Diplomacy World #129 – Spring 2015 - Page 2 Diplomacy World Staff
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Notes from the Editor Welcome to the latest issue of Diplomacy World, #129. really supportive. I didn't write any articles in Spring is here, when a young man’s fancy turns to who this issue, though I kept up with the Demo gets Belgium. And young women too…and older Game commentary. And my Diplomacy szine, people, and anybody who has sat at a table or a The Abyssinian Prince, has been running late. computer trying to decide whether F Lon-Ech is a In the next issue, TAP #358, that will be up in a sneaky way to start Spring 1901, or the defining move couple of days at that will quickly seal their doom. http://www.diplom.org/Postal/Zines/TAP/index. In my case, it doesn’t much matter; it’ll seal my doom no html matter what moves I make. Hopefully those of you who read Diplomacy World on a regular basis have learned will have much more detail on what's been some tricks of the trade and fare better than the worst going on. Prayers and good wishes are Diplomacy player in history (me). I mean, I’ve been welcome, but unlike Don, I do not intend on stabbed so many times, pincushions pity me. I’ve been pulling away from anything I'm doing that I stabbed by players I didn’t even know I was playing enjoy. You all mean a lot to me and I intend to against in games I didn’t even realize I was a part of! be around for a long time. Thanks, Jim-Bob Fortunately, I’ve been able to get a lot more out of the I am sure you all wish the best for Jim-Bob…but why not hobby than just my horrible track record. I’ve published drop him an email and let him know yourself? Here is a a lot of zines, and I’ve made a lot of friends along the guy I consider a close friend, who I have known for over way. If I allow myself to fall into “good old days 20 years, and yet I still haven’t had occasion to meet him syndrome” I could go on and on about how much fun the in person. (That’s my fault; I’m a hermit). Don’t be like age of paper zines was, and the community of players it me…get out there and enjoy some face-to-face events, built…how you got to know your opponents much better meet your fellow hobby members; enjoy a slice of pizza and became friends with a lot more people…but I’m or a glass of whiskey with them before or after a hopeful that a player who enters the hobby in the bloodbath. It’ll make the experience of being part of the electronic age finds their own sort of communal ties to Diplomacy hobby that much more fulfilling. And if your the Diplomacy players he or she encounters. schedule or location doesn’t allow much of that, put some personal information in your negotiation emails Speaking of friends, Co-Editor and all-around good guy and ask for the same. Get to know the people you’re Jim Burgess asked that I cede a portion of this column to playing with. It will be worth your time. his keyboard this time around, so that he could make an important personal announcement. So, I pass the Oh, before I forget, please note that the Interview Editor microphone to him…. position in Diplomacy World is still open. Of all the Editor spots, that one would be the least intimidating to a I need to let everyone know that, unfortunately, lot of you. It’s an opportunity to get to know people I have been diagnosed with Cancer of the better, and to expose the rest of us to the genius behind Small Intestine. I'm undergoing some both you and your interview subject! If you’re interested, successful treatment so far, and I'm staying just let me know. involved in a variety of Diplomacy games I'm in. But especially after the unsuccessful battle I’ll close by reminding you the next deadline for with some cancer in the abdomen that my Diplomacy World submissions is July 1st, 2015. closest friend in the hobby, Don Williams, had, Remember, besides articles (which are always prized you can all imagine that the irony and bad luck and appreciated), we LOVE to get letters, feedback, is quite vivid. I have been maintaining a really input, ideas, and suggestions too. So email me at positive attitude so far, and Mark Fassio (who [email protected]! See you in the summer, also has suffered similar cancer) has been and happy stabbing! Diplomacy World #129 – Spring 2015 - Page 2 Diplomacy World Staff: Managing Lead Editor: Douglas Kent, Email: diplomacyworld of yahoo.com Co-Editor: Jim Burgess, Email: jfburgess of gmail.com Strategy & Tactics Editor: Joshua Danker-Dake, Email: jadddiplomacy of gmail.com Variant Editor: Jack McHugh, Email: jwmchughjr of gmail.com Interview Editor: Vacant!! Club and Tournament Editor: Will J. Abbott, Email: wabbott9 of gmail.com Demo Game Editor: Rick Desper, Email: rick_desper of yahoo.com Technology Editor: Thaddeus Black, Email: thaddeus.h.black of gmail.com Original Artwork Nemanja Simic, Email: nemanja.painter of gmail.com Contributors in 2015: Will J. Abbott, Thaddeus Black, Jim Burgess, Joshua Danker-Dake, Rick Desper, Jack McHugh, Christopher Martin, Larry Peery, Simon Portegies Zwart. Add your name to the 2015 list by submitting something for the next issue! Contributions are welcomed and will earn you accolades and infinite thanks. Persons interested in the vacant staff positions may contact the managing editor for details or to submit their candidacy or both. The same goes for anyone interested in becoming a columnist or senior writer. Diplomacy is a game invented by Allan Calhamer. It is currently manufactured by Hasbro and the name is their trademark with all rights reserved. In This Issue: Editorial: Notes from the Editor by Douglas Kent Page 2 Feedback: Knives and Daggers – The Diplomacy World Letter Column Page 4 Convention News: Selected Upcoming Conventions Page 4 Feature: Standing at the Edge of the Pool; Barriers to Getting into the Hobby by Joshua Danker-Dake Page 5 Feature: Allan Calhamer and the Six Wise Men of Diplomacy by Larry Peery Page 7 Face-to-Face: Club and Tournament Report by Will J. Abbott Page 9 Feature: Ask the GM by The GM Page 9 Feature: An Interview with Tobias Florin of the German-Language Dip Website by Thaddeus Black Page 10 Face-to-Face: 2015 NADF Masters Invitational Final Report by Christopher Martin Page 13 Feature: December 7, 1931: A Day Like Any Other Day…Well, Not Quite by Larry Peery Page 16 Technology: The First Computer Diplomacy Challenge by Simon Portegies Zwart Page 18 Demo Game: Youngstown IV – “Reasonland” – 1906 through 1907 Results and Commentary Page 19 Diplomacy World #129 – Spring 2015 - Page 3 Knives and Daggers - The Diplomacy World Letter Column Yes, we actually have a letter column of sorts this opera. There are lots of heroes out there but finding a issue. It’s not much, but it is more than I’ve been good villain is a bit harder. Who is worse, The able to puplish for quite some time. When each Commander from The Don or Scarpia in Toscar? Please issue of Diplomacy World is downloaded (and send a list of your favorite operatic heroes and villains presumably read) by thousands of people each and which Dippers you think match up with them to quarter (sometimes over 10,000) you’d think we [email protected] could generate more than six letters every year. Do you think my sparkling personality has something to do with it? Roland Clarke - In relation to the Korea story, I am pleased to confirm that Daztur is returned and will continue posting updates once more shortly. Larry Peery - THE SEARCH FOR DIP HEROES AND VILLAINS IS ON! --- If you're interested in [[Roland is referring to the article “Can a Group of Diplomacy and Opera I'd like to hear from you. I'm 5th/6th Grade Korean Girls Play Diplomacy and looking for some volunteer collaborators to help me on a Remain Friends? Of Course They Can!!! By Jim-Bob project that will match up Diplomacy personalities (past Burgess” from Diplomacy World #128.]] and present) with heroes and villains from the world of Selected Upcoming Conventions Find Conventions All Over the World at http://diplom.org/Face/cons/index.php 2015 CODCon Open – Saturday April 11th 2015 - Sunday April 12th 2015 – Glen Ellyn, Illinois - http://windycityweasels.org/codcon9 WDC 2015 (the tournament of style and great food) – Friday May 1st 2015 – Sunday May 3rd 2015 – Milano, Italy - Website: http://www.signoridelgioco.it/index.php?option=com_seminar&Itemid=53 DixieCon 29 – Friday May 22nd 2015 – Sunday May 24th 2015 - Chapel Hill, North Carolina - http://dixiecon.com Weasel Moot IX – Saturday June 13th – Sunday June 14th – Chicago, Illinois – http://windycityweasels.org/wm9 Yorkshire DipCon 2015 – Friday June 19th 2015 – Sunday June 21st 2015 - Ferens Hall, The Lawns Centre, The University of Hull, Northgate, Cottingham, East Yorkshire, HU16 5SQ, United Kingdom - http://www.ukf2fdip.org ManorCon / EDC - Friday July 17th 2015 - Monday July 20th 2015 - John Foster Hall, University of Leicester, United Kingdom - http://www.manorcon.org.uk Carnage - Friday November 6th 2015 - Sunday November 8th 2015 - Killington Grand Hotel, Killington, Vermont – http://www.carngecon.com Diplomacy World #129 – Spring 2015 - Page 4 Standing at the Edge of the Pool: Barriers to Getting into the Hobby By Joshua Danker-Dake I have a good friend—let’s call him Aaron, because Looking for an online game, you run into rather the that’s his name—who I’ve gotten interested in opposite problem, as a Google search for play Diplomacy.