Online Etiquette
Online Etiquette (Prince-style)
If you're going to play online, then you should follow some online etiquette; otherwise, what are you doing online in the first place? If you're going online just to degrade your opponents, then do us all a favor, and stay offline.
For those of you who are here to play this game for fun or competitively, then here are some of my own personal guidelines regarding online etiquette...
1. GREETINGS
When you enter someone's game (or if someone enters your game), then you should greet them with a simple "hello" or something to that effect. And absolutely say "hello" if someone greets you first. Exchanging pleasantries early on could possibly dis-arm a potential trashtalker from flaming you later on in the game. It also sets the mood for a civilized contest.
2. BE AWARE OF THE RULES FOR EACH GAME YOU HOST/JOIN
After the initial pleasantries are exchanged, the host should tell the guest-player what the rules are. A lot of players make rules for online games like "No Elephants, No Artillery," etc. "No Corner Camping" means you can't park your Spartans (or any unit for that matter) at the corner(s) of the map which would utilize the map's boundary as a defensive barrier for your units.
Be especially mindful of the title of a game. For example, if a title says "15,000 denarii," then don't barge in demanding that the host change the denarii level. If I were the host, I'd boot you in a heartbeat.
I personally like to set my battles at 10,000 denarii with my own set of rules. In any case, be mindful of the rules when you enter a game. Ask the host what the rules are if he/she doesn't tell you. That way, you'll avoid messy arguments about unfair army compositions/tactics during the battle.
One of the most popular rules would be CWB:
3. CHANGING FACTIONSOriginally Posted by msTubbZ
If you wish to change your faction (after you've already selected one), then you should kindly ask your opponent if he/she would be bothered if you switched factions.
At the very least, you should warn your opponent if you're changing factions. Otherwise, changing from Scythia to Greece, and then back again repeatedly is extremely dishonest (especially if your opponent has already finished picking his army). In fact, if I were the host, i would simply kick you from the game if you did that.
4. DON'T KEEP YOUR OPPONENT WAITING FOR TOO LONG (part 1)
Don't spend an eternity on the Unit Composition screen unless you're chatting with your opponent about important stuff like Julius Caesar, girls, and other stuff like that. Seriously, some people take nearly 10 minutes on this screen, and that's totally excessive.
5. DON'T KEEP YOUR OPPONENT WAITING FOR TOO LONG (part 2)
Don't spend an eternity on the Deployment Screen either. On the other hand, don't be pushy either - 5 minutes on this screen is reasonable. You'll learn what an "eternity" is after you've played a few online games.
6. PRACTICE PATIENCE
Having said that, "Patience" is a very important virtue as well.
7. WISH YOUR OPPONENT "GL HF" BEFORE THE BATTLE
After you're nearly done with the Deployment Screen, then you should wish your opponent "GL HF" ("good luck, have fun"). If your opponent doesn't respond, then you can kindly inform your opponent that "T" is the button used for activating the chat feature. But if your opponent still doesn't respond, then you can assume your opponent is rude or has hostile intent. In any case, if someone says "GL HF" to you, then you should wish similar good fortune to your opponent. Always be courteous to your opponent. Again, if you choose to play online, then you should be prepared to abide by the rules of online etiquette.
8. DON'T DRAG OUT A LOST GAME BY RUNNING AWAY
If you've clearly lost a game, then don't drag it out by running away. It's difficult to clearly define what constitutes a "lost game," but you'll learn what one is after you've played a few online games. But let's pretend you have a Greek Cavalry squadron with only 12 horses remaining, and your opponent has 3 units of Urban Cohorts (with 70+ men each), then you clearly have no chance.
9. LOSING WITH HONOR vs. LOSING A GAME WITH DISGRACE
If you have lost the will to fight a battle, then use the "Admit Defeat" or "Surrender" feature. Do NOT use the "Exit the Game" feature! It is completely poor-mannered to "exit" a game without "admitting defeat." If you simply "Exit the Game," then your opponent has to sit there, and fight the remaining the units (now controlled by the AI). But if you "Admit Defeat," then the game will end for both you and your opponent. So, surrender with honor (if you want to leave a game).
10. WINNING/LOSING A GAME WITH HONOR
After a game is concluded by the game's announcer, say "gg" (good game) or "wp" (well-played) even though you won or lost. A sore Winner is just as bad as a sore Loser.
11. WHEN TO SAY "GG"
On the other hand, you should wait until the conclusion before saying "gg." It's very poor-mannered to say "gg" while the battle is still being fought (even if you're winning) unless you're about to surrender.
12. DON'T TRASHTALK
Don't trashtalk. Seriously, stop the online verbal abuse and/or insults. You look like a delinquent when you act like this.
I've played many, many, many online games, and Rome: Total War has the WORST bunch of poor-mannered, trash-talking players I've ever encountered in any game I've ever played online. Just to put some perspective on this: I've played Starcraft & the Battlefield series for several years, and I can find more trashtalkers in 1 hour playing RTW as opposed to playing 1 week of Starcraft. Stop this ridiculous trend which has made Rome: Total War the worst game to play online (in regards to manners). Rome: Total War is a game of History & Military Tactics - why do fellow lovers of Military History treat each other with disdain?
Related to this rule: don't be a poor loser/winner, and practice online etiquette.
13. BECOME ACQUAINTED WITH SOME COMMON ONLINE TERMINOLOGY
If you're going to be playing online, then you should be acquainted with some of the phrases & acronyms you'll see online...
AFK = Away From Keyboard
AI = Artificial Intelligence
Art or Arty = Artillery
BI = Barbarian Invasion (expansion for Rome: Total War)
BRB - "Be Right Back"
Cata = Cataphracts
Comp = might refer to the AI or it might refer to Companion Cavalry
Corner Camping = placing your unit(s) in 1 of 4 corners of the map's boundaries in a defensive manner (resulting in a position that cannot be outflanked)
CWB = Clan War Belt (a type of rule designed for 12.5k denarii, but also used in other denarii from 10,000 - 15,000)
Ele = Elephants
FFS = this basically means "for [goodness] sake!"
FTW = "For the win!"
GCS = Greek City-States
GG = "Good Game"
GL HF = "Good Luck, Have Fun"
GS = Gamespy (i.e. "GS really sucks tonight!")
HA = Horse Archers
IDK = "I don't know"
j/k = "just kidding"
micro - your ability to manage all of your troops effectively on the battlefield
MP - Multiplayer
m8 = mate (i.e. "hi m8")
noob or n00b = the most commonly-used insult found online wielded by people with or without skill
noob box or noob circle or noob square = an all-around defensive perimeter formed with spear-type units. Archers, Slingers and Artillery is usually located in the center of a noob box.
NTW = Napoleonic Total War (a mod played mainly in the Chat Lobby)
OMG = "oh my gawd!"
RTW = Rome: Total War
spam = 1. an unfair amount of a certain type of unit (i.e. 20 gold/gold Spartans). 2. scrolling the chat room so excessively that nobody can read any other message
SS = Silver Shields (either SS Pikes or SS Legionaries)
TY = "Thank You"
WP = "Well-Played"
WTF = this essentially means "What the [heck]?!"
Zerks = Berserkers
14. DON'T SPAM THE CHATROOM(S)
Whether you're waiting to host/join a game, do not spam the chatroom(s). It makes you look dumb, and you'll be put on "Ignore." You'll probably also be "Blocked" from entering games.
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Ah, good memories.
