Why do hydras traditionally get out of thread discussion?

Zachrulez · Post Post #14 (isolation #0) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:16 am

site rules wrote:Do not talk outside the game thread about an ongoing game
except where allowed to do so by your role.
Likewise, do not use bbcode to hide secret messages - this equates to discussion outside the thread.

Hydras are a clear role related exception. Nice try though.

If you don't want them, ban them as a moderator, or play only with moderators that don't allow them.

Zachrulez · Post Post #16 (isolation #1) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 2:27 am

shaft.ed wrote:hydra is not a role, it is a player account. Nice try though

Yeah, it's a player account used by more than one person. The function of Hydras has been clearly defined and accepted by enough of the site's population that it's not going away.

And if you think Mith's going to ban them, consider that him allowing hydras in California Trilogy is one of the big reasons they are as popular as they are today.

Zachrulez · Post Post #34 (isolation #2) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 10:38 am

Why are hydras a huge advantage?

I can say based on my hydra experience with Sotty, our town games do benefit from our differing approaches to the game, but our combined scumgame is substantially weaker due to my shortcomings in that regard. (Where as she is a very strong scumplayer.)

Zachrulez · Post Post #60 (isolation #3) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:24 pm

Junpei wrote:

Tell me your top 3 reasons for using a hydra.

One of my reasons is so I can play mafia with my wife, where as playing in different roles in the same game is a bit complicated for us in any long term game due to pretty obvious reasons.

Second reason is because it allows me to play large theme/normal games I'd never consider playing on my own because of the volume of the games.

Zachrulez · Post Post #63 (isolation #4) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 12:48 pm

You really have no idea how much easier a large game can be when you have another person who can read while you're posting or vice versa.

Zachrulez · Post Post #114 (isolation #5) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 4:24 pm

Hydras are not as inherently strong or advantageous as people think they are. I say this having extensive experience with a hydra partner I jive well with.

Even if it was true, it's because of the combined skill we bring to the table which is no different than the skills a single player brings to the table when they play. To say skilled hydras are unfair is the same thing as saying a skilled playing is.

Zachrulez · Post Post #115 (isolation #6) » Fri Aug 05, 2011 4:25 pm

All that said, I could get behind banning them from normal games, cause I don't really think they have a place either there or in newbie games.

Zachrulez · Post Post #273 (isolation #7) » Mon Aug 08, 2011 3:27 am

How would you guys feel about a player who started by themselves, but had a hydra partner join a game in progress?

I've actually encountered this multiple times.

Would it matter if the game already had hydras or not?

Zachrulez · Post Post #302 (isolation #8) » Tue Aug 09, 2011 2:48 am

After some experience I don't really feel that hydras belong in normal games anymore than they belong in newbie games.

Banning them doesn't narrow and limit normal games at all. It doesn't affect anything on the design end of a normal game at all. It certainly wasn't before 2009 or so when hydras didn't really exist at all.