What is the point of private messaging? Do PMs not show up in game logs? Is it useful for FFAs (I don't know because I rarely play them)? Because I very very rarely play FFAs, I have never really been in a situation where private messaging is useful.

I think that 90% of private messages in FFAs are "Peace?"

PM's are useful for deceit, diplomacy, and tact... the best commanders realize that only half the war is done by the military..

Aha. Suspected it might be useful in an FFA, but like I said, I rarely play them.

i use PMs all the time but as you said its mostly in FFAs

I use PMs to talk about things that I don't want the general public to know. If I know someone in the game, I might chat with them about the game or life in general, even if they are not on my team.

But yeah, mostly useful in FFA or multi-team games to coordinate truces and attacks.

if in a team game you need to coordinate with a single teammate but noone else is involved, private messages are easier.

Hm interesting, might have to try that sometime. Basically, if I need player A to do something that doesn't concern any other teammate, then why waste the other teammates' time reading a chat message that doesn't pertain to them? Then again, 2v2 is my game of choice, so again, not really an issue. Just something I was curious about.

And Texas... PM's do not show up in game logs just as team chats don't show up for anyone outside your own team. Team chat and PM's are only visible to the involved parties both during and after the game.

I've only ever used them in FFA or if I have a specific question for an opposing player in a team game (not game related, like asking about user name or such)

Hm, I never watch too many old games. Usually just when someone whinges about "rude" behavior, but I could have SWORN I've seen old team chats in those situations. Then again, those threads are mercifully dying out, so I couldn't say for certain.

I think, to answer my own question, that PM can be useful in FFA, but has very little application outside of arranging secret truces.

I just looked at a 2v2 ladder game to see and there was no team chat visible though maybe I missed it somehow.

You're pretty accurate with that... 90% of the time they are used for truces or deceit of some sort.

I've heard a lot of ppl say that PMs are only for truces, but there's a lot of times that I start chattin' with someone on the msg board and we end up PMing just to keep the game board less cluttered. There's a bunch of topics about how having PMs necessarily means players will be teaming up and backstabbing ppl, but that's not always the case. just sayin'

PM are usefull in 10 vs 10 too. If there s a "general" its easier to communicate via PM.

And are usefull to blame teammates without them getting angry ;-)

PMs are extremely useful.. I havent won any 24FFA without PMs.. It is much easier to win with PMing especially in those bigger FFAs.
But be carefull I know a couple of ppl who PM only to backstab you in the future.

Also, as Ben said, PM are useful to talk with ppl about stuff we dont want others to know about. Some personal stuff, or some request for advise about our moves (eg you may not want others to know about your hesitation ect.)

Also in bigger games like 10vs10 PMs are useful cause teamchat is often very messy, so sometimes its better to coordinate some moves that dont concern more ppl within PMs.

They are also for whining you're getting blacklisted for booting them. Luckily only had that once.

I am currently in a 12 player ffa, and I am holding my own fairly well, and just realized I haven't used PM's yet.. It's already in mid-teens turns, on a really relatively small map

I won one 24 player FFA without using PMs, but the settings were very weird.

My other wins in large FFAs were almost entirely due to negotiation and diplomacy. Not to say that using PMs cheapens the win, but that without them you will never win consistently in large FFA games.

FFA puts good use to pm
=D