Send $50 to JMO and you can do whatever you please. Make sure you address him as "Sir"

If you plan on playing with a group of friends, the mods request that you do so in a private game. Since you don't have enough players to fill a full game, you have two solutions: play the Ancient Med variant, which only requires 5 players, or advertise on the forum. Be sure to let outside players know what they are getting into.

Also, like Partysane said, you'll find that many players on this site will make a list in their profile of who they know in real life. I also recommend doing this.

- WebDip Mod

2nd white line is a more respectable mod. Send an email to webdipmods and request in the first line that someone other than jmo deal with any correspondence. Any intervention from him email the administrator [email protected]

-The webdip advice bureau

Thanks for the help guys, looks like I'll either wait until we have 7 or advertise the spare spaces on the forum, obviously being clear of the usernames that know each other in real life.

And SYnapse, always good to know that bribery is an option ;)

It's always an option.

I have been in your situation in the past. It is okay to add in people from the website to play with you, but you have to make 300% sure you are not preferencing your real life friends over them when you play. Almost to the point of overcompensating. Otherwise, you're metagaming and will probably end up being investigated over it.

-former mod, I guess

Just so it's clear to newer members. Mods are represented by a checkered badge next to their name. Not only is SYnapse not a mod, but his advice tends to be, quite frankly, rather bad.

If you ever have any concerns, please don't hesitate to contact any of the mods.

Just so it's clear I do NOT represent the site, I represent morality.

Thucydides, that's the problem I guess. As much as we want to be neutral there's always the possibility that we won't be, or that we will form an alliance that we may have formed anyway but then get accused of cheating.

It's annoying you can't play a game with less than the full compliment (on the standard map). Apparently you used to be able to but it was removed because people didn't like playing in those games, but couldn't it have been made an option?

King Abge would also like a chase account fully funded in his name

You can download the code for webdip and run your own server with a bot player. That's one solution.

Noone has a problem with you guys allying, as long as it makes sense in the game there is nothing anyone will say.
Making the game anonymous might help, as long as the people who know each other don't talk about which country they are.

Yeah making it anonymous is a good idea,
But even without that, yes, the key is to make sure that it makes sense in the game. The mods can generally tell when looking through the moves if someone is irrationally favoring another player

If I see that a certain player has a game history with one or more players, its easy to look back at past games to see if there has been special favor granted. Anybody can do this by going back through a player's history, its all public. If I look at your game history and see mostly private games, I'll generally be more relaxed and I won't interfere unless there is some egregious rule violation - throwing multiple games to one player for inflated stats, etc. Again, all easy to spot. But in general, private games have a lot more freedom for groups of players who know each other IRL.

2ndWhiteLine, a private game would be my first choice IF it were possible to play with less than 7 players, or make the unused players neutrals, bots or whatever, but it seems people don't like that option being available (from what I've read).

Maybe I'll try to convince a few more to sign up to make it 7!

Try vdiplomacy.net for playing classic map with fewer than 7 people

You're free to create a new forum thread to advertise the game as well as give the password out as you see fit. As myself and a few others have said, though, playing public games with friends is an easy way to get yourself docked points or banned for metagaming, especially now that you're well aware of our policies regarding this practice.

There's also vDip. I hear they have variants.

It is generally a better site. Plus the mods there are a huge step up.

Ohh, just checked out vDiplomacy, now that looks promising! Lots of 2, 3 and 4 player variants. Thanks Landro and 2ndWhiteLine.

The mods there ask the same favour that you disclose to them your real life connections

Has vDip upgraded to Chase yet?

OzorMox: If you want to play the classic variant and you have six players, I volunteer to join your game and play as an intelligent bot. I have no time for negotiations, but I will make sensible moves, or, if you want, I do not move at all.

bihary, thanks for the offer. I'll message you if I start a game with 6 players.

I'll play for real if it helps you guys. Just treats as you would the folks you know and a good time will be had by all.

"Plus the mods there are a huge step up."

...I trained their new mods, lmao.

It was more a comment 're: 2nd white line. And jimbozig. Not you jmo

how do you become a Mod?

Generally, you show knowledge of the game, cool headedness, a dedication to the site over time, and then you get an invite.

In other words, whatever Draug does, do the opposite.

Pretty much, yeah.