My comments in BLUE
Q - you said that you don’t like this or that and you will never play in the tournaments because they are not set up exactly as you would want them to be. Well - that is YOUR loss. You miss out on a lot of fun that many other people who realize and accept certain parameters need to be in place. I hate to say this - I really do - but there is a large part of me that hopes you DO never play - because I would not want to have to listen to you, in person, complain about how much the tournament you just played in sucks so badly.
Believe me, if I play it will only be because I agree to the terms of the tournament. At this point, I am not satisfied with them. G40 seems to be OK- mainly because I created it. I’m entitled to my opinion, so I don’t understand why you have to bash one’s freedom of speech. :?
You also say that Greg (and by proxy, me) have not given you a good reason to NOT use computers and dice calculators at FTF events. I’ll take the low hanging fruit and respond by saying you have provided NO good reason to do so. But, if you insist…
a) it will slow the games down as people watch the other team input 20 different combinations of one less infantry or one more tank over and over to get to the exact balance they want.
That is assumption- allow it for a year and then judge not the other way around.
b) there is no room at the tables for anything except MAYBE a smart phone or iPod / iPad. Things are already cramped in many cases - having a space for a laptop (or two) just isn’t realistic in most cases.
No space??? False- it can be downloaded as an app on your phone. In fact, if I played with one, I would teach and allow my opponent to use it- its simple. Very weak point you make here.
c)Â Using a computer to make decisions for you rather than on their own SKILL at playing the game. That may be my “a-ha” moment. Part of the SKILL of playing A&A is figuring out what to buy and when and what to attack with and when. Using a computer to make those decisions for you seems to cheapens this. You talk about ‘purist’ form of playing the game - I am pretty sure using a calculator to determine how you play the game is kinda far from ‘pure’.
Again, I just don’t see it that way. It takes nothing away from the “SKILL” of anything. I see calculators were allowed in the tournys (at least according to djensen’s pics)- battle calcs are only faster. You guys have already allowed calculators. :? As far as “pure”- ok, I agree, but “pure” is not playing AA up to only 4-6 rounds- that’s like playing a half of a game. OK, so the winners are “champions” of a “half-game”. At least that’s the way I see it.
d) Lastly, and this will sound arrogant - Greg has been running A&A tournaments without them for 19 years now and with the exception of a few people who have never even played in his events, there ain’t a lot of discussion and pushing to do it. You know - the ole ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’ concept. Greg can say we are not going to use them because I think he has earned that right.
I agree, its his tourny- he has the final say. If you really don’t like my comments or criticisms then you guys shouldn’t let it bother you so much- or don’t read the forums. Instead, you give even more attention to it. Please, stop the hate. Its not productive. I’m entitled to my opinion as you yours. We agree to disagree. Let it go.
I hope someday you do decide to play in the tournaments and accept them for what they are - an imperfect - but damn fun way to spend a weekend (and I defy you to find ANY GM at GenCon or otherwise that provides as much in prizes and give-aways that Greg does - certainly not when you consider the overall population of players in all his events).
Wait a minute, didn’t you just say you DIDN’T want me to come. A little emo here maybe. I might come. If I come and play then that means I will have agreed with the tourny conditions.
If we truly got a sense that we would somehow grow our ranks by making changes to the way things are done, do you not think we would do that? I can GUARANTEE you based on doing this with Greg for 5 years now and talking to many, many players, that adding things like chess clocks, battle simulators and the like will most likely drive people AWAY from the events, not draw them IN.
Chess clocks yes only because of the costs. Battle Calcs- No, its no different then the calculators you guys allow- only faster. Have you ever played with one??? Don’t knock it til you try it.
I am self-imposing an end to more of this type of discussion because I think I have said everything I can on the topic. Know that your comments are always welcome - but that they would be much better received if they were provided in a more constructive fashion.
Hey, I try. :wink:
