Guide to Ethical Alt Account Usage
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- SerottaCSi
- Archmage
Gosh Ellesmere, you ask the most interesting questions! Is it OK for a player to allow another person to play their account? I think we need to say that this should not be a frequent practice. There was a recent, notorious incident where it was said that a Singapore player collaborated with an American player to log the Singapore player into a US state battle group. It's pretty easy to just allow a friend to log you in once on their device at the desired location, then play normally on your own device from halfway around the world, safe from the BG opponents. This is clearly breaking the intent of the game.
As for two players located together, I think there are still problems because of the player rankings and awards. Imagine if you took shifts playing one account: you could run up a score higher than one player could by themselves. You would then earn a potion award higher than you could by yourself. In some cases, it means a lower-level player is enabled by playing the higher-level player's account.
Gabriel may also have some thoughts on whether the practice violates the terms and conditions of the service.
I would recommend against the practice, I'm sorry to say. I've allowed a family member to play my own account for a few minutes once, and at the time, I didn't consider the consequences. Now that you've asked the question, I'm going to say we shouldn't do this.
As for two players located together, I think there are still problems because of the player rankings and awards. Imagine if you took shifts playing one account: you could run up a score higher than one player could by themselves. You would then earn a potion award higher than you could by yourself. In some cases, it means a lower-level player is enabled by playing the higher-level player's account.
Gabriel may also have some thoughts on whether the practice violates the terms and conditions of the service.
I would recommend against the practice, I'm sorry to say. I've allowed a family member to play my own account for a few minutes once, and at the time, I didn't consider the consequences. Now that you've asked the question, I'm going to say we shouldn't do this.
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- Monkkbfr
- Seeker
As with all discussions like this, it's now degenerating to name calling and finger wagging. There isn't a discussion happening here; this is a Fox News like crowd: you've already made up your mind on something, actual discussion is impossible with a group like that so it's of no value to continue contributing.
I've stated what my opinion is on using alt players. This is backed up by history, philosophy and real world practices. If you want to follow the lead of a few alpha dog players who make up some sort of 'alternate fantasy game that lives in your head' rules, more power to you.
I'll keep playing this way. It's, obviously, sanctioned game play by the designers of the game I and many thousands of other players (on both sides) will continue to use alt accounts for recon and spying. Accept it or whine about it as you see fit.
All war is deception.
-Sun Tzu
I've stated what my opinion is on using alt players. This is backed up by history, philosophy and real world practices. If you want to follow the lead of a few alpha dog players who make up some sort of 'alternate fantasy game that lives in your head' rules, more power to you.
I'll keep playing this way. It's, obviously, sanctioned game play by the designers of the game I and many thousands of other players (on both sides) will continue to use alt accounts for recon and spying. Accept it or whine about it as you see fit.
All war is deception.
-Sun Tzu
Edited by Monkkbfr (Nov. 30, 2011 18:25:35)
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- Sakalav
- Seeker
SerottaCSi
There was a recent, notorious incident where it was said that a Singapore player collaborated with an American player to log the Singapore player into a US state battle group. It's pretty easy to just allow a friend to log you in once on their device at the desired location, then play normally on your own device from halfway around the world, safe from the BG opponents. This is clearly breaking the intent of the game.
I would say there's an exception to that. Me for example, I'm french and live in french overseas, but because on the map my place is closer to Asia, I ended up in Singa BG. I don't participate much in bg chat because they often use asian writing and cultural idioms that I don't get. And I know some people who lost interest in the game because they don't speak english well enough to take part in Singa BG strategy...
If a french friend offered to log me on in France BG now and then, I would problably enjoy it a lot.
I'm curious about what Stomresearch has to say about it, since they're from Israel and in Spain / Portugal bg.
Edited by Sakalav (Nov. 30, 2011 18:42:29)
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- Hamco
- Archmage
Monkkbfr
I find GD's guide quite quaint. I don't see what it has to do with fighting a war though. Using alts, in whatever methods possible, to win a war isn't 'cheating', it's part of the allowed gameplay designed by GA.
When you're laying plans, waging war, attacking by stratagem, defining tactical dispositions, directing energy, discerning weak and strong points, maneuvering, varying your tactics, dealing with the 9 situations/terrains, acting as an army on the march, surveying your terrain, attacking by fire or using spys, you're fighting a war and you're goal is to win against the enemy.
Let's use spying as an example. Using spys can take two forms in this game. As a low level protected mage on your own side that can drop into a battle and safely view the battle and report positions, strength and enemy resources, or as a alt mage on the opposing team able to read chats, scout out positions, strengths and resources and to plant dissent, doubt and misdirection.
Both are allowed by GA. Both are useful tools that should be used when waging a war.
Every war in history has used spys. No exception. It would be very easy for GA to stop the use of alts for spying, but they don't. The reason? It's part of warfare. It's a well documented tool that's historically and empirically one of the most useful of tools in a war.
I can appreciate the use of the word 'honorable' by Giant Dong, but honorable, in war, is a synonym for dead.
A great warrior will always play the game from every angle possible. Push the limits of what's possible and be brilliant in their tactics AND their strategies.
Play with all the tools the game designers gave you, and play to win. Any other approach is for antiquated ideas of knights, armor and chivalry, all of which was just historical fantasy (those knights fought to win in real life, and they used 'alt' spys to do it).
Edited by Monkkbfr (today 06:14:59)
its interesting that you keep calling this a war, this is a game that happens to have 2 opposing factions which is differant than a war. For one thing in a war no one would care if you were having fun or enjoying yourself. As such that this is a game we must never lose sight of the fact that everyone deserves to enjoy themselves and to do this we must all be on an equal playing field. By the way its true that all wars had spies, but those spies always had the risk of death, a spy in this game runs no risks of death so you can hardly compare spying ingame to a real spy
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- Guitargod33
- Seeker
What about alts for clean-up purposes? For example, I have doms at my work that have been built and abandoned. I'd like to be rid of them.
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- Kieri
- Magister
Guitargod33
What about alts for clean-up purposes? For example, I have doms at my work that have been built and abandoned. I'd like to be rid of them.
Personally, I've purposefully triggered ABCs when I need clean up done. Gets them gone, and no alts required!
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- SerottaCSi
- Archmage
Kieri and I had the same thought: invite an enemy raid. I watched a green player do this last night.
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- Anvar
- Archmage
I'm against remote log-in, as much as I've been tempted to bow-out of the USA BGs of late, due to imbalances, as well as the unwieldiness of the sizes.
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- Naymord
- Awakened
Guitargod33
What about alts for clean-up purposes? For example, I have doms at my work that have been built and abandoned. I'd like to be rid of them.
well, you can just destroy your dominator by touching the dom icon (purple) and press "DESSTROY". Thats basically how you destroy a remote dominator.
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- Guitargod33
- Seeker
Naymord
well, you can just destroy your dominator by touching the dom icon (purple) and press "DESSTROY". Thats basically how you destroy a remote dominator.
no, other people's doms that are in my space just sitting there, never been harvested.