Re: [VANILLA-LIST:2847] The r.g.n ejection debate

[Tom Holub <doosh@best.com>]

On Fri, Jan 28, 2000 at 10:34:53PM -0500, Jeffrey Nowakowski wrote:
> Tom Holub <doosh@best.com> wrote:
> >
> > Why don't you go to Yahoo Games!, drop in to one of the advanced 
> > cards or chess rooms and start playing like an idiot and see what kind
> > of attitude you get and how fast you get ejected.
> 
> Analogies of netrek to chess or basketball (your other favorite
> analogy) are flawed.  These games are popular and widespread.  Do you
> think the people who popularized basketball threw people out because
> they didn't rotate in a zone defense?

Have you ever played in a pickup basketball game?

> Some facts:
> 
> - We can't even keep two servers going.  That's less than 32 players.
> 
> - We have trouble filling up clue games and INL games.
> 
> Yet somehow we have enough to run an "advanced" server, and can afford
> to turn people off to the game?

The proposal is to give new players a place they can play without 
being yelled at, and to give advanced players a place they can expect
a higher level of play.  There's no rational objection.

> I know netrek has a lot more problems than just eject, but given our
> situation we should be giving every new player (and here I also mean
> the DD twinks who obviously aren't raw newbies) every chance we can
> give them.

Actual reality: strong players (of any game or sport) don't find it
interesting playing with weak players.  Pretty much all successful games and
sports therefore find ways to match players of similar abilities.

How many strong players have dropped out of pickup because it's "full
of twinks"?  How can we afford to lose people who are dedicated to
the game in the misguided attempt to make them play with complete newbies
if they don't want to?

Hypothesis: Making strong players who are interested in a good game play
with idiots will lose more strong players than newbies.
 -Tom