Of course some of them match, btu acting in one own's best interests and lyign/cheating/stealign to get what one wants in a game about winning at all costs where lying/cheating/stealing is encouraged is different than in real life. The things we do in game most of us would never do in real life. There is some blead over (like being charming to manipulate people). But most of the negative aspects of the game stay on the board.

And this list includes things that *aren't* conducive to good diplomacy play like "lack of realistic, long-term goals" and others that just don't happen in the board game like "promiscuous behavior".

In fact, if I were to evaluate the lists, only Facets 1 and 2 really fully apply to the game, 3 & 4 may somewhat apply to the players and how they play on some parts (impatience, poor behavioral control) but even they can be a ploy and not like the person at all.

I'm not seriously suggesting that psychopathy is actually rampant on this site, but it occurred to me when reading the list that many of those traits seemed well-suited to nature of many online Diplomacy games.... more so than most activities anyone partakes in on a day-to-day basis.

There are certainly many games where I could quite easily describe a players' unwillingness to commit and tendency to constantly stab as "many short-term relationships" and virtually all of the lifestyle indicators. Glibness and superficial charm is totally rampant, as is lying, lack of guilt, etc. :D

What a game this is.

At the end of the day, it's meant as a humourous comparison. ^^

I'm a psychopath and I suck at full press. Go figure.

I know the reason, actually. There is nothing at stake. I won't get money or sex by winning. No motivation for us psychos.

Man... Apparently I'm a psycho!
Help me friendly sword! Help me get good again!

Why, achillies? Then you'd really suck at diplomacy.

Thanks for the list,
My first thought was, "Have you met "Her Indoors ?",
as you have listed her most virtuous features (Love is a most wondrous phenomenon )
I guess I have a lot of "personal development" to attend to & work on.

Criminal Versatility is my favorite - though promiscuity has certainly benefited me most directly :)

I think that all of us are flawed to various degrees, that most of us are not psychopaths, and that most of us are made up of what we'd consider positive traits. That this game requires us to use the more negative - or psychopathic - traits is part of what makes it great. In doing so, aren't we actually practicing and honing our "negative skills"? Most of the positive traits we exhibit over the course of playing Diplomacy I'd venture to say are ones we already use in daily life, while most of us try to limit or avoid the negative traits. In Diplomacy, those negative traits are to varying degrees necessary for success. Of course there are real-world professions that require the same to succeed, but I think as Draugnar said, "The things we do in game most of us would never do in real life."

No real point to make here, just idle wondering. Is playing Diplomacy making me a bad person? :)

What do you mean "we", noob? You played one game!

I think Webdiplomacy is a wonderful outlet
imagine some poor chap, locked in by mortgage and having to support a family
and stuck in lower / middle management in a large organisation that requires him to be honest, obedient, and submissive and polite to his superiors ( possibly some real psychopaths )
He can retreat from the tyranny of his reality to Webdiplomacy,
lie, cheat, steal sc's, and insult anyone he chooses
it's a wonderful "outlet" for suppressed frustation, anger etc

plus a reality of life is that we cannot be 100% honest every day with every person we interact with

I also think web dip can also give a person a way to "test" out methods of negotiation,
managing alliances etc ( & engage in diplomatic warfare, isolate opponents )
& then apply the results of those experiments / lessons in real life

I'm just imagining a CIA agent looking over this...
WHY DID YOU POST THIS?!

He'd be looking for fellow psychos.

why limit it to the CIA ?
& what about the "criminal classes" ?
I am sitting up late watching the NASCAR replay from Bristol to see how Marcose Ambrose finishes
30 laps to go & he's running 6th

The only feature shared by all psychopaths is the lack of feeling. Otherwise they're as varied as the general population.

@ Zmaj, yes I've only played one game...on this site!

Be careful, I might be a psychopath :P

So, does lack of empathy (something I'm often accused of in the real world) make me a psychopath? Cause if so, look out for me with my power tools! Saw 666, Draugnar goes on a rage!

Calm down, you don't need empathy to be a model citizen. The notion that every psychopath has evil tendencies is an urban legend.

I guess I'm pretty much considered emotionless and cold when it comes to other's feelings. It's not that I don't get that they feel bad, I just don't see where it is my problem. But I try to fake it, I don't mind saying.:-)

You're not alone. There are others like you, lots of them. Unfortunately, they can never get organized since they don't care about one another. :P

I'm with ya draug!

Not sure how well I match the list, but I've certainly been called a psychopath in Diplomacy games before. ;)