I think it is poor form to talk while the game is paused and someone is away.

I'll chat, but I'm not aware of it influencing my plans. I'll pick up with the pausee on their return

I usually don't, but can see some people doing it. Perhaps if you are asking for a pause, you can also ask that no diplomacy take place while the pause is in effect?

I talk intermittemtly. If the pause is long enough, I'll lose momentum and forget ideas I had concerning the game. I have no problem in sending press during a pause. It doesn't change who I'm working with, but it keeps me fresh in a game. Sorta like jogging and getting to a red light. Ya gotta jog in place and camt let your body cool down.

I'm with Tom in thinking that it's poor form. Not the end of the world, just one of those little courtesies that are nice in games.

I try not to, but if someone leaves a game paused for a month and won't unpause without moderator help which I'm waiting on (cough), it sometimes becomes hard not to wonder if they've discussed the best plan to get a draw when they aren't going to win after it's unpaused (cough).

It's a tricky one. Especially if someone in a delicate stage of negotiation with you speaks to you first in a pause phase. Telling them you'd rather not do that sort of thing may be taken as you insulting their sense of fair play and honour.

Ow please, we're not the royal court of England, we're a bunch of people playing a game. You just put on Global that you're using the pause to take a break yourself and get on with your life.

@Octavious: That's a pretty solid point, there. I hadn't thought of that...

@ Redhouse

Indeed we're not. The English aristocracy tends to be far more down to Earth and sensible than some of the people on this site. I was out with Lord Lichfield last week and aside from him sporting an alarming number of tattoos you will struggle to find a more normal and reasonable chap. The contrast with some of the nutters you encounter here is immense :p.

I'm happy to chat, but not about game politics. Generally more about shipments of Vodka from Russia.

I honestly never considered that it would be a problem. It's essentially just a long turn and the pausee can respond to posts before unpausing.

I usually just ignore the game entirely during a pause. Not that I care if it is fair to anyone else, it just gets boring waiting multiple days for things to happen. And besides, I usually plan my strategies several turns in advance. No length of time is going to severely impact what I already intended to do. While it does give me more time to review my options, I spend more time thinking about games when I'm not in the middle of playing than when I have the game out in front of me.

^ about the same, though if someone messages me about startegy in a paused game, i will reply back

The day the pause was agreed to end is the day I reopen discussions, whether it is still paused or not.

There isn't a full phase left and I don't know when the last person is going to unpause so it is time to start talking. And if the unpause doesn't happen for several days, that's not my fault, assuming I've voted to unpause myself.

I was chewed out once for opening discussions while paused even though we were at the point where the pause was supposed to be ending and there wasn't much time left on the clock. Rather pissed me off.

Adlerian, I think that's a fair stance to take. I can get behind that as an etiquette to adopt.

i would say it depends.

Let's say Turkey asks for a pause, and i am England, already engaged against Germany (it is say, 1902 or something like that). I will countiue to chat because it doesn't effect Turkey. However, Russia and Austria should not plan anything against Turkey.