how about a normal live game on this site ?

orathaic, how long are the phases in a 7 hour game?

I realize 5 minute phases are popular. Does that take 7 hours? Or do you mean at least 15 minutes?
Personally I think 5 minute phases are too short to be called a proper game of diplomacy.
In fact I think they should be counted towards Ghost Ratings.

*shouldn't be counted toward Ghost Ratings.

5 minutes games, ive played two
i dont remember how long exactly, depending on how the game develops 3-4.5 hours?

I guess 5 minutes phases are almost too short, but 10 minutes phases are very good(tried one, but dont have enough time usually), cause remember that retreats+builds are also 10 minutes phases, so you have enough time

em, it depends, i think the standard is about 15 minute turns, which is maybe 12 minutes of talking and 3 minutes to resolve your orders (and then do retreats, there is no talking before you write your retreat orders so they are assumed to be immediate) - so that would get a game to 1914 - however i'd say turns easily run over to about 20 minutes, which would only be 1910 (though later in the game less diplomacy may speed thigns up, though more units will give some player's a tactical headache...)

again, in most face-to-face games.

I know some f2f tournaments will play to ~1906-8 and give points for players with the most SC - that also means you can get a game done in 4 hours, break for lunch, play a second game, and repeat that on the second day of the tournament. (i'd say it is a very different expierence to what we find here...)

I find 5 minute phases too short, but that's part of the fun of it, it's rapid-fire decision making. 10 minutes or 15 is good too, more like a regular face to face, but those tend to take longer, too long to do on site, unless you have all day...

I personally like (aside from the 5 minute games when I have an envening to kill) day phases, the kind of game where you submit moves for spring and fall once or twice a day... so the board's sort of there on that table for a week or two or more, and it's more like the unfolding of a real situation...