From: tw1r+@andrew.cmu.edu (Timothy C. Worsley)
Newsgroups: rec.games.netrek
Subject: Re: Lack of borg hosts
Date: 1 Oct 92 17:41:18 GMT
	<5700@news.duke.edu>
Organization: Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA

>I feel the need to clarify a few things regarding borgs.

OK. . . I'll respond

>1. Using a Borg is not cheating. It is much more realistic than having one
>person try to dodge, fire phasers and torps, det and, tractor/pressor at the
>same time.

	Using a 'borg on a 'borg server is not cheating (That's why it's called
a 'borg server.).  Using a 'borg on a no-'borg server *IS* cheating
(That's why it's called a no-'borg server.).  As for realisim, it seems
like a crutch for many arguements about the game.  Realisticly, ships
going faster than light would have an icecube's chance in Hell of seeing
eachother.  Just remember the words of the great Andy McFadden "Netrek
isn't StarTrek.  Reality has nothing to do with it."
	
>2. Borg users are not all scummers and dogfighters, many are great team
players.
>It's not the client but the player that makes the difference.

	Some 'borg players are scummers and dogfighters.  Some non-'borg
players are scummers and dogfighters.  From what I've seen, 'borg
players tend to have less clue about the game than non-'borg players,
but there are plenty of counter-examples (Pigs in Space, Helix, etc.).  
	It *is* the player that makes the difference, but is seems that most
'borg players play 'borgs as a substitution for learning skills, and
that attitude tends to keep them from ever becoming good at the game. 
Many of the best 'borg players have written their own 'borgs.  It seems
that it takes a different attitude to write a 'borg than to play someone
else's 'borg.  No big suprize.

>3. Using a Borg does not take the skill out of the game. On the contrary, it
>de-emphasizes dog fighting and allows one to concentrate on team play. It adds
>a new dimension to the game.

	This is sort of the idealist's view of 'borgs.  In theory, 'borgs
should work that way, but in practice, it always seems that 'borg
players are content to spend all of their time dogfighting, and never
worry about the real game.  Again, there are exceptions.

>4. Borgs are not hard to kill. An average player can easily kill a bad borg
>player. It's as easy as charge-run dodge charge-run dodge, and when they
>run out of fuel they're very easy to kill.

	A good 'borg with a moderate player who knows his 'borg can beat a good
player.  That's why people write 'borgs.  Get a grip.

>5. Anti-borg complainers worsen things more than they help them. They
taunt the
>other player taking away from everyones enjoyment of the game.

I can buy that.  Back before server blessing, I was one of the most
rabid anti-'borg players arround.  Now, I don't see why a player
shouldn't use a 'borg on a 'borg server.  My smoking analogy still
holds.  If someone smokes in the smoking section, it's sanctioned by the
rules.  It's sometimes polite to stop smoking if everyone else asks you
politely, but you certainly don't have to.  Same with 'borgs.

>6. In my experience Anti-borg players are mostly clueless players who are much
>more rude and obnoxious than any borg player I've ever met.

	You see things from a very 'borg point of view.  People who play 'borgs
on servers with anti-borg servers that don't have blessing yet are very
rude.

>7. MOST IMPORTANTLY CHILL OUT IT'S JUST A GAME! I believe that the standard
>client should contain many of the so called borg features such as number of
>armies next to planets and shield energy shown by color of shields and auto
>compute trajectory. It will help emphasize TEAM PLAY not hurt it.

	BUT, the majority of netrekers do not agree with you.  Some of these
things were brought up during some of the NBR debates, and people came
out agaist them.  The game is for everyone.  If you want to try making a
new server with new clients (like Calvin), I encourage you and wish you
much luck.

>8. Lastly, Give me a damn good reason why borgs are Satan reincarnate as some
>of you seem to think.

	I think that you're getting carried away.  Netrek is a game that works
on a number of different levels, and requires skill on all of those
different levels.  By removing even the lowest level (dogfighting) you
change the game.  It's nice to know that I can do certain things because
I'm better than who I'm up against.  There is nothing inherently evil
about 'borgs, but most people don't want to deal with them (Witness the
stagnation of most 'borg servers.).

ZZnew guy

PS
	If you're flying a 'borg, you're letting the machine have fun for you.

PPS 
	No matter what people will say bad about Streaker, I will remember that
he quit out his 'borg character on rwd4 on 'borg night just because
people asked him to.  I respect that.  Streaker is the best.
Newsgroups: rec.games.netrek