# SDMB diplomacy? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [January 7, 2013, 10:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403 "2013-01-07T22:12:04Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/41 "2013-01-11T18:19:10Z")
Simple Linctus 2. DragonAsh 3. wevets 4. Babale 5. Snerky Snerk 6. Raza 7. fubbleskag So that’s 7 - let’s wait a bit and see if someone else cares to join, and I’ll judge/moderate/admin. If we don’t get another player, we can just start the game with us 7. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [January 11, 2013, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/42 "2013-01-11T18:41:12Z")
Huzzah! My glorious nation will rise to a new golden age that will last ten thousand years! ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/43 "2013-01-12T00:42:22Z")
> [@DragonAsh](#): > > If we get a few more people signed up, I don’t mind trying my hand at being the Judge if it helps get the game going. I’ve never Judged before, so expect a few bumps along the way… If we use [webdiplomacy.net](http://webdiplomacy.net) or [playdiplomacy.com](http://playdiplomacy.com) do we need a judge? ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/44 "2013-01-12T02:30:46Z")
> [@wevets](#): > > If we use [webdiplomacy.net](http://webdiplomacy.net) or [playdiplomacy.com](http://playdiplomacy.com) do we need a judge? Nope - and in fact I would much prefer using one of those systems (I am familiar with the former but have no animus against the latter) for the gameplay itself. However, if DragonAsh is serious then the idea of having someone who could be called a “judge” to take announcements from players and otherwise keep the thread updated is a great idea. Ideally I prefer anonymous players and consequently a trusted third party who can post on behalf of each “country” is to be welcomed… ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 12, 2013, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/45 "2013-01-12T03:10:07Z")
> [@Simple\_Linctus](#): > > However, if DragonAsh is serious then the idea of having someone who could be called a “judge” to take announcements from players and otherwise keep the thread updated is a great idea. Ideally I prefer anonymous players and consequently a trusted third party who can post on behalf of each “country” is to be welcomed… So not adjudicating so much as acting as an announcer of sorts? I’d probably have enough time to do that. ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/46 "2013-01-13T05:32:00Z")
johnny, IF there’s a facility to easily create a game on [playdiplomacy.com](http://playdiplomacy.com) with roughly the options that we like that can be done anoymously then please feel free to do so, with the game itself starting a week’s time, and then we can sign up. This is better than me having to make a sock on webdiplomacy. Of course if that doesn’t work for others then we can cancel it. I think every one should then PM you (on the dope) with which player we are but you keep it secret. That’s assuming you’re cool with that? And that dragonash prefers to play rather than be judge? ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [January 13, 2013, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/47 "2013-01-13T15:45:41Z")
I’ll leave the decision up to **dragonlash**. If he’s cool with it, I’ll poke around on [playdiplomacy.com](http://playdiplomacy.com) ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 9:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/48 "2013-01-14T09:59:38Z")
Two problems with webdiplomacy and playdiplomacy. First, neither has the 1900 variant. The 1900 variant is VASTLY superior to the classic/standard variation (side note: I’ve been involved in games where the creator of the variant, Baron Powell, followed our game and interacted with the message board during the game, which was a blast. I HIGHLY recommend players go over the [1900 link](http://www.variantbank.org/results/rules/1/1900.htm) and also the [player’s guide (Warning. PDF)](http://devel.diplom.org/Online/variants/1900-GG.pdf). Secondly, neither site allows moves to only happen on specific days (i.e., troop movements only on Tuesday and Thursday, etc). webdiplomacy only has ‘moves every X hours’. Playdiplomacy has ‘don’t allow moves on weekends’, but that still means moves on random days of the week, or on Monday. In my experience, having moves on weekends is a recipe for disaster, and having moves on different days of the week is definitely sub-optimal. My preference would be to use the DPJudge ([Home - Floc](http://www.floc.net/dpjudge/)): a) Judge sets up seven gmail aliases: 'austria\_sdmb-at-gmail.com, etc; b) Players are assigned a country at random. Player sets up account on DPJudge using their country email address. c) Players interact between each other using their country gmail accounts, which both keeps the game completely anoymous (only the Judge knows each country’s identity), and makes it very easy to tell countries apart! d) Players may send communication to the judge for public broadcast, to be reposted to the thread page, either as kibitzing, as misinformation, or just for kicks ‘n’ giggles. e) Judge updates the thread with the latest maps & moves. f) one week per year (i.e., spring moves on Tuesday, fall moves on Friday, with 24 hours for retreats/builds). Some resources etc: Diplomacy maps & software etc [Demo of 1900 game in action (year 1900)](http://www.diplom.org/Online/) [Continued demo of 1900 game (years 1901-1902)](http://www.diplom.org/Zine/S2012M/Allstars/allstars2.htm) I recommend checking out the RealPolitik or jDip mapping software. Thoughts/suggestions? ---
**Author:** ![wevets](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e9a140/32.png) [@wevets](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wevets)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/49 "2013-01-14T19:49:05Z")
I used jDip to run our Modern Variant game, and I think that got off without technical hitches. It is a lot more work for the judge than running it through one of the sites mentioned above, but if someone’s willing to take that on, I’m up for the 1900 variant. Cheers 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 14, 2013, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/50 "2013-01-14T23:50:44Z")
I wouldn’t go quite as far as to say that the classical (standard) Diplomacy is ‘broken’…but it has numerous flaws (for example - if you’re Italy, you’re basically screwed). Most of the flaws are corrected in 1900 - in fact, I don’t know anyone that wanted to go -back- to standard after playing 1900! ---
**Author:** ![Simple\_Linctus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9f8e36/32.png) [@Simple\_Linctus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Simple_Linctus)\ **Post date:** [January 29, 2013, 11:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/51 "2013-01-29T23:49:45Z")
Fortnight later (a hectic fortnight for me and I take responsibilty for that) we ain’t that far along, Dragon boy\* (girl?) - you ready to get a game for us all? _I say that cause it’s always good to be a boorish yob_\* \*\*Just occurred to me that this may not be taken in the humerous way I intended. My options are to edit the thing to appear civilised, to remove these footnotes entirely, or to leave them and look nerdy and socially inadequete. I remember the game is diplomacy and opt for option (iii) 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DragonAsh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@DragonAsh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DragonAsh)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/52 "2013-01-30T20:57:59Z")
Hmm, yes we kind of let this slip a bit. Can we get a list of 7 confirmed names that would like to play? If we get 7, I’ll be the Judge and can run the game. If we only get 6, I’ll play and we’ll use one of the online sites and see how it goes. So - one more time, if you’re in, pls post in this thread! ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403/53 "2013-01-30T21:38:29Z")
Sure, why not ? I’m a shit player though, be advised ! Mastering diplomacy is one thing, mastering orders syntax and advanced order gimmicks is another 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sdmb-diplomacy/646403.md?page=2)