Goals and Points

The goal of ViewPoints is to get your opponent to accept your main claim or have the most points when the time runs out. Points are earned when players accept claims that they previously contested.

Actions

Focus

The Focus action ensures that progress continues to be made on the focused claim by requiring that there always be something for the focuser to respond to regarding the claim.

Tip: If you've run out of ideas to convince your opponent that you're right about a claim they're focused on, then offer a claim that directly states that your claims are sufficient to draw the conclusion you want. This will force your opponent to engage with your reasoning.

Accuse

If the other side seems to be delaying or obstructing resolving claims, then the Accuse action can be used against them. Arbiters review the accusation and if they find strong evidence the debate is forfeit in favor of the accuser. Use argumentation to make it as clear as you can that your opponent is not trying to resolve claims in good faith.

Examples of behavior that will be considered evidence: increasingly poorer attacks, evasively responding to requests, using suspiciously unclear language or insisting on overly literal interpretations.

Users who have a low success rate with their accusations are less likely to have their accusations thoroughly reviewed, so only use this when you have a convincing argument in favor of your accusation.

Response Types

Attacks

Attacks are the primary way to respond. They assert something that undermines or outright refutes whatever they respond to.

Requests

Requests ask that your opponent provide some kind of information, such as an explanation, definition, or source, that will help move the argument forward.

Don't make needless requests, such as asking for a source when it can be easily googled. Repeated needless requests will be viewed as evidence that a player is trying to avoid engaging with claims.

Requests can be attacked if the other side feels they're unreasonable.

Answers

Answers provide the information that Requests ask for.

Comments

Comments communicate relevant information that doesn't neatly fit the other response types. For example, a comment can be used to slightly edit or clarify something or give a definition even before the opponent makes a request.