PlanetsCentral

Yep, I think there are a bunch of players (me too) who just don't join any game where at0mix has taken the Privs, and Kobrov is in too, what it's a pity but just not worth it since many times you just can't get any good allies or even worse, you have the happy Russian couple as neighbours and then you're fecked. The thing is, in 90% of the games at0mix takes the Privs as soon as the game opens and Kobrov follows soon. I don't think there's much that can be done about it. They obviously don't give a shite, and there will always be newbies who don't know about their pre-formed alliance and will fill the slots.

I'm only playing NorthStar games at the moment (at0mix doesn't even bother joining a game where he has to play by himself withoud daddy Kobrov).

May be setting up a new type of game with random race assignment would be cool. I would definetely give that a try.

It'd be interesting to have at0mix's and Kobrov's opinion on the subject, but my guess is that they don't even read the forum posts and aren't aware of this whole clusterfuck (excuse my language, rough week).

Anyways, I also thank Stefan for this great site and all the effort he puts in keeping the Echo Cluster alive. Keep it up, man!

mondoshiva in Re: May as well rename "Priv...:

A mean person would ask the question: Is it three individuals or a single person???

I can hardly tell from my experience in Titan 17 coz I had not any contact with the Russian alliance.

However I agree with James based on my personal experience from Pleiades 16 as well. By comparing the playing style of both Kobrov and at0mix I am pretty sure they are two individual players.
emperor_1999 I am not quite sure about, he seems to me like a rookie who is being mentored by at0mix and/or Kobrov. Usually he does not act individually, at least I have never noticed any campaign led by him.

mondoshiva in Re: May as well rename "Priv...:

Or maybe you want to extend your homepage with a little host? Stefan for sure will help you to set it up

I don't think that creating another host site will really solve the problem. Nothing will prevent (a) player(s) behaving there the same way. Moreover a competing second website would split all active players' attention which might result in games not filling any more.

I'd prefer to settle the issue by either appealing to these player's honor to refrain from forming their usual initial cooperation in the future or - if this should be of no avail - by asking Stefan to try and implement a way to prevent it by force (random race assignment, temporarily locked race slots for cherry pickers, etc.)
Actually we, the players who seek balanced games, also have an instrument to stop their pre-made alliance: Forming one massive counter-alliance in every game they play together and spoil their party (unfortunately my appeal in Titan 17 remained unheard ) It might take a little while to make them learn but to me it seems to be the most "natural" solution.

Cheers,
Mike