PBW is very peacefull

[Mudshark]

I have found that the play by web games tend to be very friendly. This can be good because you have no huge fleets knocking at your door, but with the fact that if you declare war most other empires tend to side with the "defender", how do you get things jumping? In real life this is great, but for a game this makes for poor roleplaying. what have some of the PBW players done to overcome this? Peace can become rather dull!

[Puke]

heh.. heh heh. Ha Ha Ha BuWahahahah Guffaw-Guffaw. *sniffle*

okay. im better. seriously tho, i dont think thats entirely accurate. I usually try to hit up the first few people I meet for peace or partnership. If they look like they would make lousey partners, I leave them be, dont make a treaty, and plot their eventual demise.

I try to make friends with people that I think wont screw me over half way thru the game, and stick with them while we railroad everyone else. that usually works for PBW and PBEM. roleplaying is great, because who the heck determines who is the aggressor and who is the defender. you might be innocently protecting your assets, and then someone paints it in a light that makes you look like an inhuman monster. I know, I did that to Timorth. And its been done to me.

people usually take the side that serves them best. if it looks like they are siding with the defender, you just need to get a better propoganda machine. they are not the defender, they pushed you against the wall! they were colonizing systems in your space, and prepairing a war fleet against you! you only acted to save your skin! Look at what they were about to do to you, and if they were able to get away with ruining your empire, just think what they would have done to the other races! setup treaties with a few other races, and show them how taking your side will benefit them in the long run, and you will be sure to get a few allies.

of course, if your just looking for reasons to stab people in the back, you might have a harder time. multiplayer games are over when people say they are, not always when victory conditions are met. even if a game does not have a peace after x years condition, i will stick with an ally and not turn on them. if someone is going arround breaking treaties and stabbing people in the back, im going to plan on fighting him, because if i help out then he will do the same to me.

also, when picking who to support if i am neutral in a war, i try and look at the long term. maybe the person i help will help me later against another enemy. I will try to help out the race that has the best potential for comming out of the war stronger.

maybe i have nothing to gain from either of them, so then i will help the weaker race hoping to prolong their war and wear them both down, so that if the weaker race does come out on top, they wont be on top by much and i can come in and take over more planets. i would not betray them, just pick up some scraps, or take advantage of other sections of space while they are busy. if the race i am helping looses, hopefully their enemy is then weakened enough that i can move in, wipe them out, and take it all for myself

its not that people like peace and dislike aggressors, its that they are self serving, and you are probably not playing to their greed.

honor is important too. i might help someone in one game, hurt them in another. but if you are a backstabber in every game, that will follow you arround and no one will ally with you.

------------------
"...the green, sticky spawn of the stars"
(with apologies to H.P.L.)

[geoschmo]

quote:

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you might be innocently protecting your assets, and then someone paints it in a light that makes you look like an inhuman monster. I know, I did that to Timorth. And its been done to me.

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Puke, I just don't know who you might be talking about. (snicker, snicker)

Seriously though. I think most PBW games eventually get around to being just as bloodthristy. It's just a matter of time. You don't shoot first and ask questions later against a human player (usually anyway, lol).

You can be as aggressive as you want against the ai, and they simply can't take advantage of weaknesses the way a human player might. Against the AI, you can take chances, and leave places undefended, he's not going to counter attack effectively and turn the table on you like a human might.

Give it time, and some more games. I think you will find multi-player very ruthless.

But do me a favor, when you do meet a player that is mean enough for you, keep it in the game. There's nothing that can ruin a game faster than bringing hurt feelings in from a previous game.

I agree with Puke, being a backstabber all the time can get you a bad rep, but it's fun every once in a while.

Geoschmo

[geoschmo]

Hey, looks like I got's me promoted.

Puke too!

Lieutenant Colonel! Imagine that.

Geo

[Rich04]

I don't know. Most games I have seen start out peaceful. But eventually all hell breaks loose.
Diplomacy is very important not only in the beginning but all through the game.
In one game I was about to be eliminated from only Diplomacy saved my butt. I am still in that game while empires much larger than mine crumble all around me. I am in Last place (as I have been in most of the game) but still surviving.
I have been an honest ally and I believe it is appreciated buy the other players.
PBW is still fairly new. I know players that would make a Klingon proud in PBEM games go ultra-cautious in PBW. In time I think that will change.
Has anyone tried the 'take out my 1st neighbor' strategy on PBW? How did it go? I think it would work.

[geoschmo]

quote:

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Has anyone tried the 'take out my 1st neighbor' strategy on PBW? How did it go? I think it would work.

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I did it in the first round of the Survivor I Tournament. Worked great! For me anyway.

It's not as good as it is against the Ai though becasue you normally can't get them to surrender. And it slows you down at a time you should be expanding your economy. Even if you win, you could be easy pickings for the next player that comes along.

An equally valid strategy is to make real good friends with the first player you come across, and wipe everybody out.

I've done both. Their both fun.

Geoschmo

[This message has been edited by geoschmo (edited 31 August 2001).]

[Rollo]

"Has anyone tried the 'take out my 1st neighbor' strategy on PBW? How did it go? I think it would work."

Yeah, I have done that, too. That worked pretty well, because the game is on a small map and my neighbor had the same planets as me. IIRC, by turn 12 I had glassed all his planets and had some really nice worlds to colonize .
Oh, I forgot, another reason I wiped him out early was, because he used the same shipset as I do. You know, just to avoid confusion .

Rollo

[Mudshark]

Great answers, I am in the early stages in a few PBW games (Different name) I am screwing over a neibor just because of the fact that I'm getting bored, not with the game, but because they seem to be having all of the fun. I am playing with the same persom in another game. But the way I intend to play this one is way different. Would it not be better if you could hide yourself from game to game, considering that alians should have a completely different mindset. For example should I be considered a beserker for all time because of one game? I came across a game where you Geo, intevened due to your administrative rights, I must say that every one freaked because they thought you were an Expert. Just a flavor thought. Why would you not want a nutcase to liven up just because he fells like it? whith out staining his reputation. Perhaps this may be a good game to be a berserker? That is what makes this game so great the players that play, and the flexability of the game

[Mudshark]

I think the greatest PBW game would be for one of us to pick our own geo-policical
area (hotspots)for example 1)Jewish 2)Aribic. Any non-USA. I would hope that you would post your findings on this board.
This may ensure that all of us would find warp points to the stars! I wonder if we have the diversity to do this?

[Mudshark]

I for one would like to invade Canada, for the great tasting beer! Let alone your topless laws! Look who Settled this country. the USA has been founded by Puritan, Quakers, the outcasts of Europe. I would love for this sort of game to be started. What I could learn from this!!