RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (Full Version)

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CaptBeefheart -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 9:30:55 AM)

A guy goes on a two-week vacation and misses a linguistic discussion where he sees his favorite word "defenestrate" mentioned, while witnessing a massive invasion deep into the Conradian, possibly even eldritch, reaches of northern New Guinea and eastern DEI, only to get to the last page and find the game might be over without even one last carrier confrontation. Holy anticlimax, Batman!

I sincerely hope this game continues. Massive kudos to CR and John for providing fantastic entertainment for us armchair admirals.

I've only done a quick dabble in PBEM with this game precisely because I'm worried about it becoming all consuming. There's no need to stay up at night worrying about the AI coming up with dastardly schemes.

By the way, the USS Intrepid is a very worthy vessel to visit if any of you all visit NYC. Although I'm used to free museums in DC, the $26 wasn't too bad considering.

Cheers,
CC



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 2:50:13 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel

I know we Allied players don't like it when we've paid our dues only to have the IJ player suffer a sudden case of "real life is getting in my way." I know that feeling, but I also understand the nature of my opponent. I do not have high hopes for us getting much further into the game.



I read the other side, what there is of it lately, so I see the emotion of both as well as the strategy and tactics.

No one has mentioned what to me is perhaps the most egregious factor in the discussion of quitting. That is John's ejecting another of his three games and its faithful Allied player, who did nothing wrong except to not be John's bestus friend CR. That game got dumped because John, himself, not his evil twin, decided he liked CR more. So, so long, over-a-year-investment-Allied-guy.

His opponent was a gentleman and may get a pick-up opponent, but that's not the point. Adjusting to a new opponent is difficult, let alone the logistics of changing the turn exchange mechanisms, aligning betas, adjusting to new daily schedules or time zones on the other side, etc.

If you can't handle three games, don't friggin' play three games. If you play three games, find the time. Giving up the AAR would be a good start. But do what you said you'd do.



Mike McCreery -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 3:00:51 PM)

John just dumped 3 games with 3 great allied players that deserve much more.

I wouldnt play him at this point, I am not sure how many people would...



Lowpe -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 3:21:05 PM)

One of the reasons why I like to pick up drop games is that the other player is in for the long haul.

Of course, real life can rear its ugly head at any minute, but still picking up a drop usually makes for a long game.

It is hard to justify John's behavior...just disappointing.

I have been thinking about setting up a game (once my current ones are done, that is![;)]) where both players must finish their turn in one half hour.

Watch the replay, fine no limit. But once over you have one half hour to actually enter the turn. Sure it can be abused by making alternate saves, reviewing the game in depth when you don't have the turn and making lists of orders to execute, but you would still be limited to actually one half hour of active order clicking.

Also, it would be scouts honor, but isn't everything in this game?

It would encourage pausing the replay and looking around at the intel there. Scrolling up and down on the message log for example. So you would be examining the replay a lot closer I think. Plus hard choices would have to be made about where to focus your attention.

Anyhow, just a thought...like playing chess with a timer.




ny59giants -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 3:38:22 PM)

I've stayed away from commenting, but as I'm one of the three players mentioned. Even though Dan has known John longer than me, I may know him better just because we talk on a regular basis. I did advise him as a friend and in a mental health counselor manner about trying to do too much long ago. He has a lot on his plate and this summer more than others. I agreed to a hiatus until next month when the two boys go back to school along with his wife. Most of his turns get done when they are not home and before he goes to work (11am) or late at night (midnight or later his time). Besides his family and church (dean/elder), he is a manager at Subway. Anybody that knows anything about running a fast food restaurant knows that the schedule can change without notice. Add in that he decided to spend more time with his family (boys 9 & 12) this summer and you get the slow down in game play. I haven't asked, but I think his wife may have told him his family needs more of his time than AE. I don't think he will quit this game as I believe we will discuss in thoroughly if he comes to that decision along with Dan. I would probably ask him to seek a replacement player for our game (Apr '43) so this one could finish.



JohnDillworth -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 4:01:33 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I've stayed away from commenting, but as I'm one of the three players mentioned. Even though Dan has known John longer than me, I may know him better just because we talk on a regular basis. I did advise him as a friend and in a mental health counselor manner about trying to do too much long ago. He has a lot on his plate and this summer more than others. I agreed to a hiatus until next month when the two boys go back to school along with his wife. Most of his turns get done when they are not home and before he goes to work (11am) or late at night (midnight or later his time). Besides his family and church (dean/elder), he is a manager at Subway. Anybody that knows anything about running a fast food restaurant knows that the schedule can change without notice. Add in that he decided to spend more time with his family (boys 9 & 12) this summer and you get the slow down in game play. I haven't asked, but I think his wife may have told him his family needs more of his time than AE. I don't think he will quit this game as I believe we will discuss in thoroughly if he comes to that decision along with Dan. I would probably ask him to seek a replacement player for our game (Apr '43) so this one could finish.


thanks from a view from the high road. Perspective is a wonderful thing. thank you for this



Lokasenna -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 4:04:46 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Commander Cody

A guy goes on a two-week vacation and misses a linguistic discussion where he sees his favorite word "defenestrate" mentioned, while witnessing a massive invasion deep into the Conradian, possibly even eldritch, reaches of northern New Guinea and eastern DEI, only to get to the last page and find the game might be over without even one last carrier confrontation. Holy anticlimax, Batman!

I sincerely hope this game continues. Massive kudos to CR and John for providing fantastic entertainment for us armchair admirals.

I've only done a quick dabble in PBEM with this game precisely because I'm worried about it becoming all consuming. There's no need to stay up at night worrying about the AI coming up with dastardly schemes.

By the way, the USS Intrepid is a very worthy vessel to visit if any of you all visit NYC. Although I'm used to free museums in DC, the $26 wasn't too bad considering.

Cheers,
CC


Yes, the Intrepid is a nice museum ship to visit. I wish more areas of the ship were open to exploration, but it is what it is... the USS Growler right next door is good, too.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 4:11:58 PM)

John is a good guy in real life: family man, hard worker, civic minded, important member of his community and the AE community.

Inside the game he's a tough beast to cuddle up to. He taunts and seems to take pleasure in it - it's not just innocent or obliviousness (I believe). He has trouble not playing the spoiler for the turn replay (usually by taunting there, too) when he sends emails for a big turn. He is fully engaged when he has the momentum. He stops corresponding and loses interest when things are not going his way.

In September 2013 I was having real life issues that affected my enjoyment of the game, not to mention that I'd gotten my tail in a crack with the invasion of Sumatra about to undergo a severe challenge (it was 1/3/43). My dad was involved in a car wreck. He lingered for two weeks in the hospital. I needed time to sift through things - too much was happening too fast and I wasn't able to process it well. I asked John for a sabbatical to sort through things...and he terminated the game. I think most people are under the impression that I terminated it. I do think I would have ended it after having some time to think about it, but I wish I had been given the time to do so. Yet it was almos a relief that John called it and I benefited from the ensuing two-year sabbatical.

The point being: I made sure to keep John informed of what was going on and didn't just disppear from view. That's what's bugging me right now. I don't mind John taking a sabbatical or dropping off to a turn a day or a week or whatever. But to just disappear leaves me always uncertain, always staring at the computer, always hoping for a turn.

Yesterday morning he sent an email that he was off to work and would attend to his computer issues afterwards. That was the last I heard from him.

Yesterday morning I sent John word that me and my boys are heading to the Appalachian Trail Thursday through Sunday. By the end of this weekend, he'll have had alot of down time between our last turn (a week ago today) and whenever he sends the next turn, whether that be today or Sunday or whenever. Hopefully that helps him recharge his batteries. But his "body language" is very discouraging.

I'd say there's a 50/50 chance the game continues. If it does, I think he'll make things very hard on me.



ny59giants -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 4:20:44 PM)

I just spoke with John, so you can expect a phone call Mr Roper. Computer still down. Sounds like not enough RAM or his 5 year old Hard Drive is crashing as it only effects his AE game.



Mike McCreery -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 4:31:07 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I've stayed away from commenting, but as I'm one of the three players mentioned. Even though Dan has known John longer than me, I may know him better just because we talk on a regular basis. I did advise him as a friend and in a mental health counselor manner about trying to do too much long ago. He has a lot on his plate and this summer more than others. I agreed to a hiatus until next month when the two boys go back to school along with his wife. Most of his turns get done when they are not home and before he goes to work (11am) or late at night (midnight or later his time). Besides his family and church (dean/elder), he is a manager at Subway. Anybody that knows anything about running a fast food restaurant knows that the schedule can change without notice. Add in that he decided to spend more time with his family (boys 9 & 12) this summer and you get the slow down in game play. I haven't asked, but I think his wife may have told him his family needs more of his time than AE. I don't think he will quit this game as I believe we will discuss in thoroughly if he comes to that decision along with Dan. I would probably ask him to seek a replacement player for our game (Apr '43) so this one could finish.

quote:

He taunts and seems to take pleasure in it - it's not just innocent or obliviousness (I believe).



Lets say that John is a great guy!!!

He took on a game with you and then he decided it would be fun to take on another with Herbie not thinking about the impact that would have on your game. He then takes on another game without considering the effect on both of you.

When things get less fun he puts your game on hold, not thinking about you and then passes herbies game off so he can concentrate on his game with CR not thinking about the impact on Herbie.

Now he is incommunicado with CR clearly not thinking about him.

I think John thinks about John and what is fun for John. Right now other things than WITPAE are fun for John. And that is great, this is a game and thus not high on the priority list in real life. The discussion is not that John is a bad guy. The discussion is about the fact that his actions have been disappointing in the least and he shows a severe lack of empathy for other peoples situations.










Lecivius -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 4:45:02 PM)

'nuff said [;)]

If John needs help have him ping me. I can go up & square his head..er...PC away [:D] He can buy me dinner at his shop. He's only a few hours away.



Anachro -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 5:14:26 PM)

I know I'm new to the community and don't have the historical baggage a lot of you do, but I think we should wait a bit longer before making declarations on the character of John and/or state of the game. I still think he is committed to the game and am looking forward to its continuation. [:)]

That said, it would also be interesting to see the game get picked up by a different Japanese player and the ensuing change in strategy and style that might mirror an actual change in leadership at the top. Anyways, I think this game is far from over and Canoerebel will continue to be updating the AAR for some time to come one the current situation becomes less opaque.



Lokasenna -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 5:20:52 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: ny59giants

I just spoke with John, so you can expect a phone call Mr Roper. Computer still down. Sounds like not enough RAM or his 5 year old Hard Drive is crashing as it only effects his AE game.


If AE is the only thing crashing, I'd try a fresh install. This would have a change at fixing 2 possible issues: corrupt files in the AE directory or bad HDD sectors that prevents proper reading of the files.

I keep a "WITP-Clean" folder for this reason. It's just a basic installation that I can copy from should something ever go wrong with one of my game folders, or should I need to set up a new game for a new opponent. Highly recommend this practice.



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 5:49:18 PM)

Thanks to Michael's intervention, I was able to climb out of the game and reaccquaint myself with John the Dad, Husband, Worker. John called today. It was good to hear his deep voice. As has always been the case, the conversation was cordial and, when we recounted the many events of our long WitP/AE history, humorous. So John stopped being the Evil Japanese Banzai Emporer and resumed being the flesh-and-blood guy who needs a respite for just a bit.

By mutual agreement we're going to take a brief sabbatical during which John will get the game running again and spend a few weeks totally focused on his family and work. We'll resume the game in August, after the kiddos are back in school.

...and yet, I have a fuzzy memory...of us making the idential arrangement in July 2013...and not being able to abide by it. Somehow, the game sucked us back in for another intense month that culiminated in the invasion of Sumatra but then ground to a halt with my Dad's accident.

Anyhow. I good with this arrangement. Now I won't sit here staring at the computer screen. I can concentrate on getting a good night's sleep or two before me and my boys head for the Appalachian Trail. And I can catch up on some of the other AARs.

Thanks for all your encouraing words, kindnesses, and support. I think John could use a few encouraging words from the community if any of you gents is up to cordially addressing the Evil AE Emporer.

P.S. The football coach that John is most like: Steve Spurrier.



Lowpe -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 5:53:40 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lokasenna

I keep a "WITP-Clean" folder for this reason. It's just a basic installation that I can copy from should something ever go wrong with one of my game folders, or should I need to set up a new game for a new opponent. Highly recommend this practice.


Words of wisdom here.[&o]

I have gone to keeping a backup folder with all the install files on a network hard drive here at home. I did keep it on Onedrive, but the snarky b#As$r!s must have heard about me badmouthing Windows 10 and they cut my storage by 2/3rds.[:(]

I have one of those archival cd writers, good for a thousand year storage, and will probably put the install game files and a readmenote on how to install on that.

Let the archaeologists of the future figure it out. Perhaps even encrypt it. Perhaps the next Rosetta stone.[:)]

Of course, I will never be able to find the CD after I make it....WITP AE needs to be on Steam.



Lowpe -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 5:55:49 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
So John stopped being the Evil Japanese Banzai Emporer a


We JFBs are so misunderstood...[sm=00000924.gif], that is all we want.[;)]

That, and a little sight seeing. What is wrong with tourism?



BBfanboy -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 6:28:49 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
So John stopped being the Evil Japanese Banzai Emporer a


We JFBs are so misunderstood...[sm=00000924.gif], that is all we want.[;)]

That, and a little sight seeing. What is wrong with tourism?


[:D]
Not-so-subtle reference to your WC USA excursion to see Jockeland?



Bullwinkle58 -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/12/2016 6:34:05 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

Of course, I will never be able to find the CD after I make it....WITP AE needs to be on Steam.


Preach.



Mike McCreery -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/13/2016 4:37:49 AM)

I have said more than my piece on this issue. If the players involved are not angry with John then I cannot justify being angry with him either. He is who he is.

One last thing. I may not have as much experience with John as other people here but I bet $500 unilaterally that John wont finish either game he has on hold right now. *specific rules apply



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/13/2016 3:36:47 PM)

I told you I could read John's body language! [:)]




Lowpe -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/13/2016 3:52:01 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
So John stopped being the Evil Japanese Banzai Emporer a


We JFBs are so misunderstood...[sm=00000924.gif], that is all we want.[;)]

That, and a little sight seeing. What is wrong with tourism?


[:D]
Not-so-subtle reference to your WC USA excursion to see Jockeland?


The brochure said free parking![;)]



poodlebrain -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/13/2016 5:14:12 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe


quote:

ORIGINAL: BBfanboy

quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe

quote:

ORIGINAL: Canoerebel
So John stopped being the Evil Japanese Banzai Emporer a


We JFBs are so misunderstood...[sm=00000924.gif], that is all we want.[;)]

That, and a little sight seeing. What is wrong with tourism?


[:D]
Not-so-subtle reference to your WC USA excursion to see Jockeland?


The brochure said free parking![;)]

That wasn't a visitor guide or travel brochure. That was an instructional guide for an Internment Camp. Hope your men enjoy their stay.

I'm impressed with your operation. You've done much better than I imagined was likely through proper use of the terrain. Even though I think the invasion is destined to fail, I learned a glaring lesson concerning defending bases. Thanks for providing me with the free entertainment and education.



jwolf -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/13/2016 6:33:05 PM)

quote:

ORIGINAL: poodlebrain

That wasn't a visitor guide or travel brochure. That was an instructional guide for an Internment Camp. Hope your men enjoy their stay.



Let me guess: the title is To Serve Man



KenchiSulla -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/14/2016 6:19:40 AM)

Hope to see this continued and that you stick around Dan... High quality stuff here...



witpqs -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/14/2016 7:14:33 AM)

Seeing now and then when you would post what John was up to, it did sound like he had loaded himself down pretty heavily.



Lowpe -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/14/2016 2:57:11 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wargmr


One last thing. I may not have as much experience with John as other people here but I bet $500 unilaterally that John wont finish either game he has on hold right now. *specific rules apply


What in the world do you mean by finish?

Almost nobody finishes a game.



Mike McCreery -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/14/2016 4:12:10 PM)


quote:

ORIGINAL: Lowpe


quote:

ORIGINAL: Wargmr


One last thing. I may not have as much experience with John as other people here but I bet $500 unilaterally that John wont finish either game he has on hold right now. *specific rules apply


What in the world do you mean by finish?

Almost nobody finishes a game.


I am finishing up my 2nd game in a row.

I guess I wont owe anyone any money then ;]



JeffroK -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/14/2016 9:36:34 PM)

I'm not a fan of JIII, but I think apart from a few who actually have any contact with him, commentators should pull their collective heads in.

My only contact has been through these pages, away from the AAR's he has always listened and been polite in his replies.

IMVHO he uses his games as a release of pressure/tension, I dont know the full story but he has been through a bit over the past years so gets a bit over the top in his games.

I also think many players of the evil empire get carried away, maybe they need a read of Changi, Bataan Death March, Unit 731 to understand their side of the game.

I hope the game continues, just to see CR hand him his head on a plate.



bradfordkay -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/16/2016 8:14:33 AM)

"P.S. The football coach that John is most like: Steve Spurrier. "

Low blow!! I thought that you weren't going to call him evil?!



Canoerebel -> RE: The Good The Bad & The Indifferent (7/19/2016 5:04:38 PM)

My boys and I are back from a very difficult trip on the Appalachian Trail. At least it was difficult for me; not so much for them and their 20-year-old legs and circulatory systems. Here's some highlights (and I'll post a few pictures later today):

We backpacked 51 miles from near Hampton, Tenn., to Damascus, Virginia. Ordinarily this would have been a fairly tame section of the AT, but a big storm on July 8 blew through the area, knocking hundreds of trees and treetops into the trail (and killing two campers in a tent on an island in Watauga Lake). Most of the downed trees were concentrated where the trail climbs steeply for 0.75 miles up Iron Mountain. It turned this stretch into a brutal obstacle course. The treetops made it impossible to see the trail on some stretches. We had to climb steeply up the mountainside (or sometimes steeply down and then back up) to get around the snarls. We had heard from trail maintainers and two Marines that it was impossible to get through this section, but we took it on and made it. Doing so left me utterly exhausted. It took us four hours to make the four miles from Wilbur Lake Road to Vandeventer Shelter. Most of the difficulty was just on that 0.75-mile climb.

On that particular day, we started backpacking at 8 a.m. I didn't reach the destination shelter (Iron Mountain) until 7 p.m. (the boys got there at 5). I really was give out – tired and thirsty beyond belief. I was so exhausted that I couldn’t eat and didn’t sleep. So I wasn’t fresh to begin the second day. So I got more and more tired. I slept a little better that night and ate a bit of soup, but not enough to recharge the batteries.

It was an exhausting trip for me. The terrain really wasn’t bad. In cool weather and without deadfalls it would be a pretty easy stretch. But it was an obstacle course that tested me.

This was the culmination of the goal we set years ago. We began backpacking the AT at its southern terminus, Springer Mountain, Georgia, in 2007. We made 475 miles in nine years to finally reach Damascus, Virginia. Most of our hiking (probably 85%) was done in July and August, which are tough for heat and humidity, so we didn't make it easy on ourselves. We began when my boys were 12 and 11, respectively. They're now 21 and 19. I've released them from further "obligatory" backpacking trips. From now on they're fee to join me if and when they want to accompany their "Old Man." But I wanted to get them to Virginia so that, 30 years from now, they wouldn't say this: "Me and my dad backpacked the AT when I was a boy. We stopped somewhere in North Carolina or Tennessee; I have no idea where." Getting them to Virginia gave them an unforgettable landmark.

Oh, there was one more trial on this trip. For the first two nights, we had the company of an incredible extrovert a bit older than me. He was also from Georgia and is a very nice man, but he would not shut up. He talked all the time. Anytime anybody said a word, he’d change the topic to something about him and drone on and on. He was a really nice guy, but I couldn’t stand to be around him. It was exhausting to be within 15 or 20 feet of him. So I often wandered away and left him to my sons to handle.



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