Why Multi's are bad

[Tom]

Point.

Well, I think I only need to say "domain tasting" to explain just why allowing people to create characters they don't intend to play just to be able to check out different realms is a stupid idea.

But maybe an option to quickly switch to another realm for new players(!) (not characters) would be ok. Something like in the first month of your account, you can remove any character of yours from the map and start him in a different realm the same way it does after initially creating it.

Would be in the history and all, and you wouldn't get to keep any troops, so that'd be balanced.

[Lorgan]

Well, I think I only need to say "domain tasting" to explain just why allowing people to create characters they don't intend to play just to be able to check out different realms is a stupid idea.

But maybe an option to quickly switch to another realm for new players(!) (not characters) would be ok. Something like in the first month of your account, you can remove any character of yours from the map and start him in a different realm the same way it does after initially creating it.

Would be in the history and all, and you wouldn't get to keep any troops, so that'd be balanced.

While that may help, I have heard from beginning players - who later quit - that they did not have anything to do with their 2 characters. So the reason I agree with Gustav is that while the gameplay quality of these first characters is very hard to improve on your own, the quantity isn't. And it might go a long way in offering new players something to do and getting them drawn into the game.

[Vita`]

I recall reading people years ago as thankful they had 3 characters to find an interesting realm with. And I know that as a returning player, I would've enjoyed starting out with 3 nobles. As admitted in in-game text, advies are a slower game with little social interaction (social interaction being the core of BM, to me). While new players being able to jump around might help, that seems like extra coding work in comparison to allowing 3 nobles at start. Also, there's the issue of player density that would be assisted by new players having the normal amount of nobles.

[Gustav Kuriga]

It also seems to me to be sending the wrong kind of message to new players that they only get to enjoy a limited scope of battlemaster while the more entrenched (say, around 6-8 years) players can have characters on every continent. It's an environment that actively encourages the kind of multi use that I used to do just so I could play on most of the continents.

[Ender]

While I think mutli-cheating just to experience all of the continents is the entirely wrong way to go about experiencing what the game as to offer, I can say that it would be nice if some sort of system was devised to allow newer characters to get a feel for what continent would suit their play style best.

My first three characters went to different continents and when they moved on, my fourth character went to two new continents. My fourth character also hopped realms until I found one I more or less enjoyed. Having that option for a newer person who might otherwise leave the game because the realm they picked isnt ideal would be nice.

As for multi-cheating itself, I think Indirik summed up some of the reasons why it's a nasty thing nicely. Multi-cheaters also tend to implode eventually, it seems, and drag an awful lot of people who weren't aware that it was going on down with them.

[Penchant]

Multi-accounting is a breach of trust. The game says "one account per person". If someone is willing to break that rule, then what other rules are they willing to break?
It is a blatant and insulting display of disrespect to other players. That person is saying that they are better than everyone else, that they are exempt from the rules.

Those both imply its against the rules, which for BM it is, but isn't a reason multiing is bad when considering it as a rule. To everybody, what reasons are multiple characters but not families ok? For Indirik's post multiple characters can do the same thing except for the false family thing.

[Indirik]

Multi-accounting would still be bad for many reasons. It allows a single player to circumvent many game rules and restrictions designed to make the game more enjoyable for everyone, such as per-island character limits, per-island council position limits, and others. It also removes the accountability link between characters played by the same family. It does break trust between players, who would think they were talking to a separate player, but who is secretly their enemy's alt account. Spying, moles, and other toxic behavior would be the rule of the day. It would create an environment of suspicion, fear, and distrust among the entire community. No one would talk to anyone they didn't know via some web of OOC trust. I can't help but think that the community in such a game would be riddled by OOC/OOG metagaming and abusive behavior/attitudes.

Secret multi-accounting is just a nasty piece of work. It's not good for anyone other than those willing to abuse the game and the other players.

[Solari]

For Indirik's post multiple characters can do the same thing except for the false family thing.

And that's it, right there. Games—especially those that involve many people—have rules, because rules allow people to establish a certain level of trust. Otherwise, the game doesn't work. A person with multiple accounts who is not abusing them for the advantage of any particular account cannot prove that they are not. It immediately arouses a suspicion, borne out by the vast majority of past examples, that cannot easily be satisfied.

In other words, it isn't a rule that exists to punish players who love the game so much that they want to experience more than the mechanics allow for. It's a rule that's designed to protect the social compact that the vast majority of players agree to, implicitly, when they play a game with strangers over the internet expecting a fair shot.

[Penchant]

Ok, I see what you are saying with the trust issues. But why are multiple characters ok, but multiple accounts are not, other than the trust issues? Is the only reason multi's are worse than multiple characters is trust? I am not saying it is, simply saying thats all I am hearing. If trust was the only issue, then if someone had the time so that time was not an issue, do you think there is a reason a player should not be able to play as many characters as they can play with their time?

[Indirik]

With multiple characters on the same account, you *know* that all those characters are played by the same person. So when Kepler is harassing you and being mean, you know that when Keplerina starts trying to sweet talk you, it's really *the same person* trying to work you from both sides. You won't be lulled into confiding your secret plans to depose Kepler. But if the supposed friend comes from a completely different family, there is a possibility that the person really is a friend, and wants to help. Sure, they *could* be a plant try to trap you, but they could also very well really be a true friend. A multi can take advantage of this anonymity to worm their way into your confidence using all their knowledge to bait you into believing whatever they want, and then screw you over.

A multi is, plain and simple, a liar through-and-through. It is someone metagaming in order to gain unfair advantage.

[Gustav Kuriga]

With multiple characters on the same account, you *know* that all those characters are played by the same person. So when Kepler is harassing you and being mean, you know that when Keplerina starts trying to sweet talk you, it's really *the same person* trying to work you from both sides. You won't be lulled into confiding your secret plans to depose Kepler. But if the supposed friend comes from a completely different family, there is a possibility that the person really is a friend, and wants to help. Sure, they *could* be a plant try to trap you, but they could also very well really be a true friend. A multi can take advantage of this anonymity to worm their way into your confidence using all their knowledge to bait you into believing whatever they want, and then screw you over.

A multi is, plain and simple, a liar through-and-through. It is someone metagaming in order to gain unfair advantage.

That certainly is black and white, in a world of greys. I agree that the rule should be black and white, but you never answered Penchant's main questioning, that being why can't players make more characters (with the continent character limits still up of course) if they have the time? Why do we limit the total number arbitrarily so that it is impossible to have characters on every continent except for the oldest of players? Please answer the question, instead of evading in a tirade against mulit's that we all don't need to be told. It's a rule, we already get that, can we please actually move on to questions of substance.

Therefore, I will ask again for Penchant so that you might hear it this time. If trust was the only issue, then if someone had the time so that time was not an issue, do you think there is a reason a player should not be able to play as many characters as they can play with their time?

[Ketchum]

In my Battlemaster time since 2009, I had witness personally how multi done to a realm voting process. All the multis voting for a same character from the multi, and he able to gain power. Thanks to Tom, Dev or someone, he was caught of course. The rebellion, counter rebellion made the almost-bored-to-death realm come alive as we the Rebels/So-called Loyalists fought our way to the capital and secured the realm. Er, there was a bug with our elections as half the realm nobles were banned by the multi-Judge. Interesting enough that we were all banned by the multi-Judge with same ban comment. The Judge fast finger banned all of us, half the realm nobles within 1 second of each other. As nobody could be elected, so all peasants confused and protested over no government members. Overall Battlemaster game was ruined pretty much at that time for all true players

[Feylonis]

That certainly is black and white, in a world of greys. I agree that the rule should be black and white, but you never answered Penchant's main questioning, that being why can't players make more characters (with the continent character limits still up of course) if they have the time? Why do we limit the total number arbitrarily so that it is impossible to have characters on every continent except for the oldest of players? Please answer the question, instead of evading in a tirade against mulit's that we all don't need to be told. It's a rule, we already get that, can we please actually move on to questions of substance.

Therefore, I will ask again for Penchant so that you might hear it this time. If trust was the only issue, then if someone had the time so that time was not an issue, do you think there is a reason a player should not be able to play as many characters as they can play with their time?

The answer to this 'problem' is not multiplaying. Donate, or play over time, and you'll get more character slots.

A multiplayer is, plain and simple, not subject to responsibility. He can do anything he wants on account A, and accounts B-Z are not held accountable for that. Multiplaying is a terrible act that is done by desperate people.

[Gustav Kuriga]

The answer to this 'problem' is not multiplaying. Donate, or play over time, and you'll get more character slots.

A multiplayer is, plain and simple, not subject to responsibility. He can do anything he wants on account A, and accounts B-Z are not held accountable for that. Multiplaying is a terrible act that is done by desperate people.

And I have already argued above that "playing over time" means a long... long time. I've been playing for nearly three years on this account, and still only have enough "fame" to play three characters, with a fourth if I donate. And like i've said, just about everyone I introduce to this game stops playing it because they have to delete and create new characters in order to find some place interesting.

[Feylonis]

Every time you create a character, don't you get to select which realm to play in, with the realms having a description? Large realm, lots of allies, small realm, etc. That should give you an idea which realms are fun to play in, and which are active.