Does sportsmanship matter?

[Enker]

Part of the reason for the insults is that people do not realize that proper wingman tactics are merely ganging and picking in an organized fashion. I still have trouble remembering that.

[Shamus]

Part of the reason for the insults is that people do not realize that proper wingman tactics are merely ganging and picking in an organized fashion. I still have trouble remembering that.

Aint this the truth.

Rob53: "Shamus, I'm gonna rope this guy, don't miss him ya putz!!!"

Shamus: "Oh goody goody, I shall do my best fair wingman!!!!"  holds the cannon button down till empty........

ded guy: "nothin but gawwwd dammmm pickers around here 

shamus

[CAP1]

Aint this the truth.

Rob53: "Shamus, I'm gonna rope this guy, don't miss him ya putz!!!"

Shamus: "Oh goody goody, I shall do my best fair wingman!!!!"  holds the cannon button down till empty........

ded guy: "nothin but gawwwd dammmm pickers around here 

shamus

well, quite often, they ARE pickers.

 i was having a blast fighting shuffler a few days ago. i was losing, but it was fun....i was actually making him work(i think) for the kill.

 then some dork named bruiser comes outta nowhere in his spit9, and picks him. was a crappy ending to a fun fight.

[shiv]

Part of the reason for the insults is that people do not realize that proper wingman tactics are merely ganging and picking in an organized fashion. I still have trouble remembering that.

What does it matter to the gangee/pickee how organized it was?

[999000]

"Does sportsmaship matter?    .....YES its the only thing that really matters!
999000 <S>

[CAP1]

"Does sportsmaship matter?    .....YES its the only thing that really matters!
999000 <S>

fun matters too. 

[AirFlyer]

Just take such whines as a bonus. It is actually a praise, just like getting accused of cheating 

QFT

[Nemisis]

I've noticed recently that when (if?  ) I shoot someone down, I am often insulted or threatened via a private message.

So I wonder, does a sense of sportsmanship matter in here anymore?

Also, does using the ".report <player>" command actually accomplish anything?

- bino, missing-the-good-old-days bino

Yes it does, won't attack an already taken target, don't shoot parachutes, don't vulche, hell, I barely use that .speed 120 thing, and only when its clear the other guy is using it (P-51 vs P-51 and his almost triples my climb rate).

[boomerlu]

if the guy running in the 190 or the stang is running....then forget 200. turn away, and give up the chase. you'll be surprised how fast you'll have a fight on your hands.
 calling him names isn't good sportsmanship......it doesn't really qualify as sportsmanship at all. it just makes ya a schmuck.

 you're sounding like the kind that chases people out of one arena into another.....

Ok, since I seem to have struck up some controversy, it looks like I'm going to have to clarify my position.

First off, I typically don't taunt runners or anybody for that matter. I rarely even tune to 200. You might find it weird that I condone such behavior but don't engage in it... keep reading for explanation.

Egging the runner on using 200 is within the rules (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong). Placing a bomb, hacking (as BnZ mentioned), abusive cursing and threatening, on the other hand are NOT. Some are illegal, some are just rules enforced by HTC (good rules in my opinion).

Assuming I'm correct that non-abusive taunting on 200 is within the rules, then whoever employs such a tactic is legitimately (within the defined rules of the game) playing to win. It may offend your sensibilities because it's socially unacceptable, ungentlemanly, etc. But if one wants purely to win (within the rules), then one will use every effective tactic.

The reason I don't engage in it myself is simple. I'm not playing to win, I'm playing to have fun. What the fooook do I end up winning anyways? Some recognition on the front page? The social cost of such taunting (possibly losing friends etc) is not worth my possible gain of some lackluster fame.

However silly I think it is to "play to win" in this game, I won't ever knock somebody who does. It's an aggressive mindset that I believe has a place, no matter how stupid it is to engage in it for something like a cartoon war and some frontpage recognition. It's his 15 dollars after all.

If YOU are the one who's vulnerable to getting angry (and I mean real anger, not disappointment at lack of sportsmanship) at being taunted in this way, I suggest you examine your own level of maturity. Why? It shows that you can't stand being viewed as a coward by a cartoon adversary.

[boomerlu]

The thing is, we have some data.  Precisely this sort of behavior came very close to destroying the Axis v. Allies arena.

Good point. In the case of AvA I wouldn't condone such behavior - the numbers are small and the priorities at the top of the AvA list are clearly immersion first and "winning" a distant second.

Why the difference between MA and AvA attitude on my part? The acceptability of such behavior depends entirely upon your goals. Are you playing to win or are you playing to have a social hour that you prefer to win, but with winning a definite low priority? If you are purely playing to win, then one less competitor brings you that much closer to winning. If one can achieve this by means of social aggression (within the limitations of the rules), then that is a legitimate option. The risk, of course, is alienating your fellow players, and in extreme cases driving so many people out of the game that it is no longer meaningful to win. Since it could be bad for business, HTC may choose to ban such behavior, although I find it difficult to effectively police.

Personally that is not my mindset in Aces High and it's usually not be in the best social interest, but the presence of such a mindset is simply a feature of any competitive environment.

You may revile it, rail against it, etc, but why not simply learn to ignore the taunts and shoot the other guy down? In the end, that is the ultimate "counter". Inability to meaningfully ignore the taunts shows psychological weakness on the part of the taunted and let's not forget that psychology does play large part in our combat hops. Greed kills more often than ACM.

Is it good sportsmanship? No. But sportsmanship is a social ideal, not a competitive restriction. So - would you rather everybody like you or would you rather gain an edge on the competition? It's a tradeoff, a calculated risk based on what you value most in this game, nothing more.

The people that have posted here supporting good sportsmanship clearly lean towards the "social benefit" end of the spectrum. I respect you for that and I agree. That's how I conduct myself.

The people who taunt clearly lean towards "playing to win." I respect them for that (as long as it's kept out of struggling areas like the AvA), but I disagree and find the pursuit rather silly.

Edit: the guys who don't taunt and still win - well you are just that much better than the taunters and I salute you for your skill.

Edit edit: So does it matter? Yes, if you want others to like you. Yes, if you want to foster a positive and encouraging environment for everybody to learn and fly in. No, if all you want to do is win.

[BnZs]

Egging the runner on using 200 is within the rules (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong). Placing a bomb, hacking (as BnZ mentioned), abusive cursing and threatening, on the other hand are NOT. Some are illegal, some are just rules enforced by HTC (good rules in my opinion).

Nice try, but being unpleasant to your adversary during a game, even thought it may be standard these days, is a sign of just how low our culture has sunk. I can't blame you when its all you see out of sports and what have you these days, but it is still wrong. My wry comment about the bomb was simply to illustrate how profoundly AHII is NOT war.

[CAP1]

Ok, since I seem to have struck up some controversy, it looks like I'm going to have to clarify my position.

First off, I typically don't taunt runners or anybody for that matter. I rarely even tune to 200. You might find it weird that I condone such behavior but don't engage in it... keep reading for explanation.

Egging the runner on using 200 is within the rules (as far as I know, correct me if I'm wrong). Placing a bomb, hacking (as BnZ mentioned), abusive cursing and threatening, on the other hand are NOT. Some are illegal, some are just rules enforced by HTC (good rules in my opinion).

Assuming I'm correct that non-abusive taunting on 200 is within the rules, then whoever employs such a tactic is legitimately (within the defined rules of the game) playing to win. It may offend your sensibilities because it's socially unacceptable, ungentlemanly, etc. But if one wants purely to win (within the rules), then one will use every effective tactic.

The reason I don't engage in it myself is simple. I'm not playing to win, I'm playing to have fun. What the fooook do I end up winning anyways? Some recognition on the front page? The social cost of such taunting (possibly losing friends etc) is not worth my possible gain of some lackluster fame.

However silly I think it is to "play to win" in this game, I won't ever knock somebody who does. It's an aggressive mindset that I believe has a place, no matter how stupid it is to engage in it for something like a cartoon war and some frontpage recognition. It's his 15 dollars after all.

If YOU are the one who's vulnerable to getting angry (and I mean real anger, not disappointment at lack of sportsmanship) at being taunted in this way, I suggest you examine your own level of maturity. Why? It shows that you can't stand being viewed as a coward by a cartoon adversary.

see the problem with that though......is those that are running, are doing nothing but laughing at you as you taunt them. the only way to generally get thjem to turn, is for you to show em your tail.

 

[CAP1]

Nice try, but being unpleasant to your adversary during a game, even thought it may be standard these days, is a sign of just how low our culture has sunk. I can't blame you when its all you see out of sports and what have you these days, but it is still wrong. My wry comment about the bomb was simply to illustrate how profoundly AHII is NOT war.

i've been noticing a lot less bad banter on 200 and open in mw lately..........

[Shuffler]

Some use "it's a game" to excuse their poor sportsmanship. I think sportsmanship does matter in everything you do.

[waystin2]

Good sportsmanship and gentlemanly behavior works wonders.