Heh, well, it seems that every time I start more than one game, RL screws it up. Therefore I think I have finished little more than 10 games without missing phases, and, well, I kinda sucked... I'm also still at 100 .

Play longer phases. SoW is a 1 day phase game.

That's not a solution for me. I can keep up with 1 day phase turns, but if something happens in RL I'm normally out for months. I can't be more specific, honestly. But longer phases is not the solution.

In that case go the other direction and play live games. If you can find a few free hours you'll have time for an entire game.

You guys do know I just asked about SoW right? :P

But yeah, I'm trying that jmo, but whenever I have time for a live game no one else seems to have it... Because of the time zone I suppose.

Also, is it too much of a stretch to play SoW in 36 hour phases or something? Just out of curiosity.

Yeah, I know you asked about SoW, and I'm debating whether or not I want to organize another one right now. Waiting to see how much interest this thread gets before I decide. Anyone is welcome to organize a SoW game though, it just takes some work to get 9 high class players to devote a lot of time to a game that doesn't directly benefit them.

Well then, is it too much of a stretch to play SoW in a different format so less high class players are needed? Depending on how much time those people have they could take on more countries, remove a professor...

If you've got one skilled player who has, like, 5 hours per day extra he could maybe do it all alone, like a professor who answers questions personally too. Although that's a bit extreme of course, but you get what I mean. Narrowing it down to 7 players might be doable?

FYI the last SoW was 48 hr phases.

That would be near impossible. Even for a TA, if you put in the effort that you commit to (granted, not all do, I tried last year but Skittles quit so I don't know what that says about me...), you are taking up a significant chunk of time. Professors are probably in the same boat if not even more weighted down. If someone is willing to put hours upon hours into it each day (while still monitoring their own games/sustaining the rest of their life), more power to them, but it's unlikely.

Just to be clear: I'm talking about IF we can't find enough skilled players up for it.

In theory: If you increase the phase time with 1/3 and decrease the amount of skilled players with 2/9, they have less work to do each day, right? That's just one idea of a compromise that could work...

what is SoW

School of War. Basically the students get a guide appointed who gives advice etc. and 2 professors giving evaluations on a main thread.

oh i would be very interested in that

SOW games are great, but only if you are a student though.

That's not completely true Dejan0707. TA's and Professors have to practice understanding the board without seeing any of the press. That takes some skill and is pretty good practice for your own games.

I'd do ta for gunboat.

It takes a lot of work, steephie. I have been a student, TA, professor, and dean for the SoW and it is a significant time burden on all of those. I still feel bad for quitting on the other professors in the last SoW once I became a mod, but you only have so much time to commit. Unfortunately, even if there was enough interest, I would not be able to volunteer my time for this SoW

I would be interested in SoW too

I'd TA either, but I am not taking over if my student leaves. I fucked that up too badly.

bo_sox: do tell. Do you mean you did too good or too bad?

@jmo1121109

I see your point, reading the board is one of the most important skills. That skill can be learned and practiced on any game not just the SOW...only big difference is that if you monitor some regular game you do not have to wright down your observations and in the sow you must do exactly that . I remember few occasions I was invited to a game but I could not join them because of busy real life. Still when I got extra time I watched the games and tried to read the board as best as I could. It was fun. Reading the board is fun.

Few years ago I was playing as student in two mentor games (on another site) and I had great fun too (I think I won both games but I cannot be sure:) ). I have never been a professor in any of the games so far on this site so I can not say from experience...but that seem to me as less fun. I might be wrong off course :)

The last but not the least is my attempt to expand diplomacy "market" in my own country. Game of diplomacy is not well known there, and great many people never even heard of it. So, I thought why not to invest some time and try to push few people into the world of diplomacy. So far 3 people joined and felt the game (we played at vdiplomacy - variants with less then 7 players are numerous there), and who knows some could be tempted to play more:) Still, this experience as mentor is less fun than being the student.

I'd strongly consider helping with a gunboat SoW game, though I'm going to be doing some traveling this summer

I'd be interested in being a student

I would offer to be a TA or Prof, although I strongly prefer Prof. I've got the time on my hands.

I'd definitely be willing to help out in some capacity. I have more than enough free time.

Everyone who posted interest here should go sign up in Tru Ninja's new thread. He's starting up a new SoW game.