SMURFING..

Due to a few recent topics about smurfs these days, I feel almost obligated to enhance the subject and discuss this popular subject.  Smurfing has been around ever since the early days of this game as well as many others.  There really is not anything we can do about this subject other than discuss this.  I would like to go through some "Pro's and Con's" of smurfing from the smurf's perspective, talk about how other's portray smurfing and add my own opinion on the matter. 

First I will talk about the "Con's" as I believe more than half of TA:K's own population of players who generally stay true to their own alias dislikes smurfing.  I will take the stance of the "smurf."

Con's:
- You may indeed be confronted.
- You also may indeed get wrapped up in drama that occurs due to curiosity.
- You may get caught.  This is where more theatrics may arise.

Next, I will talk about the "Pro's" of smurfing.  Again, I will take the stance of the "smurf."

Pro's:
- You can conceal your identity (aka alias) possibly just to temporarily lay low for a while.
- Upon concealing one's identity, this person less jeopardizes their own alias.
- You can start over from scratch a new alias and care more about that new track record possibly due to lack of comfort of how you portrayed your original alias.  (Re-birth)

Overall, smurfing is frowned upon by the community as a whole as many players who play against a smurf will often times feel cheated as they did not know what to expect from that particular player.  Also, drama is more often the result of smurfing rather than harmony.  However, smurfs generally will smurf just so they will find harmony.  But likewise, they also may smurf with the sole purpose just to disrupt things.

My personal opinion of smurfing is very simple.  I do not feel obligated to do so, but I also do not find it overall a harmful thing.  So, I am just simply amused by these things.  I do admit that I wish more people would use their common alias more often, but I feel like they do such things as just so they can find their own personal serenity.  Thus, instead of players running away completely from this game, they remain playing, just under a new alias.  I think this game needs players.  I do not wish to try and smurf bust.  This will ruin a certain individual's serenity and either will abandon the game itself, or will just find a new alias to smurf as anyway.  Small gaming communities such as this.. everyone seems to know one another maybe all too well.  Personalities may collide and unfortunately players either leave the game or smurf.  However, in much larger gaming communities, most players don't know one another and less drama occurs not to mention from that point-of-view, everyone would seem like a smurf as you will not have been likely to play that same player many times and would not know this player's particular strengths and weakness anyway.  All I am saying is that this way, if TA:K was a much larger gaming community, everyone would have to win based on their own skill and not playing mind games with each other based on knowing who is who and their strengths/weaknesses.  Again, I am mostly amused by smurfing as opposed to continuing to care about smurfs as much as I have had back in the day.  I believe that they are almost needed to perpetuate this community!  Chow!

"drama is more often the result of smurfing"
For me, smurf is the result of drama lol.

"they also may smurf with the sole purpose just to disrupt things."
Yep, it's a way to try to change the situation when it doesn't satisfy you, even though it's something cheap. Who cares anyway.

"This will ruin a certain individual's serenity and either will abandon the game itself, or will just find a new alias to smurf as anyway."
Actually nope. The problem isnt that someone found out, the problem is that they weren't convincing enough, or arent satisfied with the status of their smurf. Forbiddendonut didn't mind saying hes slowsnail, because he actually got better. Until he noticed he did actually got decent, he would talk crap like 'i havent played in more than a decade' and such, when its obviously not true, even when some desperate people said that what he saying was true (lol). Interests are the cause of everything buddy. Its a pity some people are desperate enough to do cheap stuff like censure, lies, connivence and etc. because it shows that people care more about status than tak. So they still havent given up about status, and thats what keep a lot of playing still playing, but as well its what also can keep a lot of people far. In short, it can be as simple as you want, but it can also be as complex as you want.

"everyone would have to win based on their own skill and not playing mind games with each other based on knowing who is who and their strengths/weaknesses."
Thats how I play though (for me I dont see anyone who I have to think that much to win against, no special preparations on my side). Just saying it doesnt feel right to generalize things, especially using the word everyone.

"perpetuate this community"
For many people tak is already immortal, even when people would like to just forget it. But yes, i agree that smurfing isnt a harming thing, even when them use their smurfing condition to abuse, offend, lie and etc. After all tak still has always been just a game.

"Interests are the cause of everything buddy."
I agree.  I had forgotten to mention that as far as 'why people smurf.'  As people's lives move on many just don't care the same way that they used to and tend to smurf and play just for shits and giggles..  Just to not take things seriously.  Likewise, having plenty of interest can make you smurf as you just wish to have a new and better name.

"Thats how I play though (for me I dont see anyone who I have to think that much to win against, no special preparations on my side). Just saying it doesnt feel right to generalize things, especially using the word everyone."
My only point was that if you compare much bigger gaming communities to this older, smaller community.. the bigger communities it would be as if everyone's a smurf.. as you really don't know who from who whereas you wouldn't really be able to know each players strengths/weaknesses (except their stats).   You would have to play your "own game" and just have to be the better player.  Smurfing in a smaller community keeps you on your toes.  Many of us may not feel it's right, but, it would in fact force us to always play our "A" game.  The only thing about it that makes it a bit "un-fair" is that one player who happens to know a particular players strengths/weaknesses could of course smurf and base a strategy just to beat the player.  It does give a slight advantage in the original matchup.  But great players won't get beat the second, third or even fourth time to the same smurf.  Lesson learned.

Yea but sometimes they still care, sometimes they care even more, sometimes smurfs take things even more serious lol. I also think it's hard to care about something that you can't succeed at. I guess it's a case to case thing.

I agree partially with your second paragraph, except about the "older" term. There are older games than tak, with more people who play online the game, obviously. Also I agree about the possibility of the bigger smurfer having advantage, especially when eventually the smurfer use his smurf condition to cheat.

"But great players won't get beat the second, third or even fourth time to the same smurf.  Lesson learned."
The better player might still be beat a third, fourth time if the smurf continues to cheat, while nothing is done to prevent it. Ah, and I meant might, because sometimes the smurf is so bad that loses even when cheating.

I like the idea of smurfing.

We've all done it. Some people have even created new identities with it and have forsaken their old names. I used to be against it, but I think that if your name carries too much baggage and you want to recreate yourself, by all means do it. People grow up and mature.

Can't do that in the real world unless you move to a different area.

yep, and when i smurf more people come and play with me LOL (i am too good or what?)(or maybe its quite boring to play against same player)
also when I smurf my enemies usually play a little more aggresive, (dunno why)(maybe they consider that "my smurf" its new etc, and they have more space for aggresive play etc)(i even lose as smurf with players that i usually never lose xD) (cause enemies are more confident and aggressive in overall play)

[K]Double wrote:

I like the idea of smurfing.

We've all done it.  Some people have even created new identities with it and have forsaken their old names.  I used to be against it, but I think that if your name carries too much baggage and you want to recreate yourself, by all means do it.  People grow up and mature.  

Can't do that in the real world unless you move to a different area.

Or, people can simply have the 'balls' (pardon my swearing) to tell anyone "hi, I'm back, I know you do not like me for a reason or another but I am back and I am willing to play. Also, I am more mature than before, so you may actually find me a better company than before".
You don't need to be good to play TAK (good here refers both to character and skill). Just do what I do; be an average player at best and just do your best even if you lose 1,000 games in a row and try to be nice even if others are not nice against you.
Becoming butthurt (pardon my swearing once more) is normal, it happens even to me (my ego hurts when I lose sometimes, despite the fact I knew I would lose in the first place) but you can also fight against this negative feeling and not letting it to take you over.

Arthan, were making progress on you!

Quote :

I like the idea of smurfing.

We've all done it.

Speak for yourselves lads

Quote :

Just do what I do; be an average player at best and just do your best even if you lose 1,000 games in a row and try to be nice even if others are not nice against you.

Who's that? I'd like to know


People play and smurf for pretty much the same reason: to try to prove something that interests them, otherwise it's not fun and they don't play. Skill brings interest. It's rare to see someone who actually just plays (and against people of higher skill too).

people have thousand reason for smurfing
in my case its mainly for fun,

You pretty much said what I said anyway.

Detail, by smurfing I mean not saying your original nick, or denying it when asked.
Not changing nick with your own account.

_keyON1e_ wrote:

You pretty much said what I said anyway.

Detail, by smurfing I mean not saying your original nick, or denying it when asked.
Not changing nick with your own account.

That's not remotely what you tried to say; in fact, it's the exact opposite.

[K]Double wrote:

_keyON1e_ wrote:

You pretty much said what I said anyway.

Detail, by smurfing I mean not saying your original nick, or denying it when asked.
Not changing nick with your own account.

That's not remotely what you tried to say; in fact, it's the exact opposite.

"People play and smurf for pretty much the same reason: to try to prove something that interests them, otherwise it's not fun and they don't play."

"people have thousand reason for smurfing
in my case its mainly for fun,"

both mean the same in the end.

I have smurfed once, ~2 years ago to play against Henrique.
Since he is a pussy and only plays with noobs.
  

LOL

People smurfing to prove something and not for fun is the same as people smurfing FOR fun?

Please, Landherr, in your infinite wisdom and cosmic-like intelligence, elaborate for me what exactly you mean...

Actually, people have fun playing and smurfing (to prove something). If they manage to get the wished "result", they have even more fun. For most people it's not fun to lose, in most cases, for example. But to be honest, I think results have mattered less and performances more than before in this aspect.

The left side of your brain, I think, is the rationale side. Having said that...

I am blown away how you can spin something to make sense out of sheer contradictory statements. You should run for parliament.

Ignoring the fact that you are trying to start flame again (and again and again), either one is rationale.

I don't see the contradiction there. Both say when people have fun, but the first also says when they don't, but explicitly. I guess you would need rationality in the right side of your brain to understand.

landherr was diplomat in DE that why you get confused (me too often xD)

Any problem with my diplomatic skills? :b

Another example, make mega team with smurf Z for example, think you are cool beating smurf maury who tries to lose in that particular situation. Cool, you think you have proven something. Or, you hide all day, wait someone to leave or to be drunk and play in your best (often the only you can do half decent) settings/conditions/time, sometimes with a boost up. You once again believe you have proven something, then hide until you feel you can try to prove something again.

People smurf and play for pretty much the same reason: status (how pointless), that's what's fun.

Also:

I cant even understand what Key is saying... I think its English, but im just having a really hard time following what he's trying to say.

I don't play for status.

Your buddy does.

You are all immigrants! that's your status