For new players of Stratego

[Gaius_Marius]

For beginning Stratego players a great question comes to mind and that is whether to spend your Stratego playing days at Gravon or Metaforge. Here's a checklist of what both sites have to offer.

Game board and pieces-Gravon has a huge gameboard with pieces so clear and vivid that it makes game playing very easy. Metaforge has a tiny board with pieces so small you have to use a magnifying glass to see the pieces. Also don't expect to win if you're up at Metaforge because the system will probably crash and you'll lose anyway.

Different variations of Stratego offered-Gravon has it down cold. Classic, UL and barrage and the rules of these games are PERFECT. You can expect to rescue and have the captain move two spaces the WAY IT SHOULD BE PLAYED. Metaforge offers a half-assed attempt to bring these games to you. The rules are not complete and you'll crash midway through the game.

Fees-Gravon is heaven! Completely free with no flaws. Metaforge charges a ridiculous rate for crashes, ugly site, and half ass programming.

Players-Definitely superior here at Gravon also very good characters, most don't whine when they lose. Metaforge players, on the other hand, verbally abuse and try to get you banned when you win too much. They also get irritated when you try to reason with them and call you the most stupid names ever thought of. Also if you're a newbie beware of certain players that will cheat you to get an easy win off you, Yes you frank. I actually beat the smartass the first time I played him. Go figure

Communication- E mails are always answered and the administrators are actually in the gameroom with you if you ever need help. The Metaforge administrators, well there's actually none, will always deceive you by saying "oh there's a new version out just wait" Well many have waited 7 YEARS and still they have to put up with a crappy website. Sort of like another scat site that's now defunct. You know what I'm talking about Jerry. The Meta members really are 'tards for staying there and PAYING FOR IT!!! How stupid can one be? Its funny how Sadistic and I get banned for saying very minor things and Hamby who says the foulest things ever heard can still post there. Hmm now what does that tell you?

Rankings- The Gravon rankings are updated in about ten minutes whereas the Meta site takes 2 to 3 days for your win or loss to count in the rankings.

Security- Very good here on Gravon. Its very difficult to hack a game and see your opponent's pieces. Metaforge is extremely easy to hack and win every game there. I could have had a 10000000-0 record there but that's not me I'm honest! )


Ok Newbies I'm sure you'll make the right decision. Your pocketbook and your sanity will thank you.

[sadistic]

-, you left so many issues out! Did you forget the cheating that has gone on there? What about the commish hyenas who detest anyone who is not in their degenerate loop? What about their disdain for anyone who becomes better than they are? Disconnect problems have still not been addressed. If you get disconnected you lose, period. What about frank making pedophilic remarks?
In defense of metagorge, the fee is only about $25 which is not much. The players are the same old players day in, day out and that gets boring. Dickwads like commish, frank, etc. chase away new good players because they don't want to be dominated by them. In doing so, the good players never stay there. Look at all the good players who have left that site; 1. SergeantD (often said commish cheated against him and got tired of disconnect losses), 2. Sadistic (a brilliant new player on and off the gameboard, was too much for the weak misfits to handle ), 3. Stuyvesant (with commish chasing away good players, Stuy had no competition there, 4. dgtile (got tired of playing the same old scrubs - no competitive players there to give him a challenge) 5. Tatiana (angered the hyenas by beating them - they became so angry about losing to a female that they said she never existed and was an alias) 6. Winchester (became disgusted with disconnect losses) 7. Alexarz (was berated and insulted from the time he soared into the top 20 until he was obviously better than anyone else there) 8. TheBlackHand (became disgusted at the new marked pieces which made any idiot able to account for moved pieces by marking every piece that moved) 9. - Marius (attacked and banned him for being unwilling to accept their corruption)
On the rankings situation, you have to wait about a week for updates at metagorge, while the rankings here get updated about every hour.
No wonder the site is sinking. The only chance that site has is if Chip disassociates himself with the likes of frank, commish and the remaining hyenas who have soiled that site. In addition, something must be done about the disconnect problem before it can even be considered as a competitive site with gravon. Then they would have to attract more players there. That would be difficult considering the terrible reputation and history the site has accomplished over it's lifespan.

[apollo]

I would like to add my two cents about metaforge. The gameboard size ,as - said, is way too small. Knowing last piece moved is a pain there, you have to pull up a separate box and click see last move which you then cant see very well because the box you pulled up to click "see last move" blocks half the board. This is my #1 beef with meta. Secondly, playing upside down is very difficult for me. I know there is a rotate button but all 3 times ive tried this, my opponents pieces disappear and we have to call the game a draw. Next, when there is an attack, you have to scroll down to the bottom of the screen to see what was killed because if your opponent wins his piece will hide its identity back very quick. Players from meta complain about having to hit "ok" after attacks at gravon , but to me thats one of the best aspects of the game here because it gives you time to see what has attacked and absorb the information. And lastly, there are some very rude players at meta. I lost my first game there and after a tight game, was called a f*$#*%# hack by a guy named Hamby and come to find out he's one of their "longtime" players. Well great way to bring new players in! Im not sure about this, but I have read on their forum about players moving the same piece back and forth countless times, which , rightfully, is not allowed at gravon. Like I said i have not played there enough to know if that's true, but have read it. Of course, the major gripe at meta is having many disconnects and not having a resume game option, this would have to be addressed before I will ever play there on any reoccuring basis. Just my thoughts.

[sadistic]

.............and damn good thoughts they are, Apollo. Hamby is but one of the hyenas running rampant at that site. The owner allows these buffoons to carry on in their abrasiveness, regardless of how it is affecting his site. The only logical summation one can make based on this and the fact that there has not been a resume feature since it's creation, is that the owner doesn't give a damn about the site. Does anyone want to join a site where the owner doesn't give a #$@* about it?
As a result of the owner not caring about his own site, the retards have taken over the bus and are driving it into the ground.

[sadistic]

There is one other point I would like to make. Imagine this; the owner has allowed the retards (commish and gang) to ban me from posting on the forum there. Can anyone imagine something so stupid? They were lucky as hell to have such a gifted writer as a member and they banned me, which in turn lead me to go to gravon. Imagine the stupidity!
As a testament to the wonderful word of gravon, I have received countless praise from leading players here and very little jealousy. Gravon has welcomed my talents with open arms and thus, shall be rewarded with glorious posts of magnificence and virtue. It brings a tear to my eye to know I have found my home!

[Gaius_Marius]

This may seem far fetched but I seriously think that Commish IS Chip along with Drip-Drop, Hamby, and frank. I think all those aliases are HIS and he uses them to ban people he doesn't like and uses them to play newbies. I don't know it may seem far fetched but, as you know, Chip used to be an instructor of some sort at my University and there was a dance instructor by the name of Doug Hamby! Hmmmmmm. Very interesting. Maybe Metaforge is a place where highly educated people can act like buffoons.

[sadistic]

I can't imagine that those dipshits are highly educated. I would estimate their intelligence to be in the area of the orangutan family, perhaps slightly below. If they are not the same it doesn't matter. In the very least, they are a pack of hyenas and they all band together in dysfunctionality. May they bathe in their own filth for all I care at this point.

[jerry]

Chip is based in Nevada..Las Vegas..Commish is not him, all though the Hamby comments is good. -.

I just finished reading a few articles at Meta..

I would be intrested if Chip or Hamby, may post here...

Jerry.