Settling back in

Kaner & Amby start settling back into the online scene but have started applying their face-to-face Dip ninja skills to online gameplay. Plus their current games and new variants. 

Intro

• The guys introduce the show and reflect the site and podcast album art probably needs to reflect Diplomacy as a whole - online and face to face (0 mins 5 secs)
• They’re drinking at Finney Isles in Fortitude Valley. They talk about their drinks and settling back in. (1 min)
• Amby says that family commitments in reflection will prevent him from going to the 2020 WDC in Vermont. Kaner still may go. But neither of the guys can swing Marseilles 2019 (5 mins)
• Amby brings up his (failed) Montana theory about Kaner’s online handle of kaner406 and talk a little about America (6 mins)
• Kaner talks about his thoughts on connecting in with local gaming groups and introducing Diplomacy. (10 mins)
• Amby discusses a little keyword research he’s done about potentially targeting people interested in the game to come along to a social face-to-face game in Brisbane (11 mins 15 secs)

Around the grounds

• Kaner brings up a now completed anonymous game, "Big Guns" that has just wrapped up where he stabbed Amby. The game ended in a draw with both of the guys surprised the draw passed (13 mins 15 secs)
• They talk about the decision to stab (15 mins 30 secs)
• <20:45 edit out pause bit>
• Kaner asks Amby about his PlayDip games - they talk about the now completed Versailles game (with fog of war) called “We have a Hulk” where Amby survived to the end which was drawn with Sweden, Poland, France, Czechoslovakia and Egypt (which Amby was playing as) (20 mins 20 secs)
• Amby’s also in a 1900 game which is potentially heading towards the end game. Its public press only where Amby discusses the importance of learning from face-to-face about the importance of communication. But its not working out as a public press game as half of the players aren’t communicating (24 mins 20 secs)
• Kaner discusses starting a game with grey press, global posting only, fog of war, written in a Newspaper style and then dropped through multiple translations (27 mins)
• Amby reminds new listeners that the way a Translation game works is covered in episode 4 of the podcast (29 mins) 
• Kaner asks about Amby’s anonymous Divided States game and how that’s going (30 mins 40 secs)
• They talk about a new World War IV Sealanes game that has started and why Amby didn’t join (32 mins 20 secs)
• After fresh drinks the guys talk hops and possums (37 mins 50 secs)
• They return to the WWIV game and discuss Kaner’s plan. Amby poses two questions to Kaner around this (42 mins 30 secs)

New variants

• Kaner introduces two new variants to the vDip website, starting with Caucasia... which both he and Amby mistake the name of the variant and get into the usual argy bargy on. Then Professor Kaner gives a Geography lesson (46 mins)
• Then it’s onto Edwardian (3rd edition.) Kaner bitches about Christmas colors and why can’t Diplomacy maps be like Reader’s Digest maps (50 mins 45 secs)
• Kaner asks what the difference is in this variant to its earlier iteration. Amby discusses creating a big hitters game for Edwardian III and someone PMing about wanting to join. Kaner explains how moderators can force add people to games (54 mins)

Changes at vDip

• Large amounts of webDip’s code has moved across to vDip. The guys discuss what they like and dislike (58 mins)
• After discussing some of the changes in ratings breakdown for game types, they talk how Kaner has played more games than Amby and question the math behind total game stats and variant stats  (1 hr 1 mins)
• Amby discusses how with the changes his ranking seems to have got a bit of a boost. They also talk about removing non-active players from the rankings and Kaner’s chats to Oli about this. They discuss there being zero downside to this change (1 hr 3 mins 40 secs)
• Amby suggests how can Oli (or other Dip site admins) can reach out by email to non-active players about recent improvements and coming back to the site to play games again (1 hr 8 mins)
• The guys tease the audience about some prospective interview guests planned for the show (1 hr 11 mins)
• Amby recalls the Flight of the Conchords episode with their French language song… a MUST LISTEN for anyone going to WDC in Marseilles this year (1 hr 12 mins)

• The guys wrap up (1 hr 13 mins)

Venue: Finney Isles, Brisbane

Drinks of choice:

Kaner - Windblower IPA

Amby - Ochota Barrels Syrah (Shiraz) from the Basket Ranges in South Australia

Just a reminder you can support the show by giving it 5 stars on iTunes or Stitcher. And don't forget if you want to help improve the audio equipment... or get the guys more drunk,  you can also donate at Patreon. Lastly, don't forget to subscribe so you get the latest Diplomacy Games episodes straight to your phone!

Thanks as always to Dr Dan for his rockin' intro tune. Used it as a segment segue this time around for something different.