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Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 1:28 am
by Omniscient
Why isn't rulebook press considered the standard/normal option for new games?

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 1:47 am
by Durga
Because silly rules too speed up f2f games don't need to be the default online

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:37 am
by thisisntme
Rulebook press hurts me so much. There is no reason not to be able to talk during builds and retreats

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 1:58 pm
by ziran
i do like the "automatically ready orders" feature though.

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:17 pm
by Omniscient
Durga wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 1:47 am
Because silly rules too speed up f2f games don't need to be the default online
We're playing a game bound by established, published rules. Anything contrary to those rules is by definition non-standard.

Further, this website is limited in that ALL turns are the same length. Even a simple retreat or build where you only have 1 choice. When players aren't super diligent about using the ready button (which is every game featuring beginners) this makes the rules to speed up the game MORE important than f2f where you can nudge someone and as important as PBE (which is actually more relevant here).

Finally, there are legitimate reasons not to allow it apart from pacing. Retreats, in the real world, are something you're forced to do as an immediate result of an action. It's not the kind of thing you are able to discuss with your allies' Generals. Builds similarly would not occur instantly and take months to ramp up, so forcing players to negotiate and plan builds in the spring/autumn prior to winter makes sense. If you think of this as a role playing game, those rules are logical.

Winters should not take DAYS to complete.

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:42 pm
by Durga
I didn't know this was the real world

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 6:08 am
by bo_sox48
Omniscient wrote:
Wed Sep 26, 2018 10:17 pm
We're playing a game bound by established, published rules. Anything contrary to those rules is by definition non-standard.
Contrary to that ultra-purist stance, this site actually hosts a game called Diplomacy, and it has been altered beyond the "standard" numerous times. I attended Allen Calhamer's estate sale in La Grange not too long ago and even he, the creator of Diplomacy himself, had a couple of Diplomacy boards that were clearly "non-standard." Hasbro and Avalon Hill, who are both licensed to sell his game, have sold editions of the game that are "non-standard." We have had a number of variants on this site over the years, all of which are, as you say, "by definition non-standard," and dozens more have been designed on our sister site vDiplomacy. All of these boards are still Diplomacy, even the ones that allow you to build outside of your home centers or the ones that allow unit transformations mid-game.

In short, I wholeheartedly disagree with you. We're not bound by the established, published rules that you speak of, nor are any face-to-face tournaments that advertise themselves as Diplomacy tournaments. That's why different tournaments may use different scoring systems, may or may not set time limits and turn limits, and may invite the ire of those who disagree with their alterations. It's all Diplomacy nonetheless.

Rulebook press is not default because the best practice for newer players that are attempting to learn the game is to have all of their tools, including press, available during retreats and builds. They can learn better that way and have more fun learning the game with their friends, schoolmates, or random internet strangers that way.

Because of the time and energy put in by our development team a few years back, rulebook press is an option, and you are more than welcome to limit yourself to games that practice rulebook press and create only games that practice rulebook press if you prefer it over full press. Likewise, if you are concerned about the prevalence of new players slowing your games down, you are welcome to create and advertise private games among friends or other players on the forum, or join a tournament or special rules game that suits you.

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:03 pm
by Durga
Honestly, the real answer is this site started off with no rulebook press and that's why it isn't the default. There is really no other reason other than this convention we created for ourselves.

There are reasons as to why it should continue not being the default, but I digress.

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Thu Sep 27, 2018 7:41 pm
by Mercy
I don't think that that is the entire reason. After all, both web- and vDip started out with PPSC as the standard scoring system, and look at where we are now.

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 2:49 am
by Durga
But ppsc is just straight up stupid. This isn't.

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 3:29 am
by jmo1121109
This is a site that has made alterations to the game diplomacy to best suit the needs of it's members. The main need is time. That is why we allow phases in the length of days. This is "non-standard". We also do not allow mis-orders, we provide you with a near foolproof method of entering orders that make it easier then writing them out on paper. (For example in a paper game you can say army Sev move to North Sea and you are allowed, this site does not allow this). Many people have daily schedules that limit their game time to a window per day. So a method designed to speed up turns (altering the schedule of the game) would be a large inconvenience.

There are of course valid arguments to be made as to why altering to be closer to the face to face version is desirable, but in this case I view the time factor as the most important in allowing both established and new members to play as is. So I will not be altering the default.

-WebDip Dev

Re: Rulebook Press as default

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 3:35 am
by jmo1121109
Durga wrote:
Fri Sep 28, 2018 2:49 am
But ppsc is just straight up stupid. This isn't.
Lies, and to prove it, I challenge you and anyone else who dislikes it to a game of it. http://www.webdiplomacy.net/board.php?gameID=229250

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 11:01 am
by tobieee911
Maybe this sounds weird, but what is ppsc?

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 11:16 am
by Kingdroid
Points per supply center. Aka survivors win. Aka even if the game ends in a solo the surviving players get a share of the pot based on how many sc they have

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 11:36 am
by tobieee911
Okay thank you. So it looks like sum-of-squares scoring?

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 11:46 am
by Mercy
Not at all. In Sum-of-Squares scoring, the winner, if there is any, gets the whole pot. It is only in case of a draw that the players get points based on the number of supply centers they control.

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 11:48 am
by tobieee911
Okay, thank you for the explanation :)

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:06 pm
by Claesar
tobieee911 wrote:
Fri Sep 28, 2018 11:48 am
Okay, thank you for the explanation :)
In addition to what Mercy said, the way the points are distributed in a draw is different as well. In PPSC, it's linear. Divide the total pot by 34 (the number of SC) then multiply by your number of SC. That's your share.

In SoS, there's a more complicated formula which boils down to rewarding bigger powers much more.

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 12:25 pm
by tobieee911
Okay thank you :))

Re: Rulebook Press as default [RESOLVED]

Posted: Fri Sep 28, 2018 2:50 pm
by A_Tin_Can
Claesar, that's not actually correct about PPSC.

In PPSC, draws were shared equally (pot divided by the number of players). It was only in the case of a win that you would get points per supply centres.