I spy.

It actually seems pretty legit since that's actually encouraged in the normal diplomacy rules, and unfortunately it's an aspect that doesn't translate very well to web diplomacy.

I followed him out of the computer lab and tracked him to his dorm. For the next few days I stalked him assiduously - following him to lectures and watching to see when he went online.
Meanwhile the game was not going so well for me. Italy was a weakish player and was essentially operating as my puppet but England and Germany were working well against me. I'd made some lucky guesses and Russia had them worried for a couple of seasons and so I was just about holding out but England had two units on Brest and I couldn't hold it.
Finally I got my chance - a girl came over and he went out to talk to her _leaving himself logged in and the computer unlocked_! I waited a few heart-thumping seconds and then nonchalantly strolled over to his terminal. I clicked on the webdiplomacy page, into settings, changed his password and email address and then logged him out. So he wouldn't be too suspicious I shut down the entire computer, packed up my stuff and left.
So now I had him - there was no way he was going to get back into that account in a hurry. Clearly using the account was against the rules but I didn't need to. England went CD and I was the only one who knew it was happening - goodness only knows what kind of desparate messages Germany sent him. Soon I had eliminated England and had a great position against Germany. I stabbed Italy and was set for the win. Unfortunately I missed a move (went away for the weekend with gf and was otherwise engaged) and they got to a stalemate line to hold me to a draw.
Anyway, I wondered what you thought. Is this ok or does it break one of the rules?

It's definitely in the same book as metagaming, but not in the spirit of metagaming (as defined in the site rules). I play ftf regularly and spy on others' negotiations if I can hear them, but can't say if I'd call it acceptable on the site - it's a complicated situation.

there are 2 other people that play diplomacy at your school, and both do it in the computer lab?

What!!!!!@!!@#!@#!$@#$! No. Not cool. Tonya Harding-esque.

Graeme +1. Kind of.

But in a way, I object to it. Because if people expected that there was any potential of that, they might try to hide it. It's fair in the real game because people expect it and try to fight against it. But there's not that expectation in WebDiplomacy, which gives me pause.

That being said, I absolutely support the spirit, like Graeme said.

"followed him out of the computer lab and tracked him to his dorm. For the next few days I stalked him assiduously - following him to lectures and watching to see when he went online.
Meanwhile the game was not going so well for me. Italy was a weakish player and was essentially operating as my puppet but England and Germany were working well against me. I'd made some lucky guesses and Russia had them worried for a couple of seasons and so I was just about holding out but England had two units on Brest and I couldn't hold it.
Finally I got my chance - a girl came over and he went out to talk to her _leaving himself logged in and the computer unlocked_! I waited a few heart-thumping seconds and then nonchalantly strolled over to his terminal. I clicked on the webdiplomacy page, into settings, changed his password and email address and then logged him out. So he wouldn't be too suspicious I shut down the entire computer, packed up my stuff and left.
So now I had him - there was no way he was going to get back into that account in a hurry. Clearly using the account was against the rules but I didn't need to. England went CD and I was the only one who knew it was happening - goodness only knows what kind of desparate messages Germany sent him. Soon I had eliminated England and had a great position against Germany. I stabbed Italy and was set for the win. Unfortunately I missed a move (went away for the weekend with gf and was otherwise engaged) and they got to a stalemate line to hold me to a draw.
Anyway, I wondered what you thought. Is this ok or does it break one of the rules? "

This didnt happen

if it actually did its kind of sad

Woah. All I had read was the OP. You should be banned for your actions. That's blatantly cheating. Spying is one thing, changing his password so he can't log in is a whole different matter.

if it actually happened, it didnt happen, so your telling me this guy risked being arrested over this game?

And I'm with SC. This does seem a bit implausible. But if this actually happened, you should be banned.

I don't think it happened. There's not a game of that description in his profile.

I don't see this game in your profile.

@ ":)", I was replying to the first bit. The second bit (about tracking and shutting the account down) was posted later. I read that and actually laughed out loud for a long time :D Half of me is going "NO! That's totally against all standards of fair play!" And the other half of me is in awe of the sheer awesomeness of that move. So, it's against the rules but.... props man XD

Problem 1- There are like 500 people on this site. We are supposed to believe that not only 1 but 2 players play Webdiplomacy in the same computer lab without knowing

Problem 2- Why would anyone care about this game so much to stake out at a computer lab then stalk a guy to turn off their computer

Problem 3- Why would anyone risk being arrested to win one of these games

Problem 4- Why couldnt the guy whose password was changed just E-mail the mods

Problem 5- Is it really realistic that a guy who does 1 through 4 actually has a girlfriend?

Come on now

1 through 3 that is

I don't have a gf any more, to be fair.

Yeah probably after you asked her if it was ok that you banged a chick that you never banged in the first place

LOL, epic thread! :-D

Ok, so I changed some of the details - but there is a guy here who plays in the computer lab and it would be a pretty cool coup. I reckon I could get into a game with him. Would it be ok to hijack his account in order to win. I've got plenty of time on my hands now the gf left me.

maybe if you warned him before you did it?
Like say, go on to his account one day and write a message to himself in all his full press games saying you're coming for him and link this thread. Then just watch?

That would be +1 for messing with his mind but -1 for winning a dip game. Let's get the priorities right here. Win first - screw with people second.

This is absolutely priceless. I'm kind of split too (a la Graeme) - on one hand I think it's way over the top and wrong, but on the other.... BALLER!!

Ok, putting aside my personal feelings, I think that any screwing with someone's account would constitute as a bannable offense, so on this site, not a smart (or cool) move. However, according to the spirit of the game, I think this behavior could even be ENCOURAGED!! The premise is to win, and one could say, to win at any cost. Spying and gaining bargaining chips over your opponents should be paramountly approved by the nature of the game.

So overall, I think it's a fantastic tactic and I would potentially use it, or try and prevent it in every game I play, but not on this site - on here we submit to a harsher set of rules to keep the community going.

Once I found out where all my opponents lived. I broke into their houses and murdered them in their sleep. They all went CD and I won the game. My proudest moment.

that was, indeed, awkward.

"that was, indeed, awkward. "

+1

I looked through all your games, not one of them had you as France participate in a draw in which England went into cd

lentz +2