WebDiplomacy is in a classical recession. The distributed points are skewed in favour of "good" players, which is quite natural. The problem is that there are a lot of players with so few points the cant participate in the number of games they want to, and only in games with a high risk of CDs, which will decrease the interest in the game altogethe.

There are a number of players with lots of points, but who cant find enough games on "their level". To end the recession each active account should get a point-boost of say 100 or 200 as a one time-bonus.

My 2+ cents.

But should you be increasing lending at a time of austerity, you're just trying to buy you're way out of the recession.
CDs - is that Certificate of Deposits?

Let's prioritize developings a "fix" for CDs, then... It has been discussed to have the system boot a nation that will CD on phase process and extend the phase by a length. Coupled with reducing the cost of buying in (I suggested first three centers free making small nations free and larger ones where ground will be lost not punitive). This can also be triggered on the first move, too.

@zultar: Among nerd accomplishments, you forgot their inspirational defeat of the Alpha Beta fraternity.

I was merely echoing your own "Ok, since I'm a big nerd" statement earlier in the thread. I agree with ghug that anyone playing diplomacy online probably qualifies as a nerd. On top of that, I read comics and sci fi, and play D&D, M:TG and bridge.

It was a nice rant though, and reminded me of "What have the Romans ever done for us?"

@Nesser: Are you playing in the Masters tournament? There is a lower (but unfortunately not non-existent) rate of CDs and high quality competition. Perhaps even more importantly for the long term, you get a chance to meet and play other good players which may in turn get you into invitational games.

The middle class still exists in Webdip. I think... am I middle class or working poor?

Yeah, we're all nerds here. I just wanted an excuse to bust out the :P emoticon.

@ghug - Where I come from, geek is actually a socially viable nerd. Both have the intellect, but geeks can get non-nerd/geek girls to date, have sex with,and even marry them. So take a nerd and add in a quantum of social acceptability and you get a geek.

Hmm, I've heard it's an East/West thing. Geek is definitely the more derogatory one out here.

I am East Coast and mid-West at the same time. :-) But in the real world it is the Geek Squad while in Hollywood it is Nerd Herd. So do you live in the real world or LaLa Fantasyland? :-)

I'm pretty sure I live right around the capitol of our nerd society.

Riddle me this - I see in all time ghost ranking two players that jump out like a sore thumb, both who have not completed a game since 2010 - TheMasterGamer 103 games played, 49% wins and Rait 124 played, 50% wins... no one is approaching stats like that today...