sully800 wrote: I know I participated in this thread as well, and may have helped to fuel the fire, but let's keep it clean guys. No one is an idiot or a jerk or anything else for playing a certain way. If you want to say those things take it to flame wars (and yes, the guys attacking the farmers have been as bad if not worse than the defense).
*Standing behind the big blue monster, shaking my fist* "Yeah, quit attacking us you benevolent goody two shoes"!, the frightened fast food advocate bellows. "Leave us alone"!
It's hard for me to keep it clean, when I've been touched by an angel with such a lovely disease. Although I can respect your subtle hint and I'll do my best. I'm being super cereal right now.
sully800 wrote: No I do not think that farming is good for the site, but it is not currently against the rules and I'm sure it wouldn't continue like this if it was against the rules. If you look through sugs and bugs you will see that a lot of action is being taken right now to prevent new recruits from accidentally joining games that are overly complicated, and to prevent members from profiting from players who may only take a turn or two. Most of the suggestions will not prevent new recruits from joining private games where they have the password PM'ed to them, which is what I find particularly disgraceful. Setting up challenging games and then inviting new recruits to have a fun time with you just resembles a predator in a van with a handful of candy. I think its ridiculous that farmers are proud of the points they win in this manner, and its at least reassuring that a lot of members on the site agree with that sentiment.
So... you're relating farmers to "predators" that try to entice people with sweet tooth's into their automobiles? I've heard it all now. I sure hope you weren't implying that we want to molest players for some type of strange sexual gratification...that just doesn't seem like the Sully I know. I just can't understand why you would say such a thing after delivering a convincing message that this isn't the place to call people doo doo heads.
sully800 wrote: To respond to King earlier: I don't think farming has an enormous effect on new recruits, but I bet it does strongly impact the new players in those games. I have no idea what kind of coverage the farmers have versus the total amount of new recruits, but there is a lot of data that shows new recruits who play "hard" settings first are less likely to join the site. Lack has mentioned it in sugs and bugs which is the main reason he is clearing up the current system. The main point is, for every farmer there is a member like wacicha who cares more about the site than points, and is willing to make sure new recruits have a positive experience and in turn contribute positively to the site themselves.
I don't think that farming has an enormous effect on new recruits either. It seems we've established a common ground. For instance, the new recruits that join Max's games deadbeat before they ever take a turn in most situations. Can anyone honestly say that that was because they were matched against a farmer and this outraged them? No, that's completely anomalous from any anti-farming argument that offers a bit of sense. They deadbeat because they simply don't know how to begin or play because it escapes their mental capabilities(age related). Either that or because it wasn't what they expected the game to be and immediately lost interest. As many new recruits certainly would once they find out that they have to wait 24 hours in order to play their next single turn. "What a bunch of horse hockey"!, they exclaim. I certainly did when I was a freemium and realized that I couldn't just finish a game there and then. Why can't people just understand that people are surfing the internet and sometimes make an account without any devoted intentions of staying here? Why does there have to be a reason why some people never come back? Why is the sky blue and where do babies come from? Some things just happen naturally and it isn't someone or any group of people that changes these particular statistics. I think to devote so much energy into the why your losing new recruits is taking away from the time that could be spent on the how to drum up more. I'd say that lacks latest decision is more of a controlled experiment then an action based on anything with legitimate proofs. I mean, what exactly did he do to make this decision? Did he put tags on all of the farmers ears and send them into a herd of new recruits and see how they mingled and which one's felt uncomfortable then asked if they could be excused? Where is this data and where does CC keep it? Area 51? I've yet to see any and if I do, I'd be surprised if the information gathered wasn't scribbled down by a biased player who's mind is twisted with scrutinies.
Don't get me wrong though Sully. I know that you care about the site genuinely and that shows. I feel that anyone who is honestly contributing to the site more then being a detriment is far more welcome and deserved of praise. I for one, don't brag about my points but I do have an opinion on farming and I'm not shy about voicing it much to the general public's dismay. I personally see no harm in the way I play and if someone can prove to me that what I've done has in some way damaged this site, then I'm all eyes and ears. So far though, it seems to just be peoples rants and opinions. Most amusingly peoples rants and opinions that have never actually been farmed. Which is usually why I make a mockery of such people and myself in the process for I find it to be an added form of entertainment. I'm certainly getting the bang for my buck. More over, the rules should change and rearrange as much as the staff sees fit. It certainly won't stop me from devising a new method of point poaching as long as that's where my interest lies. If you want to get rid of a weed(assuming that's how you would describe us) then I suggest you start at the root.
-Big Herp
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