[ebarker]

Some good many years ago in the world of baseball a batter tapped the pitched ball out to the right side field.

The fielder then throws the ball to 1st to tag the runner out.

But.... The hitter ran to third, then to second, then first and home. The confused fielders then start throwing the ball around trying to catch this clown.

Turns out the rule at the time said the runner much touch all bases but never addressed the order of touching them. The intent had always been 1,2,3, home but it was unwritten.

I don't know if this story is completely true or what game it was, but it illustrates the gap between the intentions of a game designer and the rules that are written.

It is probably a pretty fair to assume that the game designers intend for everyone to compete in every match and make the best showing of their technological skills, not their superior application of game theory.

It's that simple. You do not have to go any further back than the discussion on the IR hybrid mode implementation to see the direction the GDC is working in.

Going with Chris on this one.