On side ball use agreement.

[bstew]

While I am skeptical as to whether this will be feasible, I would caution against making statements about how this is not how Steamworks should be played

Originally Posted by engunneer

This. If the thread title is *** agreement, then it is likely to be so scheme to play the game not as intended.

It is hard to tell what the GDC's intent is other what is explicitly stated in the manual. In fact, the intent of the manual is to do just that.

The intent of this manual is that the text means exactly, and only, what it says. Please avoid interpreting the text based on assumptions about intent, implementation of past rules, or how a situation might be in “real life.” There are no hidden requirements or restrictions. If you’ve read everything, you know everything.

Every year, teams come up with strategies and designs that the GDC probably never thought of and never could have intended. If the GDC doesn't want these agreements to be made, all they have to do is change the rules so that they are not possible anymore. Without them doing this, we have no idea whether this is the way the game is intended to be or not.

There were agreements in 2015 where opposing alliances agreed to do coopertition together or even withheld from throwing litter until a coopertition stack had been finished. These agreements mutually benefited both alliances and I would consider playing to the best of their abilities. However, the GDC did prevent the noodle agreement from happening which was just another (possibly game breaking) form of coopertition or agreement. The GDC made their intent clear there, but has not made any ruling regarding gear or ball agreements.

Until the GDC makes their intent clear, we should withhold from making judgements of what it is.