Has Diplomacy Regressed to Just Lying?

[foodcoats]

I can't speak to whether there is more or less lying, but something I often find lacking is players who negotiate. It surprises me how so many players who ally me do not thoroughly question my plans, which allows me to lie by omission on a frequent basis and gain advantages over allies and enemies alike.

It's great if I can get away with a lie, but I think it's almost more important to be able to prevent others from lying to me by prodding their plans and demanding explanations. That's how great alliances are built and how you prevent clever players from stabbing you, and also how you flip players in the mid-game - by exposing the lies of their allies (who are your enemies).

[ssorenn]

Some lies are needed, after all, you cannot have all six of your co-players (or 9 or even 16 in other versions) happy otherwise. But if I come to an alliance, I will not betray my ally. The opposite is a bitter cup to swallow, and this makes me sometimes to stay away from playing.

While this may be true on the surface , telling someone the truth can still get you what and where you want to go. It’s all in the way you word things.

Why is truth and integrity so important, most players at some point need to backtrack because things did not go their way. Having told the truth allows for people, to still be able to trust you and give second and maybe third chances

[David E. Cohen]

I tell the truth as much as I can, as often as I can. It makes the lies SOOOOOO much more effective!

[Calmar]

I have an issue with another form of what I would put in the honesty/dishonesty category. That is someone who copies and pastes your conversation and sends it to another player. This to me is the outside the normal realm of proper communication in this game. It really irks me something fierce!

[ssorenn]

I have an issue with another form of what I would put in the honesty/dishonesty category. That is someone who copies and pastes your conversation and sends it to another player. This to me is the outside the normal realm of proper communication in this game. It really irks me something fierce!

While it’s up to you to let it bother you, i find no issue with this. I find it to be the same as someone in FTF telling you what someone else said. Also, when you copy and paste, you can change the text, so taking everything at face value is foolish.

[Matticus13]

I have an issue with another form of what I would put in the honesty/dishonesty category. That is someone who copies and pastes your conversation and sends it to another player. This to me is the outside the normal realm of proper communication in this game. It really irks me something fierce!

While it’s up to you to let it bother you, i find no issue with this. I find it to be the same as someone in FTF telling you what someone else said. Also, when you copy and paste, you can change the text, so taking everything at face value is foolish.

I would never use such a devious tactic...

[MartyMoose]

Brand new player that’s been paying attention to the world for a while... But, I’ll keep my response game related. I also didn’t play the board game, but chances are you knew your friends and the goal was to have fun with the same friends you were going to keep. And, you probably had similar gaming experience. Online (and I’m not knocking the online experience, I joined on purpose) you have 2 things that come to mind. 1) you don’t know your opponents aren’t conspiring over text. You would like to. But you don’t. I know I could trust the friends and family I’m inviting to play, won’t cheat. You... you don’t know that. 2) How many noobs (like me), or players that just don’t have the skill set to win (we will see if that’s also “like me”) end up shifting allegiances like any other developing nation stuck in the middle?
I think the online version reflects the real world more than a game among friends. Everybody lies. But, lie within the context of the rules. Don’t cheat - conspire with someone outside the allowed and accepted rules of the game we enjoy.