As in-game transgressions go, its the same. Waste of time, abso-freakin-lutely!! Try to burn at the stake by treating like someone that actually did receive some benefit? See my prior posts.
I'll probably regret re-entering the discussion but the issue for me was never that fester bailed out 300 times. I could care less.
My problem with it all was the reaction to it being, "I've done all this for the game", "I'll take anyone to the DA and kick their backside", "It's not the same as shade vulchers" etc. Throw in that Fester has called out folks for dumb stuff himself in the past, and at that point I felt like I wanted to say something.
All he had to do was say that he was dinking around and having some fun. Yeah ya busted me and it was dumb..
The implication that at some level a vet player is somehow given a pass for stuff a newb would be crucified for doesn't sit well with me. And when it's someone who has expressed his expectations of other players and of the game many times over the years, it seemed tremendously hypocritical.
If the vets are going to expect anything of the newbs, then they do have to set the standard. You don't do that by expecting one thing of everyone else, and another of yourself.
Changeup, unless something has changed, I think your approach to the game is the same as mine. See red guy or even mob of red guys, go in and fight until you die. If that's gaming the game, then I'm guilty and so are you. I thought this was an air combat game first and foremost and the fight was what it was about. So when you say everyone games the game, I don't agree. I've run into lots of guys like yourself who just play.
Also keep in mind that we've been beaten over the head in this thread by both Fester and those trying to give him a pass about how much he's done for the game. I can name a heckuva lot of other people who have contributed as much or more to the game who don't wear it on their sleeve as some sort of shield and throw it at the crowd when the heat is on. It has no bearing on the conversation at all.
My experience with Fester over the years is he's two different people. When he gets too wrapped up in the game, he loses his perspective and this stuff happens. The usual response is what we've seen here. Do as I say, not as I do. "This is just the way I am and you have to accept it." This isn't the first time he and I have had this conversation. Probably won't be the last.
When he's not overly wrapped up in the game, he's easy to deal with and can be very helpful. He and I have spent far more time talking history stuff then doing this stuff over the years. As I said, I respect that aspect of Fester enough to call him on it when he's showing the signs that he's losing his perspective again. I don't have much respect for the side of Fester that showed itself here.
I would like to think this is done with now however and it can get dropped.