@ubercacher16 - yes to the first and the second depends on what you consider sportsmanlike, it is diplomacy after all.

Ok, another question, do you start with a zero dollar deficit at the beginning? Also is there a limit to the number of currencies that a player can sell stock of or just the number of stock sold per currency?

You start with shares but a zero cash balance. The limits are per currency so in a 10 player game you could sell 5000 total shares in a turn if you held 500 in each currency. There is no shorting of a stock.

Ok.

Where do we negotiate Bourse deals?

I'd be interested to get involved. What's the timeframe for looking to get this started?

1) Technostar
2) Mr. Finkelmuiyer
3) a_mercurial_git
4) YCHTT (but no sealanes)
5) Amby (generally prefer not sealanes)
6) RUFFHAUS 8
7) jason4747
8) Ezio
9) Dr. Recommended (if anon)
10) ubercacher16
11) bozo
12) Spartan22
13)

Maybes :
drano019, Captainmeme,

1) Technostar
2) Mr. Finkelmuiyer
3) a_mercurial_git
4) YCHTT (but no sealanes)
5) Amby (generally prefer not sealanes)
6) RUFFHAUS 8
7) jason4747
8) Ezio
9) Dr. Recommended (if anon)
10) ubercacher16
11) bozo
12) Spartan22
13) Leif_Syverson (if gluttony for punishment is chic)

Maybes :
drano019, Captainmeme,

@Argentinean
Since Bourse players participate in both the Bourse and the normal game, Bourse deals are negotiated in-game like normal Diplomacy.

I'm willing to play.

1) Technostar
2) Mr. Finkelmuiyer
3) a_mercurial_git
4) YCHTT (but no sealanes)
5) Amby (generally prefer not sealanes)
6) RUFFHAUS 8
7) jason4747
8) Ezio
9) Dr. Recommended (if anon)
10) ubercacher16
11) bozo
12) Spartan22
13) Leif_Syverson (if gluttony for punishment is chic, >= 3d phase)
14) Eki83
15)
16)
17)

Maybes :
drano019, Captainmeme,

A note on rule changes:

I am happy to play again with current rules. I don't believe the game is broken with the current rules, and I believe that veterans have now learned enough about the nuances in strategy that any "brokenness" will be their own fault. I do believe the nuances in the current rule set make it much harder to introduce new players to the game in a way that they don't feel like they are unable to play effectively and thus lose interest quickly. Getting behind early in the bourse usually leaves newbies out of the running for good.

Veterans may disagree with me, but if we want to expand the popularity of bourse and play larger maps, perhaps a bourse strategy session to coach the nuances would be helpful instead of discussions about rules changes. If the bourse veterans prefer to keep the nuanced strategy knowledge as proprietary and let others figure out on their own the strategies we have all worked out, that is ok too, but I think we have to be ok with the outcome that we won't really ever get enough interest to play a larger map like WWIV.

As we're quickly approaching the 15-person threshold, we should decide whether we want to set up a game with the current roster on KW901 or shoot for one of the WWIV variants. While it would be cool to see a game played on Sealanes (which I prefer out of the WWIV maps because it leads to a much more exciting endgame rather than a group of 5-10 players stuck in a lackluster stalemate), several people here don't like Sealanes, so we could instead shoot for a game of 6.2. However, I am still uncertain whether there is enough interest to get 35/36 people on board in the first place.

Maybe Haven?

Leif raises an excellent point. Would it make sense to first begin a tutorial game, so that Bourse rookies can get a feel for what it's all about? It would be easy enough to cancel the game after a few turns.

We could use the tutorial game to reduce the number of rookies through natural attrition and selection of those who showed a certain gift for understanding the nuances.

I think it’s a good idea.

Count me in if you need more players

ICan'tHandleTheTruth that I really don't fully understand Bourse, but what the heck. Trial game is a good idea

If there are no objections I'll set up a test game, can I get a quick list of who hasn't played bourse yet, and I'll set up a variant game with that number.

Kaner, I remember we discussed in one of the episodes about doing a trial game and having a mentor buddied up who's played before. Worth considering?

That's a good idea -> if folks are up for it then let's make it happen

Otherwise I'm just as happy jumping straight into it, with the new players learning through talking with the bourse veterans in-game

I’m down for either way. I’ve never played bourse before so I’d be in for a trial game, mentor buddy, jumping straight in, etc. whatever ends up being most popular among the group.

What Spartan said. I'll do whatever everyone else, especially the bourse veterans and kaner, thinks.

I'm no Bourse expert, but I learned a lot from fighting then cooperating with Ruff last game. It is great fun!

I’m also new to Bourse, and while I’m fairly sure I could catch onto the tricks of the game fast enough to have a good start, I would be down for a tutorial match before the real game

Happy to mentor or jump straight in.

I haven't played Bourse, but I feel like I've got a reasonable grip on the rules of it anyway. I'd be happy to partake in a quick trial game, though.

Happy to take part in a trial too

Ok then - We've enough to start a full bourse game on the Known World variant 901. And saving myself from the extra work of making 2 spreadsheets, I'll start sending invitations out as soon as I've reset a KW901 bourse spreadsheet.