In my experience with Anon, people get killed for very standard typical reasons, then they get really upset and blame it on anonymity.

In fact in one case a player was pulling a shady move where we had arranged a 3v1, then one of the 3 tried to play the other 2 of us by using us as leverage to make favorable trades with the 1 getting ganked. So the 2 of us getting played contacted the gank target who had been exceptionally respectful, and we agreed to 3v1 (or 2v1 I guess, as the gank target had been reduced to one outpost) the player trying to play us. Of course, they player trying to play us flipped out and swore off anon.

Also, try offering to share names after the game is over. While it wont force shady players to reveal themselves, it at least creates a small incentive for legit players to be rewarded with good reputation. Might be enough to keep someone who might have pulled a dirty move to play legit instead so they get to be involved in the name sharing part.

Also, try keeping emergency defenses in place so that if things go bad, thetre available to slow/stop the attack. It also acts as a deterent to make it clear to a potential betrayer that if they intend to betray, it will not be a cakewalk.

Also, dont use King.

roadkiehl wrote:Right, so I just played my first two anonymous games (a little late, I know), and can I just say: People are evil in anonymous mode.

Wait... are you Red?

Step 1: Be a jerk to everyone in anonymous mode.
Step 2: Have everyone say who they are at the end of the match.
Step 3: Claim that your name is Kevlargolem (or really any other name that isn't your own)
Step 4: Everyone blames Kevlargolem for you rudeness.
Step 5: PROFIT!



But seriously, I really enjoy anonymous mode. I don't backstab people too often, so that doesn't play into why I like anonymous. It is pretty freeing to know that whatever you do won't haunt you in future matches. Due to the small, tightly-knit community Subterfuge has gotten it is not uncommon to meet the same person in another game, especially if either you or them are L2 and run multiple games at once and especially if you play tournament matches. I use non ranked anonymous matches to play the game a bit more relaxed. I can try different strategies and employ different diplomatic tactics without any worry about it coming back to haunt me. Especially when it comes to diplomatic tactics, people remember you by how you treated them, so attempting diplomatic tactics is a good way to have someone hate your username for life.

P.S. Sorry Kevlargolem, I just needed a name to make the joke work.

Anonymous mode is fun because it is impersonal and it is harder to predict, There are 2 things that the devs need to add!

1: All players' names revealed after the game ends
2: Allow players to award medals to others.

The issue is that the games does not affect a player's reputation. It gives people too much freedom to bully without ever being revealed. There wouldn't be so much backstabbing and taunting if you had something at stake. In anonymous, there is nothing to lose and people just cross the line too much.

What do you guys think of these ideas?

bags wrote:If you can't handle backstabbing this isn't the game for you.

RoadKiehl wrote:I should say that, on the forums, I'm the guy who always says, "Being stabbed in the back is part of the game! Just shake it off!"

Please read the post next time.

Champinoman wrote:

roadkiehl wrote:Right, so I just played my first two anonymous games (a little late, I know), and can I just say: People are evil in anonymous mode.

Wait... are you Red?

I was, in the regulars game. But that's not the game I was talking about. That one just wasn't working out and was eating too much of my time.
Edit: whoops, no I wasn't. Mixed up the games. Yeah, I was in a public game.

Anyways, I'm willing to accept that my experience was an outlier and give it another go, so thanks for all the responses!

zyxe wrote:Step 1: Be a jerk to everyone in anonymous mode.
Step 2: Have everyone say who they are at the end of the match.
Step 3: Claim that your name is Kevlargolem (or really any other name that isn't your own)
Step 4: Everyone blames Kevlargolem for you rudeness.
Step 5: PROFIT!

Theoretically yes, but as soon as offering names gets brought up, someone will make your same argument. And as soon as this doubt is cast on the names, it casts doubt on any name given by someone who was an asshole during the game.

I also disliked the one anonymous game I played, and it even was with forum regulars so mostly people I knew I liked. I haven't played since, but that's probably just as much due to a reprioritization of my sleep with some real life things going on. The game just is quite intense sometimes.

In my opinion on anonymous games, I take into account that my ranking + gold/silver/bronze medals give me a fairly good reputation. So when I play an anonymous game, my positive reputation is left out of consideration. I'm pretty sure Roadkiehl also enjoys those benefits, plus he has more games played than I do. When I played Ron once, or my first time playing Roadkiehl and Pmoney, I knew I should either try to partner up with them, or make be part of a strong team to work against them. I think people with an impressive profile sort of have the same effect on people in normal games. Anonymous mode is, well, anonymous. No pre-game reputation.
So for someone with an average or below average game history, the experience of an occasional anonymos game is probably a lot different.

I'm fine with anonymous mode being an option, lots of people requested it. But I'm very glad that it's not the default game mode.

stefan wrote:I also disliked the one anonymous game I played, and it even was with forum regulars so mostly people I knew I liked.

This was also a Domination game. And god damn domination is broken and just bizarre.

I have a "Domination Mode is Hell" thread coming shortly.