Anybody want to play one last large pot game, ~1,000+ to join, before I take the summer off?

Sorry, I kind of like the points. I'd very much like to get to 20,000 before my break, but that seems to be my only motivation at the moment, which is pretty sad...

Why do you think your interest is fading?

Ya just too good for everyone else? No challenge?

My approach may be a bit boring. I noticed on my profile I've drawn my last 7 finished games, that's pretty boring. Maybe my current games are relatively boring compared to that 14,000 point pot game I played in not too long ago. I also think I'm in too many 36-50 hour phase games, 24 hour phase games are much less boring, but also more work. I've been thinking I should take a break for a long time, just too addicted to do it, though I think I'll have the strength now... BUT, maybe after one more large pot game!:

http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=25483

1500 point entry, WTA, 36 hour phases, anonymous players, password protected

Let me know if you want to join and I'll PM you the password

I may just have a bad case of djbentitis

I"ll join when i get the chips.
I've been finding it all a bit monotonous recently and I think an insanely high pot game would change that

We could make it 1250, or even 1143 for an 8,001 point pot...

http://webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=25485

1143 point entry, WTA, 36 hour phases, anonymous players, password protected

Let me know if you want to join and I'll PM you the password

You ever think about reviving your interest with Live Games once you get on your break? I like the feel of live games because they are more like the diplomacy board game itself.

The Bent Gambit, djbentitis - she seems to have infected this site! :-)

if dave and marx promise not to bullrush me again, i'll consider lol

I think we have the same disease Marx, although my case has been greatly affected by cheating issues in casual games. I have to say that if the effort put into running special competitions was applied to cheating I suspect that we would have a much cleaner site.

It was only yesterday wasn't it that all cheating was exposed by us writing here (remember Smart Jason and his twenty five accounts + ?) and Kestas all on his own doing the checking - not a single Mod to help. It worked just about as well as it does now. That's not a complaint about personnel, but an observation regarding effectiveness.

And as for running competitions? I respect the hard work that goes into these - I just feel that we are polishing the paintwork and improving the stereo but still buying cheap adulterated gas at the pumps. In an ideal world, I would place combating cheating as the number one priority for making this site an absolute 'must join' on the Web.

Marx, I suspect that even one last big game will not cure your malaise... However, I wish you well.

MM, I hit this point a while back which is why I'm no longer an active mod and I've been cutting down on the number of games I play, though the most recent tournament has kinda ruined that plan.

Flash, there are many more people on this site now, and as it is to be expected, proportionally more cheaters. I don't know if the number of moderators has kept pace, but I do know that the Mod Control Panel has been greatly updated since the old days and mods are much more able to effectively deal with multi accounters than we could before. You'd be surprised at how many multi accounters I banned without even getting tipped off by someone, though the tips from community are certainly of great utility.

The only mod who runs tournaments is TGM and I would say that he does more mod work than anyone right now, so I don't think that's the issue. Certainly, maybe he could be spending his time more on mod work than on tournaments, but it's still all a volunteer job, and I think if he would rather spend some of his time organizing tournaments then that's his perogative.

Look, you seem responsible enough, and I do think we need more mods. If you're willing to devote some of your time to combatting cheating then I can try talking to Kestas about making you a mod. I'm saying this not because you're complaining about cheating, but because I do think you'd make a good mod.

I am new to this site but not new to Diplomacy. I'm 38, a lifetime Diplomacy player, and a Senior Pastor. I've also been a systems administrator for years so I'm computer savvy. When I've been on the site a while I'd be more than happy to assist in anyway. I realize I need to earn the trust and respect of the site administrators.

I would love to help reduce the cheating and make the site better. Clear cheating steals the joy and integrity from the game. I love and respect the game. I work from a home office so I can access the game at almost anytime. This isn't a power grab, I don't care about that. I'm content to just play this great game. I would just love to see this site continue to improve and become everything that it can be. I have time to devote to it and love the game. I think this site has the superior format and game options and hate to see it diminished by those who insist on breaking the rules.

Micah Mauldin AKA "The Heavy Revy"

Dear MadMarx- I wish i could play with you guys, but i seem to have misplaced a 1000 somewhere, i swear i had it a minute ago. oh well. any way, I wish you the best of luck on taking a break, i tired to take one earlier this year so i could concentrate on school, somehow i joined more games :)

if you would want i'd like to play with you in a smaller pot game by your standards, but i know many of us other players who don't have 15000 would like to give you a nice send off game.

I guess i should finish a post before i press send.

If you are interested i'm sure i could rustle up some people for a game. maybe 24 hrs, anon.

let me know.

hey marx. i'm a little hesitant to join such a huge game again so soon- but at the same time it'd be pretty sweet to get in a last game with you before you take off.
pm me if the game gets up to six and i'll cap it off?

Sad to hear that MM :-(

Re: multis&mods, as others have said our mod team does do a lot of work (especially TGM), much more than I used to do both in terms of total time and even more so in terms of effectiveness, because we have software that automates the process of detecting multi-accounters as much as possible
Really it's pretty hard to know what could be improved on the code side, and multi-accounting isn't the big problem that it can sometimes seem like

There have been requests for more mods to help out, but the problem is (like being a volunteer mod just about anywhere) it takes a sustained effort which few people have the patience to maintain over a long period

I do check on the visits/day stats regularly and we're busier now than ever though, so hopefully we're keeping it fresh for many

Marx... I may be interested in a game under 1200 ... tempted to do the 1500, but don't want to put ALL my eggs in one basket...

OOPS!

Noticed my post about cheating and moderators was under my 15 year old son's log in, Zachfactor! Should have been under mine. I've been teaching him the game and he is loving it! Only thing I've found will get him off his XBox 360! Trying to introduce a new generation of fans!

I am the Heavy Revy, not Zachfactor! :-)

I previously posted:

"I am new to this site but not new to Diplomacy. I'm 38, a lifetime Diplomacy player, and a Senior Pastor. I've also been a systems administrator for years so I'm computer savvy. When I've been on the site a while I'd be more than happy to assist in anyway. I realize I need to earn the trust and respect of the site administrators.

I would love to help reduce the cheating and make the site better. Clear cheating steals the joy and integrity from the game. I love and respect the game. I work from a home office so I can access the game at almost anytime. This isn't a power grab, I don't care about that. I'm content to just play this great game. I would just love to see this site continue to improve and become everything that it can be. I have time to devote to it and love the game. I think this site has the superior format and game options and hate to see it diminished by those who insist on breaking the rules.

Micah Mauldin AKA "The Heavy Revy" ;-)

if there is one thing i have been doing a lot of lately it is drawing. and i have been stimulating my game play by playing live games. however people tend to drop out and leave, or cry about how late it is when they start losing sc's.

it is soooooo late, i've gotta go ;)

Heavy Revy admits to a second account? ; )

I am currently wondering about the controlled accounts problem.

When the absurdly named Smart Jason and some of his cronies were active, it was very easy to out them as they openly admitted to having friends enter a game and then follow one person's instructions. It even came down to borrowed accounts at times, but they boasted about this and got caught again and again. Not quite a direct multi situation but an equivalent.

Perhaps the old avatar idea could be revived with different flags for newbies/new accounts, players with rock-solid reputations, and so on...? I'd really like to know who can be trusted when I start a game. The flags could remain even for anonymous games.

That would not necessarily mean a top player by results could be identified and picked on because they had a certain colour flag, as someone who has an impeccable record for being straight - even if they are crap at the game, should also have the same colour flag.

I also like the idea of being able to run better checks on layers before joining as the current set up lets the victims down somewhat (my gripe in another thread). I really believe that victims should be given back points and all games affected by cheating removed from the official stats.

As for Moding: it certainly does take time, a hell of a lot of time if done consistently. That is why I think we should have Mods dedicated to specific tasks rather than a general role.

If TGM is the main man right now work-wise, what happens when his exams creep closer?

We descend into anarchy and chaos, and Sicarius comes back:]

Well, MM I hope you take your break and return soon, as it will be a big loss for the comunity of this site.

I was kind of just thinking outloud. I haven't been affected by "cheaters" much at all, so that's not part of it for me. Maybe it's playing in mostly anonymous games, I've lost a connection to the "personalities" I'm playing against? For instance, when playing with djbent, we'd chat about this or that, but in anonymous games, it's all business.

Regardless, I have to finish up the TMG Masters games, then I plan to take a break until September or October. I'd like to play one more big pot game while finishing things up (I'll advertise for that once dave bishop gets back in two weeks, it sounds like Dave H, fortknox and maybe ottovanbis will be up for that as well) and I would like to get one more in with akilies in a lower pot game, but I think I'll wait to organize that when I organize the other.

I feel a need to play anonymous games to avoid metagaming against me, though I think that's mainly my own paranoia. I don't know, but the spark is currently missing, maybe I'm just having a down week or a mid-life crisis or something else completely unrelated. ;-)

Maybe it's just time to take a break... we all get run down by our hobbies. Gosh, I love chess, but after tournament directing, teaching private lessons, running chess clubs by summer I've had enough and really don't care to play for fun. It's simply not fun. Play your last big pot game, but don't be so quick to swear it off. Just do something different for a while...

If you ever need new competition, I'd love to see how you approach a game. Let me know.

I took a break, that's why I can't join in your game :( I would be up there with Otto and Dave. Damn break screwing me over.

anonymous is far more challenging, as I have learned many playing styles, and try to use that to my advantage (which doesn't always work, cause the best change styles when they need to)...

As one of those that sees the 18200 and rallies forces to beat you, I apologize. Not! Please don't leave us, I've so much more to learn.

I actually feel the same about anonymous games. While they're clearly fairer, its definitely harder to "connect", so to speak, with your ally, and it can take a human aspect out of the game.

I swear by breaks from playing, and I haven't taken one in a long time... probably for about 2 years... I think I might need one too at some point.

That said, I shall be continuing mod/tourney work.

"If TGM is the main man right now work-wise, what happens when his exams creep closer?"

We're working on that one. ;)

dave bishop that's a sad, homo comment if ever I've heard one.

MM, you can take a break until about September when tourneys will be winding right back up again.

lets keep the forum clean, Rule Britannia... no ethnic/gender slurs please