What?????? We aren't? You mean we aren't a noble warrior in a faux-Feudal Japanese fantasy setting just because we play an RPG or push around little pieces of cardboard? The hell you say!
Yes, I know it must be shocking for some of you to actually read these words, but it is important to type them for everyone to read none-the-less. In case you didn't get the memo, let this be your notification.
Why did I type that as the introduction to this particular article (and series of articles?) Because it is important to be grounded in the reality of real life in order to understand what is and is not cheating. If you live by some made-up code of honor or fair play and you feel you are being cheated just because others don't follow the same code, don't be surprised when you aren't taken seriously by a judge or other players. We are only interested in real cheating, not some perceived slight because your opponent wasn't an honorable player even though he was playing Crane.
This leads into a more important point about L5R the card game: it is not (I repeat, NOT) an RPG or a way of life. It is a card game. I have read several times on both the Alderac forums as well as the Scorpion forums where a player says something along the lines of 'Hey, it is ok that you cheated or deceived the other player. We are Scorpion, it is what we do, so it is ok.'
No, it is not ok. You are not a Scorpion. You are a person who lives on planet Earth and plays a fictional clan from a fictional setting in a card game where there are firm rules in place for how the game is played and how players are to conduct themselves while playing said game. How would you like it if a Crab player punched you before the start of a match, or a Unicorn player jumped on your back and tried to ride you like a horse, or a Phoenix player doused you in gasoline and lit you on fire? How about if a Mantis player stole your money or your property? I thought so.
Remember, cheating, especially on purpose, is against the rules no matter what clan you play. It is not acceptable and it will always warrant a punishment. I will apologize at this point for singling out Scorpion players, as I know that there are non-Scorpion players who cheat as well, but the Scorpion players are the only ones I have ever seen publicly say it is ok to cheat because of their affiliation with a fictional clan from a fictional land. Please remember we live in a real world with real consequences.
Coming soon: Part II of Intentional Cheating in which I discuss what to keep an eye on to keep from being cheated.
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Unintentional vs. Intentional Cheating
‘What the heck is unintentional cheating’ you may ask yourself? ‘Isn’t that just an accident?’ Well, yes and no. The answer is not as simple as one or the other, but rather falls somewhere in between. This article is an attempt to clarify the varying degrees that fall in-between a mistake and what is commonly thought of as cheating. The following is just an example to illustrate where the lines may blur between mistake and cheating.
In a draft, each player is given a set number of packs and, from these packs, a set number of cards. Once all of the packs have been drafted, each player should have the same number of cards, and that number should be equal to the number of cards in the packs that they were given to draft from. If you have more cards, you are cheating. It may not have been on purpose, but a larger pool of cards to draft from is still an advantage that is gained by not following the rules. Did you purposefully mis-pack the cards at the printer? Of course not, but it doesn’t mean that you aren’t breaking the rules; you just aren’t breaking the rules on purpose. An unintentional cheat, if you will.
Now at this point most of you may be wondering what the big deal is. ‘So what, your benefit if you got lucky enough to get an extra card, big deal,’ you might say. True, it may not be that big of a deal; after all, the cards left over are the crappy ones that no one wants anyway, right? But let me pose you this question: how will the judges of the event know if someone has purposefully slipped extra cards into their draft pool if we just accept that mis-packs occur?
As you can see, a mistake can unintentionally lead to a cheat, or possibly assist someone else in a cheat. It is important to be cognizant of what you are doing during a game, and insure, as much as any one individual can, that they are not responsible for the allowance of an unintentional cheat.
Going back to my above example, if each player were to count their cards after opening the pack to make sure they had the correct number and counted the number of cards they had at the end of that pack’s worth of drafting, each player would make sure that they have the correct number of cards. This does multiple things. First, it makes sure that you have enough cards (making sure no one took two cards with one pick.) Second, it makes sure no one else let a pack with too many or too few cards into circulation. Third, it helps insure that the judges will be able to have an accurate count of the cards at the end of the draft so that they can catch anyone who is cheating.
Now I know that you may be wondering why you can’t just take advantage of a good piece of luck that befalls you. Perhaps you got extra cards in a pack in a draft, or maybe your opponent forgot to gain the 2 honor from Last Step Castle (even though he used the action and you didn’t take a province) or one of any number of other mistakes. What is wrong with taking advantage of your opponent’s bad luck, or your own good luck? The answer is because it is cheating. It just isn’t cheating in the way most people think of cheating. Also, no one wants to be accused of intentionally cheating, so by not unintentionally cheating, you avoid the possibility that a judge may feel you did it on purpose.
You may be asking yourself what steps you can take to avoid the unintentional cheat so that no one accuses you of intentionally cheating. There are several steps, and they are all simple, just no one really wants to do them.
First, keep track of all of your game state changes. Changes to the game state such as honor, force bonuses and penalties, whether someone is dead or discarded, etc. are all easy enough to track, but sometimes people just don’t. This could lead to accidentally playing Civility to bring into play a dead samurai instead of a discarded one, or may lead to a disagreement about whether an ability on a card was already used or not. Simple things like having an honor counter, glass beads to show when you have taken actions on cards, using a clear sleeve and two Border Keeps (back to back) with one side having the second ability marked out for when you use it. All of these are simple and effective ways to avoid the unintentional cheat.
Secondly, keep track of your opponent’s game state changes. This one is less common, and most players don’t follow this piece of advice. There is no recourse if your opponent claims they didn’t gain their LSC honor unless you are tracking it as well or unless you can recreate the previous game states exactly to figure out what honor was gained where, as an example. This can all be handled by doing things like having an honor counter on which you track your opponent’s honor, using glass beads on your opponent’s cards to mark actions used, even if they won’t, asking them to differentiate between dead and discarded personalities, etc. Again, these are all simple measures that can be taken to insure that neither you nor your opponent is cheating.
Third, follow the floor rules as much as possible. This may, again, seem like a simple enough suggestion, but it hides a level of complexity that some may miss. In order to insure that you are following the floor rules, you may want to start prior even to the beginning of the tournament. Take a shower, put on deodorant that does not have a strong smell, don’t wear cologne or perfume, wear clothing that will not offend anyone, pack extra card sleeves, build your deck with cards that have the same back, etc. While you may not think anything of it, your opponent might, and you may just find yourself facing a game loss or even tournament disqualification because you were in violation of the floor rules and were not able to rectify the situation.
The best example of this is the rule regarding changing the game state roughly every 20 seconds. It may not seem like a big deal early in the round, but stalling could happen right from the beginning of the match. By the time you notice that your opponent may be stalling you, it could be too late. By the time you hit 5 minutes left and realize your opponent wasted the extra 5 you need to clinch the game, it may be too late. Whether it is the beginning of the round or the end, playing in a timely fashion is always important. It may not be fair that you have a hard decision to make and want some extra time, but opponents have hard decisions to make themselves and are under the same time constraint.
Fourth, avoid behavior that might look like cheating even though you are not. Don’t fidget a lot, keep your play hand above the level of the table and in the line of site of your opponent at all times, if you knock cards around or off the table be very careful when picking them up and placing them back on your deck while making sure to let your opponent witness everything you are doing (even going so far as to ask your opponent if they wish you to shuffle your deck.) These are just a few of the many things you can do to avoid looking like you are cheating. While it may seem like it is not even unintentionally cheating, the behavior makes it that much more difficult for judges to spot suspicious behavior and stop actual cheaters. Also, you don’t want to have to be called on it during the active judging in an elimination round as it might just throw your game off or distract you from an important thought process that you don’t recover.
Finally, as I always say, call a judge. If you are unsure about your opponent’s behavior or something they have done, call a judge. Even if it is a mistake it needs to be rectified so that it doesn’t turn from a mistake into a bad habit. After all, who knows, your opponent may actually be cheating and you may be able to keep them from perpetrating any more cheating against not only yourself, but others as well.
The next article will cover intentionally cheating and the signs to look for if you feel you are the target of a cheater.
In a draft, each player is given a set number of packs and, from these packs, a set number of cards. Once all of the packs have been drafted, each player should have the same number of cards, and that number should be equal to the number of cards in the packs that they were given to draft from. If you have more cards, you are cheating. It may not have been on purpose, but a larger pool of cards to draft from is still an advantage that is gained by not following the rules. Did you purposefully mis-pack the cards at the printer? Of course not, but it doesn’t mean that you aren’t breaking the rules; you just aren’t breaking the rules on purpose. An unintentional cheat, if you will.
Now at this point most of you may be wondering what the big deal is. ‘So what, your benefit if you got lucky enough to get an extra card, big deal,’ you might say. True, it may not be that big of a deal; after all, the cards left over are the crappy ones that no one wants anyway, right? But let me pose you this question: how will the judges of the event know if someone has purposefully slipped extra cards into their draft pool if we just accept that mis-packs occur?
As you can see, a mistake can unintentionally lead to a cheat, or possibly assist someone else in a cheat. It is important to be cognizant of what you are doing during a game, and insure, as much as any one individual can, that they are not responsible for the allowance of an unintentional cheat.
Going back to my above example, if each player were to count their cards after opening the pack to make sure they had the correct number and counted the number of cards they had at the end of that pack’s worth of drafting, each player would make sure that they have the correct number of cards. This does multiple things. First, it makes sure that you have enough cards (making sure no one took two cards with one pick.) Second, it makes sure no one else let a pack with too many or too few cards into circulation. Third, it helps insure that the judges will be able to have an accurate count of the cards at the end of the draft so that they can catch anyone who is cheating.
Now I know that you may be wondering why you can’t just take advantage of a good piece of luck that befalls you. Perhaps you got extra cards in a pack in a draft, or maybe your opponent forgot to gain the 2 honor from Last Step Castle (even though he used the action and you didn’t take a province) or one of any number of other mistakes. What is wrong with taking advantage of your opponent’s bad luck, or your own good luck? The answer is because it is cheating. It just isn’t cheating in the way most people think of cheating. Also, no one wants to be accused of intentionally cheating, so by not unintentionally cheating, you avoid the possibility that a judge may feel you did it on purpose.
You may be asking yourself what steps you can take to avoid the unintentional cheat so that no one accuses you of intentionally cheating. There are several steps, and they are all simple, just no one really wants to do them.
First, keep track of all of your game state changes. Changes to the game state such as honor, force bonuses and penalties, whether someone is dead or discarded, etc. are all easy enough to track, but sometimes people just don’t. This could lead to accidentally playing Civility to bring into play a dead samurai instead of a discarded one, or may lead to a disagreement about whether an ability on a card was already used or not. Simple things like having an honor counter, glass beads to show when you have taken actions on cards, using a clear sleeve and two Border Keeps (back to back) with one side having the second ability marked out for when you use it. All of these are simple and effective ways to avoid the unintentional cheat.
Secondly, keep track of your opponent’s game state changes. This one is less common, and most players don’t follow this piece of advice. There is no recourse if your opponent claims they didn’t gain their LSC honor unless you are tracking it as well or unless you can recreate the previous game states exactly to figure out what honor was gained where, as an example. This can all be handled by doing things like having an honor counter on which you track your opponent’s honor, using glass beads on your opponent’s cards to mark actions used, even if they won’t, asking them to differentiate between dead and discarded personalities, etc. Again, these are all simple measures that can be taken to insure that neither you nor your opponent is cheating.
Third, follow the floor rules as much as possible. This may, again, seem like a simple enough suggestion, but it hides a level of complexity that some may miss. In order to insure that you are following the floor rules, you may want to start prior even to the beginning of the tournament. Take a shower, put on deodorant that does not have a strong smell, don’t wear cologne or perfume, wear clothing that will not offend anyone, pack extra card sleeves, build your deck with cards that have the same back, etc. While you may not think anything of it, your opponent might, and you may just find yourself facing a game loss or even tournament disqualification because you were in violation of the floor rules and were not able to rectify the situation.
The best example of this is the rule regarding changing the game state roughly every 20 seconds. It may not seem like a big deal early in the round, but stalling could happen right from the beginning of the match. By the time you notice that your opponent may be stalling you, it could be too late. By the time you hit 5 minutes left and realize your opponent wasted the extra 5 you need to clinch the game, it may be too late. Whether it is the beginning of the round or the end, playing in a timely fashion is always important. It may not be fair that you have a hard decision to make and want some extra time, but opponents have hard decisions to make themselves and are under the same time constraint.
Fourth, avoid behavior that might look like cheating even though you are not. Don’t fidget a lot, keep your play hand above the level of the table and in the line of site of your opponent at all times, if you knock cards around or off the table be very careful when picking them up and placing them back on your deck while making sure to let your opponent witness everything you are doing (even going so far as to ask your opponent if they wish you to shuffle your deck.) These are just a few of the many things you can do to avoid looking like you are cheating. While it may seem like it is not even unintentionally cheating, the behavior makes it that much more difficult for judges to spot suspicious behavior and stop actual cheaters. Also, you don’t want to have to be called on it during the active judging in an elimination round as it might just throw your game off or distract you from an important thought process that you don’t recover.
Finally, as I always say, call a judge. If you are unsure about your opponent’s behavior or something they have done, call a judge. Even if it is a mistake it needs to be rectified so that it doesn’t turn from a mistake into a bad habit. After all, who knows, your opponent may actually be cheating and you may be able to keep them from perpetrating any more cheating against not only yourself, but others as well.
The next article will cover intentionally cheating and the signs to look for if you feel you are the target of a cheater.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
When Time Has Been Called
I was inspired to write this particular article by a thread on a site about what happens when time is called. It seemed that people were all over the place about what is and is not acceptable when the time limit is reached for the round, and I thought it might be useful to cover that topic as it directly relates to my previous article about calling a judge (you will see why in a bit.)
Before I get started, I will let everyone know that we are talking about swiss round matches and timed, single-elimination games in the early elim rounds. This is not about the Palmer Rule or any other strictly defined win/loss timing mechanism.
First, when time is called, that is the end of the game; it is over. Floor Rule 4.3.2 Time Limit and Match Length state that once time is called play must stop. This part is also important later when we talk about deciding on a winner. The rules of any given tournament will give a specific amount of time that the game can take, usually 40 or 45 minutes, and once that time has been reached the game is over and play must cease.
Since there is a time limit to these games if you feel your opponent is stalling call a judge (I told you we would get back here.) I will give everyone a minute to go to the tournament floor rules on l5r.com and read section 3.13 Game Delay Due to Player.
Done?
Good. I hope you read it carefully as it allows for two important things. The first thing being that any player has the right to call a judge and watch for stalling on the part of their opponent. If you do not call a judge and you feel you were being slow played, it is your fault. You have no one to blame for the game going to time except yourself. Do not be afraid to call a judge. The second thing that the rule covers is if a player has been away from the table for any length of time for any reason during a match and it goes to time, the opponent automatically receives the win. This rule also includes tardiness. If you are late or must get up form the table for any reason, keep this rule in mind and watch for stalling on the part of your opponent.
Now that we have reached the time limit, the next step is to determine if either player wins. Notice I said if. It is not a requirement to have a winner. As mentioned in Rule 4.3.2, either player may concede to their opponent. Should this not happen, then both players may agree upon some random method of deciding the winner of the game (die roll is the most common, but it could also be a coin flip, etc). Look at the key word used in the actual floor rules: may. It is not required, but an option. If either player wishes to neither concede nor randomize, then it is well within their right. Keep in mind that there is only a 5 minute reporting period once time is called; if this 5 minute period expires, the result is a double loss. Please keep match determination as brief as possible to avoid the possibility of the double loss; it hurts the strength of schedule of both players and the tie breakers of everyone that those two players played.
Those are the only set in stone rules. I will cover some common etiquette, but please do not confuse etiquette and sportsmanship with following the rules. There is nothing wrong with adhering to the rules as written, but keep in mind that by choosing to not practice good taste and common sense in games where time has been called, you risk alienating yourself from the player base and possibly getting a negative reputation. While that may not bother some, remember that people with bad reputations tend to be given fewer breaks by their opponents; especially when it comes to whether or not your opponent is willing to concede once time has been called.
The first of the points of end of round etiquette that I will cover is what to do with the 5 minute reporting period. The first step is to not show your cards to your opponent unless they ask. ‘Why,’ you may ask? Well, ultimately the rules say the game is over and you immediately stop playing. Showing cards to your opponent is, in some measure, a continuation of the game, even if just in theory. While this may be ok, it does actually violate the floor rules and, given a strict enough judge, could result in a warning or a game loss if your opponent presses the issue. Ask your opponent if it is ok to talk through the remainder of the game quickly and show each other cards to try to decide if a concession should be made. Do not get upset if they say no. If they ask, do not be afraid to say no if you do not want to talk through it. Ultimately the game ended at time and no one was stalling.
The second is to be realistic. Are you at -19 honor with a dishonored shugenja on the board while your opponent has a Kaukatsu in play that you can’t stop? Please concede. In every game there are decisions that you take extra time on because they are important, but could have caused the game to go to time instead of ending in a resolution. My rule of thumb is to concede if I would lose if that extra time had played out. We want calls of potential stalling to be because someone might actually be stalling, not because someone is worried that they have the game and their opponent may not concede when time is called. There is an important distinction.
The next point I want to make on this issue is to reinforce the fact that the time limit of a tournament round is a rule in the same way that all of the rulebook rules are rules. If you create a deck or have trouble playing in a way that finishes within the time limit, do not be surprised if no one concedes to you. No one cares if you would have won had the game played out for another hour, or even another 15 minutes. The tournament rules state either 40 or 45 minutes (depending on the tournament) and you need to play within that time limit as if the time limit was set by the rulebook.
If you feel like your opponent is taking too long to make each play, please call a judge. Again, I can’t stress this enough. If you don’t call a judge, intentionally slow players will never be caught for cheating, and unintentionally slow players will never feel like they have to improve their pace of play to participate in tournaments. It takes an effort by everyone to make sure a tournament is not only fun, but fair. It is not just the job of the tournament organizer and judges as they cannot be everywhere at once. It is the job of the players to notify a judge when something is taking place, that way the issue can be identified and handled correctly when it happens. No one can take action after an incident has occurred, nor should that be expected. If you don’t complain about slow play from the beginning of the round, you have no recourse at the end if you go to time and your opponent doesn’t concede.
Finally, I want to talk a little bit about sportsmanship. Sure it is nice, but we all need to remember that we are playing in a tournament with hundreds of dollars worth of prizes on the line. Sure they are just dumb pieces of cardboard and decorative swords and artwork, but they are still worth something. Also there are story prizes associated with some tournaments that people put a higher premium on than even the physical prizes. Do not be upset if someone decides that the game was not sufficiently resolved in the time limit and wants a roll or won’t concede. That is their choice. Also, do not automatically assume they are an asshole or that they were intentionally slow playing just because they appeared to be in a weaker position. Remember, we don’t play these games out to their conclusion if they go to time, so you don’t know that you would have played perfectly and won the game.
On the flip side, be courteous and sportsmanlike. If you have lost the game, within reason, concede. Don’t be an ass about not conceding. While it is your right to not concede or to ask for a die roll, you do not have the right to be rude about it.
I hope that this article was useful in helping everyone understand what happens when a round goes to time and what the proper procedures are. I also hope that everyone was able to take something positive away form the non-rules related items, as those are the items that shape and define the L5R community.
Before I get started, I will let everyone know that we are talking about swiss round matches and timed, single-elimination games in the early elim rounds. This is not about the Palmer Rule or any other strictly defined win/loss timing mechanism.
First, when time is called, that is the end of the game; it is over. Floor Rule 4.3.2 Time Limit and Match Length state that once time is called play must stop. This part is also important later when we talk about deciding on a winner. The rules of any given tournament will give a specific amount of time that the game can take, usually 40 or 45 minutes, and once that time has been reached the game is over and play must cease.
Since there is a time limit to these games if you feel your opponent is stalling call a judge (I told you we would get back here.) I will give everyone a minute to go to the tournament floor rules on l5r.com and read section 3.13 Game Delay Due to Player.
Done?
Good. I hope you read it carefully as it allows for two important things. The first thing being that any player has the right to call a judge and watch for stalling on the part of their opponent. If you do not call a judge and you feel you were being slow played, it is your fault. You have no one to blame for the game going to time except yourself. Do not be afraid to call a judge. The second thing that the rule covers is if a player has been away from the table for any length of time for any reason during a match and it goes to time, the opponent automatically receives the win. This rule also includes tardiness. If you are late or must get up form the table for any reason, keep this rule in mind and watch for stalling on the part of your opponent.
Now that we have reached the time limit, the next step is to determine if either player wins. Notice I said if. It is not a requirement to have a winner. As mentioned in Rule 4.3.2, either player may concede to their opponent. Should this not happen, then both players may agree upon some random method of deciding the winner of the game (die roll is the most common, but it could also be a coin flip, etc). Look at the key word used in the actual floor rules: may. It is not required, but an option. If either player wishes to neither concede nor randomize, then it is well within their right. Keep in mind that there is only a 5 minute reporting period once time is called; if this 5 minute period expires, the result is a double loss. Please keep match determination as brief as possible to avoid the possibility of the double loss; it hurts the strength of schedule of both players and the tie breakers of everyone that those two players played.
Those are the only set in stone rules. I will cover some common etiquette, but please do not confuse etiquette and sportsmanship with following the rules. There is nothing wrong with adhering to the rules as written, but keep in mind that by choosing to not practice good taste and common sense in games where time has been called, you risk alienating yourself from the player base and possibly getting a negative reputation. While that may not bother some, remember that people with bad reputations tend to be given fewer breaks by their opponents; especially when it comes to whether or not your opponent is willing to concede once time has been called.
The first of the points of end of round etiquette that I will cover is what to do with the 5 minute reporting period. The first step is to not show your cards to your opponent unless they ask. ‘Why,’ you may ask? Well, ultimately the rules say the game is over and you immediately stop playing. Showing cards to your opponent is, in some measure, a continuation of the game, even if just in theory. While this may be ok, it does actually violate the floor rules and, given a strict enough judge, could result in a warning or a game loss if your opponent presses the issue. Ask your opponent if it is ok to talk through the remainder of the game quickly and show each other cards to try to decide if a concession should be made. Do not get upset if they say no. If they ask, do not be afraid to say no if you do not want to talk through it. Ultimately the game ended at time and no one was stalling.
The second is to be realistic. Are you at -19 honor with a dishonored shugenja on the board while your opponent has a Kaukatsu in play that you can’t stop? Please concede. In every game there are decisions that you take extra time on because they are important, but could have caused the game to go to time instead of ending in a resolution. My rule of thumb is to concede if I would lose if that extra time had played out. We want calls of potential stalling to be because someone might actually be stalling, not because someone is worried that they have the game and their opponent may not concede when time is called. There is an important distinction.
The next point I want to make on this issue is to reinforce the fact that the time limit of a tournament round is a rule in the same way that all of the rulebook rules are rules. If you create a deck or have trouble playing in a way that finishes within the time limit, do not be surprised if no one concedes to you. No one cares if you would have won had the game played out for another hour, or even another 15 minutes. The tournament rules state either 40 or 45 minutes (depending on the tournament) and you need to play within that time limit as if the time limit was set by the rulebook.
If you feel like your opponent is taking too long to make each play, please call a judge. Again, I can’t stress this enough. If you don’t call a judge, intentionally slow players will never be caught for cheating, and unintentionally slow players will never feel like they have to improve their pace of play to participate in tournaments. It takes an effort by everyone to make sure a tournament is not only fun, but fair. It is not just the job of the tournament organizer and judges as they cannot be everywhere at once. It is the job of the players to notify a judge when something is taking place, that way the issue can be identified and handled correctly when it happens. No one can take action after an incident has occurred, nor should that be expected. If you don’t complain about slow play from the beginning of the round, you have no recourse at the end if you go to time and your opponent doesn’t concede.
Finally, I want to talk a little bit about sportsmanship. Sure it is nice, but we all need to remember that we are playing in a tournament with hundreds of dollars worth of prizes on the line. Sure they are just dumb pieces of cardboard and decorative swords and artwork, but they are still worth something. Also there are story prizes associated with some tournaments that people put a higher premium on than even the physical prizes. Do not be upset if someone decides that the game was not sufficiently resolved in the time limit and wants a roll or won’t concede. That is their choice. Also, do not automatically assume they are an asshole or that they were intentionally slow playing just because they appeared to be in a weaker position. Remember, we don’t play these games out to their conclusion if they go to time, so you don’t know that you would have played perfectly and won the game.
On the flip side, be courteous and sportsmanlike. If you have lost the game, within reason, concede. Don’t be an ass about not conceding. While it is your right to not concede or to ask for a die roll, you do not have the right to be rude about it.
I hope that this article was useful in helping everyone understand what happens when a round goes to time and what the proper procedures are. I also hope that everyone was able to take something positive away form the non-rules related items, as those are the items that shape and define the L5R community.
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