Tragedy of the Commons: a social experiment (game thread)

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

Call GM:

Certain details, like the starting amount of fish and a scoring system, as well as a system of player abilities and events, are not yet fully fleshed out. There will be an incentive to lie and claim you fished less fish than you did, ways the players can punish whoever they think overfished, and a thread for discussing who may or may not have "overfished".

Please can you explain the rules for this "punishment" mechanism, as I do not see it set out in any detail in the setup thread?

Some abilities allow you to see how many fish people have fished, take them to court (circuit court for the county of FishLandia), steal/destroy their abilities, or otherwise punish them. Some people may or may not have started with such abilities, and anyone could potentially acquire them through roleplaying and scheming. These abilities can be used to find and punish overfishers, punish people who are annoying you, or just cause general chaos.

If you're asking if there's a mafia-esque "Vote out one person per day" mechanic, no.

[Jamiet99uk]

How can I "obtain abilities through roleplaying" ?

I'm not sure I understand the mechanics here.

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

How can I "obtain abilities through roleplaying" ?

I'm not sure I understand the mechanics here.

If you roleplay as a very grouchy, irritable person, you might get an ability that causes anyone who uses an ability on you to lose points. If you roleplay as a hyper-analyzing detective, you might get an ability that allows you to view other player's abilities or amounts of fish fished. You could also very literally PM me, "I investigate opportunities for part-time jobs as a [police officer/lawyer/consulting consultant/other job]" and get an ability based on your new job.

[DrFidelis]

How can I "obtain abilities through roleplaying" ?

I'm not sure I understand the mechanics here.

It's probably something like D&D's Inspiration system, where the DM can at any time give you a one-time use "Inspiration" to have advantage on any roll of your choice.

[Diplomacy&Warfare]

How can I "obtain abilities through roleplaying" ?

I'm not sure I understand the mechanics here.

It's probably something like D&D's Inspiration system, where the DM can at any time give you a one-time use "Inspiration" to have advantage on any roll of your choice.

A bit, yes. What I am doing is more like giving you a permanent +1 to Sleight of Hand after doing some excellent roleplaying.

[JustAGuyNamedWill]

Mm I’m not much of a roleplayer but if it means I’ll get those sweet, sweet fish…

Also updated aquapolitical map:

[Pengwinja]

I claim the moon, screw over whatever space conventions there are.

[Jamiet99uk]

I claim the moon, screw over whatever space conventions there are.

If you can find any fish on the moon, you are entitled to eat as many of them as you like.

[Jamiet99uk]

I just checked the maths.

We know that there are estimated to be 50 fish in the pond to start with.

We also know that after each cycle, after catches, the number of fish increases by an average of +1 for every 2 fish left in the pond.

So:

There are 6 of us. If we catch 2 fish each (12 caught) in the first cycle of fishing (i.e. the present turn), that leaves 38.

By the start of the second cycle of fishing, the stock will have replenished to around 57 fish.

At 57 fish, if we then each catch 3 fish (18 caught), that leaves 39.

By the start of the third cycle of fishing, the stock will have replenished to around 58 fish.

Therefore:
By each alternating between catching 2 fish in one round, 3 fish in the next round, then back to 2 fish, and so on, we can all catch an average of 2.5 fish per cycle, over the long term, and maintain the fish stocks in perpetuity, indeed hopefully allowing for a very slow increase in the number of fish.

Please all keep to the agreement to fish only two fish today. Tomorrow, you will be able to have three.

[Jamiet99uk]

I am going to claim one of my current abilities (I have more than one).

I have an investigative ability, allowing me to watch one person and find out what they did in the phase.

I am choosing to investigate someone during this phase. I will not declare who I have chosen. However there are only five other fishermen besides me, so there is at least a 20% chance that I am investigating you.

If I see anyone take more than two fish, I will expose you, and I will expect my fellow fishermen to join me in shutting you inside a box to prevent you from doing any fishing at all in the following phase.

So let's all behave, yeah?

[Pengwinja]

Some abilities allow you to see how many fish people have fished, take them to court (circuit court for the county of FishLandia), steal/destroy their abilities

I am going to claim one of my current abilities

[Pengwinja]

I say if you don’t follow the law, you’re used as fish bait.

[damo666]

I just checked the maths.

We know that there are estimated to be 50 fish in the pond to start with.

We also know that after each cycle, after catches, the number of fish increases by an average of +1 for every 2 fish left in the pond.

So:

There are 6 of us. If we catch 2 fish each (12 caught) in the first cycle of fishing (i.e. the present turn), that leaves 38.

By the start of the second cycle of fishing, the stock will have replenished to around 57 fish.

At 57 fish, if we then each catch 3 fish (18 caught), that leaves 39.

By the start of the third cycle of fishing, the stock will have replenished to around 58 fish.

Therefore:
By each alternating between catching 2 fish in one round, 3 fish in the next round, then back to 2 fish, and so on, we can all catch an average of 2.5 fish per cycle, over the long term, and maintain the fish stocks in perpetuity, indeed hopefully allowing for a very slow increase in the number of fish.

Please all keep to the agreement to fish only two fish today. Tomorrow, you will be able to have three.

F/3N

[JustAGuyNamedWill]

I am going to claim one of my current abilities (I have more than one).

I have an investigative ability, allowing me to watch one person and find out what they did in the phase.

I am choosing to investigate someone during this phase. I will not declare who I have chosen. However there are only five other fishermen besides me, so there is at least a 20% chance that I am investigating you.

If I see anyone take more than two fish, I will expose you, and I will expect my fellow fishermen to join me in shutting you inside a box to prevent you from doing any fishing at all in the following phase.

So let's all behave, yeah?

Jamie is your ability called “Investigate” or does it have some silly name like ‘Fish Detective’ or something

[Pengwinja]

I am going to claim one of my current abilities (I have more than one).

I have an investigative ability, allowing me to watch one person and find out what they did in the phase.

I am choosing to investigate someone during this phase. I will not declare who I have chosen. However there are only five other fishermen besides me, so there is at least a 20% chance that I am investigating you.

If I see anyone take more than two fish, I will expose you, and I will expect my fellow fishermen to join me in shutting you inside a box to prevent you from doing any fishing at all in the following phase.

So let's all behave, yeah?

Jamie is your ability called “Investigate” or does it have some silly name like ‘Fish Detective’ or something

The name doesn’t matter. Unless, of course, you are trying to steal his ability and you need the exact name???

[JustAGuyNamedWill]

I am going to claim one of my current abilities (I have more than one).

I have an investigative ability, allowing me to watch one person and find out what they did in the phase.

I am choosing to investigate someone during this phase. I will not declare who I have chosen. However there are only five other fishermen besides me, so there is at least a 20% chance that I am investigating you.

If I see anyone take more than two fish, I will expose you, and I will expect my fellow fishermen to join me in shutting you inside a box to prevent you from doing any fishing at all in the following phase.

So let's all behave, yeah?

Jamie is your ability called “Investigate” or does it have some silly name like ‘Fish Detective’ or something

The name doesn’t matter. Unless, of course, you are trying to steal his ability and you need the exact name???

Yes, I can copy the ability of another if I guess the name for the phase

[JustAGuyNamedWill]

I am going to claim one of my current abilities (I have more than one).

I have an investigative ability, allowing me to watch one person and find out what they did in the phase.

I am choosing to investigate someone during this phase. I will not declare who I have chosen. However there are only five other fishermen besides me, so there is at least a 20% chance that I am investigating you.

If I see anyone take more than two fish, I will expose you, and I will expect my fellow fishermen to join me in shutting you inside a box to prevent you from doing any fishing at all in the following phase.

So let's all behave, yeah?

Jamie is your ability called “Investigate” or does it have some silly name like ‘Fish Detective’ or something

The name doesn’t matter. Unless, of course, you are trying to steal his ability and you need the exact name???

I don’t understand why this scenario you choose is so specific. Do you have an ability that does that????

Actually Jamie on second thought do not say the name of your ability

[Pengwinja]

Jamie is your ability called “Investigate” or does it have some silly name like ‘Fish Detective’ or something

The name doesn’t matter. Unless, of course, you are trying to steal his ability and you need the exact name???

I don’t understand why this scenario you choose is so specific. Do you have an ability that does that????

Actually Jamie on second thought do not say the name of your ability

I was just referencing the fact that there is an ability that can do that, as stated by Dip&War. I was not aware of any copy ability. That is my fault. Anyway, my ability is about fishing limits. Every turn i can alter the legal fishing limit by 1, up or down. It is currently 5. Punishments happen to people who fish over the current limit. I am going to move it down. The ability is not stackable (E.G. if 3 people had it, it couldn’t move down 3 times a phase, it would only move once.) For better clarification, it would be nice if you stated why you want information in the same message asking for it.

[Pengwinja]

I assume that the circuit court can give out punishments to people who fish over the limits. I am fine with Jamie not sharing his ability, just in case someone else has a destroy ability.

[JustAGuyNamedWill]

The name doesn’t matter. Unless, of course, you are trying to steal his ability and you need the exact name???

I don’t understand why this scenario you choose is so specific. Do you have an ability that does that????

Actually Jamie on second thought do not say the name of your ability

I was just referencing the fact that there is an ability that can do that, as stated by Dip&War. I was not aware of any copy ability. That is my fault. Anyway, my ability is about fishing limits. Every turn i can alter the legal fishing limit by 1, up or down. It is currently 5. Punishments happen to people who fish over the current limit. I am going to move it down. The ability is not stackable (E.G. if 3 people had it, it couldn’t move down 3 times a phase, it would only move once.) For better clarification, it would be nice if you stated why you want information in the same message asking for it.

Hm okay I didn’t see that from Dip. I thought you slipped up there for a sec.

Still, I am going to be cautious around you