Like Agnaar, but with many fewer points, I'd be keen if it was gunboat.

I am definitely a possibility but like some others I’d have to see what variant. I guess I’m not so worried about if it’s gunboat or not, but would lean towards full press. Also how big do we want to go? If there’s enough interest do we hold multiple games and then whiddle it down to one game? ( tourny style)

Thanks for thinking of me guys. This sounds interesting (and we tried this once before years ago, if you remember Ambassador, but the contest was ruined by a multi-gamer). I’d be on most variants, but only so long as it’s full press.

Hello, everyone.
Thank you Amby for this idea and thank you Mercy for your message.
I may possibly be interested. But I first need to see which variant. And I only play full press.

Maybe someone could coax Cypeg back for a game of this size.....

Why don't we do a game of full press and a gunboat game? I'd play both. Nothing I'd rather do than lose to you all twice!

That may be the way to go, kevdog.

The Desert Fox, I don't think we have enough players for a whole tourney. I doubt we will find many more players than the 12 we have right now, and not even all 12 of them want to play in the same type of game.

Gents, I have come up with the perfect system in which everyone can specify their preferences.

Put a P next to your name if you want to play a press game.
Put a G next to your name if you want to play a gunboat game.
Put a p next to your name if you want to play a press game only if you won't play a gunboat game already.
Put a g next to your name if you want to play a gunboat game only if you won't play a press game already.
Example: G p means "I want to play a gunboat game, but if there isn't a gunboat game I will play press instead."

After a game indication (P, G, p or g), write in between brackets which settings you prefer. You can write anything here. Settings that are so important to you that you only want to play the game if it has these settings are followed by an exclamation mark (!).

Easy, isn't it? So far we have

Amby |
Mercy | P(WTA!, Anon, HDV, >4 players, #centers / #players < 8)
Eki |
drano |
kevdog | P G
Shah |
Agnaar | G
Drano | P
Bob Al Hubob | G P?p?
The Desert Fox | P G?g?
G-Man | P
Retillion | P

Amby | P G
Mercy | P(WTA!, Anon, HDV, >4 players, #centers / #players < 8)
Eki |
drano |
kevdog | P G
Shah |
Agnaar | G
Drano | P
Bob Al Hubob | G P?p?
The Desert Fox | P G?g?
G-Man | P
Retillion | P

kevdog8 | P G (Anon, known draw votes)

Retillion | P! (Phase is minimum 48 hours !, variant as large as possible, non-anon game, unrated game, known draw votes)

@Mercy : What does "HDV" mean ?

@Retillion: "HDV" means Hidden Draw votes. I will write it out fully now.
The exclamation mark after "P" is not needed since it is implicit from the fact that it isn't followed by a lowercase "g".

Amby | P G
Mercy | P(WTA!, Anon, hidden draw votes, #centers / #players < 8)
Eki |
drano |
kevdog8 | P(Anon, known draw votes) G(Anon, known draw votes)
Shah |
Agnaar | G
Drano | P
Bob Al Hubob | G P?p?
The Desert Fox | P G?g?
G-Man | P
Retillion | P(Phase length ≥ 2 days!, Unrated, Non-Anon, known draw votes, variant as large as possible)

Hidden draw votes?

Amby | P G
Mercy | P(WTA!, Anon, hidden draw votes, #centers / #players < 8)
Eki |
Drano | P (non-anon - i mean, we're all high ranked so headhunting shouldn't be an issue? Plus its fun to get to know people always!, phase length ≥ 2 days!)
kevdog8 | P(Anon, known draw votes) G(Anon, known draw votes)
Shah |
Agnaar | G
Bob Al Hubob | G P?p?
The Desert Fox | P G?g?
G-Man | P
Retillion | P(Phase length ≥ 2 days!, Unrated, Non-Anon, known draw votes, variant as large as possible)

@ Mercy : Thank you.

Yes I’m in, leave me as is on list. I guess I prefer non anon..... I agree with drano019, its nice to know who’s who.

I can play anyway.

@The Desert Fox, @Eki83 It would be nice to know if you would want to play 2 games, and if not, if you preferred press or gunboat. That is what my system is intended to make clear.

why is it nice to know who s who ?
I see it as a potential handicap for me since i am new here while you re trying to create a game with mostly regular players. Specially knowing that you are all dreaming of my crown at night :)
If non anonymous I m fine playing full press as well.
Agnaar : all ("fantasy world" prefered for party of 12)

@Agnaar -

To me, it's nice to know who's who because Diplomacy to me, is a community. Getting to know the other people on the site is a massive bonus to a game to me. I find it's much more enjoyable when I can have banter with people during a game about non-Dip things and get to know them on a personal level.

@Agnaar You said: "If non anonymous I m fine playing full press as well.". However, in the rest of your message you seemed to say that you preferred to play anonymously. Did you mean to say: "If anonymous I m fine playing full press as well."?

I really prefer anonymous play myself, too. I think each individual game should be played as an individual game. Playing anonymously facilitates that. If the players are not anonymous, people will inevitably bring over their knowledge about the playstyle of the other players. Also, if I ruthlessly attack someone and eliminate them early, I will feel slightly less guilty if I don't know who I am eliminating. :P As for getting to know people, after the game is finished you get to know their identities.

Amby | P G
Mercy | P(WTA!, Anon, hidden draw votes, #centers / #players < 8)
Eki | ?
Drano | P (non-anon, phase length ≥ 2 days!)
kevdog8 | P(Anon, known draw votes) G(Anon, known draw votes)
Shah |
Agnaar | G P(Anon!, likes Fantasy World Diplomacy)
Bob Al Hubob | G P?p?
The Desert Fox | P (non-anon) G?g?
G-Man | P
Retillion | P(Phase length ≥ 2 days!, Unrated, Non-Anon, known draw votes, variant as large as possible)

Amby | P G
Mercy | P(WTA!, Anon, hidden draw votes, #centers / #players < 8)
Eki | P (WTA)
Drano | P (non-anon, phase length ≥ 2 days!)
kevdog8 | P(Anon, known draw votes) G(Anon, known draw votes)
Shah |
Agnaar | G P(Anon!, likes Fantasy World Diplomacy)
Bob Al Hubob | G P?p?
The Desert Fox | P (non-anon) G?g?
G-Man | P
Retillion | P(Phase length ≥ 2 days!, Unrated, Non-Anon, known draw votes, variant as large as possible)

I think non-anon is better because some players have more or less identifiable style to write messages. It wouldn't be totally anonymous anyway.

Prefer anon, it helps cut down on alliances and enemies built on relationships from previous games. And I'll still chat with you!!

Surely we can all put aside past history for one game? Play-by-email (and face-to-face) does it all the time, and it's wildly successful and fun. Surely the best of the vDip players group can match that? If not, that's...disappointing.

Damn I have doubly counted Drano. We only have 11 players. :(

@Eki: To me that's like saying 'We should live in anarchy because some people might break some laws anyway'. I neither see a logical connection in your argument nor an argument in favor of non-anonymous play.
@Drano: They don't. I was at the top board of the European FtF Championship last year and everyone (me included) was metagaming. Perhaps the biggest reason why I enjoy online play more than face to face play is because online you can play anonymously. If the best of vDip match the playstyle of face to face players, I would be disappointed.

Couldn t agree more with Mercy on both points.
Actually I even feel like we are from same country...(seems personal but i agree with dano : it s nice to get to know new people) Are you french?

I am Dutch. :) If you are interested in the location of more players, this map may help: https://www.google.com/maps/d/viewer?msa=0&ll=51.89307099222213%2C6.21106699588654&spn=22.682198%2C57.084961&mid=15PIMhZ1s4SdnKFt-SRmdfjP289w&z=8

Actually this shorter link works too: http://goo.gl/maps/EPgiV

i m not on it.