The Board Game of the Alpha Nerds

Before Risk, before Dungeons & Dragons, before Magic: The Gathering, there was Diplomacy. One writer enters international competition to play the world-conquering game that redefines what it means to be a geek (and a person).

http://grantland.com/features/diplomacy-the-board-game-of-the-alpha-nerds/

“Don’t you realize that some of us traveled a very long distance to win this tournament?” a player from France said to me with disgust. “And because you won’t stab2 this guy, you’re going to die and bring all of us down with you.”

“Are you going to be paid for writing this story?” a Scottish player asked me. “Because I am losing three days’ wages to be here so that I can get screwed by you.”

"It looked like Diplomacy wasn’t long for this world. Until the nerds saved it."

""I hated Brian, the other players all hated me, and I hated myself most of all.

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha

Alakaslam

United States17324 Posts

February 05 2015 07:31 GMT

#513

Sson

I just keep coming back for more.

I am a strange emotional animal.

Xatalos

Finland9673 Posts

February 13 2015 18:44 GMT

#514

On February 05 2015 16:31 Alakaslam wrote:
Sson

I just keep coming back for more.

I am a strange emotional animal.

Alakaslam

United States17324 Posts

February 23 2015 01:54 GMT

#515

Exactly. I called it like a mafia game.

Screw that, fill your own games. If you have a 3 way like that and I'm calling it, and the game is UNRANKED, accept a draw or state your intent plainly so I/we can surrender. If you are gonna waste my time like that, go meet in a basement somewhere, I hear face to face is more fun and it's easier to travel when you have no life/responsibilities.

Yes, Italy usually can't face down France like that, and it's a rare and interesting occurrence. But 1: Aust should have stabbed, or made clear the alliance early (friendly game? Think about it. Ranked I can totally understand what went down.)

2: Italy could have been offered a Lepanto

What especially bothered me was J acting like a good ally, when he was purely using Italy to stall me, but not conquer me. Italy could have guessed this when the army in Tunis lies dormant so long, why not convoy it to Turkey so she can break the stalemate?

But when you have AFK and newness happening anything goes, and I guess a bastard game is a bastard game. It couldn't be broken by either side the way things went and only Russia working with the south would break the north. He did not say that was happening until it was obviously the way to go.

At that point Austria could have stabbed or helped Italy break the stale. But seeing that by then I had enough fleets that that army was needed, it was staying.

Failed orders also suck though, both support both to place? Really playdiplo.com?

sicklucker

Canada16987 Posts

February 23 2015 01:57 GMT

#516

salty?

Alakaslam

United States17324 Posts

February 23 2015 02:11 GMT

#517

On February 23 2015 10:57 sicklucker wrote:
salty?

Go read the shout box, check out the orders, and I can explain what was said and what I said to some extent.

Saltiness is kind of inappropriate here; I would say indignant. I don't appreciate communicating more than mafia to accomplish less than a shred of what is accomplished in mafia. What Eden did was really bad for Hapaderg & I, so I avoid doing that sort of thing (outing)

This means I stuck with a game I knew I had no chance of advancing for the sake of another player.

Against a player who was in it for (why?) with a dishonest ally who was hell bent on solo.

This while I was (and am!) working on one of my companies largest accounts in my area. No.

When I hint that things are pointless, and that I may need out, it's time to be straightforward. I don't play ranked games for a reason.

Salty would be if I had gone down fighting and raged about untrue things, I don't think I have any illegitimate grievances here.