more skilful than anybody else just because you own a mobile phone, and dish out your number to random strangers on the internet (don't go and get offended now), because that is what you do. You may run from 100 attacks in a round just because you are contactable. And then you come along and send to players who are offline, sleeping, in a smaller alliance, solo, players who simply don't give a damn about their score who will stay and fight no matter what. But you, you just run every single time you get incoming, run, call up your alliance for help, wake up players, cause your alliance members to lose sleep, damage their health, ruin their social life, cause arguments because of any of these.

Do you honestly think for one second these people in your alliance give a damn about you as a person? Do they, honestly? Because IF they did, they would make sure you were not called up ONE single night in a round, and you'd make sure you woke up everybody EXCEPT that person. Nobody gets treated like that though, do they? Your leader (assuming he's the one in charge, and the one sets all the rules), he is the one responsible for the way your alliance functions, so really he is to blame.

Somebody please explain to me, what is it about this game that makes you go to such extreme measures to try and win?

I mean what the hell...I think I have called one person in my entire life over a game, and it was to Charlie_B (somebody I went to college with), it was lunch time I knew he was awake so I sent him a text in Round 9 I think it was...I felt so stupid afterwards and never did it again. With that said, is it because you don't know these people, that makes you think it's fine. You don't know them, you don't care about them - it's just a group of "players" in an online game who want to win a round?

I really don't understand what the thrill of playing is, if you have to take out these measures to play. I should try it I hear you say? No thank you, I love to sleep and I love doing things without being disturbed.

You are not playing fair at all, on the 100's (use to be 1000's) of players that play for fun, do not use mobile phones to call each other up like a complete and utter nerd, therefore you aren't really winning. Everything is fair in love and war? War game duh? Duh?

Yes, WITHIN REASON. So what if you manage to beat a bunch of players/alliances who are offline and not contactable? Sometimes it takes 10 of you, it only takes a few hours to complete wipe out an alliance this way if you're bigger, and have more troops. Why is it you feel the need, even AFTER you have killed all the alliances around you, you STILL, STILL OMG FFS WDFPWN, LET'S CALL EACH OTHER UP IN CASE WE LOSE 10 GARDENERS!!!!

Ok maybe not 10 Gardeners, but you get the general idea don't you?

• So what?
• Do you think you are the greatest?
• Does it make you feel almighty and great?
• Does it class you THE BEST?
• Do you think being in the top 10 makes you one of the top 10 players?
• Do you think it takes skill, or just a lack of life?
• Do you become bored?
• Do you have fun?
• Longer then the first 2-3 weeks?
• Would you do it again?
• Why?
• How many rounds would you be willing to play this way?
• Do you have a life?
• Are you an ugly mother ****er that can't get a girlfriend?
• Sorry, let's assume you do! You live with a beautiful model I hear you say, does she mind you waking up in the middle of the night?
• Do you lie to her?
• Why?

Somebody please tell me why you do it, there are lots of reasons why you may do it. I'm somebody who has never, EVER cared about rank in Bushtarion. Yes, it's good fun to be highly ranked - but because I'm usually always solo I know it won't last, do I care?

I repeat.

You are not playing fair at all, on the 100's (use to be 1000's) of players that play for fun, do not use mobile phones to call each other up like a complete and utter nerd, therefore you aren't really winning.

In fact, I think you are afraid of losing. Can you not accept anybody higher ranked than you? Oh no wait, you'd only deprive yourself of 20-40 hours sleep each week, that's totally fine, you're a MAN, you're THE MAN...you can handle it.

Do you know that is self abuse? (Yes, all have a good laugh at me now if you really want to) Do I care? Do I do it?! Harming your body over a game, OMG get a grip you guys it's just a game. Ok enough smack talk now.

I hope everybody doesn't see this thread as a troll/flame, instead views it as a frustrated, desperate attempt to have a fun round.

I don’t understand why the same players boast and even brag about their rank afterwards. Probably think it’s some badass achievement to get a portal position playing this way too.

• Have you ever tried playing without being contactable?
• Can you even remember what it feels like?
• Did you have fun?
• Did you win?
• Did you lose?
• Did you care either way!?
• Maybe you didn’t have fun because you lost, and the reason you lost was because some other contactable alliance beat you, so you joined them? Everything is ok now that you joined them…
• What about everyone else?
• They have their fun and quit, half of them have all quit now because of you and your alliance play style?
• Are you happy now?
• Why are you complaining about the rounds being boring, about not being enough competition?

Why don’t you try playing for fun, be as active as you want but don’t give your contact numbers out for one round and see how well everybody does?
Stop thinking that it’s skilful, MAN up and stop being a cissy girl all round. Get some sleep, play like a NORMAL person, like the rest of us.

I have not insulted a single person in this post (no names have been mentioned), so nobody SHOULD be even be offended. However, due to the nature of the post I’m sure some of you players are crying now, and are about to jump off a bridge because I’ve exposed great truth and facts about you and your deepest secrets.

But seriously, if you are offended by reading this, read it again. Maybe a 3rd time so that you actually understand where I’m coming from. Ask yourselves why I even care so much? Then happily post away.

 

[Hobbezak]

So basically you've spent half an hour or more, trying to tell people it's just a game, and they shouldn't spend so much time on it, or that they shouldn't care so much as to use mobile phones. Life, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.

 

[Zaheen]

uppydogeyes:

 

[Alcibiades]

So basically you've spent half an hour or more, trying to tell people it's just a game, and they shouldn't spend so much time on it, or that they shouldn't care so much as to use mobile phones. Life, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.

This pretty much wins.

I voted for "try to win but don't care about rank" but it all depends per round. Sometimes i want to win, other times i want to be about as active as a boulder. It really changes from round to round.

If i'm in an alliance that is trying to win I post my number because I would feel like I would be letting down "the team" and not "doing my part" to contribute to a win if everyone else was doing it and I refused out of a high horse mentality about "killing the game". It's about matching levels of commitment. If i'm in an inactive alliance, I won't post my number since we're all okay with dying in the middle of the night due to no nightcover or whatnot. I don't think everyone, every round puts out their number simply because they're scared of losing troops.

Mobile phones/smart phones may be killing the game, but you can't ask people to turn them off and reasonably expect to be obeyed. Then whoever does do this will simply be raped silly by the alliance that doesn't. This technology is here to stay and the game has to adapt or go under. We may have reached a critical mass where it's now impossible to modify the game to suit the current world in which we live. That would be tragic but everything has an expiration date. Adapt or die.

 

[IceOfFire]

So basically you've spent half an hour or more, trying to tell people it's just a game, and they shouldn't spend so much time on it, or that they shouldn't care so much as to use mobile phones. Life, it seems, is not without a sense of irony.

win

 

[timthetyrant]

as alci said somewhere, i usually match the alliance's commitment (if i can), so usually im just conforming to what the alliance wants. i dont mind waking up at ungodly hours to send a mob for defence or to run away, and if im already awake i would prefer to be contacted if i can help.
For me, im contable for unselfish reasons. i dont really care if my troops live or die, ive been in enough mid rank alliances to know better, but if it helps the alliance to suicide defend, im there. It doesnt take much skill to sit on a few hectares and grow, i'ld much rather be where the fight is.

 

[CFalcon]

As I said in the other thread, phones are here to stay, so the game needs to adapt, not the players. If the game didn't allow you to lose weeks and weeks of work in a single tick, then I very much doubt so many people would use phones.

But there are other aspects you've missed. As Alci and Tim said, there's also a sense of not wanting to let down the alliance, and a sense of wanting to be online and be a useful member when the action's happening, rather than missing it simply because you don't know it's happening.

Another awful miss: I've played in a fair few ftw alliances, and I'm fairly sure 95% of the people in those aren't posting their numbers and being uber-active just so they can boast about their rank. There is the occasional one.... but most of them; no. Most do it for an extra challenge ([size=-4]and assuming there's another ftw opposition, it *is* a challenge, despite what some will say[/size]), for the thrill and pride of putting alot of effort into something and doing it well, and because they enjoy playing the game with other players of similar commitment and state of mind. I played last round completely inactively in a completely inactive alliance, where nobody ever rang anyone on, no alliance attacks were organised, there were rarely more than 5 members online, and alot of us got killed regularly. And that was fine, 'cos I couldn't and didn't want to commit the time to play more actively, and neither did anyone else there. Nobody ever complained about dying. Sounds like your perfect alliance. But it was neither a challenge nor was it interesting. Maybe you don't want a challenge, or maybe alliance ranks 5-15 are already challenging enough for you, but for plenty of players it isn't enough of a challenge. I know I'll be playing more ftw this coming round because I want to be properly challenged, and made to think hard and be pushed to the limits of my experience, because that is much more fun for me than logging in for half an hour each day to do nothing in particular. It has nothing to do with wanting a top 10 rank so I can show off, and nothing to do with being scared of losing troops.

The idea that it's all about bragging rights is, in most cases, bollocks.

Oh, btw, *you* try organising defence against a 40-man wave at 4am while you're still half asleep, and then try telling me it's easier than dealing with random incomings at rank 200.

 

[Melnibone]

I'm a little biased here as ive basically quit from 'serious' play im not saying i wont win again but the chances are slim.

The main reason i quit competitively was the time needed to secure a win not because i want to be the 'best' im not and never have been, through every age and every round from age 1 rd 5 (when i started) till now i only ever have and only ever will put time and effort in for friends.

You asked in your post "Do you honestly think for one second these people in your alliance give a flying **** about you as a person?" --- Sorry Zaheen you know how highly i rate you as a player and a person but that is completely wrong when im not leading an alliance of friends ive been led by Angela, Tiff, Sordes or many players of similar stature all friends all people who ive met or chat regularly with either by phone or e-mail people who i genuinely care about and would do anything for and i hope the feelings mutual

Maybe its just me but its always been about the people... ive been in many a winning alliance but only because thats where my friends where ive never been top 10 (wouldnt want to be no-one up there to attack)

Saying all that ive been very lucky every round ive been in the winning alliance it hasnt been cut and dried till very near the end of the round and the only time ive ever had a complete nightmare with pranks etc was in Ashes and all because i wanted the first top 20 place for an extremist force every other alliance had the no's/activity to proptect the offliners

 

[tobapopalos]

I agree with what Alci, Tim, CF and Melni said. Lots of sense being spoken in this thread. Kudos to all.

When I played actively and contactably (if that is a word) I did so because I had plenty of time on my hands and not a lot to do with it, I enjoyed playing the game and the people I played with, I wanted my alliance to do well, and I hated the idea of some bashing morons landing on my alliance unless it was absolutely 100% unavoidable. I wanted to do well at the game and unfortunately doing well requires some form of contactability. Originally I used a phone but for the last few rounds I just used an IRC highlight. I was at home like 99% of the time anyway and my computer was on 24/7. But that was when playing actively was fun and rewarding. These days I don't see the point.

 

[Zaheen]

CF you're missing the point slightly. Try look at it as a whole, cutting and pasting individual lines that I've said and commenting on them isn't really what I was looking for...

Everyone else has been making valid points, Melni I know back when I first started things were never like this bad.

I'm liking all the replies so far, keep them coming - thanks for not flaming/trolling so far!

 

[Max]

On the contactibility front, I am in the minority in that I cannot actually afford a phone with internet access, and that immediately puts me at a real disadvantage in terms of gameplay.

On a good note, it does mean that I procrastinate less! I agree with you Zaheen that it would be better if everyone played for fun, but for a lot of people (including myself on a number of occassions) playing at a higher rank is more fun, because it is a greater challenge.

Whilst I accepted that I will never win the game without a phone, I enjoy having and maintaining a higher rank because it is more difficult. Perhaps people enjoy being pranked? I don't know for sure

So while I completely agree with you on the PLAY FOR FUN EVERYONE vibes, it just so happens that for a lot of people playing for a high rank IS fun.

Sorry Zaheen!

 

[CFalcon]

CF you're missing the point slightly. Try look at it as a whole, cutting and pasting individual lines that I've said and commenting on them isn't really what I was looking for...

What exactly were you looking for? There are like 20 paragraphs there and ~50 questions.

I rather think that you simply don't like my post because I so completely oppose your view.

As far as I can make out from your massive ramble, you don't like people playing with phones, you want people to play more "for the fun", you seem to think that people playing 'ftw' don't have fun at all and just play active so they can brag about their rank, and you've phrased a huge number of questions in the futile hope that someone will go "you're right, I'm a massive douche. Thanks Zaheen!"

So if I'm missing the point slightly, perhaps you'd be kind enough to condense those 20 paragraphs down to a couple of lines. Ya know, for the simpletons like me :roll: Or if you can't do that, I can go through your entire post, picking it apart line by line, and showing how my first post *is* on topic. Up to you.

 

[Iamsmart]

Why do you keep making threads and bringing up this crap everywhere?

People agree with you. They wish phones weren't a part of the game.

It doesn't matter. It will never change. People know phones are now part of the game, and always will be a part of the game as long as it's still going. There's no possible way of stopping people using them, and they are a distinct advantage, therefore people will always use them. There's nothing to think about, there's nothing to discuss. It's like, a 2 minute thought proccess, I don't understand how or why you decided to take probably multiple hours to post something like this.

 

[CFalcon]

On the assumption that you will ignore my last post, I've taken the liberty of ripping you apart
But perhaps by addressing every single point in your post I've missed the point? :roll:

EDIT: If anyone wants a quick summary, this post goes something like this; http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvdglVzxV2U&feature=related

I have decided, unless player mentality takes a change for the better, after this round I'm never coming back. I'm not asking for players to be sympathetic, or care, this isn't a cry for attention, so please do not see it that way, pay great attention in reading this.

Understood. Nothing to comment on here.

Instead of getting angry and trying to find reasons to argue with me, read it properly and TRY and understand why I'm saying such awful things.

We can all understand why you're saying such things. But you're posting on forums and expecting no-one to post that disagrees with you? Especially when you admit in the first few lines that you're discussing a controversial topic?! Optimistic to say the least! The forums aren't your own personal blog.

Do you want to play for:

• Fun (And enjoy the game, seriously have lots of fun)
• Win (And kill the player base)

Make your choice.

False Dichotomy. It isn't either fun or win. Quite a few have fun and try to win.

I think it's time for me to stop insulting players for using mobile phones, IRC highlights, pagers, beepers, phone calls, texts...

I will just accept that it's part of the game now. I understand that it's much quicker to pull out your phone and load Bushtarion on that, than it is to load up a PC/laptop. So there you go, the end.

We agree here. It would be better if there were no phones, but since they're here to stay there's no point crying about it.

But, I'm pretty sure that after so many rounds players can see a decrease in the player base. And people are blaming this, that and the other for this decrease. Nobody wants to admit that it is smart phones, because it would make them a hypocrite, and because they have no brain.

I don't think anybody's trying to dodge the point that excessive contactabllity and activity are hurting the game. Where did you get that idea from?

I would like everybody who uses a mobile phone, to politely and kindly tell me, in your own words why giving your phone number in Bushtarion is so important.

Because the game is set up where-by you can lose weeks and weeks of work in a single tick. If it's no trouble to me (and sending/receiving the occasional text really *isn't* any trouble at all), then why wouldn't I? I don't think it's important, as you put it. But if it's no bother, why not? Especially as everyone else does it anyway.

I want anybody who has the GUTS, to reply here in an appropriate and mature fashion without flaming, or trolling or insulting...and it can be debated by everybody who agrees and disagrees with me and others.

I thought you didn't want anyone disagreeing with you? But ok, I'm replying in an appropriate and mature fashion right now. Notice how my posts contain no insults? Thanks.

What is it you are afraid of?

• Losing some troops?
• Losing some land?
• Scared of losing to somebody with less skill than you?
• Scared to being killed by somebody who plays less than you?
• Scared of being killed in your sleep?

To an extent yes. But not because I care about my rank, and not because I care about "losing to somebody with less skill than you". It's simply that the game is no fun to play if you have no troops. I think we can all agree on that? And as I said in my post above (which you dismissed as "missing the point"), it's all part of the challenge of the game. Or do you always stay against overwhelming defence? What are you scared of? Losing a few troops? The point of the game (at least in it's current form, which is something I'd like to see changed) is to lose as few troops as possible while killing as many opposing troops as possible. Some of us find trying to maximise our effectiveness fun. It's all part of the challenge.

I mean, it really is just an online web based text game. What is it about this game that makes you feel the need to spend 10-15 hours a day online, and then go to bed with your phones just in case you get incoming?

You're not getting the idea of a challenge being fun are you? In other games, playing against the CPU, do you always play on the easiest difficulty setting? I mean, you don't have to put lots of time and effort in, it doesn't tax your intelligence, and yet you can still do well. It's the equivalent of "playing ftf" in bushtarion. Or do you play on the hard difficulty setting, because you like to be challenged and have to use all your wit and cunning, and put alot of effort in to survive? Hint: I play games on hard.

You have to realise that you are not more skilful than anybody else just because you own a mobile phone, and dish out your number to random strangers on the internet (don't go and get offended now), because that is what you do.

I'm unaware of anyone ever saying they were. So what's your point?

You may run from 100 attacks in a round just because you are contactable. And then you come along and send to players who are offline, sleeping, in a smaller alliance, solo, players who simply don't give a damn about their score who will stay and fight no matter what.

And you never ever attack anyone who isn't as active as you? You never run from incoming? You never attack people who are offline? Are you a hypocrite or are you not?

But you, you just run every single time you get incoming, run, call up your alliance for help, wake up players, cause your alliance members to lose sleep, damage their health, ruin their social life, cause arguments because of any of these.

Whoa, whoa, whoa. A HUGE number of assumptions here.
Running every single time? I think not.

Causing allies to lose sleep? If they've posted their number then they know what to expect. If they don't want to be woken they won't post their number.

Damage their health? If people are actually having their health damage as a result of getting called, they should damn well take their number down. It's not anyone else's fault but their own.

Ruin their social life? Again, they've made a *choice* to post their number. If they don't want texts/pranks they can take their number down or turn off their phone. It's their own fault if their social life suffers as a result.

Cause arguments? See above ^^

So that whole point was, well, pointless.

Do you honestly think for one second these people in your alliance give a flying **** about you as a person? Do they, honestly?

Yes.

Because IF they did, they would make sure you were not called up ONE single night in a round, and you'd make sure you woke up everybody EXCEPT that person.

How many times must it be said? If I post my number it is automatically implied that I'm OK with getting contacted. If I don't want to be contacted, I take the number down. This isn't difficult Zaheen.

Nobody gets treated like that though, do they? Your leader (assuming he's the one in charge, and the one sets all the rules), he is the one responsible for the way your alliance functions, so really he is to blame.

Same point as above. Not leader's fault if a member makes a personal choice to post their number, with the implied permission to contact them.

Somebody please explain to me, what is it about this game that makes you go to such extreme measures to try and win?

You're not getting the idea of a challenge being fun are you? In other games, playing against the CPU, do you always play on the easiest difficulty setting? I mean, that's the easiest way to win, you don't have to put lots of time and effort in. It's the equivalent of "playing ftf" in bushtarion. Or do you play on the hard difficulty setting, because you like to be challenged and have to use all your wit and cunning, and put alot of effort in to survive? Hint: I play games on hard.

-----------------------------

I mean what the hell...I think I have called one person in my entire life over a game, and it was to Charlie_B (somebody I went to college with), it was lunch time I knew he was awake so I sent him a text in Round 9 I think it was...I felt so stupid afterwards and never did it again. With that said, is it because you don't know these people, that makes you think it's fine. You don't know them, you don't care about them - it's just a group of "players" in an online game who want to win a round?

Nothing to do with that. I've called people I know and people I don't know. Doesn't really make a difference.

I really don't understand what the thrill of playing is, if you have to take out these measures to play. I should try it I hear you say? No thank you, I love to sleep and I love diong things without being disturbed.

I've addressed this point several times above.

You are not playing fair at all, on the 100's (use to be 1000's) of players that play for fun, do not use mobile phones to call each other up like a complete and utter nerd, therefore you aren't really winning. Everything is fair in love and war? War game duh? Duh?

So I shouldn't use my extended knowledge of game mechanics, because not everyone has it? I shouldn't use IRC because not everyone has it? I shouldn't use the player made tools I have, because not everyone has them? I shouldn't use my common sense because not everyone has it? I shouldn't use my ability to get on more than an hour a day, because not everyone has it?

Please. The game is an entire spectrum of people with different advantages and disadvantages. Or should we all play to the level of the least active, least intelligent, least committed player?

Yes, WITHIN REASON. So what if you manage to beat a bunch of players/alliances who are offline and not contactable? Sometimes it takes 10 of you, it only takes a few hours to complete wipe out an alliance this way if you're bigger, and have more troops. Why is it you feel the need, even AFTER you have killed all the alliances around you, you STILL, STILL OMG FFS WDFPWN, LET'S CALL EACH OTHER UP IN CASE WE LOSE 10 GARDENERS!!!!

Ok maybe not 10 Gardeners, but you get the general idea don't you?

No, not really, I don't. Are you still saying that it's not fair to attack players who don't have the same advantages of time and knowledge that you do? In which case; dream on! Oh, and also; hypocrite.

• So what?
• Do you think you are the greatest?
• Does it make you feel almighty and great?
• Does it class you THE BEST?
• Do you think being in the top 10 makes you one of the top 10 players?
• Do you think it takes skill, or just a lack of life?
• Do you become bored?
• Do you have fun?
• Longer then the first 2-3 weeks?
• Would you do it again?
• Why?
• How many rounds would you be willing to play this way?
• Do you have a life?
• Are you an ugly mother ****er that can't get a girlfriend?
• Sorry, let's assume you do! You live with a beautiful model I hear you say, does she mind you waking up in the middle of the night?
• Do you lie to her?
• Why?

What exactly are you expecting as an answer here? Yes. Yes Zaheen. I think I'm the greatest. It makes me feel almighty and great. And I'm the best. And no my super-model wife doesn't mind. You were honestly expecting responses to these questions?

Somebody please tell me why you do it, there are lots of reasons why you may do it. I'm somebody who has never, EVER cared about rank in Bushtarion. Yes, it's good fun to be highly ranked - but because I'm usually always solo I know it won't last, do I care?

*sigh* The challenge. The CHALLENGE Zaheen. Some of us enjoy trying to do things that stretch our limits to the best of our ability. The sandbox isn't for everyone.

I repeat.

You are not playing fair at all, on the 100's (use to be 1000's) of players that play for fun, do not use mobile phones to call each other up like a complete and utter nerd, therefore you aren't really winning.

I thought you said you accepted that phones were part of the game now, and that there was no point arguing because they're going to stay regardless?

And as I've said several times, there are a whole spectrum of advantages and disadvantages players might have. This is simply one more on a huge list. If you ever attack or defend against someone who doesn't have the same advantages of you, are you a hypocrite Zaheen? And are we all to be expected to play at the level of the least active and intelligent player?

In fact, I think you are afraid of losing. Can you not accept anybody higher ranked than you? Oh no wait, you'd only deprive yourself of 20-40 hours sleep each week, that's totally fine, you're a MAN, you're THE MAN...you can handle it.

Yes, I'm fine with people ranked above me. I've been here 25 rounds, and haven't come rank 1 once. Do you think I'd have stuck around if that thought made me cry at night?

Do you know that is self abuse? (Yes, all have a good laugh at me now if you really want to) Do I care? Do I do it?! Harming your body over a game, OMG get a grip you guys it's just a game. Ok enough smack talk now.

I take it you don't drink, smoke, drive, play sports or go out to socialise? All of those things can harm your body Zaheen! Be careful out there!

I hope everybody doesn't see this thread as a troll/flame, instead views it as a frustrated, desperate attempt to have a fun round.

I understand the frustration. Although, if you go back and re-read some of your sentences, you might understand how some people could be forgiven for taking them as flames/trolls.

I don’t understand why the same players boast and even brag about their rank afterwards. Probably think it’s some badass achievement to get a portal position playing this way too.

• Have you ever tried playing without being contactable?
• Can you even remember what it feels like?
• Did you have fun?
• Did you win?
• Did you lose?
• Did you care either way!?

• 
  
  I address these points in my first post. The post which, intriguingly, you dismissed as "missing the point". Care to explain how this misses the point? Or perhaps now you actually read it instead of knee-jerk flaming a post that doesn't agree with you, you see that it's actually very on topic?
  
  

  I've played in a fair few ftw alliances, and I'm fairly sure 95% of the people in those aren't posting their numbers and being uber-active just so they can boast about their rank. There is the occasional one.... but most of them; no. Most do it for an extra challenge (and assuming there's another ftw opposition, it *is* a challenge, despite what some will say), for the thrill and pride of putting alot of effort into something and doing it well, and because they enjoy playing the game with other players of similar commitment and state of mind. I played last round completely inactively in a completely inactive alliance, where nobody ever rang anyone on, no alliance attacks were organised, there were rarely more than 5 members online, and alot of us got killed regularly. And that was fine, 'cos I couldn't and didn't want to commit the time to play more actively, and neither did anyone else there. Nobody ever complained about dying. Sounds like your perfect alliance. But it was neither a challenge nor was it interesting. Maybe you don't want a challenge, or maybe alliance ranks 5-15 are already challenging enough for you, but for plenty of players it isn't enough of a challenge. I know I'll be playing more ftw this coming round because I want to be properly challenged, and made to think hard and be pushed to the limits of my experience, because that is much more fun for me than logging in for half an hour each day to do nothing in particular. It has nothing to do with wanting a top 10 rank so I can show off, and nothing to do with being scared of losing troops.
  
  The idea that it's all about bragging rights is, in most cases, bollocks.

  
  --------------------
  
  

  [*]Maybe you didn’t have fun because you lost, and the reason you lost was because some other contactable alliance beat you, so you joined them? Everything is ok now that you joined them…
  [*]What about everyone else?
  [*]They have their fun and quit, half of them have all quit now because of you and your alliance play style?
  [*]Are you happy now?
  [*]Why are you complaining about the rounds being boring, about not being enough competition?

I don't know what to make of the first point, having never ship-jumped purely to further my own rank. The few times I have ship-jumped it's been from a higher alliance to a lower alliance, in order to play with friends. That may come as a shock to you.

And, as I and many others have repeatedly said, we AGREE that excessive activity and contactibility is not good for the game as the game is currently set up. But seeing as phones and activity clearly aren't going to go away by themselves, or by you asking "politely", we have to look for ways to adapt the game to stop activity and contactibility being s detrimental. I've made several suggestions on the subject, so have many others. We're not *against* you, we're just going about solving the problem in a more effective way.

Why don’t you try playing for fun, be as active as you want but don’t give your contact numbers out for one round and see how well everybody does?
Stop thinking that it’s skilful, MAN up and stop being a cissy girl all round. Get some sleep, play like a NORMAL person, like the rest of us.

False Dichotomy again. "FTW or fun". Simply isn't true. For some people the two are synonymous.

I have not insulted a single person in this post (no names have been mentioned), so nobody SHOULD be even be offended.

I approve.

However, due to the nature of the post I’m sure some of you players are crying now, and are about to jump off a bridge because I’ve exposed great truth and facts about you and your deepest secrets.

And yet you went ahead and posted anyway You're a cruel man Zaheen!

But seriously, if you are offended by reading this, read it again. Maybe a 3rd time so that you actually understand where I’m coming from. Ask yourselves why I even care so much? Then happily post away.

I understand where you're coming from. I just think you're wrong

 

[Alcibiades]

Haha. Owned. CF ftw.

Edit: I fully agree with everything CF has pointed out.

FATALITY!!!!!!!!

FLAWLESS VICTORY!


​

 

[Dimitar]

I honestly don't have the will to read all that, but I saw the issue of disturbing a person's sleep being adressed a lot and I want to say that usually when I'm contactable I make it clear that I don't want to get woken up (sleep mode if solo) unless I'm about to lose army I've been building for a month. I'm mostly contactable during the day. And you can always write a post in politics saying that you don't want to be contacted for the night/day/week if you're really feeling it's messing with your health.

PS: I said long post is longer.

 

[Dax]

Well after all that, I will say I have had so much fun in alliances where I've been at rank 2, and my brief stint in a rank 1 alliance, for very different reasons.
I've also played in rank 20-something alliances, and with some organization and some help offered to the newer members, we got to rank 7.
I've also played in the rounds where it was an epic achievement to make page 1 of the alliance listings - So I believe I have a fair enough opinion of rank 2-30 alliances from rounds previous to present.
I also have relatively extensive experience as a solo with and without NAPs. In fact, I've reached the top 150 back when that was an achievement as a Psolo, with nil NAPs.
My fun within rank 2-5 alliances are based upon working hard with alliance mates. This comes in the form of co-ordinated defence, attack, and the general entertainment value of IRC as a tool in Bushtarion.
I've played rounds solo with real life friends, and I've played solo alone - And they all possess different values of being fun. If I listed them, I'd make a post as unread-ably long as yours.
The main point of my post is simply; Everything about this game, I find fun. Regardless of whether I play for a challenge, to teach people, to try something new, or to try to set myself a new best score/rank finish to beat.
Once you can no longer find everything about this game as being fun to the point where you want to play (or you can only see many negative things about it), this is when you should hit the nail on the head, and maybe return later.

 

[bluehen55]

Well I was going to make a more extensive post, but it seems CF has said most everything I wanted to, and in a much more intelligent fashion. I just want to add to the point about having fun while trying to win, and the "challenge" as CF put it. I assume most people that play bushtarion likely play other games, be it similar online games, other video games, or *gasp* even maybe sports played outside in the sunlight. I know when I play other games, I normally like to win. It's often fun to compete, and try to beat others while both of you are trying your hardest, not on any "easy setting" as CF again mentions. It is easy to enjoy the game itself, while also competing, and to me its the same in bushtarion. A lot of the most fun times I've had are in wars at the top, yes, sometimes taking place at odd hours of the night so that some people had to wake up for them. Now I have played in and enjoyed plenty of lower alliances, and most of us can understand not having the time to play ftw, and there's still plenty in the game and community to enjoy. But if you do have the time, and if there is a real fight among ftw alliances, which isn't always true nowadays, the challenge of trying beat out the others and win can be quite fun, just as it is in other games.

 

[Caranthir]

winning is for losers. fun is for winners. 'Nuff said.

 

[Kingdroid]

[Inactive] Play for fun, like winning but meh