In this article, I would like to outline how responsible and attentive Game Masters (GMs) can improve the Play-by-Email game of Diplomacy. I would also like to explore some ways in which we can improve our skills as GMs.

It is amazing how completely different two "Standard" games of PBEM Dip can be. This is usually due to the proclivities of the individual GM. What is commonplace in some games can get you booted out of others! For example, I was expelled from one game for the cardinal sin of scheming, conniving and Diploming after I was eliminated from the board. The GM in that game felt that eliminated players should just lie down and die. In another case, I was expelled from a game for "spoofing" grey press, that is, adding fake headers and footers to the press to make it seem like I was another person. It was done clearly as a joke, as the tone of the press was not serious, but I was booted all the same.

I'm not going to suggest that all GMs adopt the same style, or agree on any particular interpretation of the rules. What I think is of vital importance is that GMs outline their own rules before the game starts, especially if their own eccentricities differ significantly from the norm. The best way to do this is to create and maintain a "House Rules" page. Many Game Masters publish a web page that they link from the long comment of the game. If that is not feasible, one can always paste the House Rules into the long comment (description) of the game. Of course, I am assuming that there IS a long comment for the game. Quite a few GMs have been too lazy of late, to even include a description of the policies and requirements of the game.

Another thing that GMs should do is outline their views on late orders, extensions and abandonments. Frequently, GMs include a statement in their rules to the effect that "consistently late players may be expelled". Unfortunately, no effort is made to describe what is tolerable, and what is not! Sometimes, a player will get booted for consecutive late phases. At other times, players can be late over 15 times in a game before they are warned. The "LateCount" flag should be set to encourage players from piling up the tardy slips.

Having all these things set out in advance will help resolve issues that come up during the game. If players know exactly what is expected of them, hopefully they will be less likely to run afoul of the GM. In addition, GMs protect themselves from players complaining about unfair practice to the Judge Keepers, who have enough on their plates as it is!

I think that an up-to-date Rules page helps Game Masters facilitate his/her games. I hope everyone who plans on running a game thinks about making up a list of their personal guidelines. If you have no idea where to start, take some tips from the best.  (Thanks, Millis!)

Happy gaming!
 

  Justin Livitski
(bulbous@tbaytel.net)