I think labeling everyone who makes a cheating accusation an idiot is unfair.

Not everyone reads the forum. Nor has everyone read the rules (which is a pity).

Its far more productive to educate than it is to verbally assault.

Are you a dumb-ass Jamie? I like watching Draug berate people hence the forum for it. It's like the live game forum, all in one place. Makes it easy to find and almost always on page 1.

It won't all be in this one place though, will it Czech? People will start new threads for each cheating accusation, as they've always done.

Perhaps we need a feature to *make* people read the rules before they are allowed to join the site.

As long as everyone keeps commenting, this forum will be up at the top. Who would pass up the opportunity to post cheating accusations here? People would be too lazy to start a new thread. Look at how few live game announcements there are now.

i'm pretty sure The Czech and Jamiet99uk are cheating. i think they are england, france, russia and austria in my game, and all four (two? one?) of them are attacking poor me, germany.

@djbent
Perhaps you should list their (his?) other two accounts as well.

well, "peterwiggin" (or should i call you jamie?) you are clearly one of the multi-accounts. and i believe Draugnar is the other one. but i also have a strong suspicion that both "Lando" and "hellalt" are part of this massive cheating ring.

we are all accounts owned by abgemacht and figle (who are one in the same). duh.

GET THE FUCK OFF MY FORUMS. DJ WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU? READ THE MOTHER FUCKING RULES AND EMAIL THE GOD DAMN MODS. THROWING A BITCH FIT ON THE FORUMS BECAUSE YOU'RE BAD AT THIS GAME IS NO WAY TO GO ABOUT DOING THINGS.
That being said, you're a tool. GTFO.

Did I do that right?

+1 iceray. too bad he's a cheater, too.

I thought that only Kes and Figle had accounts here, we're all variations of those two people.

The Czech,

The mods have requested that cheating accusations not be posted on the forum. What you are doing is neither clever nor cute, it is just annoying and exacerbating a problem. As I've said, I (or any of the other mods) have no problem with people discussing changes to current policy, but you are knowingly trying to undermine the current rules. I love that this is a free forum and it is one of the reasons I've stayed here so long. It would be a shame if that needed to change because people couldn't have the smallest bit of self control.

i accuse abgemacht of cheating. actually, Draugnar already did, so i guess i second his accusation. i believe that puts it to a vote?

motion: "abgemacht is a cheater"
yea: 2
nay: 0

voting will close in five minutes.

i change my vote to nay. if he is cheating (being I'm his multi) then so am I, therefore I vote nay.

voting is extended for an additional five minutes in search of a tie breaker

motion: "abgemacht is a cheater"
yea: 1
nay: 1

"you are knowingly trying to undermine the current rules."

Abe, Czeck is not trying to undermine the site rules. He is making fun of Draug for being too heavy-handed. I think he got the point across.
I am fine with not posting accusations in the forum. There are counter arguments, but I have accepted the will of what seems to be the majority and the opinion of the mods.
But it is silly to abuse people for this. Sure, repeat offenders, I understand, but newbs and non-forum regulars, the abuse is ridiculous.

"I love that this is a free forum and it is one of the reasons I've stayed here so long. It would be a shame if that needed to change because people couldn't have the smallest bit of self control."

What is this China?

What do you think it is, a public site? This is Kestas's site and he could shut down the forum completely if he chose, so I suggest you attitude sucks donkey dicks and you should STFU.

djbent: I vote we burn the witches!

yea +1

i vote that you suck donkey dicks, Draugnar. so there! plus you're a self-confessed cheater, so you need to verbally abuse yourself. start now!

burn the witches!

"What do you think it is, a public site? This is Kestas's site and he could shut down the forum completely if he chose"

Was that post to me? What is the point you are making? Right it reads like a non-sequiter. Yes this Kestas's site. Did anyone say it wasn't?

There's never a good reason to berate anyone publicly, particularly online, where there is much less opportunity to fine-tune the message so that it is understood and remains at the appropriate level.

Which is more toxic to an online community? Is it the people who are ignorant of the guidelines (or who choose to disregard them)? Or is it self-appointed enforcers of orthodoxy who berate breaches of etiquette?

More to the specific point, should anyone care about public accusations of cheating? I suppose it's common to wonder whether one's loss is the result of collusion, but most of the time it's not.

My hypothesis is that someone sophisticated enough to detect actual cheating already knows that accusations should be made privately. Therefore, public accusations are made predominantly by those who would not be able to discern actual cheating.

Is there some effect of being accused publicly? I argue that if there is one, it's a positive one! Based on the preceding point, only unsophisticated players would pay any attention to public accusations. Is it a bad thing if unsophisticated players shy away from you? Maybe so if your goal is easy points, less so if you want good games.

It was a joke people if you don't want the post to continue, stop posting. Geeesh.

I'll just state that I have seen cheating (thus Metagaming) during my time of playing . . . |

Satirical comments which could possibly be interpreted as implying that it is okay to post cheating accusations in the forum will NOT be tolerated.
If you come across any posts which subtly imply that such behavior is okay, even if disguised as humor, please denounce the poster to [email protected].

@spyman

I wasn't trying to sound draconian; I apologize if that how it came out. But, do you not see how new members could find this op very confusing?

"What is this China?" You equated moderating the forum to political censorship committed by a repressive government. I pointed out your view was total bullshit and that your attitude sucked donkey dicks. Not you, your attitude.

If this is out of hand, have a MOD remove this forum link. New Players may be confused, but seasoned players seem to be having a hoot. (Or donkey dicks) whatever.

dear new players. if you post cheating accusations on the forum, you will have to suck donkey dicks. if you are not able to, Draugnar will be forced to do it for you. don't do that to him. so just don't do it.

abe no need to apologize. I am okay with the site rules. I think it would a shame though if people thought it was not okay to even *discuss* the site rules. To your other point, I suppose, I thought it was pretty clear that czeck was joking. If anything I thought his post has the effect of advertising that posting cheating accusations was against the rules. I don't think anyone reading the thread would come away confused.
Regardless I think I have come to the view that it is best if only mods handle cheating accusations (although i am still possibly a swinging voter).
I don't think abusing newbs is the answer. In fact I fear we might be driving people away from the site.
Draug, I have think I have answered your point too. I think it should be okay to *discuss* anything. But if Kestas wants to make it clear that certain topics are a no go zone, he should probably let us know (I am talking about discussion of policies).

But yes, Abe, if a newb saw the subject and didn't tread the thread he might be confused. Maybe you are right.

@Spyman - do you think we're driving away new players? I'm finding less and less "Hi, I'm new here" posts on the forum. Like is there any way to gauge the retention rate of new players here? Because I agree with your fears that we are driving them away

Typo... *read the thread

Our Alexa stats have been falling. Maybe its a cyclical thing? This site is a bit small for Alexa to properly measure, but my impression is that things are bit quieter than they used to be.
I do think we should NOT be abusing newbs.

@spyman

I agree completely. If you notice, my first post said we have no problem with discussing the rules, but that didn't seem to be what this was. And yes, I wish people were more polite, especially to new players.

wish i was smart enough to make my own good site like Kestas's, that would be cool lol

abe I misunderstood what you were saying in your earlier post. I thought you were saying this was not-for-discussion topic. But I see now that was not you were saying. Sorry about that :-)

I just, like too strange, eh ;l)

New thread
http://webdiplomacy.net/forum.php?threadID=688419#688419

Everyone happy now?

Great thread - love it - who needs Obi / Philosophers / Christians ....

btw - don't forget - no cheating accusations here or zzzzzzzz.....