Newbie reporting in.. with a question.

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Uh, hi all, I'm pretty much new to Diplomacy. I got it for Christmas
and I understand most of the rules. Just one question, does less
players detract from the gameplay?

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

petisbirth@gmail.com (TradaPIB) wrote in
news:ea410a47.0412281605.4d50695b@posting.google.com:

> Uh, hi all, I'm pretty much new to Diplomacy. I got it for Christmas
> and I understand most of the rules. Just one question, does less
> players detract from the gameplay?

Yes. Without seven players, you have to follow various methods for
ordering the playerless countries and it upsets the game balance.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Joel K. 'Jay' Furr wrote:
> petisbirth@gmail.com (TradaPIB) wrote in
> news:ea410a47.0412281605.4d50695b@posting.google.com:
>
>
>>Uh, hi all, I'm pretty much new to Diplomacy. I got it for Christmas
>>and I understand most of the rules. Just one question, does less
>>players detract from the gameplay?
>
>
> Yes. Without seven players, you have to follow various methods for
> ordering the playerless countries and it upsets the game balance.

Yes, well, declaring the playerless countries to be in anarchy seems to
work better than most options for 5-6 players.

Thing is, gathering 7 people is harder than it may seem. I usually
invite 9 persons with ample time before the game, and still only end up
with 5 or so. So, instead of postponing the game, we've decided to play
it out with fewer participants. Less than five gets a bit boring and
static, unless you bring more elaborate variants in. Or try it Woodrow
Wilson style [1] or Pure Diplomacy[2].

A couple of things to note regarding games with less than 7 players:
They take far less time per round, and each game goes on at a faster
pace. The redistribution of countries will affect the balance, but it
won't make the game unplayable. Just different.

If getting seven players and a spot to play is difficult, you might want
to try it out at your school. Print game maps with the computer, explain
the rules, and set up deadlines each day. Prepare for a lot of phone
calls, discussions on the breaks, etc. Great fun, but a game can take
several months, much like a judge. You might want to finish the game
Face to Face after getting them started like this.

Happy Playing!

--
Markus



[1] Everyone sits at the same table, all discussions are public. Just
grab comfortable chairs, a lot of munchies, some drinks and sit down and
talk. Give it a try, at the very least.

[2] One supply center and one unit for each country, arranged so that
every supply center is reachable from every other one. Thing of a pie,
or a pentagram.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Markus Koivisto wrote:
> Joel K. 'Jay' Furr wrote:
> > petisbirth@gmail.com (TradaPIB) wrote in
> > news:ea410a47.0412281605.4d50695b@posting.google.com:
> >
> >
> >>Uh, hi all, I'm pretty much new to Diplomacy. I got it for
Christmas
> >>and I understand most of the rules. Just one question, does less
> >>players detract from the gameplay?
> >
> >
> > Yes. Without seven players, you have to follow various methods for

> > ordering the playerless countries and it upsets the game balance.
>
> Yes, well, declaring the playerless countries to be in anarchy seems
to
> work better than most options for 5-6 players.
>
> Thing is, gathering 7 people is harder than it may seem. I usually
> invite 9 persons with ample time before the game, and still only end
up
> with 5 or so. So, instead of postponing the game, we've decided to
play
> it out with fewer participants. Less than five gets a bit boring and
> static, unless you bring more elaborate variants in. Or try it
Woodrow
> Wilson style [1] or Pure Diplomacy[2].
>
> A couple of things to note regarding games with less than 7 players:
> They take far less time per round, and each game goes on at a faster
> pace. The redistribution of countries will affect the balance, but it

> won't make the game unplayable. Just different.
>
> If getting seven players and a spot to play is difficult, you might
want
> to try it out at your school. Print game maps with the computer,
explain
> the rules, and set up deadlines each day. Prepare for a lot of phone
> calls, discussions on the breaks, etc. Great fun, but a game can take

> several months, much like a judge. You might want to finish the game
> Face to Face after getting them started like this.
>
> Happy Playing!
>
> --
> Markus
>
>
>
> [1] Everyone sits at the same table, all discussions are public. Just

> grab comfortable chairs, a lot of munchies, some drinks and sit down
and
> talk. Give it a try, at the very least.
>
> [2] One supply center and one unit for each country, arranged so that

> every supply center is reachable from every other one. Thing of a
pie,
> or a pentagram.

 

[Malc]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

TradaPIB wrote:
> Markus Koivisto wrote:
>
>>Joel K. 'Jay' Furr wrote:
>>
>>>petisbirth@gmail.com (TradaPIB) wrote in
>>>news:ea410a47.0412281605.4d50695b@posting.google.com:
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>>Uh, hi all, I'm pretty much new to Diplomacy. I got it for
>
> Christmas
>
>>>>and I understand most of the rules. Just one question, does less
>>>>players detract from the gameplay?
>>>
>>>
>>>Yes. Without seven players, you have to follow various methods for
>
>
>>>ordering the playerless countries and it upsets the game balance.
>>
>>Yes, well, declaring the playerless countries to be in anarchy seems
>
> to
>
>>work better than most options for 5-6 players.
>>
>>Thing is, gathering 7 people is harder than it may seem. I usually
>>invite 9 persons with ample time before the game, and still only end
>
> up
>
>>with 5 or so. So, instead of postponing the game, we've decided to
>
> play
>
>>it out with fewer participants. Less than five gets a bit boring and
>>static, unless you bring more elaborate variants in. Or try it
>
> Woodrow
>
>>Wilson style [1] or Pure Diplomacy[2].
>>
>>A couple of things to note regarding games with less than 7 players:
>>They take far less time per round, and each game goes on at a faster
>>pace. The redistribution of countries will affect the balance, but it
>
>
>>won't make the game unplayable. Just different.
>>
>>If getting seven players and a spot to play is difficult, you might
>
> want
>
>>to try it out at your school. Print game maps with the computer,
>
> explain
>
>>the rules, and set up deadlines each day. Prepare for a lot of phone
>>calls, discussions on the breaks, etc. Great fun, but a game can take
>
>
>>several months, much like a judge. You might want to finish the game
>>Face to Face after getting them started like this.
>>
>>Happy Playing!
>>
>>--
>>Markus
>>
>>
>>
>>[1] Everyone sits at the same table, all discussions are public. Just
>
>
>>grab comfortable chairs, a lot of munchies, some drinks and sit down
>
> and
>
>>talk. Give it a try, at the very least.
>>
>>[2] One supply center and one unit for each country, arranged so that
>
>
>>every supply center is reachable from every other one. Thing of a
>
> pie,
>
>>or a pentagram.
>
>
I agree it does not help the game, but do not be put off. Have a go
with three or more...be aware three can get rough!

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

Malc <fran54704@freesurf.fr> wrote in news:cr3ler$479$1
@news6.svr.pol.co.uk:

> I agree it does not help the game, but do not be put off. Have a go
> with three or more...be aware three can get rough!

Please also note that through the NADF and other websites, you can often
put yourself on a list of available players for an area. Newbies often
wind up doing as well as experienced players, given the weird way the game
sometimes works out.

--
Visit http://tinyurl.com/3sjb4 to sponsor me in the February 12, 2005
Vermont Special Olympics "Penguin Plunge". All donations are greatly
appreciated.

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.diplomacy (More info?)

TradaPIB <petisbirth@gmail.com> wrote:
> Uh, hi all, I'm pretty much new to Diplomacy. I got it for Christmas
> and I understand most of the rules. Just one question, does less
> players detract from the gameplay?

If you've got a color printer, you may consider printing out some
alternative maps designed for a fewer number of players.
(You'll probably want to enlarge them and tape the pages together).

Go to http://www.diplom.org/Online/maps.html

If you can get 5 players, check out "chromatic". Plays quick, good intro.