"Smurfing -- Is it really a problem?"http://aom.heavengames.com/cgi-bin/forums/display.cgi?action=st&fn=1&tn=14070&f=1,,0,20&st=40
here is a solution variation on what 1ArCHeR1 was suggesting.
This allows multiple users to have their own identities and names for each CD. Its not unlimited, but the number could be higher. I do think keeping it low, say under 6. would be more effective for anti-smurfing. That is more then enough for any family use. This allows changing of names for clan use. The player could join the clan at their real rating, which I think is proper. Why start at 1600 if you're actually 1800? Or they could use a different available identity if they wanted to start from scratch. This allows changing of names for any reason. The evil smurfs that like drubbing lowly rooks would soon run out of fresh identities, which is the point of all this It would even allow for some slumming by those poor upper level players just looking for a game, but that would not be indefinite. Doesn't completely solve this, but I've always felt that if the smurfs were gone, there would be more high level games available for the pros. A player could even keep their precious 2001 rating that they didn't want to endanger. They just couldn't keep a dozen of them. A player could use a regular identitiy, and still be able to use one to practice new strats. I like this solution. It appears to be simple, addresses all the issues I could think of, and may actually work. That must mean I'm missing something here:/ What do you think?