As I said, I'm not sure I want to get into a bunch of my random thoughts on the "different" play/attitudes/approaches, but I do want to emphasize that I think it's a relatively subtle sort of thing, somewhat like global warming, that is largely up for debate as to how advanced it is, even if my personal best guess is that it (i.e. "different" play) is just starting to make ripples in the water...

I can relate to the shift in the way the game has been played as of late. I used to be able to talk someone into helping me solo so that they could have a survival. Now, people prefer death over a survival. Very strange.

I have noticed some increased skill, but it's more of a baseline shift--more players in that "middle-zone" sort of skill. My GR plummeted recently as well and I'm not even in the top 100! I dropped nearly 100 from 42 to 139 after a streak of losses.

I still don't know how you pulled yourself out of that situation you found yourself in as France in our ABI game. I thought for sure you were going down. I had England and Italy all moving on you (me as Germany) and then they both backed off at the same time. Very impressive and frustrating at the same time.

Btw, I'll be 4 on this site in about half a year.

To me - I'm a new player - "survive" in a WTA game pretty much equals "I stood by and watched somebody else solo, that's how bad I am." That's why I prefer to get eliminated in such a case. Also, survives literally yield nothing in such games, no points, no GR increase.

^Agreed with Redhouse.

Surviving is the most vial thing you can do in WTA game. Death before I let someone solo. But I was felt I got that mentality from 'old' people's posts on the forums. In particular, MM, preaches avoiding the survive at all costs. Of course, that doesn't normally result in a defeat for him but the sentiment is still there.

In WTA, survive and defeat mean the same to points and GR, so I view them as conditional on which I prefer. If I have several fucktards not willing to work to stop the solo and just want to continue fighting me or each other, I'll negotiate the survive with the winner so that they don't get anything. What do I care except I get to screw the ones who are screwing me. But if they are decent players ready to stop the solo, I will fight until my dying breath along side them and if I die, then I die with honor! Death before dishonor!

YEAH, that's the spirit Tru Ninja, best birthday present I've been given to date, maybe a few others could follow that example and remind me of better times?! ;-)

I totally agree with redhouse and Yonni, as well as with Draugnar. A survive in a WTA game is the most disgusting thing I can image (I've only done it once in a full press classic game, and it is the most disturbing game I've been a part of, I still wake up some nights in a cold sweat, heart pounding, desperate to literally knock some sense into Mr. Good Times fm, but I digress...), though if a couple ignorant middle-sized powers are so focused on killing me off that they turn their back on a solo attempt, then I will do anything/everything in my power to seek revenge by enabling the solo as best I can...

@Yonni - for the record... A vial is something that holds liquids in a lab. Vile is the adjective you were looking for. Just being pedantic, my friend.

Thanks draug. I'll stick to words in my comfort zone from now on...

@Yonni - for the record... Draugnar's not perfect either. I think you can find a little error in his 4:03 post. :-)
Find it, and rub it in his face!

As I said, it was just me being pedantic. I hate mixed up homophones that aren't simple typos (their, there, and they're; too, to, and two; vial and vile; mute and moot, then and than) and I'm just as likely to type the wrong their/they're/there form as anyone else.

haha me to.

I assume you mean the 10:03 Eastern post... The only error I notice is my use of "on" where I should have said "upon". I view them as conditional upon which I prefer. I have a feeling that may have been a mouse move, highlight, and delete/typeover. Every use of to in that was correct.

I think it should be "alongside". But who cares, it's MM's birthday! Time to celebrate!

http://blog.icelandexpress.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2007/01/birthdaycake4white-250x.jpg

What should be alongside? I'm wondering if my intent is lost because of poor wording as alongside in ploce of on means something different from what I intended to convey. I probably should have said they are equal in GR and points but I may prefer either one over the other depending upon the in-game situation.

What's the latest generation called these days, the ones that are a bit "entitled", they accept a job and think the boss owes them a paycheck since they breath, regardless of if they do an honest minute's worth of work all day? I think that is a "different" approach...

BAZINGA!!!! :-P

Lol I bet that discussion's happened a billion times on this site... but hey, it was your "birthday" so who'd grudge you a little ranting here and there? ;) I'm just a young 'un compared to you, but I have to ask, even still.... how was there even time in 4 years to gain almost 30 000 ? Did you just win every game you ever played and bet your entire account on each game? :D

I'm disappointed that you didnt post your comparsion to Texas Hold'em. I was looking forward to reading that!